SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

SEM II 2021/2022

EKC 217 MASS TRANSFER

GROUP ASSIGNMENT 3
INTEGRATED DESIGN PROJECT

GROUP 24

GROUP MEMBER : 1. OOI CHIA EN (151984)

2. JANE PUYANG AVIT (153512)
3. KHAVIENEIYAA A/P SELVARAJOO (153231)
4. PHILAIVAN A/P

LECTURER: PROF. MADYA DR. TAN SOON HUAT

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 17 JUNE 2022

Methodology

To construct x-y plots for the for the equilibrium for H 2S-methane in the gas-liquid, the operating
temperature and pressure is set within the given range of operating conditions. The chosen temperature
in this project is at 288.15 K and pressure at 20 atm.

To find the saturated pressure, the Antoine equation of H 2S is employed with constants A, B and C. The
constants are obtained from NIST Chemistry Web Book. The Antoine equation of H2S is as shown below:
958.587
4.52887−
° 288.15+ ( −0.539 )
P ( 15.00 ℃ )=10
sat

Assuming Raoult’s Law is valid for ideal system in this project, Raoult’s Law equation is utilized and
°
rearranged. By substituting the chosen operating pressure, Pand the calculated saturated pressure, Psat
into the Raoult’s Law equation, the equation obtained will be the equilibrium line equation which is as
follows:

15.5077
y A= x
20.0000 A
From the equation above, x and y coordinates on the equilibrium line can be generated. To plot the
graph, Microsoft Excel is used with the obtained x and y coordinates. The graph is plotted with both x-
axis and y-axis ranging from 0.000 to 0.025.

Material balance for the inlet, outlet and solvent conditions is constructed and solved. The material
balance obtained as shown below:

kmol kmol
1.99 1.99
hr hr
x b= , La =
La xb

To obtain the value of x b, trial and error are made with the solvent inlet flows of
kmol
78 , 80 , 90,100,120 with same inlet and outlet conditions using the material balance equation.
hr
The minimum operating line and operating lines with different solvent inlet flows were obtained and
plotted on the same graph of equilibrium line. The scale of the graph is enlarged with x-axis ranging from
0.0000 to 0.0004 and y-axis ranging from 0.0000 to 0.0005. By using trial and error, x b ,min can be
obtained from the intersection between the minimum operating line and the equilibrium line. To
determine the minimum flow of water at inlet, La , the material balance can be solved using the known
x b ,min .
 kmol
1.99
Using the material balance equation of hr , the inlet flow of solvent (water), Lb can be
x b=
La
manipulated as trial and error in finding the minimum flow of solvent Lb , min

Results
Calculation

Assumptions: P=20 .0000 atm , T =15 .00 ℃=288.15 K

kmol
Inlet conditions: y b= y 1=0.02 ,V b=V 1=100
hr
kmol
Outlet conditions: y a= y 2=0.0001 ,V a=V 2=V 1 =100
hr
Solvent condition: x a=x 1=0.0000

Material balance:

kmol kmol
La x a+V b y b=Lb x b +V a y a La ( 0.0000 ) +100 ( 0.02 )=La ( x b ) +100 (0.0001)
hr hr
kmol kmol
1.99 1.99
hr hr
x b= , La =
La xb

for which the equation above will be the equilibrium line equation. By substitution of values calculated
and assumed, we have the following.

15.5077
y A= x ⇒ y A =0.775385 x A
20.0000 A
kmol
Trial and error are made with the solvent inlet flows of 78 , 80 , 90,100,120 with same inlet and
hr
outlet conditions above.

By performing material balance, we could obtain as below:

kmol kmol kmol kmol kmol

For La =78 For La =80 For La =90 For La =100 For La =120
hr hr hr hr hr
kmol kmol kmol kmol kmol
1.99 1.99 1.99 1.99 1.99
hr hr hr hr hr
x b= x b= x b= x b= x b=
kmol kmol kmol kmol kmol
78 80 90 10 0 120
hr hr hr hr hr
¿ 0.025513 ¿ 0.024875 ¿ 0.0 22111 ¿ 0. 019999 ¿ 0.016583

By employing the Antoine equation with constants, A, B and C (Stull, 1947):

° B
log 10 Psat (T )=A−
T+C

For A=4.52887 , B=958.587 K , C=−0.539 K

°
and Psat and T are in ¯
¿ and K respectively.
 958.587
4.52887−
°
P ( 15.00 ℃ )=10 288.15+ ( −0.539 ) ¿ 15.70150 ¯¿¿ 15.5077 atm Assuming Raoult’s Law is valid for
sat

ideal system in this case

°
y A P=P A=x A P A
°
PA
y A= x
P A
Hence, from the equation above, we can generate a table of values of x and y coordinates on
equilibrium line.

