Example 13,1

A 10,00 acfm exhaust from a heat treating process contains 25 mole percent
ammonia, and the average exhaust conditions are 115 *F and 1.0 atm. Estimate the
height of packing, the tower diameter, and the tower pressure drop for an absorption
tower that will provide 95% ammonia removal based on the following design
parameters;
Average tower temperature is 86 °F
Tower pressure is 1.0 atm
Pure water is used as absorbing liquid

Bulk density and total area are given per unit volume of column.
Factor Fp is a pressure-drop factor and fp a relative mass-transfer coefliridnL
Based on NH3-H2O data; oilier factors based on CO-NaOH data.

Water rate is 1.5 times minimum

Packing is 1,0-in, ceramic Raschig rings

Solution
Since fresh (not recirculated) water is used yb 0.25 and xt = 0, Find outlet ammonia
concentration based on 1 mole of entering gas; that is,

moles of air entering

moles of NHS entering

moles of NH3 leaving

Next plot the equilibrium curve for ammonia-water system at 1.0 atm and 86 °F. Use
the ammonia solubility data given in Appendix Table B.4. Tins table gives the
concentration of NH3 as lb NH3/IOO lbmH20 versus the partial pressure of NH3 in mm
Hg. To convert to mole fractions; use the following equations:

where
PA = partial pressure of NH3, mm Hg
CA - concentration of NH3, in the water, g NH3/100 g H20
Choose CA from 2 to 15 g/100 g and read the corresponding PA from the 30 *C
column, The following table results:

These x-y data are plotted in Figure 13.7 (bottom curve).

Next, find the minimum water rate. From the plot where yb = ye = 0,25; then x =xb*
0.14, Then, on the basis of 1 mole of gas entering V'm = 0.75 mole. Now,
substituting the values xt=0, yt = 0.0164, yb=25, and x = xb*= 0,14 into Eq, (13.14)
we get:

The actual water rate is 1.5 x 1,457 = 2,186 mol H2O/mol gas. The total molar flow
rate of gas is

Figure 13-7
Graphs used in solution of Example 13.1.
Now solve for (x,y) points to plot the actual operating line from Eq. (13.14)
rearranged as

Use values of x and y calculated to plot the operating line. Now calculate -o(kxa/kya)
and draw Ax Ay triangles. Assume o=1.0, and then -o(kxa/kya) = -4. To graphically
integrate o dy/[(1 - y)(y - yi)], we prepare the following table, using Ax Ay triangles:

To evaluate Sody / [(1 -y)(y -yi)], y is plotted as the abscissa and 1/(1 - y)(y -yi) as
the ordinate. The area under the resulting curve between y = 0.0164 and y = 0.26 is
the value of the integral. See Figure 13.7 (top left). This area under the curve is
14.4. To calculate ZT from here, we need a value of Gmy that depends on the tower
area.
Next, we find the tower diameter, using Figure 13,6. First we calculate the loading
parameter, (G%/Gy)x as follows:

Figura 13-7
Gráficos utilizados en la solución del Ejemplo 13.1.
 Ahora resuelva los puntos (x, y) para trazar la línea operativa real desde la ecuación. (13.14)
reorganizado como

Use los valores de x e y calculados para trazar la línea de operación. Ahora calcula -o (kxa /
kya) y dibuja los triángulos Axe Ay. Suponga que = = 1.0, y luego -o (kxa / kya) = -4. Para
integrar gráficamente o dy / [(1 - y) (y - yi)], preparamos la siguiente tabla, utilizando los
triángulos de Ax Ay:

Para evaluar Sody / [(1 -y) (y -yi)], y se representa como la abscisa y 1 / (1 - y) (y -yi) como la
ordenada. El área bajo la curva resultante entre y = 0.0164 y y = 0.26 es el valor de la
integral. Consulte la Figura 13.7 (arriba a la izquierda). Esta área bajo la curva es 14.4. Para
calcular ZT desde aquí, necesitamos un valor de Gmy que dependa del área de la torre.
A continuación, encontramos el diámetro de la torre, utilizando la figura 13,6. Primero
calculamos el parámetro de carga, (G% / Gy) x de la siguiente manera: