Chemical Engineering

Science, 1974, Vol. 29, pp. 1763-1772.

MASS TRANSFER

Pergamon

Press.

Printed

in Great Britain

IN PACKED COLUMNS:
OPERATION

CO-CURRENT

B. W. SHENDE and M. M. SHARMA

Department of Chemical Technology, University of Bombay, Matunga Road, Bombay-400019, India
(Receioed 10 December

1973)

Abstract-The theory of gas absorption accompanied by fast pseudo-m order reaction was used to
obtain values of effective interfacial area in lo,15 and 20 cm i.d. packed columns which were operated
co-currently. A variety of ceramic, metal and plastic packings were used. The range of superficial gas
and liquid velocities was 50-300 cmlsec, and 0.1-3.5 cmlsec, respectively. Values of gas side mass
transfer coefficients for some of the nackiners were also obtained. In addition some data were obtained
for the counter-current mode of operation.

INTRODUCTION

Packed absorption columns can be operated in a

counter-current
as well as co-current manner. In
practice the counter-current
mode of operation is
usually adopted as in this case we realise higher
mean concentration driving force compared to that
offered by the co-current mode of operation. However, when an irreversible reaction occurs between
the dissolved solute gas and the reactive species in
the absorbent then there is no difference in the
mean concentration
driving force offered by the
two modes of operation. The capacity of cocurrently operated columns is not limited by the
flooding of the column. Further, at any specified
values of superficial gas and liquid velocities the
pressure drop in a co-currently operated column is
about half of that in the case of a counter-currently
operated column [ l-31. It is, therefore, distinctly advantageous to consider the co-current mode of
operation for systems where gas absorption is
accompanied by an irreversible reaction 6. Some
typical examples of industrial importance, where
the co-current mode of operation may offer certain
advantages, are as follows: (1) absorption of lean
CO, in aqueous caustic alkaline solutions, (2)
absorption of lean SO2 in aqueous alkaline solutions, (3) absorption of lean NHs in aqueous solutions of sulphuric and phosphoric acid, (4) absorption of lean H,S in aqueous caustic alkaline solutions, etc.
In some three phase reactors where solid particles act as catalyst it is some times advantageous to
adopt the co-current mode of operation. Such type
of reactors are normally referred to as trickle bed
reactors and are commonly employed for hyd-

rodesulphurization
and hydrocracking
of various
petroleum fractions [ 11.
A considerable amount of information on the
hydrodynamic
aspects,
that
is-the
liquid
distribution[4,5],
flow regimes [5-71, liquid holdup[6,9] and pressure loss[3,4,6,7],
for the cocurrent flow is available in the literature. However,
very limited data have been published on the
effective interfacial area, and gas and liquid side
mass transfer coefficients. Gianetto et al.@] have
reported some values of effective interfacial area
for a variety of 6 mm nominal size packings. An
8cm i.d. column was used. Some information is
also available on the liquid and gas side mass
transfer coefficients provided by 1 in. Raschig rings
and Intalox saddles[4, lo].
It has been reported that polypropylene and high
density polyethylene packings can be advantageously employed for a number of industrially important systems. There is no information available in
the published literature on the effective interfacial
area and liquid and gas side mass transfer coefficients for a number of packings for the co-current
mode of operation. Sahay and Sharma[l l] have
published values of effective interfacial area, liquid
and gas side mass transfer coefficients for a variety
of 1 in. ceramic, metal and plastic packings for the
counter-current
mode of operation. The present investigation was undertaken
to provide data on
effective interfacial area and gas side mass transfer
coefficient for a variety of packings over a wide
range of gas and liquid flow rates for the co-current
mode of operation.
The theory of absorption accompanied by fast
pseudo-mth order reaction was used to obtain val-

1763

1764

B. W. SHENDE and M. M. SHARMA

ues of effective interfacial area. The theory of

absorption with irreversible instantaneous reaction
was used to obtain values of gas side mass tranfer
coefficient.
THEORETICAL