Table 1: Coordinates of points on equilibrium line

x y
0.000000 0.000000
0.001000 0.000775
0.002000 0.001551
0.003000 0.002326
0.004000 0.003102
0.005000 0.003877
0.006000 0.004652
0.007000 0.005428
0.008000 0.006203
0.009000 0.006978
0.010000 0.007754
0.011000 0.008529
0.012000 0.009305
0.013000 0.010080
0.014000 0.010855
0.015000 0.011631
0.016000 0.012406
0.017000 0.013182
0.018000 0.013957
0.019000 0.014732
0.020000 0.015508
0.021000 0.016283
0.022000 0.017058
0.023000 0.017834
0.024000 0.018609
0.025000 0.019385
0.026000 0.020160
0.027000 0.020935
 Graph 1: Operating Lines at L = 78, 80, 90, 100, 120 kmol/hr, minimum operating line and equilibrium line

0.020000 f(x) = 0.775385 x

f(x) = 0.771508075 x + 9.99999999999994E-05

0.015000
y

0.010000

0.005000

0.000000
0.000000 0.005000 0.010000 0.015000 0.020000 0.025000

Equilibrium Line Linear (Equilibrium Line)

Minimum Operating Line Linear (Minimum Operating Line)
Operating Line (L=78 kmol/hr) Linear (Operating Line (L=78 kmol/hr))
 Graph 2: Operating Lines at L = 78, 80, 90, 100, 120 kmol/hr, minimum operating line and equilibrium line
(x=0.000000 to x=0.000400, y=0.000000 to y=0.000500)

0.000500

0.000450

0.000400 f(x) = 0.771508075 x + 9.99999999999994E-05

0.000350

0.000300 f(x) = 0.775385 x

0.000250
y

0.000200

0.000150

0.000100

0.000050

0.000000
0.000000 Equilibrium
0.000050Line 0.000100 0.000150 0.000200Linear
0.000250 0.000300
(Equilibrium Line) 0.000350 0.000400
Minimum Operating Line Linear (Minimum Operating Line)
Operating Line (L=78 kmol/hr) x Linear (Operating Line (L=78 kmol/hr))
Operating Line (L=80 kmol/hr) Linear (Operating Line (L=80 kmol/hr))
Operating Line (L=90 kmol/hr) Linear (Operating Line (L=90 kmol/hr))
By trial and error, we yield equation of minimum operating line to be y=0.771508 x +0.000100 which
intersects the equilibrium line at x b ,min =0.025794 . Thus, by performing material balance again, we may
yield the minimum flow of the solvent, which in this case is water to be

kmol kmol
1.99 1.99 kmol
hr hr ¿ 77.1 5
La = ¿ hr
x b ,min 0.025794

kmol
Hence, the minimum flow of water at inlet will be La=77.15 .
hr
Plot discussion

Through literature, justify the selection of water as a solvent to absorb H2S from the natural gas
(Need to include in plot discussion)

According to literature, there two methods the selectivity of H 2S absorption in once-through

water scrubbing. First a reboiled absorption column and the second is an absorption column with
bottom liquid flashes. Natural gas is found under pressure in deep reserves in nature. After
bringing raw natural gas to the surface, it must be treated further to make it suitable for pipelines
transit of commercial use. The constituents which can be found in the raw natural gas is
hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide as they are very undesirable as they can cause corrosion
and present major safety risks. Because natural gas has such a diverse composition, including
varying concentrations of the two acid gases, a variety of techniques to remove them have been
developed. Since it absorbs gas contaminations, water has been employed as an absorbent for gas
impurities. The benefits of using water as solvent is it is inexpensive, and it can be used in simple
scrubbing units with less concern about leakage than organic solvents. It is also can be used on a
once-through basis. It is sensible to consider the use of water as an absorbent for H 2S in
circumstances where the water can be used to absorb H 2S in a "once-through" manner rather than
having to be regenerated and reused, and where the water can then be easily disposed of by
injection into a suitable subsurface reservoir. Besides, even if very high pumping loads are
required, water-wash does not require heat loads. Water may also be used to wash high-pressure
gases, where the contaminant’s solubility is increased to a level that makes the operation
economically viable due to the high pressure of the impurity, which is only sparingly soluble at
low pressure. Water scrubbing is deemed attractive for this type of application because of its low
capital cost in small sizes, ease of operation and maintenance, and use of a widely available in
non-hazardous absorbent. (Mamrosh et al., n.d.)

