DESIGN OF

ABSORPTION
PRESENTED BY:
COLUMN
HINA
MURYAM
 CAS
E
It is required to design a packed tower to treat 40000 ft3 /h of an air stream
containing 20 mole% of so2 at 00c 7
nd a tm 1oat
al t
re ssupre. t s I
ec i
ess
nar
y o
t
recover 96% of the so2 using aterwt aatear0% 3ore mh a n t
h e t
inim mum.
The column may 1 be
packed with 12 -inch Raschig rings and may be operated at 60% of the
flooding
velocity. The individualmass transfer coefficients are kx/ a=1.25kmol/m3s
k/y a=0.075kmol/m3s . Design the
and
tower.
 STEPS USED DURING DESIGN
OF ABSORPTION
•
COLUMN
Selection of solvent
• Selection of column type
• Selection of packing
• Equilibrium data
• Material balance
• Minimum solvent flow
rate
 CONTINUED
…
• Operating solvent flow rate
• Flooding/Diameter
collection
• Pressure drop
• Height of packing
 SOLVENT
SELECTION
We Selected water(H2
O
)
he
re:
• Because it is cheap.
• Non Toxic.
• Easily available.
 SELECTION OF
PACKING
We have selected random packing here:
• Because pressure drop is nearly negligible in our
case.
• It is cheap as compare to structured .
 MATERIAL AND TYPE OF
PACKING
Raschig ring 1.5 inches.
Ceramic material.
Because they have:
• High Strength.
• High Fracture Toughness.
• High Hardness.
• Excellent Wear Resistance.
• Good Frictional
Behaviour.
 EQUILIBRIUM
DATA
g S02
/
1
0
0 O
g
H
2 600c 700c 900c

0.01 0.43 0.689999997 1.21

0.05 5.24 7.793333308 12.9
0.1 13.5 19.56666661 31.7
0.15 22.7 32.53333324 52.2
0.2 32.6 46.29999986 73.7
0.25 42.8 60.46666649 95.8
0.3 53.3 74.86666645 118
 CONTINUED…
Mole Fractions

X y
2.8124E-05 0.000908
0.000140604 0.010254
0.000281169 0.025746
0.000421694 0.042807
0.000562179 0.060921
0.000702625 0.079561
0.000843032 0.098509
0.001123727 0.137456
0.001404264 0.177456
0.00280459 0.385088
 CONTINUED…
Mole Ratios

X Y
2.8125E-05 0.000909
0.00014062 0.010361
0.00028125 0.026426
0.00042187 0.044721
0.0005625 0.064873
0.00070312 0.086439
0.00084374 0.109273
0.00112499 0.159361
0.00140624 0.215741
0.00281248 0.626248
 CONTINUED
…
Conversion is as follows:
P 0.6mmHg
y
so
Patm e( .g) 760mmH
2
7.89x10 -4
g
c / M. Ws
o 0.02 / 64
x e( .g ) 5.625x10 -5
2

c / M. Ws
2o1
0M
0
/W
.
H
200
. 0 2 /64100 /18

The equilibrium (x, y) data are converted to mole ratio unit (X, Y) and plotted on X-Y
plane. As shown below. The cure is slightly convex upward. So the operating line
corresponding to the minimum liquid rate will not touch the equilibrium line. It will
rather meet the equilibrium line at the point having an ordinate Y1 (
0.25). his T
s he it
pinc h oi n
tp avinh
g b scis
as
a X 1)
=
max (
= 0.0015.
 EQUILIBRIUM
CURVE
Equilibrium curve
0.7
0.6
5
0.6
0.5
5
0.5
0.4
5
0.4
0.3
5
0.3
0.2
5
0.2
0 0.000 0.00 0.001 0.00 0.002 0.00
0.1
5 1 5 2 5 3
5
0.1
0.0
5
 .

