Chapter 4: Absorbers

Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers, 5th Edition

by Stephen Hall

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Problem Statement
Calculate the height of a transfer unit, the number of transfer units, and
the required packing depth for a packed-bed absorber.
Inputs
General
Column operating pressure
Temperature
Excess L to G ratio
Gas Stream In
Name
Flow
Primary component
Molecular weight
Solute component
Molecular weight
Concentration (volume fraction), y1

atm
F

lb/h

1.00
70.00
0.75

Mix Tank Vent

7,540.00
Air
28.96
CH3COCH3, acetone
58.08
0.01500

Gas Stream Out

Desired solute concentration, y2
Liquid Stream
Primary component
Molecular weight
Solute component
Concentration (mole fraction), x2
Density
Temperature
Column Parameters
Diameter
Packing type
Volume coefficient, gas KGA

0.00015

water
18.02
CH3COCH3, acetone
62.30
70.00

lb/ft3
F

ft

3.28
Intalox Saddles, ceramic

lb-mol/(h-ft3-atm)

20.00

Data
Henry's Law constant
Pressure
Column cross sectional area (empty)
Gas molar rate, G1

atm
atm
ft2
lb-mol/h

Calculations
Equilibrium concentration, solute in liquid x1*
Step 1

1.59
1.00
8.45
258.40

0.00943

Step 2

Slope of equilibrium curve, (L/G)min

Step 3

Liquid rate, L2

lb-mol/h

711.95

Step 4

Exit rate, gas, G2

lb-mol/h

254.56

1.5744

Step 5

Moles
Liquid effluent concentration, x1

0.0014

Liquid effluent molar flow rate, L1

715.79

Step 6

Gas molar velocity, Gm

Step 7

Vapor equil at bottom, y1*

3.84

lb-mol/ft2-h

0.0022

Vapor equil at top, y2*

Step 8

30.34
-

LM Driving Force, (y - y*)LM

0.00284

LM Driving Force, (1 - y)*LM

0.99137

Step 9

Number of gas phase units, NOG

Step 10
Step 11

Height gas phase unit, HOG

Packed height, Z

Other calculations
Gas density

5.23
ft
ft

lb/ft3

1.53
8.00
2.44
0.0749

Superficial gas velocity, UG

ft/s

3.31

Superficial liquid velocity, UL

gpm/ft2

3.04

Gas capacity factor, CV

Liquid capacity factor, CL
Liquid flow rate

ft/s
gpm/ft2
lb/h
gpm

0.11
3.04
12,829.35
25.67

Liquid molar velocity, Lm

lb-mol/ft2-h

84.22

3.56

Result

Concentration in Gas

Absorber Performance
0.01600
0.01400
0.01200
0.01000
Operating Line
Minimum L/G Line

0.00800

Equilibrium Line

0.00600
0.00400
0.00200
0

Material Balance
L2

0.0010.0020.0030.0040.0050.0060.0070.0080.009 0.01
Concentration of Solute in Liquid

711.95

G2

254.56

x2

y2

y2*

0.0002
-

Result

G1

258.40

L1

715.79

y1

0.0150

x1

0.0014

y1*

0.0022

x1*

0.0094

Equilibrium Line
x
y
0.001179014
0.00188
0.002358028
0.00375
0.003537042
0.00563
0.004716056
0.00750
0.005895070
0.00938
0.007074084
0.01125
0.008253099
0.01313
0.009432113
0.01500

Operating Line
x
y
0 0.00015
0.001404592
0.015

Minimum Flow Line

x
0.00943

Operating Line
Minimum L/G Line
Equilibrium Line

Minimum Flow Line

y
0.00015
0.01500

Conversion Factors
Pressure
Units
Convert to atm
atm
1
bar(a)
0.986923
in Hg(g)
0.033421
in H2O(g)
0.00246
kPa(g)
0.009869
mm Hg(g) 0.001316
Pa(g)
9.87E-06
psig
0.068046
torr(g)
0.001316

Relative KGA for Various Packings

Super Intal
Intalox Sad
Hy-Pak, me
Pall Rings,
Pall Rings,
Maspac, pla
Tellerettes,
Raschig Ri

1.00
0.94
1.11
1.06
0.97
1.00
1.19
0.78

Data
Solute
Temperature
Henry's Law constant
Temperature factor
Base Temperature
Calculations
Temperature
Henry's Law constant, temp adj

C
atm
K

K
atm

CH3COCH3, acetone
21.11
1.95000
4,600.00
298.15

294.26
1.59

Henry's Law constant, KH x ca = pg

where KH = Henry's law constant at 298.15 K, atm per mole fraction
ca = concentration in liquid phase
pg = partial pressure in gas phase
DeltaH/R = temperature dependence of KH
Source:
R. Sander(1999)
Compilation of Henry's Law Constants for Inorganic and Organic Species of Potential Importance in Environmental Chemistry
http://www.henrys-law.org
Substance
NH3, ammonia
HBr, hydrogen bromide
HCl, hydrogen chloride
H2S, hydrogen sulfide
SO2, sulfur dioxide
C2H5OH, ethanol
CH3COOH, acetic acid
CH3COCH3, acetone
C3H3N, acrylonitrile
Cl2, chlorine
HCHO, formaldehyde
Example 1

KH

DeltaH/R
0.937
77.9
0.03

4100
6100
0

553

2100

46.1

3100

0.3

6500

0.011

6300

1.95

4600

2800

608
0.017
1.75

2500
6800
0

Importance in Environmental Chemistry (Version 3)

MW
17
80.91
36.5
34.08
64.06
46.07
60.05
58.08
53.1
70.9
30.03
32