Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan

73 Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro, 9000 Misamis Oriental

College of Engineering – Chemical Engineering Department

PROBLEM SET NO. 8

Sorption Processes

CHE 42 A

Separation Processes

Submitted by:
Romelie G. Albia

Submitted to:
Engr. Jayhiel S. Malila
PROBLEM 1: Drying of Nitrogen and Scale-Up of Column. Using molecular sieves, water vapor
was removed from nitrogen gas in a packed bed at 28.3˚C. The column height was 0.268m, with
the bulk density of the solid bed being equal to 712.8 kg/m3. The initial water concentration in the
solid was 0.01 kg water/kg solid and the mass velocity of the nitrogen gas was 4052 kg/m2h. The
initial water concentration in the gas was co = 926x10-6 kg water/kg nitrogen. The breakthrough
data are as follows:

Table 1.1: The Breakthrough Data of Drying

of Nitrogen
t (h) c (kg H2O/kg
N2x106)
0.00 <0.6
9.00 0.6
9.20 2.6
9.60 21
10.00 91
10.40 235
10.80 418
11.25 630
11.50 717
12.00 855
12.50 906
12.80 926

A value of c/co = 0.02 is desired at the break point. Do as follows:

(a) Determine the break-point time, the fraction of total capacity used up to the break point,
the length of the unused bed, and the saturation loading capacity of the solid
(b) For a proposed column length HT = 0.40m, calculate the break-point time and fraction of
total capacity used.

SOLUTION:
(PART A) Determine the break-point time, the fraction of total capacity used up to the break point,
the length of the unused bed, and the saturation loading capacity of the solid

Step 1: Draw a schematic diagram and state all the given and required of the problem
Step 2: Prepare the breakthrough data for plotting the graph
Dividing the value of c to co = 926x10-6 kg water/kg nitrogen, to get the following data for c/co

Table 1.2: The Breakthrough Data of Drying of Nitrogen

𝒄
t (h) c (kg H2O/kg
𝒄𝒐
N2x106)
0.00 0.0 0.000000
9.00 0.6 0.000648
9.20 2.6 0.002808
9.60 21 0.022678
10.00 91 0.098272
10.40 235 0.253780
10.80 418 0.451404
11.25 630 0.680346
11.50 717 0.774298
12.00 855 0.923326
12.50 906 0.978402
12.80 926 1.000000

𝑐
Step 3: Plot the breakthrough data through t(h) versus 𝑐 .
𝑜

1.1
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
c/co

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
time (h)

Figure 1.1 Breakthrough Curve for Problem 1

Step 4: Identify the Area 1 (A1) and Area 2 (A2) by locating the break point in the curve.
Since the value of the break point is equal to c/co = 0.02. Hence, by interpolating the data, the
corresponding time of the break point is equal to 𝑡 = 9.65 ℎ.

Figure 1.2 Identifying the parts of Area 1 and Area 2 in the breakthrough curve

Step 5: Perform numerical or graphical integration to determine the areas above the breakthrough
curve.
For A1: Applying the area of a rectangle For A2: Applying the graphical integration
(trapezoidal rule) to determine the areas
Step 6: Solve for the time that is equivalent to the total or stoichiometric capacity of the fixed-bed
adsorber.

Step 7: Solve for the time that is equivalent to the usable capacity of the bed up to the break-point
time

Step 8: Solve for the height of the used bed (HB) and the height of the unused bed (HUNB).
(PART B) For a proposed column length HT = 0.40m, calculate the break-point time and fraction
of total capacity used.

Summary:

(PART A)
Break-point time – 9.65 h
Fraction of total capacity used up to the break point – 0.837
Length of the unused bed – 0.044m
(PART B)
At HT = 0.40:
Break-point time – 14.40 h
Fraction of total capacity used – 0.88
PROBLEM 2: Ion exchange of Copper in Column. An ion-exchange column containing 99.3g of
amberlite ion-exchange resin was used to remove Cu2+ from a solution where co = 0.18 M CuSO4.
The tower height is equal to 30.5cm and the diameter is equal to 2.59cm. The flow rate was 1.37
cm3 solution/s to the tower. The breakthrough data are shown below:

Table 2.1: The Breakthrough Data of Ion

exchange of Copper
t (s) c (g mol Cu/L)
420 0.0000
480 0.0033
510 0.0075
540 0.0157
600 0.0527
660 0.1063
720 0.1433
780 0.1634
810 0.1722
870 0.1763
900 0.1800

The concentration desired at the break point is c/co = 0.010. Determine the break-point time,
fraction of total capacity used up to the break point, length of unused bed, and the saturation
loading capacity of the solid.

SOLUTION:

Step 1: Draw a schematic diagram and state all the given and required of the problem
Step 2: Prepare the breakthrough data for plotting the graph
Dividing the value of c to c/co = 0.010, to get the following data for c/co

Table 2.2: The Breakthrough Data of Ion exchange of Copper

t (s) c (g mol Cu/L) 𝒄
𝒄𝒐
420 0.0000 0.00
480 0.0033 0.33
510 0.0075 0.75
540 0.0157 1.57
600 0.0527 5.27
660 0.1063 10.63
720 0.1433 14.33
780 0.1634 16.34
810 0.1722 17.22
870 0.1763 17.63
900 0.1800 18.00

𝑐
Step 3: Plot the breakthrough data through t(h) versus 𝑐 .
𝑜

20

18

16

14

12
c/co

10

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
t (s)

Figure 2.1 Breakthrough Curve for Problem 1

Step 4: Identify the Area 1 (A1) and Area 2 (A2) by locating the break point in the curve.
Since the value of the break point is equal to c/co = 0.010. Hence, by interpolating the data, the
corresponding time of the break point is equal to 𝑡 = 421.82 𝑠.