Material
Balance
Average molecular weight = (mole fr. So2
)
*
(
M.
Wfo
)
o
+(
2s
ol
e
m
r.i
r
f
)
*
(M
A
.W
fi
r
o
)A
M .w (.2)(64) (.8)(28.8)
35.84
1*35.84
PM 0.07945 ft 3 / h
ρ RT
1.31443*343.15
Volumetric flow rate = 40,000 ft3/h
Mass flow =m 40, 000 ft 3 /h *0.07945lb / ft3
 CONTINUED
G 3178.38lb / h
…
G 1441.6889kg / h
G1(1441.68 89 /3
5 .
8
4)
k
mo
l/
h
G1
40
.
2k
2
5
6m
o
l
h
/y0
1.
2

y1
Y1 0.25
1y 1
GsG1(
1y1 )
32.18k
m
o
l
0h
/
so 2
e
n
t
er
i
ng
Gy
1
18
.0
4
5
1
2k
m
o
lh
/
so 2
a
bs
o
rb
e
ds
o
e
n
2t
e
r
in
g
*(
0
.
96
)7
.
7
23
3
1k
m
o
5
2l
h
/so
l
e
a
2v
i
ng
0.32180kmol / h
concentration
Y2 s
o 2/G s 0.
0
1
y2
1YY
/
220
.
0
01
 CONTINUED
…
As solvent is pure
x2
=0
Mo
l
e
(r
a
ct
i
F
o
nni
t
)
u
X2
=0
Mo
l
e
(a
t
i
or
n
i
t)
u
 MINIMUM LIQUID FLOW
RATE
By an overall material
(balance:
L ) Y1Y 2
G
s min
s ( X
)
1
m
a
xX2

(Ls
)m
i
n49
8
4
.
6
8k
m
2o
l
h
/
(Ls
)
o
pe
r
at
i
n
g L
1
.
3
()
sm
i
n64
8
0
.
0
8k
6
6m
o
l
h
/

Molecular weight of solvent =18

Ls6
48
0
.
0
88
6/
1
8
Ls1
1k
g
6
6
4
1h
/
 LIQUID FLOW RATE AT BOTTOM
OF TOWER

L1
L
ss
oa
b
s
2o
r
be
d1
6
6
41
.
7
1
23
31
7
6
6
4
9
.k
g
2
8
2
1h
/
1

And the x1
=0
.0
0
24
6
2
 FLOODING VELOCITY
CALCULATION
Total pressure in the tower =1atm ( I have neglected the pressure drop in the tower);
temp=
303 k
L1
=1
16
6
49
.
2
8
21g
/
hk
=1
14
4
1
.6
8
G
8
9g
/
hk
.
Wa
v
=3
5
.
M
8
4

ρg.
0l
7
9
4
5b
f
t
/
03 .
2k
g
36
7
1m
/

µl
=0
.
40
7
9
cp
;
su
r
fa
c
e
e
ns
i
o
t
n 4
.
4
=
7y
ne
/
d
c
m(M
c
C
6
ab
e
m
it
h
st
h
ed
7
i
ti
o
n)

ρ(liquid)=61.07 lb/ft3 =978.25 kg/m3 (McCabe smith 7th edition)

 CONTINUED
…
Flow
parameter

F lv
LG(ρgρ )0.5 2.91
l

As our packing material is Raschig (dp

=1
.
5n
ch
)
;
i
By using Eckert’s GPDC Chart ( Figure 5.33, principle of mass transfer and separation
by Binay k. dutta). Since it good enough for first generation packing. At flooding
Fl
v=2.9 1, he t
a pac i
ty ac
ra m p
eter s .
00i
7 0
5.
 CONTINUED
…
The other parameters are:
µl0
.
4
0c
7
9p
ρw 1
Fp9
4
.f
t
5
/
ρl
gc
4.
18
x
1
0f
th
8/
2

