Sulphur dioxide absorption into sodium

sulphite solutions in a cable contactor

P. Lorent, P. Gerard and J. Vanderschuren

Chemical Engineering Department, Facult6 Polytechnique de Mons, 56, rue de
I'Epargne, 7 0 0 0 Mons, Belgium

An experimental investigation of the rate of sulphur dioxide absorption into sodium sulphite solutions in
a cable contactor was made at room temperature for several gas velocities, liquid flow rates and pH
values. Correlations were derived giving the overall gas mass transfer coefficients, enhancement
factors and heights of transfer units for a cable-bundle scrubber. It was found that the enhancement
factors are very high and that the absorption rate is mainly controlled by the gas film mass transfer
resistance. Modelling of the operation according to the two-film theory of absorption with chemical
reaction allowed the calculation of theoretical values of the overall mass transfer coefficient, which were
found to be in good agreement with experimental results.

Keywords: flue gas desulphurization; SO2 absorption; sodium sulphite; cable contactor

Nomenclature
Ar Archimedes number = (2R)3g/v 2 Nso, Flux of sulphur dioxide (mol s -~ m--')
d Diameter of the liquid sheath around the P Total pressure (bar = 105 Pa)
yarn (m) Pso, Partial pressure of sulphur dioxide (bar)
D~ Diffusivity of component i (m 2 s -I ) P~o~ Equilibrium pressure of sulphur dioxide
Fa Enhancement factor (bar)
G Gas flow rate (mol s -I) R Radius of the cable (m)
h Height of the contactor (m) Re Liquid Reynolds number = 4L/2nRv
H Henry's law constant (atm kg mol -t) s Liquid sheath thickness (m)
H0 Solubility coefficient of sulphur dioxide in SO,T Total S(IV) = [SO_,] + IHSO;I + lSO~-I
water (atm kg tool -I) T Temperature (K)
Ht~; Height of a transfer unit (m) v Gas velocity ( m s -I)
I Ionic strength (mol kg -~) Yl,Y2 Inlet and outlet molar fraction of sulphur
K Equilibrium constant of reaction (22) dioxide in the gas
K~ Dissociation constant (mol kg -I) = y* Equilibrium molar fraction of sulphur
[H+I IHSO;I/IH2SOd dioxide
K2 Dissociation constant (mol kg -I) = Zi Ion valency
IH+I ISO~-I/IHSO;! [I Molality (mol kg -I)
kG Gas-phase mass transfer coefficient ?'i Activity coefficient of component i
(tool s -j m -2 bar -t ) v Kinematic viscosity (m-" s -I)
K~; Apparent overall gas mass transfer
coefficient (mol s -t m --~ bar -I) Subscripts
kL Liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient i Gas-liquid interface
(m s -I) w Water
L Liquid flow rate on the cable (m -~s -t) I Bulk solution
m Dttso~/Dso~ Im Logarithmic mean
n D.so;/Dso~- sol Absorbent solution

Introduction
The steadily increasing severity of the European regu-
lations for emission of sulphur dioxide from combustion
plants provides a growing need for purification units for
flue gases.
The most widely used methods for flue gas desulphur-
ization ~ are the limestone wet scrubbing process, spray-
dry scrubbing systems operating with slaked lime, the
Wellman-Lord process using sodium sulphite regenerable
by heat treatment and the dual-alkali process in which the
sorbent is also a sodium sulphite solution.

0950-4214/92/030125-07
© 1992 Sutterworth-HeinemannLtd Gas Separation 8" Purification 1 9 9 2 Vol 6 No 3 125
SO2 absorption into Na$TO, solutions in a cable contactor: P. Lorent et al.

