MASS TRANSFER

OPERATIONS -

GAS ABSORPTION
 WHAT IS GAS ABSORPTION????

Absorption, or gas absorption, is a unit operation used in the chemical

industry to separate gases by washing or scrubbing a gas mixture with a
suitable liquid .

The fundamental physical principles underlying the process of gas

absorption are the solubility of the absorbed gas and the rate of mass
transfer. One or more of the constituents of the gas mixture dissolves or
is absorbed in the liquid and can thus be removed from the mixture. In
some systems, this gaseous constituent forms a physical solution with the
liquid or the solvent, and in other cases , it reacts with the liquid
chemically.
 The purpose of such scrubbing operations may be any of the
following :
Gas purification (eg , removal of air pollutants from exhausts
gases or contaminants from gases that will be further processed) ,
Product Recovery , or production of solutions of gases for various
purposes.

The absorber may be a packed column , plate column , spray

column , venturi scrubbers , bubble column , falling films , wet
scrubbers ,stirred tanks
 Gas absorption is usually carried out in vertical
counter current columns.
The solvent is fed at the top of the absorber ,
whereas the gas mixture enters from the bottom
.The absorbed substence is washed out by the
solvent and leaves the absorber at the bottom as
a liquid solution .
The solvent is often recovered in a subsequent
stripping or desorption operation . This second
step is essentially the reverse of absorption and
involves counter current contacting of the liquid
loaded with solute using and inert gas or water
vapor .
 Choice Of Solvent for Absorption

If the principal purpose of the absorption operation is to

produce a specific solution, as in the manufacture of
hydrochloric acid, for example, the solvent is specified by
the nature of the product, i.e. water is to be the solvent. If
the principal purpose is to remove some components (e.g.
impurities) from the gas, some choice is frequently possible.

The factors to be considered are:

 GAS SOLUBILITY :
The gas solubility should be high, thus increasing the rate of
absorption and decreasing the quantity of solvent required.
Solvent with a chemical nature similar to the solute to be
absorbed will provide good solubility.
VOLATALITY :
The solvent should have a low vapour pressure to reduce loss
of solvent in the gas leaving an absorption column.
CORROSIVENESS :
The materials of construction required for the equipment
should not be unusual or expensive
 COST :
The materials of construction required for the
equipment should not be unusual or expensive.
VISCOSITY :
Low viscosity is preferred for reasons of rapid
absorption rates, improved flooding characteristics in packed
column, low pressure drops on pumping, and good heat
transfer characteristics.

The solvent should be non-toxic, non-flammable and

chemically stable.
ONE COMPONENT TRANSFERRED
MATERIAL BALANCES
 COUNTERCURRENT FLOW

Countercurrent tower which may be either a packed

or spray tower, filled with bubble cape trays or of
any internal construction to bring about liquid gas
contact.
Mole ratio may be define as

Y = y/(1-y)

X = x/(1-x)
Here y for gas stream and x for liquid stream.
 Material balance

Gs = G(1-y) = G/(1+Y)
Ls = L(1-x) = L/(1+X)
NOW
Gs(Y1 - Y) = Ls(Xs - X)
AND
Gs(y1/(1-y1) y/(1-y)) = Gs(p1/(1-p1) p/(1-p)) = Gs(x1/(1-x1)
x/(1-yx))
 MINIMUM LIQUID-GAS RATIO

In the design of absorbers, the quantity of gas to be treated G or Gs,

the terminal concentrations Y1 and Y2,and the composition of the
entering liquid X2 are ordinarily fixed by process requirements.
The operating line must be pass through point D and must end at the
ordinate Y.
Liquid gas ratio is define by
L/G
Graph of minimum liquid-gas ratio can be shown as behind slide.
 CO-CURRENT FLOW

