MASS TRANSFER

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel AKYOL

EXAMPLE 1

In a tray tower, ethyl alcohol is separated from the inert gas mixture by absorbing 303 K
and 101.3 kPa of pure water. The flow rate of the inlet gas stream is 100 kg mol/h and
contains 2.2 mol% ethyl alcohol. It is desired to recover of the 90% of ethyl alcohol. The
The equilibrium relation for this dilute system is given as y = mx = 0.68x. Using 1.5 times
the minimum fluid flow rate, find the required theoretical number of trays using
graphical and analytical equations.
 Solution:

𝑥2 = 0
𝑦1 = 0.022
𝑉1 = 100 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 ℎ

𝑚 = 0.68

𝑉 𝚤 = 𝑉1 (1 − 𝑦1 )=100 (1-0.022)=97.8 kg mol inert gas/h

Amount of ethyl alcohol in V1: 100 − 97.8 = 2.2 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑦𝑙 𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑜ℎ𝑜𝑙/ℎ
Amount of ethyl alcohol in exit gas stream: 0.10 2.2 = 0.22 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 ethyl alcohol/ℎ
Exit gas stream : 𝑉2 = 𝑉 𝚤 + 0.22=97.8+0.22=98.02 kg mol /h
0.22
𝑦𝐴2 = = 0.002244
98.02
Analytical Solution
 ABSORPTION IN PACKED TOWERS

In packed tower, the up-flowing gas remains in

contact with down-flowing liquid throughout
the packing, at every point of the tower.
Therefore, packed tower is known as
“continuous differential contact equipment
Steps for the design of packed tower

(A) Selection of solvent

(B) Selection of packing
(C) Calculation of minimum solvent flow rate as well as actual solvent flow rate
(D) Column diameter
(E) Height of column
(F) Design of solvent distributors and redistributors (if needed)
(G) Design of gas distributor, packing support, shell, nozzles, column support

(a) Equilibrium data; (b) gas and liquid flow rates; (c) solute concentration in two terminals; (d)
individual and overall volumetric mass transfer coefficients should be known for the design of a
packed absorption tower.
Packing Materials:
Packing materials are utilized to provide large interfacial area of contact between two phases.
These are made from either of ceramics, metals or plastics. A number of packing materials with
various size, shape and performance are available. These are classified into three types, namely,
dumped or random, structured and grid.

A) Dumped or random packing materials: Dumped or random packing materials are classified into three categories as first
generation (1907 to mid 1950); second generation (mid 1950 to mid 1970) and third generation (mid 1970 to till date). The first
generation random packing materials are of three categories, such as, (a) Raschig rings; (b) Lessing rings and modified Raschig
rings and (c) Berl saddles. These are shown in Figure.
The packing materials have following characteristics:

(a) Cost: The cost of the packing materials should be very low.
(b) Surface area: A large interfacial area of contact is always recommended. In that case, pressure drop
will be more.
(c) Void volume: A high void volume is needed to maintain low pressure drop.
(d) Fouling resistance: Packing materials should not trap suspended solids present in liquid. Bigger
packing materials generally give low fouling resistance.
(e) Mechanical strength: Good mechanical strength is desired for choosing packing materials as this will
not break or deform during filling or operation.
(f) Uniform flow of streams: Stack of packing materials should have uniform void spaces through which
both the streams (gas and liquid) can flow uniformly. Non-uniform flow of streams leads to stagnant
liquid pool which in turn gives low mass transfer.
The second generation random packing materials are mainly (a) Intalox saddle and
modification; (b) Pall ring and modification. Intalox saddle is the modified version of Berl
saddle and offers less friction resistance due to particular shape (two saddles will never nest).
Pall rings are modified version of Raschig rings.
The third generation random packing materials:
(B) Structured packing materials: These materials are used widely as packing
materials in packed tower due to low gas pressure drop and improved efficiency.
Corrugated metal sheet structured packing and Wire mesh structured packing
materials are widely used in the industries. These include Mellapak, Flexipak,
Gempak, Montz and MaxPak.
 Design of Packed Towers for Absorption
1. Operating-line derivation. For the case of solute A diffusing through a stagnant gas and then into a stagnant fluid, an
overall material balance on component A in below Fig. for a packed absorption tower is

𝑥2 𝑦1 𝑥1 𝑦2
𝐿ı + 𝑉ı = 𝐿ı + 𝑉ı
1 − 𝑥2 1 − 𝑦1 1 − 𝑥1 1 − 𝑦2

where L is kg mol inert liquid/s or kg mol inertliquid/s. m2 , V' is

kg mol inert gas/s or kg mol inert gas/s.m2, and Y 1 and XI are
mole fractions A in gas and liquid, respectively.
2. Limiting and optimum L'/V' ratios.
The choice of the optimum L'/V' ratio to use in the design depends on an economic balance. In absorption, too high a value requires a large
liquid flow, and hence a large-diameter tower. The cost of recovering the solute from the liquid by distillation will be high. A small liquid flow results
in a high tower, which is costly. As an approximation, the optimum liquid flow is obtained by using a value of about 1.5 for the ratio of the average
slope of the operating line to that of the equilibrium line for absorption. This factor can vary depending on the value of the solute and tower type.