Two plants, a commercial plant (capacity 60 000 NmZ h-’ ) The absorbent flows out of the scrubber at pH 6.5-7. It is
and a large pilot plant (capacity 26 000 NmZ h-‘). both then regenerated in a separate reactor with lime or
equipped with a three-stage cable-bundle scrubber limestone:
(Amazonem), were recently started in Belgium for cleaning
2NaHS0, + Ca(OH), -_* Na2S03 + CaSO, . 0.5Hz0
the gaseous effluents of a garbage combustor and an oil-
tiled boile?. + 1.5HZ0 (2)
Desulphurization is achieved by the dual-alkali process
and produces a precipitate of calcium sulphite, which is
running in the dilute mode. with sodium carbonate
generally oxidized to gypsum.
softening, in the first unit and in the concentrated mode in
Some oxidation of sulphite to sulphate occurs in the
the second.
scrubber due to residual oxygen in the flue gas:
Amazone is a gas-liquid contactor. patented first in
Belgium in 19702 and later in 21 other countries including Na,SO, + 0.50, + Na2S03 (3)
the UK4, in which the liquid flows down a bundle of
The sodium bound to S(Vl) is lost as reactant and is called
synthetic cables of small diameter(Figure I ). In most cases
‘inactive’ sodium. In the concentrated active alkali mode.
the gas is blown in cross-flow to the liquid though, in some
the sulphate ions can be removed from the solution by
applications. it may flow counter-currently with it. Single
coprecipitation of calcium sulphate with calcium sulphite
and multi-staged scrubbers are made of standard modules
in the regenerator.
(width 0.6 m, depth 0.5 m and height 2 m) packed side by
The design of the Amazone scrubber requires knowledge
side and one behind another in a casing.
of equilibrium contents and absorption rates of sulphur
The dual-alkali process was selected for the Amazone
dioxide into sodium sulphite solutions.
plants because of its high efficiency and its particular
ability to prevent scaling in the scrubbers. A full
description of this process is given in the literatureTex. The Calculation of the equilibrium pressure of
scrubbing liquid is an aqueous solution of sodium sulphur dioxide over sulphite-bisulphite
sulphite in which bisulphite is formed as sulphur dioxide solutions
is absorbed: The equilibrium pressures of sulphur dioxide over the
sulphite-bisulphite solutions were obtained by Henry’s
NaSO? + SO? + H20 = 2NaHS0, (1) law:

PCob?= H[SO?I (4)

Liquid in which

H = HOYSO, (5)

Rabe and Harris” gave the solubility coefficient for pure

water:
H,, = exp(9.3795 - 2851.1/T) (6)
and the activity coefficient of dissolved sulphur dioxide
was estimated from the salting-out parameter determined
by Hikita et al. “’
logyso~ = 0.0741 (7)
The concentration of free sulphur dioxide dissolved in
the liquid was computed from pH and total S(W) by
means of a model describing the equilibria between ionic
Bundle of and non-ionic species in the solution. together with
cables electroneutrality and mass balance.
The two dissociation constants of the sulphurous acid
used in this model are taken from Johnstone and Leppla”
and Naumov”. respectively:
K, = exp( 1972.5/T - 10.967) (8)
Kz = exp(3.523 - 2433.8/T - 0.0399967) (9)
The dissociation constants of water and bisulphate ions
are also taken from Naumov”.
The activity coefficients of individual ions are estimated
by modified Debye-Htickel laws:

1
_[I/’

log yi = z4(T)Z; + c,+

1 + B(T)CJ”
in which ,4(T) and B(T) are functions of temperature as
given in standard books”. The specific parameters Cji and
C4i for the ions are taken from the Bechtel-Radian
Figure 1 Standard Amazone module programme (see Table 1).

126 Gas Separation Et Purification 1992 Vol 6 No 3

 SO, absorption into Na2S03 solutions in a cable contactor: P. Lorent et al.