CONSIDERATIONS
ANALYSIS

AND

METHODS

OF

The theoretical aspects of the methods adopted

in this work have been discussed by Jhaveri and
Sharma [ 121, Sharma
and Mashelkar [ 131 and
Sharma and Danckwerts[l4].
The systems used to
obtain values of effective interfacial area were (i)
absorption of lean carbon dioxide in caustic soda
solutions (ii) absorption of oxygen from air and
from mixtures of nitrogen and oxygen in aqueous
alkaline dithionite solutions.
In the case of the lean COrNaOH
system an
analytical expression was derived for the calculation of the values of effective interfacial area (see
Appendix). However, it was found that the values
of effective interfacial area obtained by the above
rigorous procedure agreed within about 5 per cent
of those obtained from a simplified procedure
where an average of inlet and outlet concentrations
of NaOH and log mean partial pressure of COz was
used to calculate the value of effective interfacial
area. In the case of absorption
of oxygen in
dithionite solutions an analytical expression was
used to obtain values of effective interfacial area
(see Appendix). Here the problem is somewhat simpler as there is practically no change in the partial

pressure of O2 as the gas traverses the column.

The values of gas side mass transfer coefficient
were obtained by absorbing lean sulphur dioxide in
aqueous solutions of caustic soda[l 1, 151.
EXPERIMENTAL

A schematic diagram of the experimental set-up

is shown in Fig. 1. The liquid was uniformly distributed over the packing by a nine port distributor.
The gas was introduced through a 30 mm dia. tube.
Three perspex columns of lo,15 and 20 cm i.d. were
used. The packing was supported on a support plate
with free area of more than 25 per cent in the case
of the 20 cm i.d. column. In the case of the 10 and
15 cm i.d. columns the packing support was made
from 3 mm dia. stainless steel rods spaced 15 mm
apart. A layer of Pall rings was laid over the
packing support in the case of smaller packings
which would otherwise pass through the support.
The packing height for most of the experiments was
84.5 cm in the 10 cm i.d. column, 90 cm in the 15 cm
i.d. column and 121 cm in the 20cm i.d. column.
The solute gas and carrier gas were metered by
accurately calibrated rotameters. A rotameter was
used to provide a check on the liquid flow rate. The
actual liquid flow rate was measured for each
experiment by collecting the out-going liquid for a
finite time and weighing the amount collected.
Air was supplied by an air blower and the solute
gases from the respective cylinders. To ensure
proper mixing of the solute gas with the carrier gas

Fig. 1. Experimental
set-up. (1) packed column; (2) entrainment
separator;
(3) storage tank (feed);
storage tank (outlet):
(5) air blower;
(6) solute gas cylinder;
(7) surge vessel;
(8) rotameter;
manometer;
(IO) barometer;
(11) soap film meter; (12) scrubber.

(4)
(9)

Mass transfer in packed columns

Table 1. Characteristics

Packing
1 in. stainless steel
pall rings.
I in. Polypropylene Pall
rings.
1 in.Ceramic Intalox
saddles.
I in. Polypropylene
Intalox saddles.
1in. Ceramic Raschig
rings.
I in. PVC Raschig
rings (Wall thickness
l/16 in.)
5/8 in. stainless steel
Pall rings.
.5/Sin. stainless steel
Raschig rings
l/2 in. Ceramic Intalox
saddles
3/S in. Ceramic Raschig
rings.
5 mm Ceramic spheres.

1765

of packings

Number/m?
(a)
(b)

Geometrical
surface area
(cm-)

Free
space

50,000

47,000

2.06

94

50.500

51.200

2.06

90

84,500

67,000

2.54

70

56,000

55,000

2.06

92

48,000

49,000

190

74

47,400

1.79

l,9O,OOtJ
1,82,000

3.40
3.02

93

2,10,000
-

10,36,000

4-8

32,00,000

t(a) Stated by manufacturers.

(b) Observed.

a mixing length of over 100 times the diameter of

the pipe carrying the gas mixture was provided. The
absorbent solution was allowed to flow through the
column for a suitable length of time before actually
starting the experiment. Table 1 lists the salient
characteristics of the packings employed.

