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INDEX:
SR. NO. CONTENT PAGE NO.
1. INTRODUCTION 2
2. FLOWSHEET 3
3. PROCESS OPERATION 4–5
4. THEORY 6 – 12
5. EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL 13 – 15
6. FLOW DIAGRAM 16
7. WIRING DIAGRAM 17

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INTRODUCTION

SOLVENT
Liquid applied to remove the solute from a gas stream.
SOLUTE
Components to be removed from an entering stream.
ABSORPTION
Unit operation where the solute of a gas is removed by being placed in contact with a
nonvolatile liquid solvent that removes the components from the gas.
STRIPPING
Unit operation where one or more components of a liquid stream are removed by being
placed in contact with a gas stream that is insoluble in the liquid stream. Absorbers and
strippers are often used in conjunction with each other. Absorbers are often employed
to remove trace components from gas streams.
Strippers are often applied to remove the trace components from the liquid in a more
concentrated form. Absorption and stripping operations are carried out in vertical,
cylindrical columns or towers containing plates or packing elements. The plates and
packing provide a surface area for the liquid and gas to come into contact facilitating
mass transfer between the two streams. The gas and liquid streams for both operations
are commonly counter-current for a more effective mass transfer. The columns are
simpler than those for distillation are because they commonly do not include a
condenser or a Reboiler. There are two types of absorption. The two types are
chemical and physical. In chemical absorption, the liquid solvent reacts with the gas
stream and remains in solution. In physical absorption, the solute in the gas is more
soluble in the liquid solvent and, therefore, the solute is transferred to the liquid.
Chemical is usually preferred over physical because the equilibrium for chemical
absorption is much more favorable for the separation. However, physical absorption is
important since it can be applied when chemical absorption is not possible.

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FLOW SHEET

A diagram of an absorber-stripper system is shown in figure 0. The gas containing the

solute to be removed enters at the bottom of the absorber column. In the column, the
gas is placed in contact with the solvent that removes the solute and the purified gas
exits the top of the column. Recycled solvent enters the top of the absorber column and
exits the bottom where it is boiled and sent to the top of the stripping column. The
solute in the solvent is removed in the stripping column by a stripping gas that enters at
the bottom of the column. The solvent now exits from the bottom of the column and is
condensed before it is recycled back to the absorption column. The gas exiting the
stripping column can now be stored or processed easier.

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PROCESS OPERATION

Changing the conditions of the absorption column can influence the effectiveness and
efficiency of absorption. Some important controllable conditions are as follows:
 Pressure of the column.
 Temperature of entering liquid and gas streams.
 Humidity of the gas stream.
 Ratio of the liquid and gas stream rates.

Raising the total pressure of the column may increase the efficiency of the separation
because increasing the pressure decreases the liquid flow rate and increases the
concentration of the gas. The temperature of entering liquid effect absorption in that it
effects the flow rate of liquid required for the separation with a given number of stages.
Increasing the temperature of the entering solvent increases the liquid flow rate
required. Inlet gases of the absorber with high humidity at a high temperature effect the
capability of the gas to consume latent heat hindering the absorption process.
Therefore, dehumidification of the inlet gas should be considered for absorbers with
large heat effects. The ratio of the liquid to gas stream rates in that if the ratio is too
low, the solute builds in the upper portion of the column causing a higher temperature
profile in the top of the column. As a result, internal cooling maybe necessary for lower
liquid to gas ratios.
LIMITATIONS

Absorption and air stripping:

 For high VOC (volatile compounds) concentration above 1000 mg/l and different
VOC.
 Solids <2%

Absorption and steam stripping:

 VOC highly soluble in water like alcohol and ketones (acetone, ethanol.).
 Tb > 150 oC
 Excess VOC (>10%).
 Suspended solids higher than 2% tend to polymerize.
 If phenols cannot be treated, use extraction.

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Applicability

Absorption and air stripping:

Remove of VOC at low concentration (<200 mg/l) from contaminated ground water.

Absorption and steam stripping:

 Remove of H2S and ammonia NH3 before biological treatment.

 Best available technology for an array of organic compounds, Plastic and
synthetic\ fibers (OCPSF) category like benzene
 Higher VOC concentration as with air stripping (100 mg/l and more).
 Pyridines, cresols, monomers and halogenated solvents.
 Elimination of flow VOC concentration from high volume flow of waste stream.
 Recovery of thermally unstable materials (low boiling pt.).

