HUMIDIFICATION OPERATIONS

OUTLINES
 Equilibrium characteristics
 Vapor pressure and enthalpy of pure component
 Vapor gas mixtures
 Saturated vapor gas mixtures
 Unsaturated vapor gas mixtures
 Psychrometric chart
 Adiabatic saturation temperature
 Wet bulb temperature
 Gas liquid contact operations
 Adiabatic operations
 Non adiabatic operations
OUTLINES
 Adiabatic operations
 Fundamental relationships
 Water cooling with air
 Dehumidification of air-water mixture
 Recirculating liquid−gas humidification−cooling
 General method
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
In humidification operations, the substance
undergoing interphase transfer is the material
constituting the liquid phase which diffuses in the
form of a vapor.
The equilibrium vapor-pressure characteristics of
the liquid are therefore important that describe the
equilibrium characteristics of the humidification
operations.
Vapor-Pressure Curve
Every liquid exerts an equilibrium pressure, the
vapor pressure to an extent depending upon the
temperature. When it is plotted against
temperature, the following curve results
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
The vapor pressure temperature relationship can
be described by the Clausius Clapeyron equation
which relates the slope of vapor pressure curve
with latent heat of vaporization as
dp 

dT T  vG  vL 
Since vL can be neglected as compared to vG, and vG
can be expressed by ideal gas law, the above
equation becomes
dp  dT

p RT 2
If latent heat is assumed to be constant for a short
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
range of temperature, then this is integrated as

ln p    const
RT
For longer range of temperature the Clausius
Clapeyron equation can be written for a reference
substance as

d ln pr  r 2
RT
on dividing
d ln p  M 
 
d ln pr r M r r
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
which upon integration gives
M 
ln p  ln pr  const
M r r
The reference substance is usually taken as water
because its vapor pressure data are readily
available. The plot is a straight line over a large
range of temperature as shown in the figure
An other most important equation that is most
commonly used for vapor pressure calculation is
the Antoine equation given as
B
log p  A 
T C
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
Enthalpy of a pure substance
Since in the humidification operations, the heat is
also transferred along with the mass, the enthalpy
is also important in describing the equilibrium
Enthalpy is defined as
H  U  pv
where U is the internal energy of the substance, p
is the pressure, and v is the molar volume. Both
enthalpy and internal energy of the substance are
not the absolute quantities, but are defined relative
to some arbitrary reference state. Enthalpy as the
function of temperature is shown in the figure
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTERISTICS
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
The term vapor refer to that substance, designated
as A, in vaporous state which is relatively near its
condensation temperature at the prevailing
pressure.
The term gas refer to the substance, designated as
B, which cannot be condensed at the prevailing
pressure and therefore is a relatively highly
superheated vapor.
It is the component A which is being transferred in
the humidification operations and its content
changes during the operation.
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
Composition of a vapor gas mixture is often defined
in terms of its vapor content referred to as absolute
humidity on mass or molar basis
Molar absolute humidity is defined as the moles
of liquid vapor per mole of dry (vapor free) gas in a
vapor gas mixture. It is given as
yA pA p A moles A
Y  
yB pB pt  p A moles B
Mass absolute humidity is defined as the mass of
liquid vapor per unit mass of dry (vapor free) gas
in a vapor gas mixture. It is given as
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
MA p A M A mass A
Y  Y 
M B pt  p A M B mass B
Saturated vapor gas mixture
A vapor gas mixture is said to be saturated if its
vapor content is at its maximum value. The partial
pressure of vapor in the vapor gas mixture for this
condition equal to the vapor pressure of pure liquid
at the prevailing temperature. The molar and the
mass absolute humidity is then defined as
pA MA pA M A
Ys  
Ys  Ys 
pt  p A M B pt  p A M B
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
Unsaturated vapor gas mixture
If the partial pressure of the vapor in the vapor gas
mixture is less than its equilibrium vapor pressure,
the mixture is said to be unsaturated
Dry bulb temperature: it is the temperature of
the vapor gas mixture as ordinarily determined by
the immersion of a thermometer in the mixture
Relative saturation: also called the relative
humidity is defined as the ratio, expressed as
percent, of the partial pressure of the vapor to its
vapor pressure at the dry bulb temperature of the
mixture
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
relative saturation  100 p A / p A
Percentage saturation: also called the percentage
humidity is defined as the ratio, expressed as
percent, of the absolute humidity of the vapor gas
mixture to that of the saturated vapor gas mixture.
The saturation value is calculated at the dry bulb
temperature of the mixture
percentage saturation  100Y / Ys  100Y  / Ys
The following figures show how the curve of
different relative saturation of percentage
saturation can be obtained on a chart.
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
Dew point: it is defined as the temperature at
which the mixture becomes saturated when cooled
at constant pressure or constant humidity
Humid volume: it is defined as the volume of a
unit mass of the dry gas and its accompanying
vapor in a vapor gas mixture.
 1 Y   RTG
vH    
 B
M M A  pt

