Absorption

Mass Transfer for 4th Year

Chemical Engineering Department
Faculty of Engineering
Cairo University
 STRIPPING
The process opposite to absorption, the solvent is
stripped to be recovered.
The operating line equation will not change, but it
will be located BELOW the equilibrium curve.
The main objective will no longer be Yout, it will be
Xout, so Recovery (a) will be used as follows:
Xout=Xin(1-a)
Same steps will be done: getting G’min, calculating
G’op and determining the number of ideal stages.
 GETTING Gmin
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09

Y 0.08
0.07
0.06

Yout0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
Xin
Yin 0
0 XOut0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12
X
 GETTING Gmin
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09

Y 0.08
0.07
0.06

Yout0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
Xin
Yin 0
0 XOut0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12
X
 GETTING Gmin
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09

Y 0.08
0.07
0.06

Yout0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
Xin
Yin 0
0 XOut0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12
X
 GETTING Gmin
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09

Y 0.08
0.07
0.06

Yout0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
XOut Xin
Yin 0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12
X
 Operating Line
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09

Y 0.08
0.07
0.06

Yout0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
Xin
Yin 0
0 XOut0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12
X
Problem 5:
As a result of an absorption process, there is a solution
which must be stripped of absorbed solute. 500 Kmole/hr
of this solution of benzene in a non-volatile oil containing
0.1 mole fraction benzene. The solution will be preheated
to 250oF and will be stripped at 1 atm absolute with
superheated steam at 250oF. The liquid effluent from the
stripper is to contain no more than 0.005 mole fraction
benzene. Assume isothermal operation and Raoult’s law
is applied. Vapour pressure of benzene at 250oF is 2400
mmHg.
Determine the minimum steam rate, the number of ideal
trays required for 1.25 times the minimum rate.
Problem 5:
xin=0.1 Xin=0.1/(1-0.1)=0.111
L= 500 Kmole/hr L’=500*(1-0.1)=450 Kmole/hr
T=250oF P=1 atm=760 mmHg
xout=0.005 Xout=0.005/(1-0.005)=0.00503
yin=0 Yin=0
Isothermal operation and Raoult’s law is applied.
PoB = 2400 mmHg. m=2400/760=3.16
3.16X
y=3.16x Y=
1 − 2.16X
G’op=1.25 G’min
 3.16 X X 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
Y=
1 − 2.16X Y 0 0.066 0.138 0.218 0.306 0.403 0.512

0.6

0.5

0.4

Y 0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12 0.13
X
 0.55

0.5

0.45

0.4

0.35

0.3
Y
0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12 0.13
X
i-
L’/G’min=3.96
G’min=450/3.96=113.66 Kmol/hr

ii-
G’op=1.25 G’min=142.08 Kmol/hr
L’/G’op=3.17
 0.55

0.5

0.45

0.4

0.35

0.3
Y
0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12 0.13
X
i-
L’/G’min=3.96
G’min=450/3.96=113.66 Kmol/hr

ii-
G’op=1.25 G’min=142.08 Kmol/hr
L’/G’op=3.17
NTS=10.5
 Multi-Component Absorption
- This is the general case, and the most abundant.

- The solvent will have the ability to dissolve more than one
component from the gas stream.

- Different recovery percentages will be achieved for each

component.

-Here is the only case where we can work by mole fractions

not ratios.
 Design Steps
Information available:
1- L/G or n
2- Feed gas composition (purity) yinA , yinB , yinC , ..
3- Available solvent purity xinA , xinB , xinC ,…..
4- Equilibrium of each component with solvent.
5- Key component Recovery (aA)

y outA = y inA (1 − aA )
Usually he wants you to calculate the recovery of other
components.
Multi-Component Absorption

There is two methods

for solution

Graphical method Analytical Kremser method

(to use it equilibrium should be
straight line)
Analytical method:
Thanks