3.Film and overall mass-transfer coefficients in packed towers.

It is very difficult to measure experimenti:tlly the interfacial area A m2 between phases Land V. Also, it is difficult to measure the film coefficients
k'x and k‘y and the overall coefficients K'x and K‘y. Usually, experimental measurements in a packed tower yield a volumetric mass-transfer
coefficient that combines the interfacial area and mass transfer coefficient. Defining a as interfacial area in m2 per m3 volume of packed section,
the volume of packing in a height dz m is S dz and
4. Design method for packed towers.
For the differential height of tower, the moles of A leaving V equal the moles entering L.

where V kg mol total gas/s, L = kg mol totalliquid/s, and d(Vy) = d(Lx) = kg mol A transferred/s in height dz m. The kg mol A
transferred/s from Eq. (10.6-7) must equal the kg mol A transferred/s from the mass-transfer equation for N A' Equation (10.4-8) gives
the flux N A using the gas-film and liquid-film coefficients.

Multiplying the left-hand side of Eq. by dA and the two right-side terms by aSdz from
 Simplified Design Methods for Absorption of Dilute Gas Mixtures in Packed Towers
If equilibrium line, 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 and 𝐴 = 𝐿 𝑚𝑉 :

1 𝑦1 − 𝑚𝑥2
𝑁𝑂𝐺 = 𝑙𝑛 1 − 1 𝐴 +1 𝐴
1−1 𝐴 𝑦2 − 𝑚𝑥2

1 𝑥2 − 𝑦1 𝑚
𝑁𝑂𝐿 = 𝑙𝑛 1 − 𝐴 +𝐴
1−𝐴 𝑥1 − 𝑦1 𝑚

HETP: It is the height of the packed tower required to give an even separation to a theoretical tray.
The height of the packed tower is then : 𝑧 = 𝑁 𝐻𝐸𝑇𝑃 𝑧 = 𝐻𝑂𝐺 𝑁𝑂𝐺

ln 1 𝐴 𝑁𝑙𝑛𝐴
𝐻𝐸𝑇𝑃 = 𝐻𝑂𝐺 𝑁𝑂𝐺 =
1−𝐴 𝐴 1−1 𝐴

If equilibrium line and operation line are parallel (A=1);

𝐻𝑂𝐺 = 𝐻𝐸𝑇𝑃 𝑁𝑂𝐺 = 𝑁

 EXAMPLE

Acetone is being absorbed by water in a packed tower having a crosssectional area of 0.186 m2
at 293 K and 101.32 kPa (1 atm). The inlet air contains 2.6 mol % acetone and outlet 0.5%. The
gas flow is 13.65 kg mol inert air/h . The pure water inlet flow is 45.36 kg mol water/h . Film
coefficients for the given flows in the tower are k‘y a= 3.78x10 -2 kg mol/s.m3.mol frac and
k'x a= 6.16 x 10-2 kg mol/s.m3 . mol frac. Equilibrium data are given as 𝑦 = 1.186𝑥
(a) Calculate the tower height using 𝑘𝑦ı 𝑎.
(b) Repeat using 𝑘𝑥ı 𝑎.
(c) Calculate 𝐾𝑦ı 𝑎 and the tower height.
Solution:
𝑥2 = 0
𝑦1 = 0.026
𝑦2 = 0.005
𝐿ı =45.36 kg mol water/h
𝑉 ı = 13.65 kg mol inert air/h
ı
𝑥2 ı
𝑦1 ı
𝑥1 ı
𝑦2
𝐿 +𝑉 =𝐿 +𝑉
1 − 𝑥2 1 − 𝑦1 1 − 𝑥1 1 − 𝑦2

0 0.026 𝑥1 0.005
45.36 + 13.65 = 45.36 + 13.65
1−0 1 − 0.026 1 − 𝑥1 1 − 0.005

𝑥1 = 0.00648
 Operation line is driven by using 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 and 𝑥2 , 𝑦2

𝑘𝑥ı 𝑎 1 − 𝑥1 6.16𝑥10−2 1 − 0.00648

slope = − ı =− = −1.6
𝑘𝑦 𝑎 1 − 𝑦1 3.78𝑥10−2 1 − 0.026

𝑥𝑖1 = 0.013 , 𝑦𝑖1 = 0.0154 and 𝑦1∗ = 0.0077 are found from 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 by using slope.