Humid heat: it is defined as the heat required to

raise the temperature of unit mass of the dry gas
and its accompanying vapor in a vapor gas mixture
by one degree at constant pressure
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE
CS  CB  Y C A
Enthalpy: it is define as the heat required to bring
the unit mass of the dry gas and its accompanying
vapor in a vapor gas mixture from a standard
reference state to the prevailing state
H   CB  tG  t0   Y  C A  tG  tdp   dp
  C A, L  tdp  t0  

where tdp is the dew point of teh vapor gas mixture
Since enthalpy is a state property and does not
depend on the path, an easier way of finding it is to
vaporise the liquid at the reference temperature
and then bring then vapor to the prevailing state,
thus the enthalpy of the vapor gas mixture is
VAPOR GAS MIXTURE

H   CB  tG  t0   Y  0  C A  tG  t0    CS  tG  t0   Y 0

A vapor gas mixture contains two components and

exists in single phase. According to Gibb’s phase
rule, the degrees of freedom of a vapor gas mixture
is
F  C 2 P
 2  2 1  3
This means that a vapor gas mixture is fully
described by three properties. If any three
properties of a vapor gas mixture is known, all its
remaining properties can be determined
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
A psychrometric chart is a pictorial representation
of the various properties of a vapor gas mixture.
These charts are prepared at constant pressure.
The chart consists of a single x axis representing
temperatures and multiple y axes.
On the chart, several curves are shown for different
percentage saturations. Others curves
corresponding to the humid volume and enthalpy of
saturated vapor gas mixture and that of dry gas
are also shown.
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
Since the system has three degrees of freedom and
pressure is fixed, any other two properties can be
represented by a single point on the chart. Once
this point is located, the remaining properties are
read from the chart
Air-water vapor system is the most common system
used in the humidification operation. The
psychrometric chart of this system at a pressure of
1 atmosphere is shown on next slide
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
The curve corresponding to 100% humidity on
psychrometric chart is plotted by obtaining the
saturation humidity at different temperature using
p Asat M A
Ys 
Pt  p Asat M B
The curves for other percentage saturation are
plotted by the method described earlier.
The curves of saturated humid volume and specific
volume of dry air are plotted by using the relation
 1 Y   RTG
vH    
 M B M A  Pt
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
with the humidity equals to saturation humidity
for saturated humid volume and zero for dry air
volume.
Similarly the curves for enthalpy of saturated air
and that for dry air are plotted by obtaining
enthalpy using the relation
H   CB  tG  t0   Y  C A  tG  t0   0 
with the humidity equals to saturation humidity
for saturated air enthalpy and zero for dry air
enthalpy.
The other curves shown on the psychrometric chart
are adiabatic saturation curves and wet bulb
temperature curves to be described later
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
The psychrometric relations of various properties
of air-water vapor system are shown below:
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
Illustration 7.6 page 234:
ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
It is the temperature attained by a vapor liquid
mixture when cooled adiabatically till it becomes
saturated by continuously introducing the liquid
vapor into it.
ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
mass balance for the transforming component is
GS Y1  L  GS Y2  L  GS Y2  Y1
an enthalpy balance
GS H1  LH L  GS H 2
substituting the material balance
H1  Y2  Y1 H L  H 2
Substituting the enthalpy relationships
   
CS1 tG1  t0  Y10  Y2  Y1 c A, L  t L  t0   CS2 tG2  t0  Y20
 ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
When the mixture become saturated, the outlet
temperature of the gas and liquid inlet
temperature become equal to adiabatic saturation
temperature, thus
   
