Lecture 21 1

Absorption and Stripping

Absorption (or scrubbing) is the removal of a component
(the solute or absorbate) from a gas stream via uptake
by a nonvolatile liquid (the solvent or absorbent).

Desorption (or stripping) is the removal of a component
from a liquid stream via vaporization and uptake by an
insoluble gas stream.

Thus, absorption and stripping are opposite unit
operations, and are often used together as a cycle.

Both absorption and stripping can be operated as
equilibrium stage processes using trayed columns or,
more commonly, using packed columns.
Lecture 21 2
In absorption (also called gas
scrubbing and gas washing), a gas
mixture is contacted with a liquid
(absorbent or solvent) to selectively
dissolve one or more components by
mass transfer from the gas to the
liquid. The components transferred to
the liquid are referred to as solutes or
absorbate.
Lecture 21 3
The opposite of absorption is
stripping (also called desorption)
where in a liquid mixture is contacted
with a gas to selectively remove
components by mass transfer from
the liquid to the gas phase. Absorbers
are frequently couples with strippers
to permit regeneration and recyling
of absorbent.
When water is used as the absorbent,
it is common to separate the
absorbent from the solute by ---------
------
Lecture 21 4
Absorption and Stripping
When molasses is fermented to produce a liquor containing
ethyl alcohol a carbon dioxide rich vapor containing a small
amount of ethyl alcohol is evolved. The alcohol can be
recovered by adsorption with water in a sieve tray tower. For
the following conditions determine the number of equilibrium
stages required for counter current flow of liquid and gas,
assuming isothermal, isobaric conditions in tower and neglect
mass tranfer of all components except ethyl alcohol.
Lecture 21 5
Absorber/Stripper Cycle
Lecture 21 6
Lecture 21 7
Lecture 21 8
Lecture 21 9
Lecture 21 10
Lecture 21 11
Absorption Systems Physical
Examples:
CO
2
and water Acetylene and acetic acid
CO and water NH
3
and acetone
H
2
S and water Ethane and carbon disulfide
NH
3
and water N
2
and methyl acetate
NO
2
and water NO and ethanol

Physical absorption relies on the solubility of a particular gas in a
liquid.

This solubility is often quite low; consequently, a relatively large
amount of liquid solvent is needed to obtain the required separation.

This liquid solvent containing the solute is typically regenerated by
heating or stripping to drive the solute back out.

Because of the low solubility and large solvent amounts required in
physical absorption, chemical absorption is also used

Lecture 21 12
Absorption Systems Chemical
Chemical absorption relies on reaction of a particular gas with
a reagent in a liquid.

Examples:
CO
2
/ H
2
S and aqueous ethanolamines
CO
2
/ H
2
S and aqueous hydroxides
CO and aqueous Cu ammonium salt
SO
2
and aqueous dimethyl aniline
HCN and aqueous NaOH
HCl / HF and aqueos NaOH

This absorption can often be quite high; consequently, a
smaller amount of liquid solvent/reagent is needed to obtain
the required separation.

However, the reagent may be relatively expensive, and it is
often desirable to regenerate when possible.
Lecture 21 13
Absorption and Stripping the Problem
The principal difference in handling adsorption and stripping, compared
to distillation, is how we represent the equilibria (equilibrium curve)
and mass balances (operating lines).

In distillation, the liquid and vapor streams were assumed to remain
constant under CMO.

In absorption, we have removal of the solute from the gas stream and
uptake by the solvent liquid stream; thus, the total liquid and gas
stream amounts or flow rates can change.

If we use mole fractions of the solute and assume that the gas and
liquid stream amounts or flow rates remain constant, significant error
can result if the solute concentration in the inlet gas stream is greater
than about 1%.

If we can set up our equilibrium curve and operating line to account for
this change in the overall gas and liquid flow rates, we can use the
McCabe-Thiele method to solve absorption and stripping problems.



Lecture 21 14
Absorption and Stripping Assumptions
We assume that:
The carrier gas is insoluble (or it has a very low
solubility), e.g, N
2
or Ar in water.
The solvent is nonvolatile (or it has a low vapor
pressure), e.g., water in air at low
temperatures.
The system is isothermal. e.g., the effects of
heat of solution or reaction are low or there is a
cooling or heating system in the column.
The system is isobaric.
The concentration of the solute is low, say
<10% this is the limit for the use of Henrys
Law, which we will discuss later.



Lecture 21 15
General Design consideration
Entering gas (liquid) flow rate, composition, temperature
and pressure.
Desired degree of recovery of one or more solutes.
Choice of absorbent (stripping agent)
Operating pressure and temperature, and allowable gas
pressure drop.
Minimum absorbent(stripping) flow rate and actual
absorbent(stripping) flow rate as a multiple of the
minimum rate needed to make the seperation.
Number of equilibrium stages and stage efficiency
Heat effects and need for cooling(heating).
Type of absorber(stripper) equipment.
Height of absorber(stripper).
Diameter of absorber(stripper).
Lecture 21 16
Characterastics of a ideal absorbent
Ideal absorbent should have high solubility of the solute
Have a low volatility to reduce the loss of absorbent and facilitate
seperation of absorbent from solute.
Stable to maxmize absorbent life and reduce absorbent make up
requirement
Have a low viscosity to provide low pressure drop and high mass and
heat transfer rates.
Lecture 21 17
Absorption and Stripping
Circumventing the Problem
While the total gas and liquid streams can change in
absorption, the flow rate of the carrier gas, which we
assume to be insoluble in the solvent, does not change.

