Packed Tower
Spray tower Venturi Absorber
CONCEPT OF ABSORPTON
Gas absorption is the removal of one or
more pollutants from a contaminated gas
stream by allowing the gas to come into
intimate contact with a liquid that
enables the pollutatants to become
dissolved by the liquid. The principal
factor dictating performance is the
solubility of the pollutants in the
absorbing liquid.
The rate of transfer in the liquid is dictated
by the diffusion processes occurring on
each side of the gas liquid interface.
LQUD WASTE
Pollutants removed from the gas stream transferred
into liquid phase whose disposal is another issue
to deal with.
Therefore scrubber needs other units such as
storage vessels, additives to treat the scrubbing
liquid according to required discharge standards.
ABSORPTON
P=c
Inject
solute A
Inert carrier
gas
Mole
Inert Liquid fraction in Exp. Equilib.
Solvent gas, yA Distribution
curve
Inert carrier
gas
Mole
Inert Liquid fraction in Exp. Equilib.
Solvent gas, yA Distribution
curve
X = x/(1-x) Y = y/(1-y)
1. The gas-phase flow rates, in lb-moles/hr, for the solute
and carrier gas
2. The mole ratios of the gas and liquid phases at inlet and
outlet and the required water rate in lbmoles/hr.
3.The gas and liquid rates (lb/hr) for carrier gas, solute gas,
total gas, liquid solvent, solute in liquid, and total liquid
4. The tower area and diameter
5. The pressure drop based on the two methods given in
the lecture notes.
EXAMPLE
Removal efficiency: 95%
Effluent Stream Composition: 8% ammonia and 92% air
Gas T and P: 68F and 1 atm
Flowrate: 80 lb-moles/hr
Liquid phase: Containing no ammonia
EXAMPLE
Determine composition of the liquid at the exit (X1)
(Inlet liquid concentration since pure water is used is x2=X2=0)
Use equilibrium data for ammonia-air-water mixtures which are given
below for 68 F and 14,7 psia. :
X 0.0206 0.0310 0.0407 0.0502 0.0735 0.0962
Y 0.0158 0.024 0.0329 0.0418 0.0660 0.0920
0,90
Y2=0.00435 0.092
Since the liquid rate is to be 30% greater than the miniumu rate
(Lm,S)/Gm,C)design = 1,30(0.90) = 1.17 mole/mole
Lm,S = Gm,C*1,17 = 1.17*73.6 = 86.1 lb moles/hr
EXAMPLE
y, moles solute per mole
0,1
Y1=0.087
carrier gas 0,08
0,06
(Lm,S/Gm,C)=1.17
0,04 0,90
0,02
X2,Y2
X1: 0.0707
0.00435
0 0,02 0,04 0,06 0,08 0,1
X, moles solute per mole solvent
Now, X1 can now be found.
1. Graphically by drawing operating line with a slope of 1.17 with starting
point of (0, 0.00435) and the point crosses Y1=0.087 can be read. OR
2. From Lms/Gm,C = Y2-Y1/(X2-X1)=0.00435-0.087/(0-X1) = 1.17
X1 = 0.0707 lm mole A/lm mole water or x1 = 0.066 lb mole A /lb moles
FLOW RATES
Therefore: dz
G1 = 2134 +109=2243 lb/hr bottom
L1 = 1550 +104 = 1654 lb/hr L Gm,1
G2 = 21345+5=2139 lb/hr top Lm,1 Gc
L2=1550 + 0 = 1550 lb/hr top x s y1
1
X1 Y1
TOWER AREA
To determine the tower area, we need to use Figure flooding
correlation plot.
Therefore we need to calculate gas and liquid phase densities
at the top and bottom of the tower. Since the ammonia
content is very low in liquid phase, use the density of pure
water, 62.3 lb/ft3 as the solution density through the tower.
K y a ( y AG y *A ) dz d (Gm ' y )
Gm ' dy Gm ' y
dZ
K y a( y y )
*
K G aP ( y y * )
Gm ' dy Gm ' dy
dZ
K y a( y y )
*
K G aP ( y y * )
G 'm y1 dy
K OG aP yZ y y *
Z
HTU or NTU or
Hoy Noy
04/02/17
be simplified:
x1, y1*
xZ, yZ*
Z
G'm
y1 yz
; yLM
y y y y
1
*
1 z
*
z
K OG aP yLM y y*
ln 1 1*
yz yz 56
Pure amine 0.04% CO2
Lm = 0.46 gmole/s
04/02/17
The entering gas contains 1.27% CO2 and is in equilibrium with a
solution of amine containing 7.3% mole CO2. The gas leaves
containing 0.04% CO2. The amine, flowing counter-currently,
1.27% CO2
Gm = 2.31
gmole/s
C* = 7.3%
CO2 in
amine
57
Absorption of concentrated vapor
Mole balance on the controlled volume
x1, y1
d d
04/02/17
0 (G 'm y ) ( L'm x)
dz dz
1 1
G 'm G 'm 0 L 'm L 'm 0
1 y 1 x
xZ, yZ
y1 L'm 0 x x1 xZ, yZ*
1 y1 G 'm 0 1 x 1 x1
y
y1 L'm 0 x x1
1
1 y1 G 'm 0 1 x 1 x1 58
EXAMPLE
A 1ft diameter packed column is used to scrub a soluble
gas (MW = 22) from an airgas mixture. Pure water enters
the top of the column at 1000 lbm/hr. The entering gas
stream contains 5% soluble gas and 95% air. Ninetyfive
percent of the soluble gas is removed. Both the operating
line and equilibrium curve may be assumed to be straight.
The equation for the equilibrium curve is y = 1.2x, where x,
y = mole fractions. The entering gas mixture flow rate is
800 lbm/hr. The column operates at 30 C and 1 atm, and
Kya = 4.29 lbmol/hrft3y
EXAMPLE
Calculate or find:
a) Concentration of the soluble gas in the effluent liquid if the column is operated at minimum
liquid flow rate