SMJC 3263 Separation Process 1

Semester 1
Session 2018/2019
28 September 2018
Dr Khairunnisa binti Mohd Pa’ad
Absorption in Plate and Packed Towers

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 Introduction to Absorption
Gas-liquid absorption
Assimilation of molecular species
throughout the bulk of the solid or
liquid
Liquid-solid adsorption
Accumulation of the molecular
species at the surface rather
than in the bulk of the solid or
liquid
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Types of tray (plate) for absorption and
distillation
(a) Sieve tray
(b) Valve tray
(c) Bubble- cap tray
Tray are designed for maximize
the vapour-liquid contact

(c)
Better vapour-liquid contact means better
separation at each tray, translating to
better column performance. Less trays will
be required to achieve the same degree of
separation. Attendant benefits include
less energy usage and lower construction
costs. 4
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 Sieve trays
Sieve trays are simply metal
plates with holes in them.
Vapour passes straight upward
through the liquid on the plate.
The arrangement, number and
size of the holes are design
parameters.

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 Valve trays
In valve trays, perforations are covered by liftable caps. Vapour flows lifts the caps,
thus self creating a flow area for the passage of vapour. The lifting cap directs the
vapour to flow horizontally into the liquid, thus providing better mixing than is
possible in sieve trays

High Vapour

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 Bubble cap
A bubble cap tray has riser or chimney fitted over each hole, and a cap
that covers the riser. The cap is mounted so that there is a space between
riser and cap to allow the passage of vapour. Vapour rises through the
chimney and is directed downward by the cap, finally discharging through
slots in the cap, and finally bubbling through the liquid on the tray.

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Random type of packings

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Structured type of packings

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Packed Tower
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 Types of pressure drop
(a) Pressure drop in random packings
(b) Pressure drop in structured packings
(c) Flooding pressure drop in packed and
structured packings
(d) Approximate design factors to use

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 Pressure Drop in Random Packings

vG [ G /  L  G ]0.5 Fp0.5 0.05

Capacity parameter

GL / GG G /  L 0.5 Flow parameter

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 Pressure Drop in structured packings

vG [ G /  L  G ]0.5 Fp0.5 0.05

Capacity parameter

GL / GG G /  L 0.5 Flow parameter

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 Flooding pressure drop
To determine the limiting flow
rate and the tower diameter
1. First, a suitable random packing
is selected, giving an Fp value.
2. A suitable liquid-to-gas ratio
GL/GG is selected along with
the total gas flow rate.
3. The pressure drop at flooding
is calculated using Eq. (10.6-1),
or if Fp is 60 or over, the
ΔPflooding is taken as 2.0 in./ft
packing height.

Pflood  0.115 Fp0.7 17

 Approximate design factor to use
• In using random packing, the ratio of tower diameter to packing size
should be 10/1 or greater. This is to ensure good liquid and gas
distribution. For every 3 m (10 ft) height of packing, a liquid
redistribution should be used to prevent channeling of liquid to the
sides. Random-packing towers are generally used only for diameters
of 1.0m (3.3 ft) or less. Tray towers less than 0.6m(2 ft) in diameter
are usually not used because of cleaning and access problems.
• The start of loading in packed towers is usually at about 65-70% of the
flooding velocity. For absorption, the tower should be designed using
about 50-70% of the gas flooding velocity, with the high value used at
high flow parameters. For atmospheric-pressure distillation, values of
70-80% can be used. For distillation and structured packing, 80% of
flooding is often used in design. For tray towers, see Section 11.5.

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Heuristics and Design Consideration
• Trayed towers

• Unstructured Packed Towers

• Structured packed tower

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 Analysis Approach
• Trayed towers
- Analyze each tray as an equilibrium prolems
(What your assumption)
- Write coupled equations for mass and energy
balances between trays

• Other towers (packed, etc)

- Height Equivalent of a Theoretical Plate (HETP)
(Effective height act as one tray)

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 Terminology
Assume that only solute is transferred from one phase to another (no
vaporization of liquid or condensation of gas carrier)
L’ : Molar flow rate of solute-free liquid
V’: Molar flow rate of solute-free gas
x : mole fraction of solute in liquid
y : mole fraction in solute in gas
X : mole ratio of solute to solute-free liquid
Y : mole ratio of solute to solute-free gas
Xi-1 Yi Streams leaving the tray are
assumed to be in equilibrium
For the absorber
Stage i
Xi Yi-1 yi Yi / 1  Yi 
Ki  
xi X i /(1  X i ) 21
 Absorber Stripper

Solute enter in gas. Solute enters in liquid.

Liquid absorbent enters Stripping agent enters
from top of column. bottom of column.

Different tray ordering convention.

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Mole Balances and Operation Lines
Solute balance around arbitrary # of
trays in the top section of the absorber.
X 0 L 'YN 1V '  X N L 'Y1V ' Absorber
Solute flow rate in Solute flow rate out

For an absorber, need to know

YN+1, X0 and V’. Therefore, we can
get to choose L’ to achieve desired
Y1.
L'
' = slope of operating line
V
L'
YN   X N 1  X 1   Y0 (stripper)
V'

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Absorber: Minimum Flow Rate

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Examples

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Number of Equilibrium Stages

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 From Algebraic Point of View
Operating Line
L'
YN 1   X N  X 0   Y1
V'
Given: X0, Y1,L’/V’
1. K1 = Y1/X1 (solve for X1)
2. Find Y2 from the
operating line.
3. K2 = Y2/X2 (solve X2)
4. Find Y3 from the
operating line.
If Ki is a function of composition:
Must have a model for Ki
1. Guess Xi. (Yi took from
If Ki is not a function of operating line).
composition: 2. Calculate Ki.
1. Calculate Ki at given T and P. 3. Update guess for Xi and
2. Follow steps outlined above. return to step 2 if not
converged.
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Number of stages for strippers

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 Stages Efficiency

# theoretical
Nt
E0  (equilibrium) stages
Na # actual stages

Empirical correlation for stage efficiency

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 KM L  L    KM L  L 
log E 0  1 .597  0 .199 log    0 .0896  log   
 L    L 

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Operating lines (packed column)

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Finite-Rate Mass Transfer

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HOG, NOG, Nt and HETP

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 Try at home
• Example 10.5-1
• Example 10.6-( 1~5 )
• Example 10.7-1
• Example 10.8-1

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 Refer page 653 ~ 695
Slides reference:
https://sutherland.che.utah.edu/3603Notes/AbsorptionStripping.pdf

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 Announcement
• Next class will be Prof Tsuji (1 October 2018).
• Test 1 will be 22 October 2019.
• My next class will be 24 October (give answer
for test 1). 29 October 2019 (After Test 2)
- Single-Stage Equilibrium Contact for Vapor-
Liquid System
- Teaching Observation, from 11-12pm, from
other lecturer. Please give cooperation.
• Please give suggestion for class replacement
for 18 Oct (1 hour). Before your test1.
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