When gas and liquid flow cocurrently, the operating line

has a negative slope.
-L/G
There is no limit of this ratio, but an infinitely tall tower
would produce an exit liquid and gas in equilibrium
In cocurrent fow requirred height of tower should be
higher then in counter current flow.
 Counter-current multi-stage absorption
(Tray absorber):
In tray absorption tower, multi-stage contact between gas and liquid takes
place.
In each tray, the liquid is brought into intimate contact of gas and
equilibrium is reached thus making an ideal stage.
In ideal stage, average composition of liquid leaving the tray is in
equilibrium with liquid leaving that tray.
The most important step in design of tray absorber is the
determination of number of trays.
The schematic of tray tower is presented in figure.
The liquid enters from top of the column whereas gas is added from
the bottom.
 The efficiency of the stages can be calculated as:
=
/
Gs, Y1 ..Eq.(1)
Gas out

Liquid in
Ls, X0
1 Gs,Y1
Ls, X1
2

N-1
N
Gs,YN
Ls, X1

Gas in
Gs, YN+1
Liquid out
Ls, XN
 The following parameters should be known for the
determination of number of stages:
(1) Gas feed rate
(2) Concentration of gas at inlet and outlet of
the tower
(3) Minimum liquid rate; actual liquid rate is
1.2 to 2 times the minimum liquid rate.
(4) Equilibrium data for construction of
equilibrium curve
Now, the number of theoretic stages can be obtained
graphically:
 (A) Graphical Method for the Determination of Number of Ideal
Stages:

Overall material balance on tray tower:

Gs(YN+1 -Y1) = Ls(XN -X0)
This is the operating line for tray tower
If the stage (plate) is ideal, (Xn, Yn) must lie on the equilibrium line, Y*=f(X).
Top plate is located at P(X0, Y1) and bottom plate is marked as Q(XN,
YN+1) in X-Y plane.
A vertical line is drawn from Q point to D point in equilibrium line at (XN, YN).
From point D in equilibrium line, a horizontal line is extended up to operating
line at E (XN-1, YN).
 The region QDE stands for N-th plate. We may get fraction of plates.
In that situation, the next whole number will be the actual number of ideal
plates.
If the overall stage efficiency is known, the number of real plates can be
obtained from Equation A.
3.5

3.0
Q ( X ,Y )
N N+1

2.5

2.0 E (X ,Y ) N
N-1 N

Operating line D ( X ,Y )
N N
1.5
N-1 Equilibrium line

1.0

N-2

0.5
P ( X ,Y )
0 1

0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

X
 Example:
It is desired to absorb 95% of acetone by water from a mixture of
acetone and nitrogen containing 1.5% of the component in a
countercurrent tray tower. Total gas input is 30 kmol/hr and water enters
the tower at a rate of 90 kmol/hr. The tower operates at 27C and 1 atm.
The equilibrium relation is Y=2.53X. Determine the number of ideal
stages necessary for the separation using graphical method.
 Solution:
Basis: 1 hour
G(N+1)=30 kmol
Y(N+1)=0.015
Lo=90 kmol
Moles acetone in = 300.015 moles=0.45 moles
Moles nitrogen in = (30-0.45) moles=29.55 moles
Moles acetone leaving (95% absorbed) = 0.45(1-0.95) moles=0.0225
moles
Gs=29.55 moles
Ls=90 moles
=2.53 [as, Y=2.53X]
 1 = 0.0225/29.55 = 7.61 10^4
(+1)= 0.015
Equation.. (+1) 1= ( 0)
29.55 0.015 7.61 10^4= 90( 0)
XN=4.6810^-3
Solution by graphical method,Construction of operating line PQ:
P(X0,Y1)=P(0, 7.6110^-4)
Q(XN, YN+1)=Q(4.6810^-3, 0.015)
Construction of equilibrium line (Y=2.53X):
X 0 0.001 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.005
Y 0 0.00253 0.00506 0.00759 0.01012 0.01265
From graphical construction in Figure , the number of triangles obtained is
more than 7. Hence number of ideal stages is 8.
 Rate of absorption
Volumetric mass transfer coefficients (Kya, etc.) are used for most
calculations, because it is more difficult to determine the coefficients per
unit area and because the purpose of the design calculation is generally to
determine the total absorber volume.
Kya=overall volumetric mass-transfer coefficient, kmol/(m3hunit mole
fraction).
a=effective area of interface per unit packed volume, m2/m3

23
Simplicity Treatment
The following treatment applies to lean gases (up to 10% solute)
(a) Correction factors for one-way diffusion are omitted for simplicity.
(b) Changes in gas and liquid flow rates (V and L) are neglected.
(c) kxa, kya, Kya, Kxa can be considered as constants.

