ABSORPTION AND STRIPPING

IN PACKED TOWERS
column is filled with
an inert packing
material packing
large surface area
per unit of volume,
wetted by liquid as
completely as
possible. Internals
must offer minimum
resistance to gas flow.
designed for
maximum mass
transfer between the
vapour and the liquid
and for low-pressure
drop.

The vapour and liquid

compositions vary
continuously with
packing height rather
than discretely as in
trayed columns.
 Advantages of packed columns
For corrosive liquids cheaper than plate column.
liquid hold-up is lower than plate column - important
bec. inventory of toxic or flammable liquids needs to
be kept as small as possible for safety reasons.
more suitable for handling foaming systems.
pressure drop can be lower for packing than plates; and
should be considered for vacuum columns.
Packing should always be considered for small
diameter columns, less than 0.6 m, where plates would
be difficult to install, and expensive.

Packing materials: 1) random (dumped) packings, and

2) structured (arranged, ordered, or stacked) packings

Materials:
metal plastic ceramic
Choice depend on the corrosiveness of system and cost
Provide large interfacial surface between liquid and gas
Possess desirable fluid-flow characteristics
Be chemically inert to fluids being processed
Have structural strength to permit easy handling and
installation
low cost
 random (dumped) packings

structured packings

Low pressure drop for the gas

Greater possible fluid flow rates
Usually at the expense of more costly installation than
random packings
In designing a packed tower once the packing has been
chosen it is necessary to know the column diameter and
the height of packing needed. The column diameter is
sized on the basis of either the approach to flooding or
the acceptable pressure drop.

Methods for Packing Height (Z)

Packing height can be found either from an equilibrium

stage analysis or from mass transfer considerations.

The equilibrium stage analysis using the height

equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) procedure
HETP - approach

In practice, packed columns are often analyzed on the

basis of equivalent equilibrium stages using a Height
Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate (HETP):

Knowing the value of the HETP and the theoretical

number of stages n of a trayed column, we can easily
calculate the height Z of the column :
Z = HETP x n

Height Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate

Represents the height of packing that gives similar
separation to as a theoretical stage.
HETP values are provided for each type of packing

The HETP concept has no theoretical basis. HETP

values can only be calculated using experimental data
from laboratory or commercial-size columns.
MASS TRANSFER APPROACH (HTU,
NTU)
Preferable to determine packed height from a more
theoretically based method using mass transfer
coefficients.

Interphase Mass Transfer Theory

mass transfer from the bulk of one phase to the
interphase surface and then from the interphase to the
bulk of another phase is called interphase mass
transfer.
Example absorption of SO2 from air by water. SO2
diffuses through air, then passes through the interface
between air and water, finally diffuses through the
adjacent immiscible water phase.
mass transfer occurs in each phase because of
concentration gradient till an equilibrium state exists at
the interface between the phases

Two-film Resistance Theory

Consider mass transfer of solute from the bulk of a gas
phase to the bulk of a liquid phase. This can be shown
graphically in terms of distance through the phases as
shown.
 conc. of solute in
main body of the
gas is y mole
fraction, falls to yI
at the interface. In
the liquid, the conc
falls from xI at
interface to x in the
bulk. No resistance
to solute transfer
across the interface
separating the phases. Only diffusional resistances are
residing in the fluids. The equilibrium concs yI and xI
are obtained from the systems equilibrium distribution
curve. This called the two-resistance theory.
For steady state mass transfer, rate at which solute
reaches the interface from the gas must be equal to the
rate at which it diffuses to the bulk liquid. Therefore
the mass transfer flux of solute in terms of k, the
volumetric mass transfer film coefficient for each
phase, can be written as:

r = mass transfer rate per unit volume, mol/(m3s)

ky = gas phase mass transfer coefficient

a = surface area per unit volume of packing

rearranging:
relative
resistance of mass transfer
between the two phases

a straight line of slope

-kxa/kya, drawn from the
operating line at point
(y,x) intersects the equilibrium curve at (yI,xI).
The slope -kxa/kya determines the relative resistances
of the two phases to mass transfer. AE is the gas-phase
driving force (y-yI), while AF is the liquid-phase
driving force (xI-x).
If resistance in gas phase is very low, yI y
resistance resides entirely in the liquid phase,
absorption of a slightly soluble solute in the liquid
phase, liquid-film controlling process.
If resistance in liquid phase is very low, xI x,
absorption of a very soluble solute in the liquid phase,
gas-film controlling process.
Important to know which of the two resistances is
controlling so that its rate of mass transfer can be
increased by promoting turbulence in and/or increasing
the dispersion of the controlling phase.
Overall mass transfer coefficients
mass transfer film coefficients ky and kx difficult to
measure the overall mass transfer coefficients Ky and
Kx are measured on the basis of the gas phase or the
liquid phase. The entire two-phase mass transfer effect
can then be measured in terms of gas or liquid phase
molar fraction driving force as:

Ky = overall driving force for the gas phase, mole/m2.s

and y* is the fictitious vapour mole fraction in
equilibrium with the mole fraction, x, in the bulk
liquid; and x*is the fictitious liquid mole fraction in
equilibrium with the mole fraction, y, in the bulk
vapour.
combining, overall coefficients can be expressed in
terms of separate phase coefficients:

for dilute solutions when the equilibrium curve is a

nearly straight line through the origin,

where Henrys law is applicable K= H/P