SHR Chapter 6

Absorption & Stripping

Introduction Graphical Methods Packed Towers

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Introduction
Trayed tower

SHR 6.1

Goals:
minimize mass transfer resistance to achieve equilibrium on each tray minimize bubble carry-over to tray below minimize liquid entrainment to tray above minimize weeping of liquid through holes in tray

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Types of Trays
perforated valve cap bubble cap

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Regimes in a Trayed Tower

Spray Froth Emulsion

SHR 6.1.1

gas phase is continuous (low liquid depths, high gas ow rates)

gas passes through liquid as jets or a series of bubbles

low gas ow rates swarms of bubbles

Bubble

Cellular Foam
(think blowing bubbles in chocolate milk)

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Packed Towers

SHR 6.1.2

Unstructured Packing

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Structured Packing
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Other Congurations
Spray tower
very low pressure drop use for absorption only when solute is highly soluble in the liquid (e.g. SO2 in ue gas)

SHR 6.1.3

Bubble column
absorption high pressure drop use when solute is poorly soluble in liquid use when slow chemical reactions occur that require long residence time

Centrifugal contactor
short residence time compact

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Heuristics & Design Considerations

Trayed towers
reliable design low liquid velocities liquid phase (the continuous phase) is typically mass-transfer limiting

Unstructured Packed towers

corrosive environments small towers (<2 ft diameter, <20 ft tall) when foaming problems tend to occur gas phase (continuous phase) is typically mass-transfer limiting (expensive!) retrot when trying to get more efciency low pressure drop gas phase (continuous phase) is typically mass-transfer limiting

Structured packed towers

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Analysis Approach
Trayed towers:
analyze each tray as an equilibrium problem
what assumption here???

write coupled equations for mass & energy balances between trays

Other towers (packed, etc.):

Height Equivalent of a Theoretical Plate (HETP)
effective height acts as one tray vendors of packing report this value

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SHR 6.3

Graphical Methods

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Some Terminology
Assume that only solute is transferred from one phase to another (no vaporization of liquid or condensation of gas carriers).
L
V
x
y
X
Y
Molar ow rate of solute-free liquid Molar ow rate of solute-free gas mole fraction of solute in liquid mole fraction of solute in gas mole ratio of solute to solute-free liquid mole ratio of solute to solute-free gas y x Y = X= 1 y 1 x

Absorber
Solute enters in gas. Liquid absorbent enters from top of column.

What does XL and YV represent?

Note different tray ordering convention...

For the absorber:

Xi-1 Yi

Streams leaving the tray are assumed to be in equilibrium

Stage "i"

Stripper
Solute enters in liquid. Stripping agent enters bottom of column.

Xi
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Yi+1

yi Ki = = xi

Yi/(1+Yi ) Xi/(1+Xi )
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Mole Balances & Operating Lines

Solute balance around arbitrary # of trays in the top section of the absorber:

SHR 6.3.2

X0 L + Yn+1 V = Xn L + Y1 V
solute ow rate in

Absorber
Solute enters in gas. Liquid absorbent enters from top of column.

solute ow rate out

Yn+1 = (Xn

L0 X0 ) 0 + Y1 (absorber) V

For an absorber, we typically know YN+1, X0 and V. Therefore, we get to choose L to achieve desired Y1.
L0 = slope of operating line 0 V 0 What happens as L /V 0 ! 1 ?
We know these.

What happens as L0/V 0 gets small?

Yn = (Xn+1

L0 X1 ) 0 + Y0 (stripper) V

design variable

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Absorber: Minimum Flow Rate

Yn+1 = (Xn
This is the best we can achieve given the inlet constraints.

SHR 6.3.3

L0 X0 ) 0 + Y1 V

Over the whole tower (n=N):

0 V (YN +1 Y1 ) 0 L = XN X0

Lmin corresponds to equilibrium with XN and YN+1.

Absorber
Solute enters in gas. Liquid absorbent enters from top of column.