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THEORY

Design of the Gas Absorber:

Figure 1 shows the streams entering and exiting the absorption column.

General Design Decisions

The designer is required to consider and determine:

1. Entering gas (liquid) flow rate, composition, temperature, and pressure
2. Desired degree of recovery of one or more solutes
3. Choice of absorbent
4. Operating pressure and temperature
5. Minimum absorbent (stripping agent) flow rate and actual absorbent
(stripping agent) flow rate as a multiple of the minimum rate needed to make
the separation.
6. Number of equilibrium stages
7. Heat effects and need for cooling
8. Type of absorber (stripper)
9. Height and diameter of absorber (stripper)
10. Cost of vapor recovery system

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Entering gas/liquid flow rates and composition

Entering gas composition and flow rates are generally set from the preceding unit
operation, the flash drum in our case. The pressure and temperature are also set from
this flash calculation.

Desired degree of recovery

The amount of solute recovery is generally set by the designer. It may be a
Recovery to ensure product purity requirements or to satisfy a purity requirement if the
recovered solute is a feed stream to another unit.

Selection of Solvent
The ideal absorbent should:
1. Have a high solubility for the solute(s)
2. Have a low volatility to reduce loss of absorbent
3. be noncorrosive
4. Have a low viscosity to provide a low-pressure drop
5. be nontoxic
6. be available and not expensive

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Determination of operating pressure and temperature

a) In general, operating pressure should be high and temperature low for an absorber,
to minimize stage requirements and/or absorbent flow rate and to lower the equipment
volume required accommodating the gas flow.
b) Operating pressure should be low and temperature high for a stripper to minimize
stage requirements or stripping agent flow rate.

Heat Effects and need for cooling

One of the most important considerations involved in designing a gas absorption tower
is to determine whether or not temperatures will vary along the length of the tower,
since the solubility of the solute gas depends strongly upon the temperature. Heat
effects that may cause temperature to vary from point to point in a gas absorber are:
1. The heat of solution of the solute
2. The heat of vaporization or condensation of the solvent
3. The change of the sensible heat between the gas and the liquid phases
4. The loss of sensible heat form the fluids to internal and external cooling coils or to the
atmosphere via the tower walls

Types of Absorbers
Absorption and stripping are conducted in trayed towers, packed columns, spray
towers, bubble columns, and centrifugal contactors. Absorption and stripping are
frequently conducted in packed columns, particularly when (1) the required column
diameter is less than 2 ft; (2) the pressure drop must be low, as for a vacuum service; (3)
corrosion considerations favor the use of ceramic or polymeric materials; and (4) low
liquid holdup is desirable. Each type has its own benefits such as greater contact
surfaces, length of residence time required, and available packing space.

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For the additional design considerations, one needs to specify an isothermal or non-
isothermal absorber. Each case will be dealt with separately, starting with the
isothermal, and followed by the non-isothermal with an example problem. The non-
isothermal case is of more importance as it more closely models current topics in our
design of the anhydride plant and is presented in more detail than the isothermal case.

Absorber Design for the isothermal case

Isothermal design will not be covered in great detail because it is of little relevance to
our process design problem. However, for some applications it may be necessary to use
inter-stage cooling and force isothermal condition if the temperature change in the
absorption column is great enough to cause large solvent losses.
Determination of absorbent (stripping agent) flow rates

Material balances written around one end of the tower in figure 1 and an arbitrary
intermediate stage n, yield:
YN+1=Xn (L'/G') +Y1-Xo (L'/G') (1)

Yn=Xn+1(L'/G') +Yo-X1(L'/G') (2)

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These equations are called operating line equations and when plotted represent the
conditions at the top and bottom of the towers. The slope of the line yields the liquid to
gas ratio (L'/G'). Given the gas flow rate, the minimum solvent flow rate can be
calculated from the relation:
L'min=G'm (3)
Once the minimum solvent flow rate is found, the actual solvent can be found by
multiplying the minimum flow rate by a factor of 1.4.

