Pressure Drop and Flooding

in Packed Towers
Example 1

Ammonia is being absorbed in a tower using pure water at 25OC

and 1 atm abs pressure.

The feed rate is 1440 lbm/h (653.2 kg/h) and contains 3.0 mol% of
ammonia in air.

The process design specifies a liquid – to – gas mass flow rate ratio
GL / GG of 2/1 and use 1-in. metal Pall rings.

Calculate the pressure drop in the packing and the gas mass velocity
at flooding. Using 50% of the flooding velocity, calculate the pressure
drop, gas and liquid flows, and tower diameter.

Repeat (a) above by use Mellapak 250Y structured packing.

Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 1

Find the required data to be used in Figure 10.6-5 (Geankoplis pp.

660)

Given mol fraction for ammonia = 0.03 Mwt ammonia = 17

Given mol fraction for air = 0.97 Mwt air = 29

Average molecular weight of entering gas:

M a v   yi x Mwti  0.03 x 17  0.97 x 29  28.64

g
1 atm  28.64
ρg  PM  mol  1.171103 g cm3 @ 0.0730 lbm/ft 3
RT cm atm
3
82.0  298.15 K
6 mol.K
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 1

From Appendix A.2-4, the water viscosity  = 0.8937 cP. From A.2-3,
the water density is 0.99708 g/cm3

g 10 6 cm 3 0.30483 1l
ρL  x x x 453.59237
m3
cm
3
1m3 1 ft b m g  61.85 lbm/ft 3
0.99078 3

1 Centistokes = 10-2 cm2/s

ν  μ  0.8937cP x 1 cm3 10-2 g

x  0.902 x 10-2 cm2 s  0.902 centistok es
ρ g 1 cP cm.s
0.99078

From Table 10.6-1, for 1-in, Pall rings, Fp=56 ft-1. Using equation
10.6-1,
ΔPflood  0.115Fp0.7  0.115 56  1.925 in. H2 O / ft packing
0.7

height
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 1

x-axis for Figure 10.6-5:

0.5

G  ρ   2  0.0730 
0.5
 0.06871
 L  G    
 1  61.85 
 GG  ρ L 
For flow parameter of 0.06871 (abscissa) and pressure drop 1.925
in/ft at flooding, a capacity parameter (ordinate) of 1.7 is read off
the plot.

From y – axis:
1.7  υG ρG ρL  ρG  Fp ν 0.05
0.5 0.5

1.7  υG0.07310  61.85  0.07310 560.5 0.902 0.05 

0.5

υG  6.6381ft s 0.2561
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 1

lbm ft lbm
GG  ρG υG  0.07310 ft 3  6.6381 s  0.4852 ft 2  at flooding
s
Using 50% of the flooding velocity for design,

lbm lbm
GG  0.5 0.4852ft 2  s  0.2426 ft 2 
s
lbm lbm
 2 0.2426  0.4852
Liquid flow rate, G L
ft s
2

ft2 s
To calculate the pressure drop at 50% flooding, G G  0.2426 lbm
ft 2  s
lbm
and G L  0.4852 ft 2  .sThe new capacity parameter is 0.5 x 1.7 = 0.85.

By using value of 0.85 and flow parameter of 0.06871 (abscissa), a

value of 18 in H2O/ft is obtained.
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 1

The tower cross sectional area, At

At 
Fe e drate m  ft 2 s
x
1
 1.6488 ft 2
1440lb
GG hr 0.2426 m
hr s
3600
lb
D 2
At t 4

2 4 At 41.6488 2
Dt    2.099
 ft
3.142

Dt  2.099 ft2  `1.448 ft
0.5
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Example 2

Ammonia (NH3) is being removed from air by scrubbing with

water in a packed tower with 6 mm ceramic Berl Saddles (Cf = 900.

The gas entering at 1.2 m3/s contains 15% NH3.

The water enters at a rate of 4 kg/s and has a specific gravity of 1,

viscosity of 2.5 x 10-3 kg/m.s.

The gas mixture enters at 27OC and 1 bar (0.987 atm). Given
Molecular weight for ammonia = 17, water = 18.

Calculate the diameter of the packed tower when 80% of NH3 is

removed and the pressure drop is 400 N/m2 per m packing.
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 2 Lin = 4 kg/s Gout = ?
xA = 0 yA = ?

27OC
0.987 atm
80% NH3 is
removed

Lout = L’ Gin = 1.2 m3/s

Lwater = 4 kg/s yA = 0.15
xA = ?

Find the required data to be used.