RESULTSANDDISCUSSION
E$ective

interfacial

area

Figs. 2-7 show the variation of effective interfacial area with superficial liquid velocity for 1 in.
stainless steel and polypropylene Pall rings, 1 in.
ceramic and polypropylene Intalox saddles, and 1
in. ceramic and PVC Raschig rings, in the 20 cm i.d.
column with the superficial gas velocity as a
parameter. The superficial liquid velocity was varied between 0.2-2 cmlsec. For most of the above
packings experiments were carried out with superficial gas velocities of 50,100 and 130 cm/set. Some
experiments for the 1 in. stainless steel Pall rings
were also made at a superficial gas velocity of
2 cm/set. The values of effective interfacial area
for 1 in. ceramic Intalox saddles and 1 in. stainless
steel Pall rings for counter-current
flow are also
shown in Figs. 2 and 4 respectively. The values of
effective interfacial area reported by Sahay and

Sharma[12] for the counter-current

mode of operation for all 1 in. packings are also shown in the
respective figures, for the sake of comparison. The
data obtained for counter-current
operation in this
work agree well with those reported by Sahay and
Sharma[l2].
Figure 8 shows a plot of effective interfacial area
against superficial liquid velocity for 518 in. stainless steel Pall rings and 5/8 in. stainless steel Raschig rings at a superficial gas velocity of 160 cm/set
in the 10 cm i.d. column. Figure 9 shows the
variation of effective interfacial area for 1/2in.
ceramic Intalox saddles in the 1Ocm i.d. column
with the superficial gas velocity at superficial liquid
velocities of 0.21 and O-685 cmlsec.
Figures 11 and 12show the variation of effective
interfacial area with the superficial liquid velocity
for 3/8 in. (O-9 cm o.d.) ceramic Raschig rings and
5 mm ceramic spheres, respectively, in the 10 cm
i.d. column with the superficial gas velocity as a
parameter. The superficial gas velocity was varied
from 50 to 300 cm/set and the superficial liquid velocity from 0.2 to 3 cm/set.
Figure 10 shows the variation of effective interfacial area with the superficial liquid velocity for
5/8in. stainless steel Pall rings at superficial gas
velocities of 50,100 and 250 cmlsec, in the 15 cm i.d.

B.W. SHENDE andM.M.

1766

0.5

Superficial

liquid

velocity,

I.5
VL,

SHARMA

cm/set

Fig. 2. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 1 in. Stainless Steel Pall
rings-20 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 50 cmlsec,
NaOH-CO2 system; B(O) V, = 97 cmlsec, NaOH-CO2
system; C(U) V, = 130 cmlsec, NaOH-CO, system; D(X)
V, = 2 cm/set, dithionite-(N2 + 03 system; E countercurrent operation, Sahay and Sharmas data; (0) countercurrent operation-this
work.

column. The superficial liquid velocity was varied

from O-2 to 4 cm/set.
In the case of the absorption of lean CO* in
aqueous solutions of caustic soda there is some
resistance to mass transfer on the gas side. The
values of k. a for 1 in. polypropylene Pall rings and
1 in. ceramic Intalox saddles were experimentally
determined. In the case of 1 in. stainless steel Pall
rings and 1 in. polypropylene
Intalox saddles the
kGa data were not available. However, it can be
safely assumed, on the basis of the data for 1 in.
polypropylene Pall rings and 1 in. ceramic Intalox
saddles, that the gas side resistance is about 10 per
cent of the overall resistance. In the case of the
air-dithionite system there is no gas side resistance.
The values of effective interfacial area obtained by
the two systems are found to be in close agreement.
It is observed that the effective interfacial area
increases with an increase in the gas as well as the
liquid superficial velocity, unlike the countercurrent operation where the effective interfacial
area is independent of the superficial gas velocity
up to the loading point. Gianetto
et a1.[8] have
observed a similar dependence of the effective interfacial area on superficial gas and liquid velocities

Superficial

I
I.5

0.5
liquid

velocity,

V,_,

I
2

cmlsec

Fig. 3. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 1 in. polypropylene Pall
rings-20 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 50 cm/set,
NaOH-CO2 system, (0) V, = 50 cmlsec, dithionite-air
system; B (A) V. = 100 cmlsec, NaOH-CO2 system, (A)
V, = 100 cmlsec, dithionite-air system; C (0, V, = 120
cm/set, NaOH-CO2 system; D -(m) VO = 136 cmlsec,
dithionite-air system; E counter current operation Sahay
and Sharmas data.

for 6mm nominal size glass spheres, Berl saddles

and ceramic and glass rings.
The effect of the superficial gas velocity is more
pronounced
in the case of 1 in. Pall rings and
Intalox saddles than in the case of Raschig rings.
1 in. stainless steel Pall rings showed an increase of
about 50 per cent in the effective inter-facial area
when the superficial gas velocity was increased
from 2 to 130 cm/set at a superficial liquid velocity
of about 1 cmlsec. In the range of the liquid and gas
velocities covered for the various 1 in. size packings in the 20 cm i.d. column no distinct change in
the how pattern was observed. The liquid essentially flowed as a-film on the packing surface as in
the case of the counter-current
flow. In this hydrodynamic regime of film flow the increase in the
effective interfacial area with superficial gas velocity may be attributed to the gradual thinning and
spreading of the liquid over the surface of the
packings with an increase in the gas velocity.