Table 1 Parameters of the modified Debye-HCickel equation

G, c‘?,

H+ 6 0.4
OH- 3 0.3
HSO; 4.5
so;- 4.5 :
HSO; 3 0.3
so:- 3 0

The activity coefficients of the non-ionic species are

related to the ionic strength in this programme by
logy, = U,I (11)
Figure 3 Experimental equipment
in which Ui is an expe~mental constant, equal to 0.076 for
sulphur dioxide. This value confirms that given by Hikita
et al. “’ The experimental equipment is shown in Figure 3. The
To check the validity of this model. the solubiiities of absorption column is an insulated vertical glass tube of
sulphur dioxide in water and in two solutions containing small diameter (20 mm) in the axis ofwhich is stretched a
0.225 mol Na,SO, kg-’ and either 0 or 0.225 mol Na,SO, single twisted polyester yarn (with a diameter equal to
kg-’ were determined at 20°C and increasing pressures up 1.45 mm) identical to those used in standard Amazone
to I atmi4. Pressures of sulphur dioxide were measured absorbers. The height of this micro-contactor is 0.95 m.
with a strain-gauge probe and equilibrium quantities of The absorbent solution is fed to the top distributing
sulphur dioxide absorbed determined by a volumetric chamber with a small pump. The liquid flowing down the
method. Figure2 shows that.except for high S(IV)contents cable is collected at the bottom in a small stainless steel
in water, there is a very good agreement between tube and comes out by overflowing.
experimental and calculated values. Hence. we may infer The gas phase is nitrogen, humidified in a saturator, in
that the Debye-Htickel model allows a more than which sulphur dioxide is added to obtain concentrations
adequate description of the ionic interactions in that of about 1200 ppm. To prevent any oxidation of the
range of concentrations. solution. the absorbent vessel and the collecting flask are
flushed out continuously with nitrogen.
Desulphurizstion in a single-cable Inlet and outlet gas concentrations are measured with a
laboratory absorber Beckman model 880 non-dispersive infrared analyser.
Iodometric titration is used to determine the total S(W)
To study mechanisms and obtain kinetic data required for
contents of the liquids, simultaneously with pH
the design of Amazone scrubbers, absorption rates of
measurement,
sulphur dioxide in sodium sulphite-bisulphite solutions
Apparent overall gas-phase mass transfer coefficients
were measured in a small single-cable laboratory
are computed as follows:
absorber.
G Yi -.I?
(12)
Kci = Pndh (y - y*),,,,
The diameter of the liquid sheath around the yarn
A Water

0.4 - 0 Sulphite
d = 2(R + s) (13)
D Sulphite-suiphate is calculated from the liquid film thickness, given by the
correlation of Lefebvre et af. Is

‘;‘ 0.3-
$ (14)

Experimental results
Experiments were made at room temperature for three
liquid flow rates on the cable, four gas velocities and
different vaiues of pH of the absorbent.
Solutions of various pH were prepared by absorbing
gaseous sulphur dioxide into sodium sulphite solutions.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1 2 Sodium hydroxide solutions (I mol kg-‘) were also used.
All the runs were made with a sodium concentration of
S02T (mol kg-’ water)
about 0.45 mol kg-‘, corresponding to that used in the
Amazone dual-alkali pilot plant.
Figure 2 Solubiiities of sulphur dioxide in water and solutions of
0.225 molal sodium sulphite and 0.225 molal sodium sulphite/
The overall gas mass transfer coefficients K’, are
0.225 molal sodium sulphate mixture: lines, calculated; symbols, presented in Figures 4-6 for the three liquid flow rates
experimental investigated. It can be seen that they are increasing

Gas Separation & Purification 1992 Vol 6 No 3 127

 SO2 absorption into l&SO, sohtions in a cable contactoc P. Lorent et al,

1.0
v(ms-‘) functions of pH and gas velocity. As the coefficients KC;
0 1.0 obtained al highest pH values{ 13.6)with sodium hydroxide
solutions are obviously the gas film mass transfer
coefficients kf,, it can be noted that the ratio KC,lk,,, giving
the contribution of the gas film resistance. increases with
pH. This ratio is very high and reaches about 95% at pH 7,
revealing that the absorption of sulphur dioxide into
sodium sulphite solutions of experimental concentration
‘; 0.7
u) 9 in the cable contactor is mainly controlled by gas-phase
z diffusion. The liquid-phase resistance has only a
2 0.6 significant influence at lower than pH 6-6.5.
The rise of liquid flow rate. at constant gas velocity, also
increasesthe overall mass transfer coefficient, as shown in
F&O-~ 7. The increase of outer liquid velocities on the
cable due to higher flow rates thus enhances turbulence in
a.41 I 1 I 1
the gas phase.
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 The influences of pH. gas velocity and liquid flow
Mean pH rate were well depicted by the following regression
correlation:
Figure4 Evolution of KG with PH and gas velocity
(L = 0.18 X 10-s m3 s-l) Kc, = 0.57 pH” 12+I.&(~~“~)“.‘”
(15)
in the range 5.5 < pH < 9, with a mean relative deviation
of 2%.

Determination of enhancement factors

The chemical reaction in liquid phase between absorbed
sulphur dioxide and sulphite ions enhances the absorption
rate. If the enhancement factor is assumed to remain
constant along the cable. it can be calculated from the
classical relation

E 0.6-
0
(16)
”
r” ou 0 1.0
0.5 v(ms-‘) I v 1.5
This requires knowledge of both gas and liquid film mass
A 2.0 transfer coefficients kG and k,_ for physical absorption
t 0 2.5 under the same conditions.
0.4 L I , I Gas-side mass transfer coefficients were obtained by
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 absorption runs made with I molal sodium hydroxide
Mean pH solutions. The reaction between sufphur dioxide and
hydroxyl ions OH- is an instantaneous irreversible
Figure 6 Evolution of KG with pH and gas velocity
(L = 0.35 X 10F6 m3 sc’)
reaction. Referring to the two-film model. the liquid mass
transfer resistance is completely cancelled in this case if
the reactant concentration lies above a minimum value’!