CB tG1  t0  Y1C A tG1  t0  Y10  Yas  Y1 C A, L  tas  t0 
 CB  tas  t0   Yas C A  tas  t0   Yas 0

subtracting from both side the term Y1C Atas

CB tG1  CB t0  Y1C AtG1  Y1C At0  Y10  Yas  Y1 C A, L  tas  t0   Y1C Atas

 CB tas  CB t0  Yas C Atas  Yas C At0  Yas 0  Y1C Atas

ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
rearranging the terms, we get
CB tG1  CB tas  Y1C AtG1  Y1C Atas  Yas C Atas  Y1C Atas  Y1C At0  Yas C At0
Yas 0  Y10  Yas  Y1 C A, L  tas  t0 
or
   
CB tG1  tas  Y1C A tG1  tas  Yas  Y1 C Atas  Yas  Y1 C At0
 Yas  Y1 0  Yas  Y1 C A, L  tas  t0 
on simplification this becomes
  
 CB  Y1C A  tG1  tas  CS1 tG1  tas 
 Yas  Y1 C A  tas  t0   0  C A, L  tas  t0  
ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
The term in the parentheses is latent heat of
vaporization at the adiabatic saturation
temperature. Hence
 
CS1 tG1  tas  as Yas  Y1
as
or tG1  tas  Yas  Y1
CS1
This is the equation of adiabatic saturation curve.

