HW 8

CBE3521: 2014F

Problem
1. [Oxygen stripping (Problem 22B.5)]
Calculate the rate at which oxygen transfers from quiescent oxygen saturated water at 20 C
(and 1atm) to a bubble of pure nitrogen 1mm in diameter, if the bubble acts as a rigid
sphere.1 First determine the bubble velocity of rise through the water. You will also need
the following information:
Friction factor f for flow around a rigid sphere is given by
!2
r
24
+ 0.5407
(Re < 6000) [Eq.(6.3-16) of BSL].
f=
Re
Here Re = Dv /, in which D is the diameter of the sphere and v is the velocity
(relative to the sphere) of the flow away from the sphere.
Drag force Fk on a sphere is given by


1
2
2
v f
Fk = (R )
2

[Eq.(6.1-6) of BSL],

where R = D/2.
Solubility of O2 (Species A) in water (Species B) can be estimated by the following
regression of data:
cA = (2.17 0.0507T + 5.604 104 T 2 )p,
where cA [=]mmols/L, T [=] C, and p[=]atm.
To estimate the diffusivity of oxygen in water, use the following regression of data (at
25 and 37 C):
DAB = (1.04 + 0.053T ) 105
even though extrapolation can be dangerous. In this equation, DAB [=]cm2 /s and T [=
] C.
For forced convection around a sphere, the Sherwood number is given by
Shm :=

kc,m D
= 2 + 0.60Re1/2 Sc1/3
DAB

[Eq.(22.3-21) of BSL],

Hint:
(a) For simplicity, let = 1cp and = 1g/cm3 for water and ignore the mass density of
nitrogen gas in comparison to that of liquid water.
(b) We assume that essentially all mass transfer resistance is on the liquid side and estimate
NAr by
NAr = kc,m (cAe cAb ) = kc,m (0 csat
A ).
The quantity you seek is NAr , or if you like, NAr (D2 )MA , where MA is the molecular weight of N2 .
1

In other words, there is no internal circulation. If youd like to see a treatment with internal circulation, refer to
Example 18.5-1 of BSL.

HW 8

CBE3521: 2014F

2. [Height of a packed-tower absorber (Problem 23A.2 with modifications)]

A packed tower depicted in the figure below is to be used for removing 90% of the cyclohexane
(A) from a cyclohexane-air mixture by absorption into a nonvolatile light oil. The gas stream
(A/G mixture) enters the bottom of the tower at a volumetric flow rate wAG = 363 ft3 /min,
at 30 C, and at 1.05 atm. It contains 1% cyclohexane by volume. The oil (A/L mixture)
enters the top of the tower at a rate of WAL = 151 mol/min, also at 30 C, and it contains 0.3%
cyclohexane on a molar basis. The operation is isothermal and isobaric. vapor. The pressure
of cyclohexane at 30 C is 0.159 atm, and the solution of it in the oil may be considered to
follow Raoults law.
(a) Find the operating line, i.e. give XA as a function of YA . Here XA = xA /(1 xA ) and
YA = yA /(1 yA ) are mole ratios in the liquid and gas streams, respectively.
(b) Find the equilibrium line (YAe as a function of XA ).
(c) Assuming that XA (z) xA (z) and YA (z) yA (z), determine the required tower height
if KY a = 14.6 mol/minft3 and the tower cross section S is 2.00 ft2 . [Ans. 60.2 ft.
Without this assumption, the height must be evaluated by a numerical integration. This
gives 60.0 ft.]
A/L mixture
WAL = 151 mol/min
wA (0) = 0.363 ft3 /min
xA (0) = 0.003

z=L

z=0

A/G mixture
wAG (L) = 363 ft3 /min
wA (L) = 3.63 ft3 /min