Similarly, the flow rate of the solvent, which we assume to
be nonvolatile, does not change.

Consequently, we can define our equilibrium curve and
operating line in terms of mole ratios with respect to the
carrier gas and solvent, instead of mole fractions as we did
in distillation.

Doing so circumvents the problem of the changing total gas
and liquid stream amounts or flow rates in absorption and
stripping.

Lecture 21 18
Lecture 21 19
Absorption Variable Specification
Total Vapor (V) and Total Liquid (L)
Flows Rates and Mole Fractions
Carrier Gas (G) and Solvent (L)
Flow Rates and Mole Ratios
L

, X
0
G, Y
1

L

, X
N

G
N+1
, Y
N+1

1
N

Total Xo, L
Total V, Y1
Total L, X
N

Total V

,
Y
N+1

1
N
Lecture 21 20
Liquid Solvent to Carrier Gas Ratio
Defining the L and G flow rates as

L = molar flow rate of nonvolatile solvent (solute-free absorbent)

G = molar flow rate of insoluble carrier gas (solute free gas)

the assumptions of a nonvolatile solvent and insoluble carrier gas yields

constant L L L L
0 j N
= = = = Eq. (15-5)

constant G G G G
1 j 1 N
= = = =
+
Eq. (15-6)

We can define the ratio of liquid to gas as

constant
gas/hr carrier insoluble moles
solvent/hr e nonvolatil moles
G
L
'
= =
Lecture 21 21
For application to absorber
L- molar flow rate of solute free absorbent
V- molar flow rate of solute free carries gas(carrier gas).
X mole ratio of solute to solute free absorbent in the liquid
Y mole ratio of solute to solute free gas in the vapor
Lecture 21 22
Mole Ratios
We can then define the gas and liquid molar ratios as


gas carier free solute moles
gas in solute moles
Y =
absorbent free solute moles
liquid in solute moles
X = Eq. (15-7a)

The molar ratios are related to the mole fractions for solute i by


i
i
i
y - 1
y
Y =
i
i
i
x - 1
x
X = Eq. (15-7b)
K=yn/xn=(Yn/(1+Yn))/((Xn/1+Xn))
Lecture 21 23
Absorber Operating Line
L
0
, X
0
G, Y
1

L
N
, X
N

G
N+1
, Y
N+1

1
N

|
.
|

\
|
+ =
+ 0 1 j 1 j
X
G
L
Y X
G
L
Y Eq. (15-9)
Lecture 21 24
Henrys Law Mole Fraction Relationship
Absorption data is typically available in the
form of solute mole fractions, y
i
vs. x
i
, or in
terms of the Henrys constant, H.
Henrys Law, in terms of the mole fractions of
solute i and the total pressure, is:



Henrys Law is valid at low concentrations of
solute i, approximately less than 10%.

i
i
i
x
P
H
y
Tot
=
i
i i
x
y
P
H
Tot
=
Lecture 21 25
Henrys Law Constants
Lecture 21 26
Henrys Law Mole Ratio Relationship
We can rewrite Henrys Law for solute i,


i
i
i
x
P
H
y
Tot
= Eq. (1-3)

in mole ratios, using the mole fraction relationships,


i
i
i
y - 1
y
Y =
i
i
i
x - 1
x
X = Eq. (15-7b)

to yield Henrys Law in terms of the molar ratios, Y
i
and X
i
, or


i
i i
i
i
X 1
X
P
H
Y 1
Y
Tot
+
=
+

Lecture 21 27
Equilibrium Curve Mole Ratios
Solving for Y
i
yields


i
i
i
i
X
P
H
X
Y
1
Tot

|
|
.
|

\
|
=



We can use this gas molar ratio relationship with the liquid molar ratio


i
i
i
x - 1
x
X =

to generate molar ratio equilibrium curves of Y
i
vs X
i
for solute i from x
i
mole
fraction values.

