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ACTIVITY NO. 4
GAS ABSORPTION

INTRODUCTION
Gas absorption is a mass transfer process in which a vapor solute in a gas mixture is
dissolved in a liquid solvent. The gas mixture mainly consists of solute and an inert gas. The
solute is soluble to the solvent while the inert gas is immiscible to the liquid. Gas absorption
units have been widely used as a selective removal tool of one or more components from a
gas mixture by a suitable liquid forming solution of the gases upon absorption. Typical
applications for gas absorption include the treating of air-ammonia mixtures by water, the
removal of hydrogen sulfide from sourgas using liquid amine, and dissolving acid gases
using aqueous sodium hydroxide (a strong base).​[2]​ .
In this activity, the gas absorption of chloroform from gas mixture is demonstrated
using an online simulation [3][4]​
​ .

OBJECTIVES
● To calculate the efficiency of the gas absorption column
● To determine the effect of temperature, pressure, and solvent flow rate to the
efficiency of the gas absorber
PROCEDURE
1. Open the simulator using this ​link​ OR download and install ​Wolfram CDF Player​ and
run the ​CDF file​. The simulator also provides additional information that can be used
in the calculations (e.g. material balance equations, etc.).

● If you open the online simulator, it will look like this:

● If you install Wolfram CDF Player and run the CDF file for the absorption
column simulation, it will look like this:
 2. Adjust the parameters by moving their corresponding sliders in the simulator.

● You can also click the “+” icon beside the slider for additional settings.

Use the following values:

● Inlet vapor mole ratio, ​y​N+1​ (ppm) = 100
● Outlet vapor mole rate, ​y​1​ (ppm) = 10
● Inlet liquid (solute molar fraction), ​x​0​ (ppm) = 0
● Temperature (ºC) = 25
● Pressure (atm) = 2.5
● Solvent flow rate (Mmol/h) = 85

3. After adjusting all of the parameters, you will obtain ​x​N ​(ppm) or the concentration of
the solute in the outlet liquid solvent stream and the number of stages for the
absorption operation from the diagram.

4. Solve for the percent efficiency of the absorption column using the formula:
● %efficiency = (amount of solute absorbed/amount of solute fed) x 100

5. Setting all the other parameters constant, adjust the value of the ​temperature by
moving its corresponding slider. Observe how changing it affects the x-y diagram.

6. Do step 5 for ​pressure and ​solvent flow rate as well. Observe how changing these
parameters affects the x-y diagram.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How does percent efficiency, based on the formula used, describe the performance
of the absorption column? What is its physical interpretation?
 2. How do the parameters (e.g. temperature, pressure, solvent flow rate) affect the
number of stages and percent efficiency of the absorption column? What happens
when the parameters are increased or decreased?

_________________________________________________________________________
References:
[1] Geankoplis, C. (2003). ​Principles of Transport Processes and Separation Processes.​ Pearson Education, Inc.
[2] Absorption. (n.d.) Retrieved on October 13, 2020 from
http://www.separationprocesses.com/Absorption/GA_Chp03​.
[3] LearnChemE. (n.d.). Operation of an Absorption Column. Retrieved on October 13, 2020 from
http://www.learncheme.com/simulations/separations/operation-of-an-absorption-column​.
[4] Johnston, A. and Baumann, R. (2017). Wolfram Demonstrations Project. Retrieved on October 13, 2020 from
https://www.wolfram.com/player/.