24
the rate of mass transfer:

r (
r=N A)[kgmol/(m 2hunit mole fraction)]

A ) k y ( y A y Ai ) k x ( x Ai x A )
rN(

r (
N
A ) K y ( y A y A)

N A K x ( x xA )
A

25
 Let r =rate of absorption per unit volume, kgmol/(m3h)

r k y a ( y yi )
r k x a ( xi x )

r K y a( y y )

r K x a( x x)
It is hard to measure or to predict a, but in most cases it is not necessary
to know its actual value since design calculations can be based on the
volumetric coefficients.

26
Determining the interface composition (yi, xi)
(yi, xi) is also hard to measure, but it can be obtained from the
operating-line diagram

( y yi ) kxa

( x xi ) kya
Thus a line drawn from the operating line with a slope kxa/kya will
intersect the equilibrium line at (yi, xi).

27
 ( y yi ) kxa
Slope
kxa
( x xi ) kya kya
y
Driving force :
x ( y yi )
kxa
Equilibrium curve
kx a line
SlopeOperating
Slope kkyxaa
Slope yi
kxa ( xi x)
Slope k ya kya
y k y a xi (y y )
y y y
xy
x kxa ( x x)
yxi Slope x x
yi kya
y yi kxa
xi i Slope
xi y xi
x kya

yi x
y
y y y 28
 Ky k y ( y A y Ai ) k x ( x Ai x A )
Determining the overall coefficients: Using the local slope of the

equilibrium mx
y Aicurve y A mxA ,
Ai ,have
m, we

1 y y y y
1 A 1 Aim Ai A
(17.56)
K
y k
(
K y kA y y ) k ( x x )
kAi x Ai A
y y x

y Ai
Therefore, mxAi , y mxA ,
A
1 y A y Ai y Ai y A
1 1 m
K y k y ( y A y Ai ) k x ( x Ai x A )
K ya k ya kxa

y Ai mxAi , y A mxA ,
Similarly,
1 1 1

K xa k x a mk y a
29
 y Ai mxAi , y A mxA ,
1 1 m

K ya k ya kxa

1
=overall resistance to mass transfer
K yy a
1
k yy a = resistance to mass transfer in the gas film
m
=resistance to mass transfer in the liquid film
k xx a

30
 y y A Ai x Ai A

Gas yfilm Ai mx , y mx A , controls
controlsAiand ALiquid
film
1 1 m

K ya k ya kxa
1 m 1 1
When , Gas film " controls"
k y a kxa K y a kya
Or, When the coefficients kya and kxa are of the same order of
magnitude, and m is very much greater than 1.0, the liquid film
resistance is said to be controlling. That is,

1 m 1 m
, Liquid film " controls"
kya kxa K y a kxa
31
Liquid film controlling means that any change in kxa has a nearly
proportional effect on both Kxa and Kya and on the rate of absorption,
whereas a change in kya has little effect.
Examples of Liquid film controls: Absorption of CO2, H2,O2,Cl2 in
water;
When the solubility of the gas is very high, m is very small and the gas-
film resistance controls the rate of absorption.
Examples of gas-film controls: Absorption of HCl, NH3 in water; NH3
in acid solution; SO2, H2S in basic solvent.

32
With gases of intermediate solubility both resistances are important,
but the term controlling resistance is sometimes used for the larger
resistance.
The absorption of NH3 in water is often cited as an example of gas-film
control, since the gas film has about 80 to 90 percent of the total
resistance.