The curve passes through the points tG1 , Y1  and
 tas , Yas  with the slope equal to as / CS1 .
Since humid heat increases as humidity increases,
the slope of adiabatic saturation curve decreases.
Hence the adiabatic saturation curves are concave
downward
ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
Adiabatic saturation curve can be plotted on the
psychrometric chart by taking a point on the 100%
saturation curve. The value of adiabatic saturation
temperature and the corresponding value of
saturation humidity are read from this point. Dry
bulb temperature then can be calculated using
adiabatic saturation curve equation at different
value of humidity.
Calculation of adiabatic saturation temperature
using adiabatic saturation curve is an iterative
procedure. An initial value of the adiabatic
saturation temperature is guessed and saturation
humidity and latent heat is calculated at this value
ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE
and the adiabatic saturation temperature is back
calculated using the equation until the guessed and
calculated values match.
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
The wet bulb temperature is the steady state
temperature attained by a small amount of liquid
evaporating in a large amount of unsaturated vapor gas
mixture.
Under properly controlled conditions it can be used to
measure the humidity of the mixture. For this purpose
a thermometer whose bulb has been covered with a
wick kept wet with the liquid is immersed in a rapidly
moving stream of the vapor gas mixture.
The temperature indicated by this thermometer will
ultimately reach a value lower than the dry bulb
temperature of the gas if later is unsaturated, and from
a knowledge of this value the humidity is computed
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
Consider a drop of liquid immersed in a rapidly
moving stream of un-saturated vapor gas mixture.
If the liquid is initially at a temperature higher
than the gas dew point, the vapor pressure of the
liquid will be higher at the drop surface than the
partial pressure of vapor in the gas, and the liquid
will evaporated and diffuse into the gas . The latent
heat required for evaporation will at first be
supplied at the expense of the sensible heat of the
liquid drop, which will then cool down. As soon as
the liquid temperature is reduced below the dry
bulb temperature of the gas, heat will flow from
gas to liquid, at an increasing rate as the
temperature difference become larger.
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
Eventually the rate of heat transfer from the gas to
the liquid will equal the rate of heat requirement
for the evaporation, and the temperature of the
liquid will remain constant at some low
temperature, the wet bulb temperature.
The mechanism of wet bulb process is essentially
the same as that governing the adiabatic
saturation, except that in the case of the former
the humidity of the gas is assumed not to change
during the process.
This mechanism is sketched in the manner of film
theory, where a liquid is shown already at the
steady state condition and the mass of the gas is so
large as it passes the drop that its humidity
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
Remains unchanged because of
the evaporation of liquid.
Since both heat and mass
transfer occur simultaneously,
the governing equation for
sensible heat transfer is
N A M AC A
 N A M AC A / hG  G
qs  t  tw 
1 e
 hG  tG  tw 
for small rate of evaporation.
Further the rate of mass
transfer is
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
1  p A, w / Pt
N A  F ln  kG  p A ,G  p A , w 
1  p A,G / Pt
at steady state
hG  tG  tw   w M A kG  p A,G  p A, w   0
Rearranging the terms
w M A kG  p A, w  p A,G  w M B kG pB ,LM Yw  Y  
tG  t w  
hG hG
w Yw  Y  
or tG  t w 
hG / kY 
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
The above equation is known as wet bulb
temperature curve. It passes through the points
 tG , Y  and  tw , Yw  with the slope equal to hG / kY. This
ratio is called as psychrometric ratio. The quantity
tG – tw is called the wet bulb depression.
Wet bulb temperature curve can be plotted on the
psychrometric chart by taking a point on the 100%
saturation curve. The value of wet bulb
temperature and the corresponding value of
saturation humidity are read from this point. Dry
bulb temperature then can be calculated using wet
bulb temperature curve equation at different value
of humidity.
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
Calculation of wet bulb temperature using wet bulb
temperature curve is an iterative procedure. An
initial value of the wet bulb temperature is guessed
and saturation humidity and latent heat is
calculated at this value and the wet bulb
temperature is back calculated using the equation
until the guessed and calculated values match.
Both the above procedures require value of
psychrometric ratio. This can be calculated using
the correlations for heat and mass transfer
coefficients applicable for flow passed immersed
bodies. Since heat and mass transfer operations are
analogical, the value of this ratio is best describe by
the equation
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
0.567
hG  Sc 
 CS  
kY  Pr 
The ratio of Schmidt number and Prandtl number
is called the Lewis number define as the ratio of
thermal diffusivity to mass diffusivity. Thus
hG
 Le0.567
kY CS
For the common systems in which the gas is air,
the CS is taken as CB and the Prandtl number is
taken for air, the above correlation reduces to
WET BULB TEMPERATURE
hG
 1223Sc0.567
kY
And for the water vapor-air system, the value of
psychrometric ratio in SI system of unit is taken as
950 N.m/kg.K
The Lewis relation: It is observed that for the
water vapor-air system, the value of psychrometric
ratio equal to the humid heat of the mixture. Thus
hG
1
kY CS
This is called the Lewis relation
GAS LIQUID CONTACT OPERATION
Direct contact of a gas phase with pure liquid are
categorized as:
Adiabatic Operation
1. Cooling a liquid: Cooling occur by transfer of sensible heat
and also by evaporation. Principle application is cooling of
water by contact with atmospheric air.
2. Cooling a hot gas: Direct contact provides a non fouling
heat exchanger which is very effective, provided the
presence of some of the vapor of the liquid is not
objectionable.
3. Humidifying a gas: This can be used to controlling the
moisture content of air for drying.
GAS LIQUID CONTACT OPERATION
4. Dehumidifying a gas: Contact of a warm vapor gas
mixture with a cold liquid results in condensation of the
vapor. There are applications in air conditioning, recovery
of solvent vapors from gases used in drying
Non-adiabatic Operation
a. Evaporative cooling: A liquid or gas inside the pipe is
cooled by water flowing in a film about the outside, the
later is being cooled by direct contact with air
b. Dehumidifying a gas: A vapor gas mixture is brought into
contact with refrigerated pipes, and the vapor condenses
upon the pipes.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
These are usually carried out
in a packed tower frequently
with countercurrent flow gas
and liquid.
Fundamental Relationships
Material balance:
L1  L  GS Y1  Y  
or dL  GS dY 
Enthalpy balance:
LH L  GS H1  L1H L1  GS H 
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Mass transfer rate per unit tower cross sectional
area
 1  p A,i / Pt 
N A M A aM dZ  GS dY   M A FG ln 
 1  p / P  M
a dZ
 A ,G t 
Sensible heat, as energy rate per unit tower cross
sectional area

N A M AC A
 N A M AC A / hG  G
Gas: qsG aH dZ  t  ti  aH dZ  hG aH  tG  ti  dZ
1 e

