CHE LAB 1

(GAS AB/ADSORPTION)

Engr. Mary Jane C. Calagui

ChE Department CSU

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 1

 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION
-operations used for separating the components of mixtures based on
the transfer of material from one homogenous phase to another

What are the driving force/s that make the separation possible?
Distillation- separates , by vaporization, a liquid mixture of miscible
and volatile substances into individual components or, in
some cases into group of components.
Gas Absorption – a soluble vapor is absorbed by means of a liquid in
which the solute gas is more or less soluble from its
mixture with an inert gas.
Desorption/Stripping – a solute is transferred from the liquid to the
gas phase
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 Dehumidification- removal of a pure liquid from an inert or
carrier gas by condensation
Liquid extraction – mixture of two components is treated by
a solvent that preferentially dissolves one
or more of the components in the mixture

L, entering V, leaving

b
L, leaving V, entering

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 INTRODUCTION TO MASS
TRANSFER OPERATION
Process Light Phase Heavy Phase Transfer Direction

Gas Absorption Gas Liquid G to L

Stripping Gas Liquid L to G

Extraction Light liquid Heavy liquid Either

Leaching Liquid Solid S to L

Humidification Air Water Either

Drying Gas Solid S to G

Adsorption Gas/liquid Solid G/L to S

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 4

 Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Absorption and stripping are common methods to: a) remove of impurities from gas (absorption) or
b) remove of impurities from a liquid (stripping). This is done by flowing a liquid absorbent
countercurrent to a vapor mixture (absorption) or a vapor stripper countercurrent to a liquid mixture
(stripping).

Absorption Stripping
L0 (absorbent) V1 LN+1 (liquid to be separated) VN

1 N
2 N–1

N–1 2
N 1
VN+1 (vapor to be
LN separated) L1 V0 (stripper)

Liquid absorbent absorbs certain Vapor stripping agent preferentially

components of the vapor stream vaporizes certain components of the
preferentially. liquid stream.

Although the arrows are drawn to indicate the mass transfer of species in absorption and stripping, generally mass
transfer of components from the absorbent or stripping streams will occur in the opposite direction as well.
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 Equilibrium Stage Operation

Stage Principles
- Stages are numbered in the direction of flow of the L-phase.
The total number of stages is N
La, xa Va, ya

“Leaving” streams
in thermodynamic
equilibrium Stage N “Passing” streams
linked by material
balance

Lb, xb Vb yb
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 Two-Film Concept

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 Absorption and Stripping Equipment

Trayed Tower Packed Column Spray Tower

Liquid in Vapor out Liquid in Vapor out Vapor out
Liquid in

1
2

N–1
N

Liquid out Vapor in Liquid out Vapor in Liquid out Vapor in

Bubble Column
Liquid in Vapor out Centrifugal Contactor
Vapor out Liquid in

Vapor in

Liquid out
Liquid out Vapor in
Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 8
 Absorption and Stripping Equipment

Trayed Tower Tray Configuration

Liquid in Vapor out
Weir
1
2

cap
cap slots
N–1
N

Liquid out Vapor in

plate plate leg plate riser

Weir
Three type of tray openings: perforation, valve cap
and bubble cap.

Plate
Liquid flow shown by blue arrows. Vapor flow by red arrows.

The vapor-liquid flow regimes for a contacting tray include: spray, froth, emulsion, bubble, and cellular foam.
Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 9
 Phase Contact on a Contacting Tray

Weir

Froth

Vapor streams (shown

Plate in red) bubble up through
froth. Liquid stream flows
through froth and over weir.

The froth conditions can be varied depending on the vapor-liquid flow regimes to
Include: spray, froth, emulsion bubble, and cellular foam.

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 1

 Design Considerations

Specifications:
1. Entering gas or liquid flow rate, composition, temperature and pressure
2. Degree of separation desired
3. Choice of absorbent (or stripping) agent
4. Operating pressure and temperature and allowable pressure drop
5. Minimum absorbent (or stripping) flow rate
6. Number of equilibrium stages
7. Heat effects and need for cooling
8. Type of absorber (stripper) equipment
9. Height of absorber (stripper)
10. Diameter of absorber (stripper)

Absorbent should:
1. Have a high degree of solubility for the solute (minimizes absorbent required)
2. Have low volatility (increases solute recovery and reduces absorbent loss)
3. Be stable (reduces need to replace absorbent)
4. Be noncorrosive (reduces need for corrosion resistant equipment)
5. Have low viscosity (reduces pressure drop and pump requirements, increase mass flow)
6. Be nonfoaming when in gas contact (reduces size of equipment)
7. Be nontoxic and nonflammable (safety)
8. Be available from the process (reduces cost, reduces need for external source)

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 1

 Mass Transfer Application to Packed Gas Absorbers)

Packed Towers – provides continuous contacting of the liquid and

vapor/gas phases

Packings – Contacting materials

- solid material with large surface area used to provide the
contact between the gas and liquid streams.
Ex: a. ring type: Raschig
Pall
Lessing
Partition
b. Saddle type : Berl, Intalox
c. Tellerettes

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 1

 Desirable Characteristics of Packings:

• Chemically inert/corrosion resistant

• Large surface area – low bulk density
• Relatively inexpensive
• Structural strength
• Good wetting characteristics

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 1

 Packing Materials and Shapes

Lecture 12: Absorption and Stripping 1

 Properties of Packing Material

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 Calculations Involved in Packed Gas Absorbers

Lecture 12: Absorption and Stripping 1

 Sample Problems

1. In CO2 absorber using carbonate solution as absorbent,

1000 kgmols/hr of flue gas containing 50% CO2 by
volume, the balance being an inert gas, is fed into the
column. The lean gas leaves the absorber with 2 % CO2 by
volume. What is the quantity of CO2 absorbed by the
carbonate solution?
2. An absorber is to recover 99% of the NH3 in the air-NH3
stream fed to it, using water as the absorbing medium. The
NH3 content of the air is 30 mol%. Temperature of thye
absorber is 30oC. What is the concentration of NH3 in the
outlet gas on wet basis?

Lecture 1: Absorption and Stripping 1

 3. A packed tower will be designed to handle SO2-air
mixture. 160m3/hr of feed containing 15%SO2 and 85% air by
mole will be contacted with pure water at 1.5 times the
minimum rate at 20oC and 1.5atm so that there is 85%
recovery by the liquid solvent. 50mm Raschig rings will be
used with the entering gas velocity equal to 2/5 that of the
flooding velocity. Determine:
a. flooding velocity
b. tower diameter

Lecture 12: Absorption and Stripping 1