9
cl
7
L 0.8
‘;”

_EO71. ,1
I
4
n E)
z cl”
2 a.6 - v(m se’)
QV 0 1.0
0.5 v 1.5
a 2.0
0 2.5
0.4. 1 1 , I
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Mean pH 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Mean pH
Figure 6 EvokJtion of KG with pH and gas velocity
(L = 0.52 X 10e6 m3 a-+) Figure 7 Effect of the liquid flow rate on KG (v = 2 m s-+)

728 Gas Separation 8 Purification 1992 Vol 6 No 3

 SO2 absorption into Na.$O, solutions in a cable contactor: P. Lorent et al.

1.01 1 250

200-

7;
:0.6- 2 ;
::I m s 1
Y 50
A 0.18
0 0.35
0.5- 0 0.52
I I
i.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0
0.41 1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 Mean pH

L (x 1o-6 In3 5-'I Figure 10 Enhancement factors (v = 2 m s-l)

Figure 8 Gas-film mass transfer coefficients
Enhancement factors are presented in Figure 10 for a
Experiments made with increasing sodium hydroxide constant gas velocity (2 m s-l). For all runs. these factors
concentrations showed that the critical concentration is are very high. in the range 60 to 300. which confirms the
lower than 0.5 mol kg-‘. low values of the liquid mass transfer resistance. Enhance-
The gas tilm mass transfer coefficients. given in Figure& ment factors increase with pH. gas velocity and decreasing
increase with the gas velocity and the liquid flow rate liquid flow rate. as shown by the correlation
according to the correlation Fa = , ,O9 PH’.” “0 77 ( lOhL)-“.“?
(21)

k,; = 0.75 ““.Jh(lrjhL)“.‘4 (17)

Theoretical mechanisms and discussion
The strong influence of the liquid velocity. as well as the
low exponent of v, is due to the flow regime occurring in To explain the observed variations, theoretical expressions
the gas phase, the Reynolds number varying in the range of the enhancement factor must be considered.
1200-3000 as the gas velocity increases from I to In the range pH 7-10. equilibrium computations give
2.5 m SC’. negligible concentrations of physically dissolved sulphur
Liquid-phase mass transfer coefficients were estimated dioxide in the solution. The global reaction in the liquid
by absorbing pure carbon dioxide in water. They were phase
corrected with diffusion coefficients as follows:
SO, + SO;- + H20 -t 2HS0, (22)
k L so:. 101 = h. co,. JDso,. \o,l&o>. wj2’j (18)
is considered to be instantaneous and irreversible’” and
in which. according to Hikita et al.“’ takes place in a reaction plane. For the film model, the
enhancement factor is given by
WD,,,. r,,,lDsox u ) = -0.1291HS0, I (19)
The coefficient k, does not depend on the gas velocity. It
Fa = , + Dsoj- PO:-1I
(23)
increases with the liquid flow rate on the cable (Figure 9) as 402 IS021
i
kL = 0.175 x IO-“( IO’L.)“” (20) At lower pH. the reaction steps are hydrolysis of
absorbed SO2 followed by proton transfer to the sulphite
ion:

0*14* SO2 + H,O = HSO, + H+ (24)

0.12
H+ + SO;- = HSO, (25)
" 0.10 These reactions are considered to be instantaneous and
reversible and the overall reaction is still represented by
2
m 0.08 Equation (22). written now in a reversible way.
I
The absorption rates can be predicted by the theory of
2
x 0.06 mass transfer with instantaneous reversible reaction17. lx.
A
The enhancement factor given by the film theory can
* 0.04 v(ms-') be writtenI as
a 1.0
0.02 v 1.5 D [HSO,], - [HSOY],
Fa = I + 0.5 2
Iso21i - Iso?ll

0 0.1 0.2 10-Y? 0.4 0.5 0 or

L (x s-1) Dsoi- ISOf- - [SO:-]i
Fa=l+- (26)
Figure 9 Liquid-film mass transfer coefficients 40, [WI i - I%1 I

Gas Separation & Purification 1992 Vol6No3 129

SO2 absorption into NasO, solutions in a cable contactor: P. Lorent et al.