Mass transfer in packed columns

I
I

0.5
Superficial

liquid

velocity,

I
I.5
VL,

2
cm/set

Fig. 4. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 1 in. ceramic Intalox saddles in
20cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 50 cmlsec,
NaOH-CO2 system; B (A) V, = 100 cm/set, NaOH-CO,
system; C (0) V, = 125 cmlsec, NaOH-CO2 system, (0)
counter-current
operation, dithioniteair
system, (this
work); D Sahay and Sharmas data.
In the case of 1 in. polypropylene
Pall rings a
distinct change in the flow pattern was observed

above a superficial liquid velocity of 1.4 cm/set for

a superficial gas velocity of 136cm/sec. The flow
pattern may be called as slug or pulse flow; the
liquid first got accumulated at certain transverse
planes in the column and was later pushed and
blown through the length of the column by a slug of
gas. At the above mentioned gas and liquid velocities about 30 to 40 pulses of liquid were observed to pass any cross-section of the column per
minute. The number of pulses of liquid per minute
increased gradually as the superficial liquid velocity
was increased. In this region there was a sharp
increase in the values of effective interfacial area
and at the highest superficial liquid and gas velocity
an increase of about 70 per cent over the dry area of
the packing was observed.
Amongst the 1 in. size packings, ceramic Intalox saddles and stainless steel Pall rings offer
higher values of interfacial area as compared to
those offered by 1 in. polypropylene Intalox saddles
and polypropylene
Pall rings. However,
the
ceramic and PVC Raschig rings show comparable

1767

Superficial

liquid

velocity,

I
I.5

0.5

V,,

2
cm/set

Fig. 5. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 1 in. polypropylene Intalox
Saddles in 20 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 50
cm/set, NaOH-CO2 system; B (A) V0 = 100 cmlsec,
NaOH-CO* system; C (Ll) V, = 130 cmlsec, NaOH-CO2
system; D counter-current operation, Sahay and Sharmas
data.

values of effective interfacial area under otherwise

uniform conditions. It may be concluded that both
the shape and the material of construction of the
packing affect the performance of the column. A
similar observation has been made by Sahay and
Sharma[ll].
For most of the 1 in. packings the values of
effective interfacial area for co-current flow are
comparable to those obtained with the countercurrent flow at a superficial gas velocity around
50 cmlsec. However, with 1 in. polypropylene Pall
rings values of effective interfacial area for the
co-current mode of operation are considerably
higher than in the case of the counter-current operation. In general it may be concluded that the
co-current operation results in somewhat higher
values of effective inter-facial area at superficial gas
velocities above 50 cmlsec than those offered by
the counter-current
mode of operation.
The effect of packing shape is illustrated by a
comparison of the effective interfacial area offered
by 5/8 in. stainless steel Pall rings and Raschig rings
(Fig. 8). Pall rings show about 70 per cent higher
values of effective interfacial area than those offered by Raschig Rings.

B. W.

0.5
Superficial

liquid

SHENDE

I
I

I.5

velocity.

VL,

and M. M. SHARMA

cm /set

Fig. 6. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 1 in. ceramic Raschig rings in
20 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 50 cmlsec,
dithionite-air system (first order), (0) V, = 50 cm/set,
dithionite-air
system (second order); B (A) V, =
100 cm/set, dithionite-air system (first order), (A) V, =
100 cmlsec, dithionite-air
system (second order); C
counter-current operation, Sahay and Sharmas data.

