Evaluation of Mass

Transfer Coefficient
Example

The data given below were obtained from a wetted – wall column
with a constant liquid flow rate.

Molar Gas Flow rate, G (kmol/s) Overall Mass Transfer Coefficient, KG

(kmol/s.m2 (kN/m2)
0.03 157.8
0.06 210.6
0.12 261.0
0.18 285.6

kG also related to the gas flow rate by:

kG  AG 0.82
where A is constant

For molar gas flow rate of G = 0.1 kmol/s, evaluate the individual
mass transfer coefficient (kG and kL) and overall mass transfer
coefficient (KG) if H = 20 (kN/m2)/kmol
Evaluation of Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Solution

From Rate of Absorption:

1 1 H
 
K G kG k L

Assuming kL constant and given,

kG  AG 0.82
where A is constant

1 1 H
   Eq.a 
K G AG 0.82 k L

Equation (a) is straight line equation (y=mx+c) where:

y → 1 KG m → 1A

c →
0.82
x → 1G H kL
Evaluation of Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Solution

Construct graph:
y – axis → 1 KG
0.82
x – axis → 1 G

G KG x106
(kmol/s) 1 G0.82 1 KG
(kmol/s.m2 (kN/m2))
0.03 157.8 17.732 6.337 x 10-3
0.06 210.6 10.044 4.748 x 10-3
0.12 261.0 5.689 3.831 x 10-3
0.18 285.6 4.080 3.501 x 10-3
Evaluation of Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Solution

7.0E-03

6.0E-03

5.0E-03
1/KG x 10-6

4.0E-03 y = 2.079E-04x + 2.653E-03

3.0E-03

2.0E-03

1.0E-03

0.0E+00
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

1/G0.82

From the graph, straight line obtained: y = 2.079x10-4x + 2.653 x 10-3

m = 1 A = 2.079x10-4

c = H kL = 2.653 x 10-3
Evaluation of Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Solution

For molar gas flow rate of G = 0.1 kmol/s, evaluate the individual
mass transfer coefficient (kG) and overall mass transfer coefficient (KG)
if H = 20 (kN/m2)/kmol

G KG x106
(kmol/s) 1 G0.82 1 KG x 10-6
(kmol/s.m2 (kN/m2))
0.10 248.3 6.607 4.027 x 10-3

From equation obtained: y = 2.079x10-4x + 2.653 x 10-3

y  2.079104 x  2.653103
y  2.079104 (6.607)  2.653103
y  4.027103
1
 4.027103
KG
KG  248.3
Evaluation of Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Solution

From equation, slope:

1
m  2.079104
A
1
A  4810
2.079104

Individual mass transfer coefficient for gas, kG:

kG  AG 0.82
kG  48100.10 0.82

kG  728.0
Evaluation of Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Solution

From equation, y – intercept

H
c  2.653103
kL

Individual mass transfer coefficient for liquid, kL:

For H  20 kN/m 2 /kmol

H 20
kL  
c 2.653103
k L  7538.6
 Packed – tower → Description and Design

INTRODUCTION TO PACKED – TOWER

PRESSURE DROP AND FLOODING IN PACKED TOWER –

DETERMINATION OF TOWER DIAMETER

DETERMINATION OF HEIGHT OF TOWER

Introduction to Packed – Tower
Packed towers are used for continuous counter – current in absorption.

The tower in Figure 4 consists of a cylindrical column containing:

A gas inlet and distributing space at

the bottom

A liquid inlet and distributing device

at the top

A gas outlet at the top

A liquid outlet at the bottom

A packing filling in the tower.

A large intimate contact between the

liquid and gas is provided by the Figure 4 Packed tower flows
packing
 Introduction to Packed – Tower
Common types of packing which are dumped at random in the tower are
shown in Figure 5.

Packing are available in size of 3 mm to about 75 mm and mostly are made

of materials such as clay, porcelain, metal or plastic.

High void spaces of 65 – 95% are characteristics of good packings.

The packings permit relatively large volumes of liquid to pass

countercurrent to the gas flow through the openings with relatively low
pressure drops for the gas.

Figure 5 Typical random or dumped tower packings

(a) Rashig Ring (b) Berl Saddle (c) Pall Ring (d) Intalox Metal (e) Jaeger Metal Tri - Pack
Pressure Drop and Flooding in Packed
Towers
In a given packed tower with a given type and size of packing and with a
definite flow of liquid, there is an upper limit to the rate of gas flow, called
the flooding velocity.

The tower cannot be operated at gas flow velocity above flooding velocity.

At a low gas velocities, the liquid flows downward through the packing,
essentially uninfluenced by the upward gas flow.

As the gas flow rate is increased at low gas velocities, the pressure drop is
proportional to the flow rate to the 1.8 power.

At a gas flow rate called the loading point, the gas starts to hinder the
liquid down flow, and local accumulations or pools of liquid start to appear
in the packing (liquid holdup).

The pressure drop of the gas starts to rise at a faster rate.

As the flow rate of gas increased, the liquid holdup or accumulation

increases.
Pressure Drop and Flooding in Packed
Towers
At the flooding point, the liquid can no longer flow down through the
packing and is blown out with the gas.

In actual operating tower, the gas velocity is well below flooding velocity.

The optimum economic gas velocity is about one – half or more of flooding
velocity.

Flooding velocity depends on:

Type of packing / packing factor

Size of packing

Liquid mass velocity

Limiting pressure drop,

Pflood  0.115Fp0.7
where Pflood : Pressuredropatflooding
Fp : Packing Factor
Pressure Drop and Flooding in Packed
Towers