Design Of Separation

Processes

Lecture(5):Absorption and Stripping

Nihad Omer Hassan

Absorption
Absorption is used to separate gas
mixtures;
remove
impurities,
contaminants, pollutants and recover
valuable chemicals.
The species transferred to the liquid
absorbent are called solutes or
absorbate

Stripping
In stripping (desorption), a liquid
mixture is contacted with a gas to
selectively remove components by
mass transfer from the liquid to the
gas phase.

Types of Absorption
1. Physical absorption :
When water and hydrocarbon oils are used as
absorbents, no significant chemical reactions occur
between the absorbent and the solute, and the
process is commonly referred to as physical
absorption.

2. Chemical
absorption

absorption

or

reactive

When aqueous NaOH is used as the absorbent for an

acid gas, absorption is accompanied by a rapid and
irreversible reaction in the liquid. This is chemical
absorption or reactive absorption.

GRAPHICAL METHOD FOR TRAYED TOWERS

For the counter current-flow, tray tower for
absorption (or stripping) shown in Figure,
stages are numbered from top (where the
absorbent enters) to bottom for the absorber;
and from bottom (where the stripping agent
enters) to top for the stripper.
Phase equilibrium is assumed between the
vapor and liquid leaving each tray. Assume
for an absorber that only solute is transferred
from one phase to the other.

GRAPHICAL METHOD FOR TRAYED TOWERS

Let:
L = molar flow rate of solute-free absorbent
V = molar flow rate of solute-free gas (carrier gas)
X = mole ratio of solute to solute-free absorbent in the
liquid
Y = mole ratio of solute to solute-free gas in the
vapour
Values of L and V remain constant through the
tower, assuming no vaporization of absorbent into
carrier gas or absorption of carrier gas by liquid.

GRAPHICAL METHOD FOR TRAYED TOWERS

Equilibrium Curves
For the solute at any stage n, the K-value is

From experimental xy values, a representative

equilibrium curve of Y as a function of X is calculated
and plotted, as in Figure 6.8.
In general, this curve will not be a straight line, but it
will pass through the origin.

Operating Lines (from Material Balances)

At both ends of the towers in Figure
6.8, entering and leaving streams are
paired. For the absorber, the pairs at
the top are (X0, L and Y1, V ) and
(YN+1, V and XN, L ) at the bottom

Operating Lines (from Material Balances)

The balances are written around one end of
the tower and an arbitrary intermediate
equilibrium stage, n.
For the absorber,

operating lines are straight with a slope of L/

V .

Minimum Absorbent Flow Rate

(forStages)

Solution:
K=0.57
V