81

6.2 ABSORBER DESIGN

Absorption is used to separate gas mixtures, remove impurities, contaminants, or catalyst

poisons from a gas or recover valuable chemicals. Absorber is installed after reactor to
absorb the maleic anhydride from the gaseous mixture by transfer it into a organic
solvent, dibutyl phthalate.

A trayed column or plate column is selected for absorption column in production

of maleic anhydride. The advantage of trayed absorption column it can be scaled to large
diameters more than 0.6m, wide range of liquid and gas flow rates without flooding, man
holes will be provided for cleaning, it is easier to make provision for cooling in a trayed
column, moderate to high pressure drop per tray, low cost, and easier to withdrawal of
side-streams from trayed column.

A trayed column is a vertical, cylindrical pressure vessel in which vapor and

liquid, which flow counter currently, are connected on a series of metal or trays or plates.
Liquid flows across each tray, over an outlet weir, and into a downcomer, which takes the
liquid by gravity to the tray below. Gas flows upward through openings in each tray,
bubbling through the liquid on the tray. Sieve trays are selected for suitable plates in the
trayed column because of their high efficiency, wide operating range, ease of
maintenance and lower installed cost. Sieve trays are flat metal plates with holes in them
which vapour passes straight upward through the liquid on the plate. (Harry Silla 2003)
 82

11
T = 98.2oC
P = 150kpa
Organic solvent Q = 1.17E+04 kg/h
(Dibutyl phtalate)

T = 30.1oC 10-1

P = 170 kpa
Q = 9.3E+04 kg/h

T = 132oC
T = 151.4oC
P = 200kPa
P = 160kpa
Q = 1.4E+05kg/h
Q = 1.17E+05kg/h
n-butane = 1592.55 kg/h
n-butane = 10.01 kg/h
O2 = 399.99 kg/h
O2 = 0.13 kg/h
N2 = 95161.79 kg/h 9
N2 = 53.86 kg/h
MA = 22837.45 kg/h
MA = 22811.91 kg/h
CO = 767.48 kg/h
CO = 0.75 kg/h
CO2 = 7.35E+03kg/h
CO2 = 0.71 kg/h
H2O = 4.80E+04kg/h 12
H2O = 768.87 kg/h
Dbp = 92978.66 kg/h

Figure 6.1: Absorber in maleic anhydride production

6.2.1 Minimum liquid flow rate

It is the flow rate of liquid at which separation cannot occur:

m Lm y 2 k  y1k

mv y 2k
 x1k
Kk

0.0493  0
m Lm  (4.7  103 )
0.0493
 0.3804
0.11
mLm  3418.5kmol / h
 83

where, m Lm = minimum liquid flow rate

3
mv = vapor flow rate = 4.7 x 10 kmol/h

K k = equilibrium value of key component (k value) = 0.11

y1k = vapor fraction of key component in top of column = 0

y 2 k = vapor fraction of key component at bottom of column = 0.0493

x1k = fraction of key component in the top liquid = 0.3804

6.2.2 Number of theoretical stages

L
Absorption factor: Ai   1.5
KV

Generally, the design that minimizes the combination of operating costs (i.e., the
consumption of separating agent) and the capital costs (i.e., the number of plates) occurs
when KV/L is chosen to be between 1.5 and 3 for an absorber.

N 1
( Ai  Ai )
Using Kremser equation for calculation of number of stages: N 1

( Ai  1)
( Ai   )
Simplifiying above equation: N  1log( Ai )  log
(1   )

N  7.70  8 trays

where, Ai = absorption factor = 1.5

 = solute fraction absorbed = 0.987

6.2.3 Number of actual stages

Using graph for the efficiency of the column for gas absorption, E o = 51%
(For absorbers, the volatility is taken as ten times Kk for the key component)
 84

Figure 6.2: Column efficiency for absorber (Harry Silla 2003)