Liquid: qsL aH dZ  hL aH  ti  t L  dZ
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Enthalpy Balances:
Envelope I:
Rate enthalpy in: GS H 
Rate enthalpy out: GS  H   dH    GS dY  C A  tG  t0   0 
Rate in – Rate out = Heat transfer rate
GS H   GS  H   dH    GS dY  C A  tG  t0   0   hG aH  tG  ti  dZ
H   CB  tG  t0   Y  C A  tG  t0   0 
dH   CB dtG  dY  C A  tG  t0   0   Y C A dtG
 CS dtG  dY  C A  tG  t0   0 
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
GS H   GS H   GS CS dtG  GS dY  C A  tG  t0   0 

 GS dY  C A  tG  t0   0   hG aH  tG  ti  dZ

GS CS dtG  hG aH  tG  ti  dZ

Envelope II:
Rate enthalpy in:  L  dL  C A, L  tL  dtL  t0    GS dY   C A, L  ti  t0 
Rate enthalpy out: LC A, L  t L  t0 
Rate out = Rate in + Heat transfer Rate
LC A, L  t L  t0    L  dL  C A, L  t L  dt L  t0 
  GS dY   C A, L  ti  t0   hL aH  ti  t L  dZ
 ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
LC A, L  t L  t0   LC A, L  t L  t0   dL
 C A, L  t L  t0   LC A, L dt L
GS dY 

 dLC A, L dt L   GS dY   C A, L  ti  t0   hL aH  ti  t L  dZ
0

LC A, L dt L   GS C A, L dY   hL aH dZ   ti  t L 

Envelope III:
Rate enthalpy in: GS H    L  dL  C A, L  t L  dt L  t0 
Rate enthalpy out:GS  H   dH    LC A, L  t L  t0 
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Rate in = Rate out
GS H    L  dL  C A, L  t L  dt L  t0   GS  H   dH    LC A, L  t L  t0 

GS H   LC A, L  t L  t0   dL
 C A, L  t L  t0   LC A, L dt L  dLC A, L dt L
0

GS dY 

 GS H   GS CS dtG  GS C A  tG  t0   0   LC A, L  t L  t0 


LC A, L dt L  GS CS dtG  C A  tG  t0   C A, L  t L  t0   0  dY 
These relationships will now be applied the specific
adiabatic operations
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Cooling of a Liquid
Water cooling with air is the most important
operation that falls under this category. The design
equation are obtained by simplifying the relations
developed earlier
When the sensible heat terms are ignored from
overall enthalpy balance, it reduces to
LC A, L dt L  GS CS dtG  GS 0dY   GS dH 
Here the term on right side ignores Y’ which
appears in the definition of CS. Integrating, on the
further assumption that liquid rate is essentially
constant (very little evaporation), gives
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
 
LC A, L t L2  t L1  GS  H 2  H1 
This enthalpy balance can be represented
graphically by plotting gas enthalpy against liquid
temperature. This is a straight line passing
through the terminal points, the operating line, as
shown in the figure.
The equilibrium curve is also shown in the figure
corresponding to condition of the gas at the gas-
liquid interface, i.e., enthalpy of saturated air at
each temperature.
Mass transfer rate equation for small rate is
GS dY   kY  aM Yi Y   dZ
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
and gas phase enthalpy balance is written as
GS CS dtG  hG aH  ti  tG  dZ
When the sensible heat of transferred vapor is
ignored, liquid phase enthalpy balance is reduces to
LC A, L dt L  hL aH dZ  t L  ti 
When the equations for the gas phase enthalpy
balance mass transfer rate are substituted in the
simplified overall enthalpy balance, it becomes
LC A, L dt L  hG aH  ti  tG  dZ  0kY  aM Yi  Y   dZ
Let hG aH / CS kY  aM  r , then
GS dH   kY  aM CS r  ti  t0   0Yi  CS r  tGi  t0   0Y  dZ
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
for the special case where r = 1, the terms in the
parentheses are gas enthalpies. The restriction
that r = 1, requires Le = 1 (air-water) and aH = aM
= a. With this condition
GS dH   kY  a  H i  H   dZ
Combining this the overall and liquid phase
enthalpy balance
GS dH   kY  a  H i  H   dZ  hL aH dZ  t L  ti 
This can be used to find the conditions at the gas-
liquid interface. Also on integration, it gives
H 2 dH  kY  a Z kY  aZ
H1 H i  H  GS 0
 dZ 
GS
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
The integral can be evaluated graphically and the
packed height Z computed. The enthalpy integral is
sometimes given another interpretation. Thus,
H 2 dH   H 2  H1 
H1 H i  H    H i  H   NtG
LM
The middle term is the number of times the
average driving force divides into the enthalpy
change. This is a measure of the difficulty of
enthalpy transfer, called the number of gas-
enthalpy transfer units NtG. Consequently,
Z  H tG N tG
where the height of gas-enthalpy transfer units HtG
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
defined as H tG  GS / kY  a
As it has been discussed earlier that the conditions
at the interface are difficult to determine, an
overall enthalpy driving force can be used with the
overall transfer coefficient to express the height of
packing. Thus,