The various hydrodynamic

flow regimes, that
is-transition
or rippled flow, pulsed flow and
finally spray flow were not encountered for 1 in.
packings in the range of the superficial gas and
liquid velocities covered in this work. The velocity
ranges for the various regimes would be expected
to depend on the free space in the column. In the
case of the 3/8 in. ceramic Raschig rings and 5 mm
ceramic spheres all the above regimes were observed within the superficial gas and liquid velocity
ranges mentioned earlier. For these packings the
voidage was about 0.4. In the case of the 1 in.
packings the voidage ranged from 0.7 to O-94. The
voidage for 5/8 in. stainless steel Pall rings was
0.93. For this packing the pulse flow was observed
at superficial liquid velocities above 1.5 cm/set and
superficial gas velocities above 100 cm/set. The
spray flow occurred at liquid and gas velocities
above 2 cm/set and 250 cm/set respectively.
In the case of 5/8 in. stainless steel Pall rings at
the superficial liquid velocity of 4 cm/set and
superficial gas velocity of 250 cm/set, the value of
the effective interfacial area is about twice the dry
packing area. High values of effective inter-facial

I
0.5
Superficial

I
1.5

velocity,

VL,

liquid

I
2
cm/set

Fig. 7. Effect of superticial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 1 in. PVC Raschig rings in
20 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, =49.5 cmlsec,
dithionite-air system (first order), (0) V, = 49.5 cmlsec,
dithionite-air system (second order); B (A) V, = 107
cmlsec, dithionite-air system (first order), (A) V, = 107
cmlsec, dithionite-air system (second order); C countercurrent operation, Sahay and Sharmas data.

area were obtained with 5 mm ceramic spheres and

3/8 in. ceramic Raschig rings. The effect of superficial gas velocity seems to be more pronounced in
the case of 3/8 in. Raschig rings and 5/8 in. stainless
steel Pall rings. For most part of the flow ranges
covered with 5 mm ceramic spheres the flow was in
the spray regime. The increase in the interfacial
area with the superficial gas velocity, in the spray
regime is probably due to formation of droplets[8].
it is likely that in the spray regime, after the
commencement of fine spray the effect of superficial gas velocity will be less pronounced.
For the 1 in. size packings the effect of superficial
gas velocity on effective interfacial area was limited. It is likely that for these larger packings the
pulse and spray flow regimes occur at velocities
very much higher than those for small packings.
The effect of superficial gas velocity is likely to be
more pronounced at higher gas velocities.
Gas side mass transfer coeficient
The values of the gas side mass transfer

cient were obtained

coeffifor 1 in. ceramic Intalox sad-

Mass transfer in packed columns

1769

7-

6-

s
E

5-

d
:I
0
0
.::

4-

3-

=
2
c
(I,
.?
t
L

Superficial

liquid

velocity,

V,,

I-

;;

cm/set

0
Fig. 8. Effect of packing shape on interfacial area-10 cm
i.d. column, V, = 160 cm. set Curve: A(b) Packing 5/8 in
S.S. Raschig rings, NaOH-CO2 system; B (0) packing S/8
in S.S. Raschig rings, dithionite-air system; C (A) packing
5/8 in S.S. Pall rings, dithionite-air system (second order).
(0) Packing 5/8 in S.S. Pall rings. Dithionite-air system
(first order).

I
100

Superficial

gas

I
300

I
200
velocity,Va,

cm/set

Fig. 9. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for l/2 in. ceramic lntalox saddles
in 10 cm id. column. Curve: A (0) V, =0.21 cmlsec,
B (A)
V, = 0.685 cmlsec,
dithionite-air
system;
dithionite-air system.

CES

Vol. 29. No. 8-G

I
3

liquid

velocity,

VL, cm/set

Fig. 10. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 5/8 in. S.S. Pall rings in 15 cm
i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, =50cm/sec, NaOH-CO2
system; B (A) V, = 100 cmlsec, dithionite-air system (first
order), (A) V, = 100 cmlsec, NaOH-CO2 system (second
order); C (m) V0 = 250 cmlsec, dithionite-air system (first
order), (0) V, = 250 cmlsec, NaOH-CO2 system.

dles and 1 in. polypropylene Pall rings in the 20 cm

i.d. column and 5/8in. stainless steel Pall rings in
the 1Ocm i.d. column. Figure 13 shows the values
of gas side mass transfer coefficient for S/S in. stainless steel Pall rings as a function of the superficial
gas velocity with superficial liquid velocity as a
parameter.
The data on the gas side mass transfer coefficient
for different packings were correlated by the multiple regression method by the following equation.
The standard deviation is 7 per cent.
kaa = fl VamV,

dA

Superficial

I
I

where V. = superficial gas velocity, cmlsec, VL =

Superficial liquid velocity, cmlsec.
Table 2 lists the constants and the exponents of
Eq. (1) for the various packings used in this work.
The values of the exponent of superficial gas and
liquid velocities are slightly lower than those reported by Sahay and Sharma[l2], for the countercurrent mode of operation.
Figures 14 and 15 show the dependence of true
gas side mass transfer coefficient for 1 in. ceramic
Intalox saddles and 1 in. polypropylene Pall rings.
It is seen that the value of the true gas side mass

B. W. SHENDEand M. M. SHARMA

0
O

Superficial

liquid

velocity,

V,.