1 − 𝑦𝑖1 − 1 − 𝑦1 1 − 0.0154 − 1 − 0.026

1−𝑦 𝑖𝑀 = = = 0.979
𝑙𝑛 1 − 𝑦𝑖1 / 1 − 𝑦1 ln 1 − 0.0154 1 − 0.026

1 − 𝑥1 − 1 − 𝑥𝑖1 1 − 0.00648 − 1 − 0.013

1−𝑥 𝑖𝑀 = = = 0.993
𝑙𝑛 1 − 𝑥1 / 1 − 𝑥𝑖1 𝑙𝑛 1 − 0.00648 1 − 0.013
 𝑘𝑥ı 𝑎 1 − 𝑥 𝑖𝑀 6.16𝑥10−2 0.993
slope = − ı =− = −1.61
𝑘𝑦 𝑎 1 − 𝑦 𝑖𝑀 3.78𝑥10−2 0.979

Then, slope on 𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ;
𝑘𝑥ı 𝑎 1 − 𝑥2 6.16𝑥10−2 1 − 0
slope = − ı =− = −1.62
𝑘𝑦 𝑎 1 − 𝑦2 3.78𝑥10−2 1 − 0.005

The slope changes little in the tower. Plotting this line,𝑥𝑖2 = 0.0018 , 𝑦𝑖2 = 0.002 and 𝑦2∗ = 0 are found
To calculate the total molar flow rates in kg mol/s,

𝑉ı 13.65 3600
𝑉1 = = = 3.893𝑥10−3 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑠
1 − 𝑦1 1 − 0.026
𝑉ı 13.65 3600
𝑉2 = = = 3.811𝑥10−3 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑠
1−𝑦2 1−0.005

𝑉1 +𝑉2 3.893𝑥10−3 +3.811𝑥10−3

𝑉𝑜𝑟𝑡 = = = 3.852𝑥10−3 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑠
2 2

45.36
𝐿ı ≅ 𝐿1 ≅ 𝐿2 ≅ 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑡 = = 1.26𝑥10−2 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑠
3600
a)
𝑦1 − 𝑦𝑖1 − 𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑖2 0.026 − 0.0154 − 0.005 − 0.002
𝑦 − 𝑦𝑖 𝑀 = =
𝑙𝑛 𝑦1 − 𝑦𝑖1 𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑖2 ln 0.026 − 0.0154 0.005 − 0.002
= 0.00602

𝑉𝑜𝑟𝑡
𝑦1 − 𝑦2 = 𝑘𝑦ı 𝑎𝑧 𝑦 − 𝑦𝑖 𝑀
𝑆

3.852𝑥10−3
0.026 − 0.005 = 3.78𝑥10−2 𝑧 0.00602
0.186
𝑧 = 1.911 𝑚
b)
𝑥𝑖1 − 𝑥1 − 𝑥𝑖2 − 𝑥2 0.013 − 0.00648 − 0.0018 − 0
𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥 𝑀 = =
𝑙𝑛 𝑥𝑖1 − 𝑥1 𝑥𝑖2 − 𝑥2 ln 0.013 − 0.00648 0.0018 − 0

= 0.00368

𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑡
𝑥1 − 𝑥2 = 𝑘𝑥ı 𝑎𝑧 𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥 𝑀
𝑆

1.26𝑥10−2
0.00648 − 0 = 6.16𝑥10−2 𝑧 0.00368
0.186
𝑧 = 1.936 𝑚
c)
1 − 𝑦1∗ − 1 − 𝑦1 1 − 0.0077 − 1 − 0.026
1−𝑦 ∗𝑀 = = = 0.983
𝑙𝑛 1 − 𝑦1∗ / 1 − 𝑦1 𝑙𝑛 1 − 0.0077 / 1 − 0.026

1 1 𝑚ı
ı = ı + ı
𝐾𝑦 𝑎 1 − 𝑦 ∗𝑀 𝑘𝑦 𝑎 1 − 𝑦 𝑖𝑀 𝑘𝑥 𝑎 1 − 𝑥 𝑖𝑀

1 1 1.186
= +
𝐾𝑦ı 𝑎 0.983 3.78𝑥10−2 0.979 6.16𝑥10−2 0.993

𝐾𝑦ı 𝑎 = 2.183𝑥10−2 𝑘𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑠. 𝑚3 . 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑘𝑒𝑠𝑟𝑖

∗
𝑦1 − 𝑦1 ∗ − 𝑦2 − 𝑦2 ∗ 0.026 − 0.0077 − 0.005 − 0
𝑦−𝑦 𝑀 = = = 0.01025
𝑙𝑛 𝑦1 − 𝑦1 ∗ 𝑦2 − 𝑦2 ∗ ln 0.026 − 0.0077 0.005 − 0

𝑉𝑜𝑟𝑡
𝑦1 − 𝑦2 = 𝐾𝑦ı 𝑎𝑧 𝑦 − 𝑦 ∗ 𝑀
𝑆

3.852𝑥10−3
0.026 − 0.005 = 2.183𝑥10−2 𝑧 0.01025
0.186
𝑧 = 1.944 𝑚