N tOG  
H 2 dH 

 H 2  H1 

KY  aZ

Z
H1 H *  H 
 H   H LM GS H tOG
*

Water cooling tower industry frequently uses the

above equation in another form:
KY  aZ t L2 dt L

LC A, L t L1 H *  H 
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Since the direction of transfer is from liquid to gas
phase, the operating line shall always be below the
equilibrium curve.
The conditions the bottom of cooling tower requires
that enthalpy of the entering gas must be less than
the saturated enthalpy at exit liquid temperature.
Since enthalpy of gas is only a function of adiabatic
saturation (for air-water, wet bulb) temperature,
the wet bulb temperature of entering gas must be
less than the exit liquid temperature, while its dry
bulb temperature need not be.
Hence, it is possible to cool the water below the dry
bulb temperature of entering gas.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
The difference between the exit liquid temperature
and the entering gas wet bulb temperature is called
wet bulb temperature approach and is usually set
at 2.5 to 5 °C.
If operating line anywhere touches the equilibrium
curve, the driving force at that point will be zero. It
requires an infinite interfacial surface at this point,
hence an infinite Z.
The liquid to gas ratio is at its limiting value and
correspond to the minimum gas rate. It is required
that the gas rate must be greater than this gas
rate. Usually 1.2 to 1.5 times the minimum gas
rate is used in cooling tower.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Makeup water is required to compensate the water
loss during he cooling operation. The water loss
may be due to:
entrainment (drift or windage)
evaporation
blowdown
Windage losses are estimated about 0.1 to 0.3
percent of water circulation rate for induced-draft
cooling tower. If the makeup water introduces the
dissolved salts which will otherwise accumulate, a
small amount of water is deliberately discarded,
called blowdown, to keep the salt concentration to
some predetermined level.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Evaporation losses are calculated from humidity of
entering and exiting gas as:
E  GS Y2  Y1
Blow down is calculated as follows:
If M and B represent the makeup water and blow
down rate respectively and xM and xC represent
mass fraction of salt in makeup water and
recirculated water, then a total mass balance is
M  E  B W
and the salt balance is
xM M   B  W  xC
elimination of M results
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
xM
BE W
xC  xM
Dehumidification of gas
If a warm vapor gas mixture is contacted with cold
liquid so that the humidity of the gas is greater
than that at the gas-liquid interface, vapor will
diffuse towards liquid and the gas will be
dehumidified. In addition, sensible heat can be
transferred as a result of temperature difference
within the system. The direction of mass transfer is
from gas to liquid. The operating line in this case
would be above the equilibrium curve.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
The equations derived earlier, with the negative
driving force, will be applicable for this operation.
Recirculation liquid-gas humidification-
cooling
This is a special case where the liquid enter the
equipment at the adiabatic saturation temperature
of the entering gas.
This can be achieved by continuously reintroducing
the exit liquid to the contactor immediately,
without addition or removal of heat as shown in
the figure.
The development which follows applies to any gas-
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
liquid system, regardless of the
Lewis number
In such a system, the temperature
of the entire liquid will fall to, and
remain at, the adiabatic saturation
temperature.
The gas will be humidified and
cooled, following along the path of
adiabatic saturation curve on the
psychrometric chart which passes
through the entering gas condition.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Depending on the degree of contact, the gas will
approach more or less closely equilibrium with the
liquid, or its adiabatic saturation conditions. This
supposes that makeup liquid enters at the
adiabatic saturation temperature also.
Since the enthalpy of the gas is practically a
function only of its adiabatic saturation
temperature, which remains constant throughout
the operation. The liquid temperature is also
constant, hence, the operating line on the enthalpy
temperature diagram would merely a single point.
This diagram therefore cannot be used for the
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
design purposes.
The temperature and
humidity changes, which
lies entirely within the
gas phase can be used
however and these are
shown in the figure.
Rate equations for either
heat or mass transfer can
directly be used for the
design purposes.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
Using gas phase mass transfer rate equation
GS dY   kY  a Yas  Y   dZ
on integration
Yas  Y1 kY  aZ
ln 
Yas  Y2 GS
This can be rearranged as
kY  aZ Yas  Y1  Yas  Y2  
GS Y2  Y1   kY  aZ Yas  Y  LM
ln Yas  Y1 / Yas  Y2  
Alternatively
N tG 
 Y2  Y1
 ln
Yas  Y1
Yas  Y  LM Yas  Y2
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
and
GS Z
H tG  
kY  a N tG
where NtG is the number of gas phase transfer unit
and HtG is the corresponding height of transfer unit
Using gas phase enthalpy balance
GS CS dtG  hG a  tG  tas  dZ
on integration
tG1  tas hG aZ
ln 
tG2  tas GS CS
This can be rearranged as
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
  