Capacity parameter equation for the first

generation.
ρ
( ')2flF p( wρl )(µ )0.2
G
c
l
p
ρg ρg
l c
 CONTINUED
…
G 'fl 438.931lb /ft 2 .h

G op' fl 0.70*G ' 307lb /ft 2 .h

G op
' 1500kg /m 2 .h
 TOWER
DIAMETER
Tower cross section:
G /G o
'p
14
4
1.
6
88
9/
1
5
00

0.9611m 2

0.9611* 4
Diameter 1
.
1
06
m
 TOWER HEIGHT
CALCULATION
Overall material balance
equation: Y Y
(Ls )min 12
Gs
X1X
2

Gs2
.
1
8
0k
mo
l
h
3
/

Ls 4
8
0
.
0
8k
m
6
6
6o
l
h
/
y1.
2
0 0
x1.
0
01
5
47
0
y2
.0
0
10
x2 0
 CONTINUED
…
The individual gas and liquid phase mass transfer coefficient are given. The following
equation is used to find the height.
h Ht G* N t
G
G
H tG
k ''ya '
y y
Nt
1
d
y
1
(1 y(
iMf
)d
yy
)
G
(
1
yy)*y
(
2
y
) y
i2

Now we have plotted the equilibrium data on x-y plane (mole fr. Unit). Then we fined the
interfacial concentrations on the gas side. ( By Following the procedure describe in the
Section
6.4.1 ( principle of mass transfer and separation process By Binay K.Dutta).
 CONTINUED
…Equilibrium Curve (mole fr. unit)
0.4
2
0.3
9
0.3
6
0.3
3
0.3
0.2
7
0.2
4
0.2
1
0.1 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.002 0.00
8 3 6 9 2 5 8 1 4 7 3
0.1
5
0.1
2
0.0
 CONTINUED
…
y yi (1-y)im 1-y y-yi f(y)
0.2 0.19 0.80499 0.8 0.01 100.6237
0.185 0.175 0.81999 0.815 0.01 100.6122
0.149 0.133 0.858975 0.851 0.016 63.08572
0.1 0.047 0.926247 0.9 0.053 19.41818
0.0569 0.0513 0.945897 0.9431 0.0056 179.1011
0.0427 0.0376 0.959848 0.9573 0.0051 196.6003
0.00887 0.00633 0.992399 0.99113 0.00254 394.205
0.00335 0.00178 0.997435 0.99665 0.00157 637.4442
 CONTINUED
…
By using trapezoidal
rule: y 1y1
(1 y )
N y (1 yd)*(
y y f
yi
y)
d
(y
) 2
y .
5 1
i
M
t
G 2 2

so
NtG2
.
5 1
 CONTINUED
…
The height of a gas-phase transfer
unit:
G
H tG
k 'y'a '
ky
' 0
.
0 7 5*3 6
0
0
2k
m
o
7
0l
h
/m
.2

G 1' 40.2256 / 0.9611 41.85371kmol /h .

m 2
G '2 s G 2 / (1 y )* 0.9611 33.4824 kmol/ h.m2
G ' 37.6686 kmol/ h.m2
Ht
G 0.
311m h N t
G *
Ht
G
h 0.311*12.5 3.88m
 Specification
Sheet
Identification:
Item: Item Packed Absorption
No: Column N/A
No. 1
required:

Function: To remove SO2

f
r
om
mi
x
t
ur
eo
f
Operation: gas
e s
Continuous
 CONTINUED
Entering gas
… Exit gas Liquid entering
Kg/hr Kg/hr Kg/hr

1441.6889 1045.904 116649

Design data:
No. of transfer units = 12.5
Height of transfer units = 0.311 m
Total height of column = 3.88m
Diameter = 1.109m
Pressure drop = Neglected
 CONTINUED
…
Internals:
Size and type = 1.5 in Rachig ring Ceramic
Material of packing: Dumped
Packing arrangement: Simple grid & perforated
Type of packing support: support