To obtain the equilibrium line for the plot, one would use the following derivation. A
Balance around a section of the tower will give:

Yacet = (moles acetone/moles inerts) / (moles acetone + inerts / moles inerts)

Yacet = Y / 1 + Y
And similarly, for the liquid component:
Xacet = X / 1 – X
Applying the equilibrium constraint on the system:
Yacet = K (Xacet)
Giving:
(Y / 1 + Y) = K(X / 1 – X)

Solving for Y:
Y = KX / 1 + X – KX (4)
Equation 4 is the equation that determines the equilibrium line in the plot of the
McCabe- Thiele diagram. The McCabe-Thiele diagram will be discussed following, as a
graphical method of determining the theoretical number of stages or plates in the
absorber. Also, this equation can be used for the non-isothermal case due to the
dependence of the K values on the temperature of each stage.

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Number of Equilibrium stages

The number of equilibrium stages can be calculated either graphically or algebraically.
When the graphical method is chosen, a McCabe-Thiele diagram is constructed by
plotting the equilibrium line and the equilibrium curve. The number of stages can be
found to reach a specified degree of purity by stepping off between the equilibrium
curve and the operating line. This method is illustrated in the figure 4.

The algebraic method for determining the number of equilibrium stages is more precise
than the graphical method. The Colburn equation (Perry's 7th edition) for the number of
equilibrium stages is:
Nt= [ln [(1-A-1) (y1-y2)/ (y2-y2) +A-1]] / ln (A) (5)
Where
A absorption factor = L'/mG'
y1 mole fraction of solute in entering gas
y2 mole fraction of solute in exiting gas
y2mole fraction of solute in equilibrium with incoming solvent

Once the theoretical number of equilibrium stages has been determined, the actual
number of equilibrium stages can be calculated from the relation:
Eo=Nt/Na (6)
Where

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Eo stage efficiency
Na actual number of stages
Nt theoretical number stages

The stage efficiency can be found to be a complex function of the flow rates of vapor
and liquid streams, the geometry and design of the contacting trays, and the properties
of the vapor and liquid streams. The stage efficiency can be found multiple ways such as
from performance data, semi-theoretical models, scaled up laboratory data, and the
O'Connell co-relation for plate efficiency. The O'Connell correlation can be used given
that the operating conditions fall within those covered by the correlation. Once the
efficiency has been estimated, the number of actual stages can be determined.

Absorber Design for the non-isothermal case

Since non-isothermal operation is of more value given our current process design
considerations, a methodology will be given to find all needed values for the design. The
methodology is illustrated with an example problem. The equations for each step are in
bold, the answers to these equations for our example are presented below the
equations in normal faced text.

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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1. Fill the water in the first sump tank and leave empty the other two sump tanks.
2. Now measure D.O by means of D.O meter of First sump tank’s water.
3. Pump this water through water rotameter at desired flow rate and feed it to 1 st
column (Deoxygenating column) from top. At the same time supply the N 2 from
the bottom of the column through nitrogen rotameter at desired flow rate.
4. Collect the water (Deoxygenated water) in the second sump tank and measure
its D.O.
5. Start the second pump and supply this water to the second column (Absorption
Column) from top and supply the air from the bottom of the column through air
rotameter by means of air compressor.
6. Collect the water (Absorption Column) in the Third sump tank and measure its
D.O.
7. Start the Third pump and supply this water to the Third column (Stripping
Column) from top and supply the N 2 from the bottom of the column through
Nitrogen rotameter at desired flowrate.
8. Measure the final D.O of water outlet and find the concentration changes in
Deoxygenating Column, Absorption Column and Stripping Column.
9. Observe all the data and note down.

OBSERVATIONS

1. Flow rate of water : ______ LPM

2. Flow rate of air : ______ LPM
3. Flow rate of N2 : ______ LPM
4. D.O. of entering stream to deoxygenating tower: ______
5. D.O. of existing stream from deoxygenating tower/entering stream to absorption
tower: ______

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6. D.O. of existing stream from absorption tower/entering stream to stripping

tower:
7. D.O. of existing stream from stripping tower :

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SAMPLE OBSERVATION

1. Flow rate of water : 1 LPM

2. Flow rate of air : 2 LPM
3. Flow rate of N2 : 2 LPM
4. D.O. of entering stream to deoxygenating tower: 7.1
5. D.O. of existing stream from deoxygenating tower/entering stream to absorption
tower: 3.5
6. D.O. existing stream from absorption tower/entering stream to stripping tower:
5.6
7. D.O. of existing stream from stripping tower : 4.5

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