hG aZ  tG1  tas  tG2  tas  

GS CS tG1  tG2    hG aZ  tG  tas LM
 
ln  tG1  tas / tG2  tas  
Alternatively

N tG 
t G1  tG2   ln
tG1  tas
 tG  tas LM tG2  tas
and
GS CS Z
H tG  
hG a N tG
where NtG is the number of gas phase transfer unit
and HtG is the corresponding height of transfer unit
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
General Method
For the counter-current humidification operations,
when the assumptions are not appropriate or when
Le ≠ 1, a general method is used for design purpose
using the fundamental relationships developed
earlier. Equating the right side of overall enthalpy
balance and that for liquid phase provides
ti  t L


 
GS CS  dtG / dZ   C A  tG  t0   C A, L  t L  t0   0   dY  / dZ 
GS C A, L  dY  / dZ   hL aH
The humidity gradient in this equation is obtained
by mass transfer rate equation
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
dY  kY  aM
  Y   Yi
dZ GS
The temperature gradient is obtained by gas phase
enthalpy balance
dtG hG aH  tG  ti  hG aH  tG  ti 
 
dZ GS CS GS CS
Where hGaH is used rather than h’GaH is used for
low mass transfer rates. If aH and aM are not
known separately, it will be difficult to find h’G.
This is usually done by assuming aH = aM, hence
h’GaH can be obtained as
 ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
N A M AC A a H N A M AC A aM GS C A  dY  / dZ 
hG aH   N A M AC A aH / hG aH
  N A M AC A aM / hG aH
 GS C A  dY  / dZ  / hG aH
1 e 1 e 1 e
The above gradients requires the value of ti which
is also unknown. An iterative method is therefore
used to evaluate it. The detailed procedure is
described below
 Assume a suitable value of ti.

 For the known gas and liquid temperature at the

bottom (Z = 0), calculate the temperature and
humidity gradient with assumed value of ti.
 Use these gradients to recalculate ti and check if
this value equals to assumed value of ti.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
 If not, repeat the above steps till the calculated
value of ti matches its assumed value.
 Once the value of ti is found correctly, find the
correct values of humidity and temperature
gradient at the correct value of ti.
 Take step change in gas temperature ∆tG to find
∆Z and hence ∆Y’ as:
Z  tG /  dtG / dZ  Y    dY  / dZ  Z
 Obtain the new values of humidity and the gas
temperature from their deviation as
tG Z  Z  tG Z 0  tG Y  Z  Z  Y  Z  0  Y 
1 1
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS
 With the current value of gas temperature and
humidity calculate L’ from liquid mass balance
and tL from the enthalpy balance
 Check if the calculated value of tL equals the
inlet liquid temperature
 If not repeat the whole procedure till the current
value of tL become equal to inlet liquid
temperature.
 Obtain the height of the tower by summing up
all the value of ∆Z.
ADIABATIC OPERATIONS