Chapter 4: Absorbers

Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers, 5th Edition

by Stephen Hall

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 Problem Statement
Calculate the height of a transfer unit, the number of transfer units, and
the required packing depth for a packed-bed absorber.

Inputs
General ENG SI
Column operating pressure atm 1.00
Temperature F 91.40
Excess L to G ratio 0.27

Gas Stream In
Name 600-T4
Flow lb/h 2,453.00
Primary component Air
Molecular weight 28.96
Solute component HCl, hydrogen chloride
Molecular weight 36.50
Concentration (volume fraction), y1 0.11000

Gas Stream Out

Desired solute concentration, y2 volume fraction 0.00030

Liquid Stream
Primary component water
Molecular weight 18.02
Solute component HCl, hydrogen chloride
Concentration (mole fraction), x2 -
Density lb/ft3 62.40
Temperature F 77.00

Column Parameters
Diameter ft 5.29
Packing type Super Intalox, plastic
Volume coefficient, gas KGA lb-mol/(h-ft3-atm) 0.78

Data
Henry's Law constant atm 0.03
Pressure atm 1.00
Column cross sectional area (empty) ft2 21.98
Gas molar rate, G1 lb-mol/h 82.78

Calculations
Step 1 Equilibrium concentration, solute in liquid x1* 3.66667
Step 2 Slope of equilibrium curve, (L/G)min 0.0299
Step 3 Liquid rate, L2 lb-mol/h 3.15 25.73
Step 4 Exit rate, gas, G2 lb-mol/h 73.69
Step 5 Moles 9.08
Liquid effluent concentration, x1 0.3179
Liquid effluent molar flow rate, L1 12.23
Step 6 Gas molar velocity, Gm lb-mol/ft2-h 3.56
Step 7 Vapor equil at bottom, y1* 0.0095
Vapor equil at top, y2* -
Step 8 LM Driving Force, (y - y*)LM 0.01723
LM Driving Force, (1 - y)*LM 0.93934
Step 9 Number of gas phase units, NOG 6.37
Step 10 Height gas phase unit, HOG ft 4.86
Step 11 Packed height, Z ft 30.94 Result
m 9.43
Other calculations
Gas density lb/ft3 0.0720
Superficial gas velocity, UG ft/s 0.43
Superficial liquid velocity, UL gpm/ft2 0.01
Gas capacity factor, CV ft/s 0.01
Liquid capacity factor, CL gpm/ft2 0.01
Liquid flow rate lb/h 56.68 25.76
gpm 0.11
Liquid molar velocity, Lm lb-mol/ft2-h 0.14

0.02
 Absorber Performance
Concentration in Gas

0.12000

0.10000

0.08000
5.53 7.2536709
10.64 3.77

0.06000

0.04000

0.02000

-
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Concentration of Solute in Liquid

Material Balance
 L2 3.15 G2 73.69
x2 - y2 0.0003
y2* -

Result

G1 82.78 L1 12.23
y1 0.1100 x1 0.3179
y1* 0.0095 x1* 3.6667

Equilibrium Line Operating Line Minimum Flow Line

x y x y x
- - 0 0.0003 -
0.458333333 0.01375 0.317939540 0.110 3.66667
0.916666667 0.02750
1.375000000 0.04125
1.833333333 0.05500
2.291666667 0.06875
2.750000000 0.08250
3.208333333 0.09625
3.666666667 0.11000
ber Performance

Operating Line

Minimum L/G Line

Equilibrium Line

2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Solute in Liquid
Minimum Flow Line
y
0.00030
0.11000
 ENTRADA DE AGUA
H2O (kg/h) 18000
HCl (kg/h) 2000

ENTRADA DE GASES
CO2 (kg/h) 375
O2 (kg/h) 139
N2 (kg/h) 463
HCl (kg/h) 119
H2O (kg/h) 18
 SALIDA DE GASES
CO2 (kg/h) 375
O2 (kg/h) 139
N2 (kg/h) 463
HCl (kg/h) 0,01*
H2O (kg/h) 18

SALIDA DE AGUA
H2O (kg/h) 18000
HCl (kg/h) 2119
Conversion Factors

Pressure
Units Convert to atm
atm 1
bar(a) 0.986923
in Hg(g) 0.033421
in H2O(g) 0.00246
kPa(g) 0.009869
mm Hg(g) 0.001316
Pa(g) 9.87E-06
psig 0.068046
torr(g) 0.001316

Relative KGA for Various Packings

Super Intal 1.00
Intalox Sad 0.94
Hy-Pak, me 1.11
Pall Rings, 1.06
Pall Rings, 0.97
Maspac, pla 1.00
Tellerettes, 1.19
Raschig Ri 0.78
Data
Solute HCl, hydrogen chloride
Temperature C 33.00
Henry's Law constant atm 0.03000
Temperature factor -
Base Temperature K 306.15

Calculations
Temperature K 306.15
Henry's Law constant, temp adj atm 0.03

Henry's Law constant, KH x ca = pg

where KH = Henry's law constant at 298.15 K, atm per mole fraction
ca = concentration in liquid phase
pg = partial pressure in gas phase

DeltaH/R = temperature dependence of KH

Source:
R. Sander(1999)
Compilation of Henry's Law Constants for Inorganic and Organic Species of Potential Importance in Environmental Chemistry
http://www.henrys-law.org

Substance KH DeltaH/R
NH3, ammonia 0.937 4100
HBr, hydrogen bromide 77.9 6100
HCl, hydrogen chloride 0.03 0
H2S, hydrogen sulfide 553 2100
SO2, sulfur dioxide 46.1 3100
C2H5OH, ethanol 0.3 6500
CH3COOH, acetic acid 0.011 6300
CH3COCH3, acetone 1.95 4600
C3H3N, acrylonitrile 5 2800
Cl2, chlorine 608 2500
HCHO, formaldehyde 0.017 6800
Example 1 1.75 0
Importance in Environmental Chemistry (Version 3)

MW
17
80.91
36.5
34.08
64.06
46.07
60.05
58.08
53.1
70.9
30.03
32