CHE 246

SEPARATION PROCESS

CHAPTER 3:
GAS
ABSORPTION
NORHAFINI BINTI HAMBALI
FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
UITM PASIR GUDANG

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 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Describe gas-liquid equilibrium for ideal solution
according to Raoult's law.
 Differentiate packed and plate tower.
 Explain packing materials and flow arrangement in
packed tower.
 Calculate the packed tower diameter and height of an
absorption towers.
 Demonstrate the material balance and calculate the
number of theoretical stages in a multistage counter
current operation of a plate absorption tower by a
graphical method.
 Demonstrate effective team role and communication skills.
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SYLLABUS CONTENT
3.2 Gas-liquid equilibrium for ideal solution using
Raoult’s Law

• In any mixture of gases the solubility of each gas depends

on partial pressure.

• Recall Raoult’s Law for ideal solution

pA = xA PA

Where:
pA = partial pressure of A in vapor phase
xA = mol fraction of A in liquid phase
PA = vapor pressure of pure A at certain Temp
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 3.3 Two film theory of gases-liquid system

Figure 10.4.1

• Assuming solute A is diffusing from the bulk phase G to the liquid phase L, it must
pass through phase G  through the interface  through phase L in series

• Concentration gradient must be exist to cause this mass transfer through the
resistances in each phase as show in Fig 10.4.1.

• The concentration in the bulk gas phase y AG decreased to yAi at the interface liquid
concentration xAi at interface falls to xAL
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 3.3 Two film theory of gases-liquid system

Figure 10.4.1

• Assuming solute A is diffusing from the bulk phase G to the liquid phase L, it must
pass through phase G  through the interface  through phase L in series

• Concentration gradient must be exist to cause this mass transfer through the
resistances in each phase as show in Fig 10.4.1.

• The concentration in the bulk gas phase y AG decreased to yAi at the interface liquid
concentration xAi at interface falls to xAL
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TWO FILM THEORY OF GASES-LIQUID
SYSTEM

1) EQUIMOLAR COUNTERDIFFUSION

2) DIFFUSION OF A THROUGH STAGNANT

FOR NONDIFFUSING B

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 Two film theory of gases-liquid system

For equimolar counterdiffusion, the concentration of Fig 10.4-1 can be plotted

on x-y diagram as in Fig 10.4.2

Figure 10.4-1

Figure 10.4-2

Point P bulk phase composition yAG, xAL

Point M, interphase concentration yAi and xAi

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 Two film theory of gases-liquid system

EQUIMOLAR COUNTERDIFFUSION
For A diffusing from the gas to liquid and B in from liquid to gas,

N A  k y'  y AG  y Ai   k x'  x Ai  x AL 
Where:
' gas-phase mass transfer coefficient in kg mol/s.m2.mol frac.
ky
k x' liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient in kg mol/s.m2.mol frac.

Rearranging above Eq.

Slope of PM

y y AG  y Ai k 'x
slope    '
x x AL  x Ai ky

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 Two film theory of gases-liquid system
DIFFUSION OF A THROUGH STAGNANT FOR NONDIFFUSING B

……Figure 10.4.3

Now
N A  k y  y AG  y Ai   k x  x Ai  x AL 
k y' k x'
ky  kx 
1  y A  iM 1  x A  iM Where
k y' 1  y A  iM 
1  y Ai   1  y AG 
k x'
NA   y AG  y Ai    x Ai  x AL  ln  1  y Ai  / 1  y AG  
1  y A  iM 1  x A  iM
1  x A  iM  1  x AL   1  x Ai 
Slope of PM
ln  1  x AL  / 1  x Ai  
Then y  y AG  y Ai   k 'x  k x / 1  x A  iM
slope    ' 
x  x AL  x Ai  ky k y / 1  y A  iM
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The previous definitions for molar flux NA require the knowledge of the
interface concentrations.

Since experimental sampling of the concentrations at the interface is very

difficult or virtually impossible.

it is more useful to define the mass transfer equation using overall mass
transfer coefficients KX and KY :

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 OVERALL MASS-TRANSFER COEFFICIENT
1. Equimolar Counterdiffusion
'
The overall mass transfer K
is ydefined as

  
N A  K y' y AG  y *A  K x' x*A  x AL  Eq.1.7.1

N A  k y'  y AG  y Ai   k x'  x Ai  x AL  Eq.1.7.2

From Fig. 10.4.2


y AG  y *A   y AG  y Ai   y Ai  y *A  Eq.1.7.3
Between point E and M the slope m’
y Ai  y *A
m 
'
Eq.1.7.4
x Ai  x AL

Solving Eq.1.7.4 for y Ai  and 

y *A substituting into Eq. 1.7.3


y AG  y *A   y AG  y Ai   m ' x Ai  x AL  Eq.1.7.5

Then, on substituting Eq.1.7.1 and 1.7.2 into Eq1.7.5 and canceling out N A
1 1 m'
'
 '  ' 12
K y k y kx
2. For diffusion of A through stagnant of nondiffusing B,
the overall mass transfer coefficient as follows
1 1 m'
 
Ky ky kx
1 1 m'
 '  '
K 'y / 1  y A  *M k y / 1  y A  iM k x / 1  x A  iM

  1  y   1  y 
*
Where… 1  y A A AG
*M
ln  1  y  / 1  y  
*
A AG

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MASS TRANSFER MECHANISM IN GAS ABSORPTION

Liquid phase Interphase Gas phase

yAG
yAi
xAi
xAL

Absorption of SO2 from the

gas mixture into water

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THANK
YOU
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