KN

yN +1 = = xN

YN +1/(1+YN +1 ) XN/(1+XN )

Why are these in equilibrium?

L0 min

V 0 (YN +1
YN +1/[YN +1 (KN

Y1 )
1)+KN ]

X0

For dilute solutes x): (Y y and X

L0 min

=V

yN +1 y1 yN +1/KN x0

0 Corresponding L 0 (fraction stripped) equation for a Vmin = KN stripper:

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If X0 0 then:

0 L0 = V KN (fraction absorbed) min

As V , Lmin.

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Examples
Yn+1 = (Xn L0 X0 ) 0 + Y1 V

Given: feed stream composition, gas ow rate, solvent loading (XN), and recovery (Y1), Find: solvent ow rate.
YN+1

YN+1

Given: feed stream composition & ow rates, recovery (Y1) Find: XN.

V'

L'

Y
Y1
V' L'

KX

YN+1

Given: feed stream composition & ow rates, solvent loading (XN) Find: Y1.

V'

X0

XN

L'

Y1

KX

Y1

KX

X0
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XN

X0

XN
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Number of Equilibrium Stages

For the absorber:
Xi-1 Yi

SHR 6.3.4

Operating line:

Yn+1 = (Xn

Streams leaving the tray are

Stage "i"

L0 X0 ) 0 + Y1 V

assumed to be in equilibrium

1. Locate the point for the solvent feed (X0) and desired Y1 on the graph. 2. Determine operating line from V and L. 3. March off to determine the stages (assuming each stage is in equilibrium)

Xi

Streams passing one another

Y i+1

are on the operating line.

equilibrium relates Yi and Xi.

What happens to the number of stages as L/V approaches its minimum?

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Algebraic Approach
Operating line:

SHR 6.4 presents an alternative to this formulation.

Yn+1 = (Xn

L0 X0 ) 0 + Y1 V

Given: X0, Y1, L/V,

1. K1 = Y1/X1 solve for X1. 2. Find Y2 from the operating line. 3. K2 = Y2/X2 solve for X2. 4. Find Y3 from the operating line.

Must have a model for Ki. If Ki is not a function of composition:

1. Calculate Ki at given T and P. 2. Follow steps outlined above.

If Ki is a function of composition:
1. Guess Xi. (note that Yi is known from operating line). 2. Calculate Ki. 3. Update guess for Xi and return to step 2 if not converged.
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Number of Stages for Strippers

Yn = (Xn+1 L0 X1 ) 0 + Y0 V

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16

Stage Efciency
Complex function of: tray design/geometry uid dynamics on trays Typically less than 50% efcient (10%-50%) trays are not at equilibrium! more viscous liquids typically lead
to lower efciencies (inhibit mass transfer)
Data over a wide range of column diameters, pressures, temperatures and liquid viscosities.

Empirical correlation for stage efciency

KML L log Eo = 1.597 0.199 log L 2 KML L 0.0896 log L

Nt Eo Na

# theoretical (equilibrium) stages # actual stages

Other (less empirical) methods exist - see SHR 6.5.4.

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SHR 6.7

Packed Columns
SHR 6.7

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Analysis Options
Option 1: graphical techniques
HETP is known
HETP = (height) / (number of theoretical equilibrium stages) Use methods previously discussed to get number of trays/stages solve for height given number of stages

lT = HETP Nt

HETP is typically found empirically & supplied by packing vendors.

Option 2: rate-based techniques

Use mass transfer coefcients (and a few hefty assumptions) See SHR 6.7 for more details.

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Operating Lines
Here, x and y are bulk compositions.