Figure 1.2 Identifying the parts of Area 1 and Area 2 in the breakthrough curve

Step 5: Perform numerical or graphical integration to determine the areas above the breakthrough
curve.
For A1: Applying the area of a rectangle For A2: Applying the graphical integration
(trapezoidal rule) to determine the areas
Step 6: Solve for the time that is equivalent to the total or stoichiometric capacity of the fixed-bed
adsorber.

Step 7: Solve for the time that is equivalent to the usable capacity of the bed up to the break-point
time

Step 8: Solve for the height of the used bed (HB) and the height of the unused bed (HUNB).
Step 9: Calculate for the saturation loading capacity of the solid

Summary:

Break-point time – 421.82 s

Fraction of total capacity used up to the break point – 0.688
Length of the unused bed – 9.5cm
Saturation loading capacity – 0.097 g Cu/g solid
PROBLEM 3: Batch Adsorption for Phenol Solution. A wastewater solution having a volume of 2.5
m3 contains 0.25 kg phenol/m3 of solution. This solution is mixed thoroughly in a batch process with
3.0 kg of granular activated carbon until equilibrium is reached. Use the isotherm from Example
12.2-1 (Geankoplis) and calculate the final equilibrium values and the percent phenol extracted.

SOLUTION:

Step 1: Draw a schematic diagram and state all the given and required of the problem

Step 2: Prepare the equilibrium data for Phenol Solution

Table 3.1: Equilibrium Data for Phenol

Solution
c q,
𝒌𝒈 𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒍 𝒌𝒈 𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒍
(𝒎𝟑 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏) (𝒌𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒏)
0.0040 0.026
0.0087 0.053
0.0190 0.075
0.0270 0.082
0.0940 0.123
0.1950 0.129

Step 3: Construct a graph using the data above

0.14

0.12
q, kg phenol/kg adsorbent

0.1

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
c, kg phenol/m3 solution

Figure 3.1 Plotting of data using the equilibrium data

Step 4: Perform the adsorbate material balance

Step 5: Calculate the points using the material balance

Plot the points of (0, 0.208) and (0.25, 0)

Step 6: Plot the points obtained using the adsorbate material balance

From the graph above, the red dot that crosses the isotherm, which is approximately at
c = 0.1kg phenol/m3 solution. Thus, represents the final equilibrium point.
On the other hand, the concentration on the adsorbent at this red dot is approximately at
q = 0.120kg phenol/kg adsorbent of activated carbon.

Step 7: Calculate the percentage amount of phenol that is recovered by the adsorbent

Summary:
Final equilibrium values:

q = 0.120kg phenol/kg adsorbent

c = 0.1kg phenol/m3 solution
Percent phenol extracted:

% recovery = 58%
PROBLEM 4: Equilibrium in Ion Exchange of NH4+ for H+. For the case where the cation NH4+ (A)
replaces H+ (B) in a polystyrene resin with 8% DVB, calculate the equilibrium constant KA,B. The total
resin capacity q = 2.0 equivalent/L wet bed volume. The total concentration C = 0.20 N in the
solution. Calculate at equilibrium the equivalents of NH4+ in the resin when the concentration of NH4+
in solution is 0.04 N.

SOLUTION:
Step 1: State all the given of the problem

Step 2: Perform the equilibrium relations of the reactions of NH4+ (A) replaces H+ (B)

Step 3: Calculate for the value of KA,B using the values obtained in Table 12.4-1 in Geankoplis
Step 4: Calculate the values of the concentrations using the equation below

Step 5: Calculate the equilibrium equivalent of NH4+

Summary:

Therefore, the equivalent equilibrium of NH4+ is equal to 0.67 equivalent/L

PROBLEM 5: Design of Adsorption Column. 100,000 L/day of liquid containing 0.1% adsorbate
is to be treated. During pilot plant testing of the selected adsorbent, performance was acceptable
at a superficial velocity of 0.003 m/sec, with tolerable pressure drop and an adsorption capacity
of 0.3 kg adsorbate/kg adsorbent. The feed density is 1,000 kg/m3, the adsorbent bulk density is
640 kg/m3, and the desired online time (prior to regeneration) is 48 hr. What column diameter and
packed height are needed?

SOLUTION:

Step 1: Perform conversion of units and solve for the volumetric flow rate in m3/sec
Conversion Units: 1 day = 86400 s
1 m3 = 1000 L

Step 2: Calculate for the required cross-sectional area

Step 3: Calculate for the required diameter of the column

Step 4: Find the amount of the adsorbate desired to the column per cycle

Step 5: Calculate for the value of the adsorbent needed

Step 6: Lastly, solve for the required packed height of the column

Summary:

Therefore, the column diameter and packed height needed are 0.7m
and 2.7m, respectively.