33
 a VL, ,yxLa
, xa
S=cross sectional area; L, xa VL, ,yxa Z Va , yV , y a
a
V , yLa , xaaZ
V , y a ZV , y dZ Z
SdZ=differential volume in height dZ. L, xa a
Z V , y
Z L , x dZ
a dZ
a
The amount absorbed in section dZ V ,
L, x y Z y dZ
V a
a, y dZ Z y
is Vdy. dZ ydZ
a
Z, ya
V xy ydZ
y Z x x
Z
dZ y ZxT xy
Vdy rSdZ x dZ Z T ZT
dZ
y x VZ, yZ
Vdy K y a ( y y ) SdZ yZ Ty y dy T
bxT
V , yb
x ZT xV, Vdx , yb
yZb T L, xb
ZT
V
yb
dy xV ,xy L, xb
dZ Z
0
T
K y aS y ( y y ) Z T b V , yb L, xL
ZT ZT
L, xb L, x
V b
,,xy
b
b
a
V ,, yyb
V b
L, xb
Vb , yb
Fig. Diagram of packed L,,xxbb
L
absorption tower L, xb 34
 Number of transfer units
The equation for column height can be written as follows:

yb
V /S dy
ZT
K ya y ( y y )
a

yb
dy

=overall number of transfer units [NTU],
N oy
ya
(y y ) based on gas phase.

V /S
H oy =overall height of a transfer unit [HTU], based
on gas phase.
K ya 35
 Z T H oy N oy
(1)If the operating line and equilibrium line are yb yb
straight and parallel, dy
dy
oyoy
yb NN
y3 ( y( yy y) )
ya ya
yb
y2 ybybyaya
yb y3 NNoyoy
(1.
(18

yb y1 y
y y y
yyb3 y2
Operating line y y
y y
yyb32 yb
y y a y1 xa NN b b a a
yayayaya
oyoy

yy3 y3y
y xa x1
2a 1
Equilibrium ybybyay a
oyoy
y y 2y1
yx2aa line x1
x2 NN
ybybybyb
y ay1 y1

yxaa1
x x2 x3 xb
xx xa x3 xb 36
 yb
dy
N oy
If the operating lineand equilibrium

line are straight and parallel,
ya
(y y )
yb y a
N oy
NTP
y y
yb y

b
dy
ydy y N oy
N oy
NTP=Number
y ( y ya
N oy
of theoretical
b
y
plates

)
ya
a

Similarly,
y
( y
a
y
)
xb xa
a

N ox N y
y
NTP N ox NTP
ybN oy

oy b a

x x
dy y
y yb parallel),
(2)NFor
straight operating and ya
y b y b equilibrium line (not
b a N oy
oy ( y y )
oy N
y y
ya ya ya a a

ybyy
y
yb y y L
N (
y b ba) ( y a y a)
NN b a ya yb yb
oy oy
oy

yybL yb y b yb
ln
yb y a y a y a
N oy
37
 yb
dy
yb
(3) When the operating
equilibrium line,

N oy line
ya
is straight
(y y )
but steeper than the

xb N oy NTP

y NTP=Number of theoretical
a
y plates
y
ya y N oy b a

b ya y a
yb ya yb yb ya yya y
N oy b a Operating line
yb ya y L yb yybb
yb y a x y
N oy NTU 1 NTP
b b

y L ya x
ybb Equilibrium
line
y
y yxba a b
yb yb
yb yy xyyb bx yb ya y38a

a
aa
a b
Similarly, for straight operating and equilibrium line (not parallel),
yb
dy
N oy
ZT ( y y
y a H ox N ox
)
xb xa
N ox
x L
(oy y b y a
xb xb ) (xa xa )
x L N
yb y
y a x dy ax

N oy ln
x
b
x
N oy ya ya yxa)
b(x a
b

yb y b
L/S
H ox [ m]
K xa 39
The overall height of a transfer unit [Hoy OR Hox] can be defined as
the height of aybpacked section required to accomplish a change in
dy
N
concentration
oy (y y
equal
ya
to the average driving force in that section.