Superficial

cm/set

Fig. 11. Efkct of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 3/8 in. Ceramic Raschig rings
in 10 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 48 cmlsec,
dithioniteair
system (first order), (0) V, = 48 cmlsec,
dithionite-air system (second order); B (A) V, = 112
cmlsec, dithionite-air system (first order), (A) V, = 112
cmlsec, dithionite-air system (second order); C (0) V, =
210 cm/set, dithioniteair
system (first order), (m) V, =
210 cm/set, dithionite-air system (second order); D (V)
V, = 290 cm/set, dithionite-air system (first order), (v)
V, = 290 cmlsec, dithionite-air system (second order).

liquid

velocity,

V,

0.5
Superficial

Superficial

gas velocity,
cm/set

Fig. 13. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on gas

side mass transfer coefficient for 5/8 in. S.S. Pall rings in
10 cm i.d. column with NaOH-SO2 system. Curve: A (0)
V, = 0.5 cmlsec; B (A) V, = 1 cmlsec; C (0) V, = 1.5
cmlsec.

I
200

I
150

I
100

I
50

liquid

velocity,

V,.

cm/set

Fig. 14. Effect of superficial liquid velocity on true gas side

mass transfer coefficient for 1 in. ceramic Intalox saddles
in 20 cm i.d. column. A (0) V, = 50 cmlsec; B (Cl)
V, = lOOcm/sec.

VL, cm/set

Fig. 12. Effect of superficial liquid and gas velocity on

effective interfacial area for 5 mm ceramic spheres in 10
cm i.d. column, dithionite-air
system. Curve: A (0)
V, = 35 cmlsec; B(A) V, = 99 cmlsec; C (0) V, = 212
cmlsec.

transfer coefficient
at a given value of
effect of superficial
transfer coefficient

is independent
of liquid velocity
the superficial gas velocity. The
liquid velocity on gas side mass
can therefore
be accounted
en-

Mass transfer in packed columns

Table 2. Exponents and constants of Eq. (2a)
Packing
1 in. Ceramic Intalox
saddles
1 in. Polypropylene
Pall rings
5/8 in. Stainless steel
Pall rings

f
.z
0
=
gg
0+

30-

Go,
In

1.639 x lo-

0.637 0.375

1.570 x lo-

0648

0.610 x lo-

0,866 0.340

0.399

Gu
Em
&xv
i=E
,\
(oal
OZ
EE

I..4
Cl
A
A

20-

IO-

goI
2
C

I
0.5

Superficial

liquid

I
I

velocity,\/,,

cm/set

Fig. 15. Effect of superficial liquid velocity on true gas side

mass transfer coefficient for 1 in. polypropylene Pail rings
in 20 cm i.d. column. Curve: A (0) V, = 50 cmlsec; B (A)
V. = 100cm/set; C (U) V0 = 140cm/set.

tirely in terms of the variation of the effective interfacial area with the superficial liquid velocity. Similar observations
have been made by Sahay and
Sharma[ll]
and Vidwans and Sharma[lS] for the
counter-current
mode of operation.