When compared to the other solvents used to remove H 2S from gases, such as alkanolmines,
water is a relatively poor solvent for H 2S. Hydrogen sulphide is slightly soluble in water at lower
pressure, so alkanolmines are preferable in this situation. In order to achieve significant
absorption of hydrogen sulphide from a gas, a large amount of water is required, and the
absorption process must take place at high pressure. Plus, if water is utilised, it must be at a low
temperature with a high heat reboiler temperature for hydrogen sulphide to be absorbed more
efficiently, even deep in the collective selectivity of absorption. An increase in feed water flow
rate and a decrease in feed water temperature will improve H 2S and CO2 removal efficiently. The
temperature of the reboiler is manipulated to achieve selectivity for H 2S removal. (Mamrosh et
al., n.d.)

Water, non-condensable gas, and acid gases pass through a circulating pump into separator for
cross exchange and a reboiler that maintains a changeable high temperature for H 2S selective
adsorption. A throttle valve is located before the separator, which raises the stream pressure and
facilitates separation. The waste sour water is removed from the separator by heat exchange, and
the entire treated gas is returned to the absorber column for selective absorption. (Mamrosh et al.,
n.d.)

Figure 1 : Conceptional Design for selective H2S Scrubbing Using a Reboiled Absorber
Column

The second method which is absorption column with bottom liquid flashes is used to selectively
absorb H2S. There were three flash stages considered: 1, 2, and 3, with each flash's pressure
decreasing. Each flash's gas (which will be high in CO2) is compressed, mixed with the gas from
the other flash stages, and returned to the bottom of the column. (Mamrosh et al., n.d.)
Without flash, the absorber removes approximately 100% of the H 2S (desired) and 55% of the
CO2 as in the reboiler scenarios which is not desired. As more flash stages are added, the H 2S
removal reduces significantly while the CO 2 removal accelerates, resulting in H 2S removal that is
selective. While flashing the bottoms liquid to a lower pressure is a low-cost unit operation, the
gases produced during the flash, which are predominantly CO 2 with some H2S, must be
compressed to 5 bar before being returned to the absorption column. (Mamrosh et al., n.d.)
In few situations in which the flash pressure is changed from 0.5 to 2 bar while the input water
temperature and flow rate remain constant. It's important to remember that the temperature and
flow rate of the feed water have a big impact on this system. In general, an increase in the water
flow rate and a decrease in the temperature will result in an increase in the absorption efficiency
of both CO2 and H2S. Manipulation of the flash conditions result in the selectivity for H 2S
removal. (Mamrosh et al., n.d.)

Figure 2 : Selective H2F Scrubbing Using an Absorber Column with 2-Stage Bottom Flash
The flash and reboiler strategies for enhancing H2S absorption selectivity are two ways to
accomplish the same thing. From a capital cost perspective, the reboiler method will required
installation of large heat exchangers, while the flash method will require the purchase of gas
compression, From an operating cost perspective, the reboiler method will consume either steam
or hot brine (if available) while the flash method will typically require electricity to drive the
compressors. The approach to utilise for achieving selectivity may be determined by the situation
and preferences of the site where the technology will be used. (Mamrosh et al., n.d.)

Reference
Mamrosh, D., Mcintush, K., Douglas, A. and Fisher, K. (n.d.). Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide and
Recovery of Carbon Dioxide from Geothermal Non-Condensable Gas Using Water. [online]
Available at: http://www.trimeric.com/assets/removal-of-hydrogen-sulfide-and-recovery-of-
carbon-dioxide-from-geothermal-non-condensable-gas-using-water.pdf [Accessed 14 Jun. 2022].
Stull, D., 1947. Vapor Pressure of Pure Substances. Organic and Inorganic Compounds.
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry, 39(4), pp.517-540.