Lecture 21 28
McCabe-Thiele Plot Absorber
Lecture 21 29
Notes on Absorbers

Note that the operating line for an absorber is above the equilibrium curve.
For a given solute concentration in the liquid, the solute concentration in
the gas is always greater than the equilibrium value, which provides the
driving force for the separation.
The solute is transferred from the gas to the liquid in absorption. In
distillation, we plotted the more volatile component, which was transferred
from the liquid to the gas. In distillation, if we had plotted the less volatile
component, which was transferred from the gas to the liquid, the OL would
also lie above the equilibrium curve.
Also note that the OL is linear. This results because of the form of the
operating line where L/G is a constant. L and G are based upon the
nonvolatile solvent and insoluble carrier gas, respectively, which do not
change.
If we had used mole fractions and total gas and liquid rates, the OL would
be curved because the total gas and liquid rates would change since we are
removing the solute from the gas and absorbing it into the liquid.
One could use mole fractions and the total gas and liquid streams in our
calculations only if the solute is in low concentrations, say < 1%, in most
systems. Dont confuse this requirement with that for the use of Henrys
Law, which requires low solute concentrations, < 10%, to be valid.
Lecture 21 30
Further Notes on Absorbers
Note the location of the top and bottom of the
column on the McCabe Thiele diagram.
We will typically step down from the top of the
column, which is equivalent to stepping up on the
McCabe-Thiele plot for absorption.
Since we are starting on the OL, we need to express
the equilibrium curve in terms of X
Eq
= X
Eq
(Y
Eq
).
Although this appears to be opposite of what we did in
distillation, where we used y
Eq
= y
Eq
(x
Eq
) when
stepping up the plot, remember that we are still
stepping down from the top of the column on the
absorption plot.
We use Y
Eq
vs. X
Eq
to plot the equilibrium curve, but
we also need X
Eq
vs Y
Eq
to actually solve the problem
analytically.
Lecture 21 31
Minimum Absorbent Rate L
min
Lecture 21 32
McCabe-Thiele Plot Stripper
Lecture 21 33
Final Notes on Strippers
We use the same assumptions and mole ratio methods that we
used for adsorbers for the design of strippers.
The OL will be the same as that used for absorbers.
The difference, compared to an absorber, is that the
equilibrium curve will be below the operating line.
This is analogous to the stripping section of a distillation
column.
Just as we stepped up from the bottom of a distillation
columns stripping section, we step up from the bottom of the
stripper.
Thus, one uses the same McCabe-Thiele algorithm method that
we used for stepping up in distillation.
In the algorithm, the equilibrium relationship is expressed as
Y
Eq
= Y
Eq
(X
Eq
), and the operating line is expressed in the form
Y
OL
= X
OL
(Y
OL
).
Otherwise, the design approach for strippers is the same as
that for absorbers.
Lecture 21 34
Lecture 21 35
Lecture 21 36
When molasses is fermented to produce a liquor
containing ethyl alcohol, a CO2 rich vapor containing a
small amount of ethyl alcohol is evolved. The alcohol
can be recovered by absorption with water in a sieve
tray tower. For the following conditions, determine the
number of equilibrium stages required for counter
current flow of liquid and gas, assuming isothermal,
isobaric conditions in the tower and neglecting mass
transfer of all components except ethyl alcohol.
Entering gas: 98% CO2, 2% ethyl alcohol, 30 deg ,
111Kpa. K=0.57
Entering liquid absorbent:100% water, 30 deg C,
110Kpa.
Required recovery(absorption) of ethyl alcohol: 97%.

Lecture 21 37
The exit gas from an alcohol fermenter consists of an air
CO2 mixture containing 10% CO2 that is to be absorbed
in a 5.0 N solution of triethanolamine containing 0.04 mol
of carbon dioxide per mole of amine solution. If the
column operates isothermally at 25 deg C, if the exit
liquid contains 78.4% of the CO2 in the feed gas to the
absorber and if absorption is carried out ina 6 theoretical,
plate column calculate:
a) Moles of amine solution required per mole of feed gas.
b) Exit gas composition.
Eqlm data:
Y 0.003 0.008 0.015 0.023 0.032 0.043
X 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06
Y 0.055 0.068 0.083 0.099 0.12
X 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.10 0.11
Lecture 21 38
Ninety five percent of the acetone vapor in an 85 vol% air
stream is to be absorbed by counter current contact with pure
water in a valve tray column with an expected overall tray
efficiency of 50%. The column will operate essentially at 20
deg C and 101 Kpa pressure. Equilibrium data for acetone-
water at these conditions are:

Mole percent acetone in water: 3.30 7.20 11.7 17.1
Acetone partial pressure in air, torr: 30.00 62.80 85.4
103.00
Calculate a) The minimum L/V, the ratio of moles of water per
mole of air.
b) The number of equilibrium stages required using a value of
L/V of 1.25 times the minimum.

Lecture 21 39
A straw oil used to absorb benzene from coke overn gas
is to be stream stripped in a sieve plate column at
atmospheric pressure to recover the dissolved benzene.
Equilibrium conditions at the operating temperature are
approximated are approximated by Henrys law such that
when the oil phase contains 10mol% C6H6, the C6H6
partial pressure above the oil is 5.07 kPa. The oil may be
considered non volatile. The oil enters containing 8%
benzene, 75% of which is to be recovered. The steam
leaving contains 3 mol% C6H6. a) How many theoretical
stages are required. B) How many moles of steam are
required per 100 mol of oil benzene mixture. C) If 85 %
of the benzene is to recovered with the same oil and
steam rates, how many theoretical stages are required.