Given mol fraction for ammonia = 0.15 Mwt ammonia = 17

Given mol fraction for air = 0.85 Mwt air = 29

Average molecular weight of entering gas:

M a v   yi x Mwti  0.15 x 17  0.85 x 29  27.2

Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 2

g
PM 0.987 atm 27.2
ρg  mol
RT  cm 3 atm  1.090 10  3 g cm 3
82.06  300.15
mol.K K

Given Gin = 1.2 m3/s

3 g m 3 10 6 cm 3
Massof G in  ρ gV  1.090 10 1.2   1308 g/s @ 1.308
cm 3 s 1 m 3 kg/s

cm 3
0.987 atm 1.2x10 6
PV
Mol of Gin , n s  48.0871 mol/s @ 0.04809 kmol/s
 RT cm 3 atm
82.06  300.15
mol.K K

kmol kg
Massof G NH 3 in  0.15 x0.04809 s x17  0.1226 kg/s
kmol
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 2

Massof NH 3 absorbedin water  0.80 x 0.1226 kg/s  0.0981 kg/s

Massof Gout  Massof gasin  Massof NH3 absorbed 1.308  0.0981  1.2099 kg/s

Massof Lout  Massof water Massof NH3 absorbed 0.0981  4  4.0981 kg

From information, the water viscosity  = 2.5 x 10-3 kg/m.s. Water

density is 1000 kg/m3. Since the larger flow quantities are at the bottom
of absorber, the diameter will be chosen to accommodate the bottom
condition. From Treybal:

L'ρG
0.5
abscissa (x-coordinate) = (Refer to bottom condition)
G'ρL ρ

G 0.5

4.0981
kg
1.090 x 10 -3


s 0 .5 kg  0.10
1.308  1  1.090 x 10 - 3
s
0 .5
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers

 G  L   G g C
0.1
G '2C f 
L
J
Pressure Drop and Flooding
in Packed Towers
Solution 2
N m2
At pressure drop of 400 and x-coordinate = 0.10,
m
y-coordinate = 0.066

G'2 C fμ 0.1
L J

ρG ρL  ρG g c 0.066

     g  0.0661.091000 1.091
'' 2  0.145
 0.066    
G L G c
G 900 2.510 3 0.1
1
 C f L J
0.1

kg
G ''  0.38 m 2 s
kg
1.308 s
G'  3.442 m 2
Cross sectional area, A  G''
kg
0.38 m2 .s

πD2 4A 4
A D  D  2.09
4 π 3.442
π m
Exercise

A packed tower is to be designed for a counter current contact of an NH3- air mixture with
water to wash out NH3 from the gas.
The conditions are:
Gas in: Gas out: All NH3 is removed.
Flow rate = 1.5 m3/s
Temperature = 27 °C
Pressure = 1 bar (0.987 atm)
Contains 8 mol % NH3

Liquid in:
Flow rate = 4.8 kg/s
Density = 996 kg/m3
Viscosity = 2.5 x 10-3
kg/m.s

Packing used is
38mm Raschig ring
(Cf = 95, gc = 1)
(a) Calculate the
flow rate of
liquid out.
 Determination of
Height of Tower
Component denoted in Figure Gm Lm
6: y’2 x’2
Gm = Mols of inert gas / (unit time) (unit cross –
section of tower)

Lm = Mols of inert liquid / (unit time) (unit cross y’ x‘

– section of tower) dZ
y‘ + dy’ x’ + dx’

Y = Mols of soluble gas A / mol of inert gas B

in gas phase

X = Mols of soute A / mol of inert solvent C in Gm Lm

liquid phase y’1 x‘1

Mass balance over differential / Figure 6 Countercurrent absorption tower

small section of column:

N A' AdZ  k aGP G P Adz

i whe re Adz  Vol. of N’A = mol / (m2.s)
N A' AdZ  k aL C i  C LAdz small
a = Interfacial area / Volume of
sectionof towe
column
r
 Determination of Height of Tower

From the tower, N A' AdZ  G mAdy

k G aPG  Pi A  dZ  Gm
Ady

From Dalton and Raoult’s Law,

P
y  PG  yP
T  P
G
T
and
P
yi  i  yi PT Pi
PT

Therefore, Gm dy  kG aPT y  yi
dZdZ Gm

dy
kG aPT y 
yi
Integrating both sides; get:
y1
G dy
Z = height of tower
Z   T
kmG aP y2
y  yi
 Determination of Height of Tower

Similarly for concentration in liquid phase:

L dx
Z  k ma  xi  x
L

Normally, Z is written in terms of KG.a & KL.a & in terms of mol fraction:

Gm dy
Z Z  H O G  NOG
K G aPT   y  y *

Z = height of tower

HOG = height of transfer unit – constant.

NOG = number of transfer unit – constant

 Determination of
Height of Tower
And for concentration in liquid phase:

Lm dx
Z
K L aC T  x*  x

Simplifying:

Z  H O G  NOG For gas phase based on equilibrium concentration

Z  H O L  NOL For liquid phase based on equilibrium concentration

The number of transfer unit (NOG) can be calculated using several method
which will be discussed later.