Solute mole balance:

Solute mole balance:

xin Lin + yV` = xL` + yout Vout

For dilute solutions, V and L are approximately constant:

xL` + yin Vin = xout Lout + yV`

For dilute solutions, V and L are approximately constant:

y=x

Packed absorber operating line

Monday, April 8, 13

L V

+ yout

xin

L V

y=x

Packed stripper operating line

L V

+ yin

xout

L V

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Finite-Rate Mass Transfer

(Back to Two-Film Theory)
Gas bulk gas composition y or p

J = ky ( y

yI )
yI ) x)
y*

Interface

Liquid

Often we dont know the surface area for mass transfer from all of the packing.

gas com lm pos ition

xI or cI

x* yI or pI

r = Ja = ky a(y = kx a( xI

r = mass transfer rate per 3 unit volume, mol/(m s) a = surface area per unit volume of packing

liq co uid mp l os m itio n

bulk liquid composition x or c

y = yI

kx a (x ky a

xI )

Overall mass transfer coefcient approach: r = Ky a ( y y ) = Kx a ( x

x)

relative resistance of mass transfer between the two phases

1 1 K = + Ky a ky a kx a 1 1 1 = + Kx a kx a Kky a
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Monday, April 8, 13

Making Connections...
Mole fraction solute in gas, y
(y, x)
A

p O L
y = F x

ti a er

ng

e n i l
+ yo
ut

x in

Gas

Interface

Liquid

Applicable for small x, y.

bulk gas composition y or p

gas com lm pos ition

xI or cI

x* yI or pI

(y, x )
E B

um x i r ilib y=K u q e, E C rv cu
y*

li co quid mp l os m itio n

bulk liquid composition x or c

( yI , xI )

What do AE and AF represent?

AB line: y = yI Operating line: y = x

( y , x)

Mole fraction solute in liquid, x

kx a (x ky a

xI )

L V

+ yout

xin

L V

From Mass-transfer notes on two-lm theory: Liquid mole fraction NA = Kx (x x Ab ) A

Gas mole fraction
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= K y ( y Ab

yA )

y Ab = KA yA = x Ab K A x A

1 1 1 = + Kx KA k y kx 1 1 KA = + Ky ky kx
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HOG - NOG
Material balance over dl:
Change in gas phase: V (y + dy) - Vy Transfer to liquid phase: Kya (y - y*) S dl

V dy = Ky a(y
Z
yin yout

y )S dl

Ky aS V

A For y* = Kx (constant K), and linear NOG = ln operating line (dilute solute), A 1
A = L/(KV )

yin dy V lT = Ky aS yout y y HOG:

Height of a (gas) transfer unit (HTU) | {z } | {z } NOG:
Number of (gas) transfer units (NTU) HOG NOG

lT 0

Ky aSlT dl = = V

dy y y

(A 1) (yin Kxin ) 1 + /A A (yout Kxin )

Given Ky (overall gas-phase MTC), ow rates, and K, we can get lT.

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HOG, NOG, Nt & HETP

HOG:
NOG:
Nt:
HETP:
Height of a (gas) transfer unit (HTU) Number of (gas) transfer units (NTU) Number of theoretical stages Height-equivalent of a theoretical plate
L

A = L/(KV )

Mole fraction solute in gas, y

(y, x)
A

r e p O L
x = F y

in at

e n i l
+ y ou
t

x in

m u i ibr =Kx l i u ,y q C E rve cu

HETP = HOG Nt = NOG A 1

A 1 A A

ln (1/A)

(y, x )
E B

ln (1/A)

( yI , xI )

( y , x)

Note: if operating & equilibrium curves are parallel then L/V = K. Then what is the relationship between HETP and HOG?
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Mole fraction solute in liquid, x

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Example
3,500 lbmol/hr water

L, xin

V, yout

Two 12 sections of 1.5 metal Pall ring packing 4 diameter column K = 0.85 for ethylene-oxide kya = 200 lbmol/(h-ft3) kxa = 165 lbmol/(h-ft3)

T=30 C P=20 atm

Find HETP for this packing.

HETP = HOG
HOG

A 1 A

ln (1/A)

A = L/(KV )

V, yin
2,500 lbmol/hr 2% ethylene oxide in inert gas

L, xout

V = Ky aS

1 1 K = + Ky a ky a kx a

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