A rise in pH or liquid molarityincreases the concentration

of sulphite ion in the bulk liquid [SO:-] , and consequently
leads to an increase of the enhancement factor. as shown
by Equations (23) and (26).
The relative influences of gas velocity and liquid flow
rate on [SOzli at the interface and Fu are more complex.
Both parameters increase simultaneously the overall
mass transfer rate and the gas-side transfer coefficient.
and the liquid flow rate greatly increases the liquid film
coefficient.
It appears from our results that the enhancement effect
due to the chemical reaction is lower at higher liquid
flowrates, which seems reasonable because of the decrease
of the diffusional resistance in the liquid.
The experimental mass transfer coefficients KG were
then compared with transfer coefficients calculated by
means of the two-film theory of Danckwerts for absorption I

with instantaneous chemical reactionIh. For that purpose.

a program was written to compute by finite differences the
Figure 11 Overall mass transfer coefficients (V = 2 m s-l): lines,
evolution of concentrations along the cable contactor. calculated; symbols, experimental
Equations were derived to calculate the absorption rate of
sulphur dioxide in each elemental volume of the contactor,
transfer coefficients (continuous curves) together with
taking into account the reaction (22) and assuming that
experimental ones, for a typical gas velocity. Similar
equilibrium between gas and liquid is reached at the
graphs were obtained for other gas flow rates. Though the
interface and also between all dissolved species everywhere
differences are small. it can be seen that the theoretical
in the liquid. These rate equations depend on the local pH
coefficients are somewhat higher than the experimental
of the liquid:
values and that they decrease more slowly with pH. These
for 7 < pH < IO (irreversible reaction) deviations are confirmed by the higher values of the
enhancement factor computed by the simulation program
(27) according to the model (Equations (23) and (26)). The
assumption that the chemical reaction (22) is not really
infinitely rapid may be proposed to explain the discrepancy
wth 40: < kcpso, between observed and theoretical mass transfer coefficients.
for 3 < pH < 7 (reversible reaction) Nevertheless. as the gas-phase mass transfer resistance
is a main fraction of the total transfer resistance. the
N SO: = k,(ISOzli- [SO?ll) deviations in overall K,; never exceed 4% and the
agreement between predicted values and experimental
’+ [SO,]i” [SO*], results appears to be good, as shown in Figure 12.

x{;E+,(T+~)l”‘-B-;}] (28) Heights of transfer units of Amazone

scrubber
in which [SO,]i = (pso?- &,&k~)lH By using the correlation (15) for overall mass transfer
coefficients and the interfacial area calculated from
K = K,IK, is the equilibrium constant of the reaction
(22)
A = nK[SO,]i

B = :(K[SO,],[SO;-],)”

The ratios of diffusion coefficients were taken from Hikita

et al. “:
D
3Dsoz- = 0.614 ,,, = x = 0.705
D SO? D so2
D
n = HSOl = 1.15
Dso;-
Equation (28) was solved by trial and error simultaneously
with equilibrium calculations. For every experimental
condition, a theoretical simulation of sulphur dioxide
absorption was made by means of this model and a mean Calculated KC (mot s-’ me2 bar-’ )
overall mass transfer coefficient was then derived from
Equation (12). Figure 12 Comparison between experimental and calculated
Figure I1 shows the evolution of the theoretical mass values of KG

130 Gas Separation 8 Purification 1992 Vol 6 No 3

 SO, absorption into NasO, solutions in a cable contactor: P. Lorent et al.