N 8
Number of actual stages, N a    15.7  16 trays
E o 0.51

6.2.4 Height of the column

Height of column is determined by: H c  ( N a  1) H s  H

H c  (16  1)0.57  2.6

H c  11.15 m

where, Hs = tray spacing = 0.57

ΔH = disengagement region = 2.6m
Na = no.of actual stages = 16 trays
 85

6.2.5 Diameter of the column

1/ 2 1/ 2
L  v  9.3  10 4  1.7591 
Liquid- vapor flow factor, FLV  w       0.027
Vw  L  1.4  105  1037.9 

where, Lw = liquid mass flow rate = 9.3x104 kg/h

Vw = vapour mass flow rate = 1.4x105 kg/h
ρv = density of vapors = 1.7591 kg/m3
ρL = density of liquid = 1037.9 kg/m3

Using graph 11.27 (vol.6 Coulson & Richidson), for FLV = 0.027 and tray spacing=0.57m,
K1 = 0.09

As surface tension of liquid is 0.05 N/m,

0.2
 0.05 
Corrected, K 1  0.09   0.11
 0.02 

 L  v
Flooding velocity, u f  K1  2.67m / s
v

Actual flooding velocity is 80-85% of this. So, u n  0.8  2.516  2.013m / s

m v 10c.5
Net column area, An    5.22m 2
u n 2.013

where, mv = volumetric flow rate of vapor = 10.5 m3/sec

un = actual flooding velocity = 2.013 m/s

Assuming downcomer occupies 12% of across sectional area so,

Ac  An  Ad

Ac  An  0.12 Ac

Ac  5.93m 2
 86

0.5
 4A 
Diameter of column, Dc   c   2.75m
  
Ratio L/D ≌ 4 (Therefore, the calculated value of DT and H is acceptable.)

6.2.6 Plate Design

Column diameter = 2.75m

Column area, Ac = 5.93m2
Downcomer area, Ad = 0.12Ac = 0.12 x 5.93 = 0.712m2
Active area, Aa  Ac  2 Ad  5.93  2(0.712)  4.5m 2

Holes area, Ah = 10% of active area = 0.45m2

Hole size or diameter (Typically 5mm hole size is used), Dh = 0.005m
Plate thickness for carbon steel material is 0.005m
Weir height, hw= 0.05m
Weir length, lw=77% x Dc = 2.118m
 2
Area of one hole = ( Dh )  1.96  105 m 2
4
Number of holes = area of holes/ area of 1 hole = 22959.18 = 22960 holes

6.2.7 Perforated Area

lw 2.118
From figure 11.32(reference 1), at   0.77 , θ = 100o
Dc 2.75

Angle subtended by the edge of the plate  1800  1000  800

80
Mean length, unperforated edge strips  (2.75  0.05)   3.77m
180
area of unperforeted edge strips = 0.05x3.77 = 0.189m
mean length of calming zone = lw +0.05=2.118+0.05 = 2.168m
total area of perforation, Ap = 4.5 - 0.189 - 0.217 = 4.094m2
 87

Ah 0.45 lp
From figure 11.33 (reference 1), when   0.1 ,  2.9 (acceptable)
Ap 4.094 dh

6.2.8 Check Weeping

Maximum liquid rate = 9.3x104 kg/h = 25.83 kg/s

Minimum liquid rate, at 70 per cent turn-down = 0.7x 25.83 = 18.08 kg/s
2/3 2/3
 L   18.08 
Weir crest how  750 w   750   30.56mm liquid
  Llw   1037.9  2.118 
At minimum rate, hw  how  50  30.56  80.56mm liquid

From figure 11.30 (reference 1), K2 = 30.9

Minimum design vapor velocity,
K 2  0.9025.4  d h  30.9  0.90(25.4  5)
U h (min)    9.45m / s
v 1/ 2
1.75911 / 2
Actual minimum vapour velocity = minimum vapour rate/ Ah = 9.45/0.45 = 21m/s
So, minimum operating rate will be well above weep point.

6.2.9 Plate Pressure Drop

From figure 11.34 (referece 1), for plate thickness/ hole diameter = 1, and A h/Ap=0.1,
C0=0.84.
2 2
u  v  21  1.7591
Dry plate drop, hd  51 h   51   54.024mm liquid
 CO  L  0.84  1037.9

12.5  103 12.5  103

Residual head, hr    12.044mm liquid
L 1037.9
Total plate pressure drop,
ht  hd  (hw  how )  hr  54.024  50  30.56  12.044  146.63mm liquid

Plate pressure drop,

Pt  9.81 103 ht  L  9.81 103  146.63  1037.9  1492N / m 2  1.5kPa