TUTOTIAL ON ABSORPTION

Instructor: Prof. Bishnupada Mandal

Course No.: CL 205 Course Name: Mass Transfer Operations I Date: 14.03.2018

Problem#1: A plate absorption column is used to reduce the concentration of a pollutant A in an air
stream from 5.4% to 0.3% v/v by counter-current scrubbing with solvent "S". This solvent is fresh on
entering the top of column, and the gas stream enters at the bottom of the column at a flowrate of 2.4
m3/s at the column operation conditions of 293 K and 1 atmosphere. Equilibrium data is given by:
X (kmol A/kmol S) 0 0.005 0.010 0.020 0.030 0.040 0.045
Y (kmol A/kmol air) 0 0.002 0.005 0.015 0.032 0.053 0.065
a. Determine the minimum flowrate needed of fresh solvent S.
b. If the actual fresh solvent flowrate is 1.1 times the minimum, estimate the number of ideal
plates needed.

SOLUTION
(a) Rather than use mole fractions, use mole ratios (equilibrium data is in ratio).
Y1 = y1/(1 - y1) = 0.054  (1 - 0.054) = 0.0571
Y2 = y2/(1 - y2) = 0.003  (1 - 0.003) = 0.0030
Mass balance: GS(Y1 - Y2) = LS(X1 - X2)
From ideal gas equation: G1 = pV’/RT = (101.325  2.4)  (8.3144  293)
= 0.0988 kmol/s
GS = G1(1 - y1) = 0.0988 (1 - 0.054) = 0.0944 kmol/s air
Minimum liquid flow occurs when inlet gas and outlet liquid are in
equilibrium. From graph, this gives x1* = 0.042.

(LS)min = 1.288  GS = 1.288  0.0944 = 0.122 kmol/s S

(b)

X1 = 0.054  1.417 = 0.038

Operating line links points (0.038, 0.0571) and (0, 0.0030), the space
between which and the equilibrium curve gives 5 ideal plates.
Problem#2: An acetone-air mixture containing 0.015 mole fraction of acetone has the mole fraction
reduced to 1% of this value by counter-current absorption with water in a packed tower. The gas flow rate
G is 1 kg/m2s of air and the water entering is 1.6 kg/m2s. Calculate, using the data below:
i. the number of overall transfer units NOG
ii. the height of packing required.
Equilibrium relation: y* = 1.75x where y* is the mole fraction of acetone in vapour in equilibrium with a
mole fraction x in the liquid.
The overall coefficient for absorption KGa = 0.06 kmol/m3s (unit mole fraction driving force)-1.
molar mass of air = 29 kg/kmol
molar mass of water = 18 kg/kmol

SOLUTION
y1 = 0.015
y2 = 0.015  0.01 = 0.00015
x2 = 0
x1 = ?
G = 1 kg/m2s = (1  29) kmol/m2s = 0.0345 kmol/m2s
L = 1.6 kg/m2s = (1.6  18) kmol/m2s = 0.0889 kmol/m2s
Overall mass balance gives:
G(y1 - y2) = L(x1 - x2)
0.0345(0.015 - 0.00015) = 0.0889(x1 - 0)
x1 = 0.00576
y*1 = 1.75x1 = 0.0101
y*2 = 1.75x2 = 0
y1 = y1 - y*1 = 0.015 - 0.0101 = 0.0049 top driving force
y2 = y2 - y*2 = 0.00015 bottom driving force
lm (y - y*) = (0.0049 - 0.00015)  ln(0.0049  0.00015) = 0.00136
NOG = (0.015 - 0.00015)  0.00136 = 10.92
z = (G/KGa) NOG = (0.0345  0.06) 10.92 = 6.28 m