Packed bed Columns

Prof. Dr. Marco Mazzotti - Institut für Verfahrenstechnik

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Rate-Based Method for Packed Columns
• Packed columns:
– are continuous differential contacting devices that do not have the
physically distinguishable stages found in tray towers
– are best analyzed by mass transfer rate considerations rather than by
the equilibrium-stage concept.
• Absorption and stripping are frequently conducted in packed
columns, particularly when

1. The required column diameter is less than 2 ft,

2. The pressure drop must be low,
3. The corrosion consideration favor the use of ceramic or polymeric
materials,
4. And/or low liquid holdup is desirable.

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Rate-Based Method for Packed Columns …
Packed columns with countercurrent flow

Absorber Stripper
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 Rate-Based Method for Packed Columns …

1. Operation line equation

• Analogous to section 6.3, the operation line equation can be derived
in terms of mole fractions and molar flow rates.
• For a packed absorber:
– the mass balance around the upper envelope, for the solute gives:
(6.41)
Lin xin  Gin yin  Lout xout  Gout yout
– Assuming that

– Gl = Gin = Gout = G and Ll = Lin = Lout = L (dilute solution):

(6.42)
L L
y  x    yout  xin  
G G
• Similar for a packed stripper:
L L (6.43)
y  x    yin  xout  
G G .
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 Rate-Based Method for Packed Columns …

• In practice, packed-tower performance is often

analyzed on the basis of equivalent equilibrium
stages using:
• Z=HETP *NTU
– HETP or HETS: packed height equivalent to
theoretical (equilibrium) plate (stage).

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 Height of packing Column
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G/ A dy
Z 
K ya 1 y  y *
 H Oy N Oy

• Noy=  A  1 yin  Kxin

ln 
1
 
 A yout  Kxin A
N OG 
A 1
A

x2
dx
L NOL   x  x * 
H
L
x2
dx HOL 
Z   dz  
x1
K xa
0
K x x1 x  x *
a

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Example
Acetone is to be recovered from a 5 per cent acetone–air
mixture by scrubbing with water in a packed tower using
countercurrent flow. The liquid rate is 0.85 kg/m2s and the
gas rate is 0.5 kg/m2s.
The overall absorption coefficient KGa may be taken as 1.5 ×
10−4 kmol/[m2s (kN/m2) partial pressure difference] and the
gas film resistance controls the process.
What height of tower is required tower to remove 98 per cent
of the acetone? The equilibrium data for the mixture are:
Mole fraction of acetone in gas 0.0099 0.0196 0.0361 0.0400
Mole fraction of acetone in liquid 0.0076 0.0156 0.0306 0.0333

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28.9 MW

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Thanks

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