Exercises

1-The exit gas from an alcohol fermenter consists of an air–CO2 mixture containing 10
mol% CO2 that is to be absorbed in a 5.0-N solution of triethanolamine, containing 0.04
mol CO2 per mole of amine solution. If the column operates isothermally at 25ºC, if the
exit liquid contains 78.4% of the CO2 in the feed gas to the absorber, and if absorption is
carried out in a six-theoretical-plate column, use the equilibrium data below to calculate:
(a) exit gas composition, (b) moles of amine solution required per mole of feed gas.

Ans. a) mols of amine solution/mol feed gas=1.74 b) 2.34 mol% CO2 and 97.66 mol%
air.

2-Ninety-five percent of the acetone vapor in an 85 vol% air stream is to be absorbed by

countercurrent contact with pure water in a valve-tray column with an expected overall
tray efficiency of 50%. The column will operate at 20ºC and 101 kPa. Equilibrium data
for acetone–water at these conditions are:

Calculate: (a) the minimum value of L/V, the ratio mol H2O/mol air; (b) Number of
equilibrium stages, using a value of L/V of 1.25 times the minimum; and (c) the
concentration of acetone in the exit water. The last specification is the gas feed rate at 100
kmol/h.
Ans. a) L/V = 1.06 mol water/mol of air on an acetone-free basis = minimum ratio. b)
equilibrium stages is approximately 9. c) Exit mole fraction of acetone in the water =
0.113

4-A solvent-recovery plant consists of absorber and stripper plate columns. Ninety
percent of the benzene (B) in the inlet gas stream, which contains 0.06 mol B/mol B-free
gas, is recovered in the absorber. The oil entering the top of the absorber contains 0.01
mol B/mol pure oil. In the leaving liquid, X = 0.19 mol B/mol pure oil. Operating
temperature is 77ºF (25ºC). Superheated steam is used to strip benzene from the
benzenerich oil at 110ºC. Concentrations of benzene in the oil =0.19 and 0.01, in mole
ratios, at inlet and outlet, respectively. Oil (pure)-tosteam (benzene-free) flow rate ratio
= 2.0. Vapors are condensed, separated, and removed. Additional data are: MW oil = 200,
MW benzene =78, and MW gas = 32. Benzene equilibrium data are:

Calculate:
(a) Molar flow rate ratio of B-free oil to B-free gas in the absorber.
(b) Number of equilibrium stages in the absorber.
(c) Minimum steam flow rate in the stripper per mol of B-free oil.

Ans. a) L/V = 0.30 mol B-free oil to B-free gas b) between 9 and 10 equilibrium stages
are needed c) (V)min/L = 0.33.

4-A straw oil used to absorb benzene (B) from coke-oven gas is to be steam-stripped in a
sieve-plate column at 1 atm to recover B. Equilibrium at the operating temperature is
approximated by Henry’s law. It is known that when the oil phase contains 10 mol% B,
its partial pressure is 5.07 kPa. The oil is assumed nonvolatile, and enters containing 8
mol% B, 75% of which is to be recovered. The steam leaving is 3 mol% B. (a) How many
theoretical stages are required? (b) How many moles of steam are required per 100 mol
of feed? (c) If the benzene recovery is increased to 85% using the same steam rate, how
many theoretical stages are required?
Ans. a) N = approximately 3 stages b) X1 = 0.0217 mol B/mol B-free oil c) N =
between 5 and 6 stages.
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