1771

131 Turpin J. L. and Huntington R. L., A.I.Ch.E.J., 1%7

13 11%.
t41 Reiss L. P., Jnd. Engng them. Process Design and
Deu. 1967 6 486.
I51 Weekman V. W. and Myers J. E., A.LCh.E.J., 1964 10
951.
161Larkins P. P., White R. R. and Jeffrey D. W.,
A.ICh.E.J., 1961 7 231.
r71 Prost C., Chem. Engng Sci. 1%7 22, 1283.
@I Gianetto A., Baldi G. and Specchia V., Ing. Chimico.
Italino., 1970 6, 125.
191Dodds W. S., Stutzman L. M., Solami B. J. and Carter
R. J., A.2.Ch.E.J. 1960 6, 390.
1101Wen C. Y., OBrien W. S. and Fan L. T., J. Chem.
Engng Data. 1963 8 47.
1111Sahay B. N. and Sharma M. M., Chem. Engng Sci.
1973 28, 41.
1121Jhaveri A. S. and Sharma M. M., Chem. Engng Sci.
1%8 23 669.
[I31 Sharma M. M. and Mhashelkar R. A., Absorption with
Reaction in Bubble Columns, Proc. of the Symposium
on Mass Transfer with Chemical Reaction, (Ed. by
Pirie J. M.) p. 10. Inst. Chem. Engrs., 1%8.
[ 141 Sharma M. M. and Danckwerts P. V., Br. Chem. Engr.
1970 15 522.
[15] Vidwans A. D. and Sharma M. M., Chem. Engng Sci.
1%7 22 673.
APPENDIX
(i) Analytical expression for the calculation of interfacial area in co-currently operated packed column by
absorption of lean carbon dioxide in caustic soda solution.
From a material balance across a differential height dh,
we get,
-i&G.m)=lba(m-m*)P.

(Al)

Also, since carbon dioxide undergoes

order reaction
m) = am*HPg(Dk,B).

-i-&G.

a pseudo iirst

(-42)

Since the flow rate of carrier gas remains constant

CONCLUSIONS
(1) The values of effective interfacial

area offered
by various packings differ substantially.
Polypropylene Pall rings show better performance than
polypropylene Intalox saddles. Highest values are
offered by stainless steel Pall rings both for S/S in.
and 1 in. size packings.
(2) The value of true gas side mass transfer coefficient at a specified superficial gas velocity is
independent of the value of the superficial liquid
velocity.

Taking overall material balance up to the differential

element we get
G,mi - Gm =

. .B=Bi-~

L(B> B)
[

From Eqs. (Al)-(AS)

REFERENCES

[l] Anon, Br. Chem. Engng L Process Technol. 1972 17

386.
[2] Piret E. L., Mann C. A. and Wall T., Ind. Engng Chem.
1940 32 861.

+A

m(l-m)

dm

(A@

B.W. SHENDE andM.M.

1772

Integrating between limits 0 to H, and m, to m.

koaPIi

(A7)

a = 8v(a -B@$$+
where.
ZG:

p = HPd(Dk,)

L
Y=

28 - (I+ mi)o
2(B, - (u)
6=(1-y)

I, = -

t/(61_ In
y)

AI-A2 A,+A,
A,-?-Az A,-A,

H, height of column, cm
dh height of a differential element of packing
kz second-order reaction rate constant, cm/g mole set
Subscripts i and 0 describe inlet and outlet conditions
respectively.
(ii) Analytical expression for the calculation of interfacial area by absorption of oxygen in dithionite.
(a) Dithionite concentration below 0.08 M. In this case
thr reaction is zero order with respect to oxygen and first
order with respect to dithionite. The change in partial
pressure of oxygen as the gas traverses the column is
insignificant. Hence it is unnecessary to account for the
change in the solubility of oxygen over the length of the
column. Taking a material balance over a differential element of height dh we get:

a=-

SHARMA

;[B,- 61

L$=

Aad(2C*Dk,B)

Integration of Eq. (A8) and rearrangement

-Al = V/(6 -Y + mi)
AZ = V/[(6 - y)(l - mill
A3=V(6-Y+mo)
A, = V/[(6 - y)(l - mJ1

gives

a = 2 VL L.\/cBi
) - d\/(Bo)l

1
(1 - md
B,=

648)

(A9)

AH,v(2Dk,C*)
6-r+mo
l-m0

>

B, = J(-)

A cross-sectional area of column, cm*

G total molar flow rate of gas, g mole/set
mole fraction of solute gas
my equilibrium mole fraction
P total operating pressure, atm
ha gas side mass transfer coefficient, gmole/cm3
atm
H Henrys law constant, g mole/cm atm
D diffusivitv of the solute gas, cm/sec
Z stoichiometric factor
L liquid flow rate, cmlsec
B concentration of reactant, g mole/cm

(b) Dithionite concentration above 0.08 il4. In this case

the absorption is zero order with respect to oxygen and
second order with respect to dithionite concentration.
Taking a material balance as above we get
L$
Integration

= Aad(2C*DkzB2)

of Eq. (AlO) and rearrangement

gives

L In (Bi /Bo)
a = AH, d/(2DkzC*)

set
where,

k, = first-order reaction rate constant, set-.

C* = solubility of oxygen in aqueous dithionite solution, g
mole/cm3.