)
yb ya ( y y ) m Z T H oy
yb y a
N oy
ya ya
Common equations for calculations of height of packed section:
yb y a
height of N oy section=height
packed of a transfer unit number of transfer
units
yb y b

There are four kinds of transfer units:

40
Four kinds of transfer units:

Z T H y N y H x N x H oy N oy H ox N ox
yb
V /S dy
Gas film: Hy
kya
Ny
ya
y yi
xb
L/S dx
Liquid film: Hx
kxa
Nx
xa
xi x
yb
V /S dy
Overall gas: H oy
K ya
N oy
ya
y y
xb
L/S dx
Overall liquid: H ox
K ya
N ox
xa
x x
41
 Alternate forms of transfer coefficients
The gas-film coefficients reported in the literature are often based on a
partial pressure driving force instead of a mole-fraction difference and
are written as kga or Kga. dy
J A N A Dv M A
Similarly liquid-film coefficients db
may be given as kLa or KLa, where the
driving forceBTis a volumetric concentration
yA difference. [kL=kc defined by
Eq.(17.36)]
N A db Dv M dy A
0

y Ai

kya K ya
kg a , Kga
P P
Dv
NA JA (c Ai c A ) (17.20)
BT
42
 GyV Gx L
Let GM , LM
M S M S
M M x
GM GM
Hy and H oy
k g aP K g aP
Gx / x Gx / x
Hx and H ox
kLa KLa
Gy V Gx L
Where,
GM =molal
mass kgmol/m2 h
,velocity,
M S M S
G =mass velocity of gas stream based on total tower cross
y V
G L
GM M , x
section, kg/m
M x 2 h
M S GM S G
Gy V GH L
=mass velocity of liquid stream based on total tower
M
M,M yx
x M
and 2
H oy M
(18 .25)
M S M cross Sksection,
g aP kg/m h K g aP
GM GM
M M H x y Gx / x
and H oy Gx / x
( 18.25 ) 43
The terms HG, HL, NG AND NL often appear in the literature instead of
Hy, Hx, Ny AND Nx, as well as the corresponding terms for overall values,
but here the different subscripts do not signify any

difference in either
1magnitude.
units or y A y Ai y Ai y A

Ky
Relationships kamong
y ( yA y Aikinds
different ) k ( x Ai ofaxtransfer
ofxheight A) unit:

1y Ai mx
y A Ai, y mxA ,y Ai y
A

Ai A
K y 1 k y ( y1A y Aim) k x ( x Ai x A )

k a
y y mxy , y
K a
Ai
k a
Ai
x mx ,
A A

GM GM mGM LM

K ya kya k x a LM
44
 Ai Ai db
A A
BT
GM Gy M mGM LM
A

N A db Dv
M dy
0 K y a kyy a A k x a LM

GG V V G G Ai
L L
k y a , , K a
y y x
GGM M
x

kg a M M S
, Kga
S M M SyS

MM M MP
x x P
D
G G M(17.20)
N
A H J
1y A
H
G M
vM
( c
y Aand and
y AiH c )
H G y Ai y(A18.25)
M
k gkB KK
y Ai A oy
oy
gTaP
aP g aP
g aP
K y G k/y( y A y Ai ) kGx (/xAi x A )
LM x Gx / xx
Hx and H ox ox
x x
H and H (18.26)
yk x a , y mx
x
k L mx
a KLa K , La
Ai Ai A A

mGM
H oy Hy Hx
LM
45

1 y Ai yAiAi, y mx
yAmx
y Ai
A,
y

Similarly, A
A
(17.56)
Ky k1y ( y A 1y Ai ) 1k x ( x Ai x A )


y Ai
K a k
1 xmxAi , yy a
xA ymx
A
mk A,
Ai y
a
y Ai y A

KMy
L kLyM( y A LyMAi ) GMk x ( x Ai x A )

K x a k x a mk a G
y Ai mxAi , y Ay mx M ,
A

LM
H ox Hx Hy
mGM

46
47