range of low contents, which are likely to increase the

liquid film resistance and give more accuracy to the
” (m s-1) I enhancement factors.
,.lC 2.5 It w-ill also be worthwhile investigating the possible
effect of sodium sulphate on the absorption rate of
l.O-
sulphur dioxide.
2.0
z
-” 0.9 - References
P 1.5
I Met-tick, D. and Vernon, J. Review of flue gas desulphurisation
systems Chemhmty and fndustn, (6 February 1989) 55-58
0.8 -
2 Lorent, P., Gerard, P. and Vanderschuren, J. Flue gas
desulphurisation by the Amazone dual-alkali process 4&h
Canad Chem Enp Conf Halifax (I S-21 Julv 1990)
0.7 - 3 Lefebvre, S. and A.K.Z.O. SA Procede etappareillage pour la
1 .o
mise en contact de fluides et le transfert de matiere et de chaleur
entre ceux-ci Belgian Parents 758.570 (1970) and 767.730 (1971)
0.61 I
6 7 0 9 10 4 Lefebvre, S. and A.K.Z.O. SA Process and device for
contacting two or more continuously flowing fluids Brirish
Mean pH Patent 1363523 (21 October 1971)
5 Kaplan, N. Sodium/calcium double alkali systems TheMcIlvaine
Figure 13 Heights of transfer units of Amazone scrubber Scrubber Manual (1985) Vol IV. 7-78. 156.01-156.06
6 Epstein. M. EPA alkali scrubbing test facilitv: Summary of
testing through October 1974 EPiRep @O/2-75-047 Bechtel
Equations (13) and (14) and the number of cables per Cornoration. NTIS. US Deot of Commerce (June 1975)
7 La Mantia, C.R., Lunt, R.*R., Oberholtzer,XJ.E., Field, E.L.
square metre of horizontal cross section. heights of and Valentine, J.R. Final report dual alkali test and evaluation
transfer units of standard Amazone modules were program: Vol 1 Executive Summary EPA Rep 600/7-77-050 a
estimated as follows: (1977) 45pp: Vol II Laboratory and pilot plant program EPA Rep
600/7-77%0 6 (1977) 678pp: Vol~111 Prototype-test program
Ho,; = 2.0, pH-“r? “054 L,“’
(29) nlant EPA Reo @O/7-77-050 c (19771 163~~
8 Van Den B&eke, W.F., Kettdlarij; A. and Lefers, J.B. The
They are presented in Figure 13 for the more usual double-alkali gypsum flue-gas desulphurisation process Kema
superficial liquid flow rate L, = 33 mi h-’ rn-?. Desulphur- Sci Tech Reps (1988) 6 163-I 78
ization efficiencies measured on the three-stage Amazone 9 Rabe, A.E. and Harris, J.F. Vapour-liquid equilibrium data
scrubber in the dual-alkali pilot plant at pH 6.5-7 and for for the binary system sulphur dioxide and water J Chem Eng
Data (1963) 8 333-336
gas velocities ranging from 0.6 to I .X m s-’ confirmed the IllHikita, H., Asai, S. and Tsuji, T. Absorption of sulphur
validity of this correlation. dioxide into aqueous sodium hydroxide and sodium sulphite
solutions AIChE J (1977) 23b 538-544
II Johnstone, H.F. and Leppla, P.W. The solubility of
sulphur dioxide at low pressures. The ionization
Conclusions constant and heat of ionization of sulphurous acid J
Am Chem Sot (1934) 56 2233
This experimental investigation of sulphur dioxide
12 Naumov, G.B., Ryzhenko, B.N. and Kbodakorsky, I.L.
absorption into sodium sulphite-bisulphite solutions in a Handbook ofThermo&namic Data NTIS. US Dept of Commerce
cable contactor showed that the operation is mainly (1974) 257-259
controlled by the gas-phase mass transfer. 13 Robinson, R.A. and Stokes, R.H. Electrol_vte Solutions 2nd
Edn. Butterworths. London (1959)
Enhancement factors due to the chemical reaction in
I4 Frere, M., Lorent, P., Jadot, R., Gerard, P. and Vander-
the liquid are very high in the pH range 6-9. for a sodium schuren, J. Equilibrium contents of sulphur dioxide absorbed
concentration of 0.45 mol kg-‘. which strongly decreases into Na,SO,-Na,SO, aqueous solutions Fluid Phase Equilibtia
the liquid film transfer resistance. (submitted April 1992)
Overall mass transfer coefficients increase with the gas IS Lefebvre, S., Vanderschuren, J., Verheve, D. and Onyejekwe,
F. Hydrodynamic characteristics of the flow of thin cylindrical
velocity and the liquid flow rate and slowly with the pH. liquid films on vertical solid support Chem Ig Technik (1979) 51
Simulation of the experiments according to the two-film 330-331
model for absorption accompanied by an instantaneous 16 Danckwerts, P.V. Gas-Liquid Reuctions McGraw-Hill. New
reaction allowed the computation of mass transfer York (1970)
coefticients that are in good agreement with measured I7 Chang, C.S. and Rochelle, G.T. SO, absorption into aqueous
solutions AIChE .I (1981) 27 292-298
ones. though a little higher. 18 Van Den Broeke,‘W.F: and Lefers, J.B. Absorption of SO,
Further work will be done to study the influence ofthe into Na,SO,/NaHSO, solutions Electrotechniek (1983) 61
sodium concentration in the sorbent. especially in the 48-51

Gas Separation 8 Purification 1992 Vol 6 No 3 131