Separation Process I: Gas Absorption

SEPARATION PROCESS I
Lecture 4
Gas Absorption
Last Updated:Monday, March 15, 2021

Learning objectives and outcome
To highlight the different methods of solving multiple stage

absorption/stripping.
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to solve multiple

stage absorption cases using both graphical and analytical
methods.
Last Updated: Last Updated:Monday, March 15, 2021 © I-Station Solutions Sdn Bhd 2
Absorption - General
As any separation processes, it is about reaching an equilibrium

between the components in two or more phases.
Absorption is dealing with a gas phase and a liquid phase.
Depending on direction of mass transfer we refer to it as Gas

Absorption or Stripping.
Gas Absorption
Definition:
Separation process where a gas mixture is contacted with a
liquid phase with the aim to remove one or more solutes from
the gas into the liquid phase.
Examples:
•Removal of Ammonia from air by water.
•Removal of SO from flue gas by amine solution.

2
•Hydrogenation of oils.
Stripping (Desorption)
Definition:
The reverse of Absorption is Stripping where solutes go from
liquid to gas.
The same theories and equations apply.
Examples:
• Removal of volatile products from oils by steam.
• Humidification.
Absorption and stripping
Absorption Stripping
Absorption and Stripping
Absorption
Stripping
Absorption equipment
Absorption operations:
• Trayed columns (plate columns) Commonly used
• Packed towers
• Spray towers
• Bubble columns Not common, but
is used
• Centrifugal contractors
Trayed column
Cylindrical column fitted

with trays to make the
gas phase and the
liquid phase flow
counter currently.
Tray design
Sieve tray (Perforation)
Valve tray
Bubble cap tray
Trayed column
• Can be easily scaled to fit requirements.

•The liquid/vapour (L/V) ratio has to be watched to make sure
good contact and hence efficient mass transfer is achieved.

Otherwise, flooding, weeping, spraying, etc. might occur.
•When achieved, equilibrium between gas and liquid may be
achieved.
Packed towers
Cylindrical column filled

with on or more sections
of packing material,
possibly with different
packing materials.
Packing material
Random packing material: Structured packing material:
Packed column usage
• Used when less than 60 cm in diameter and 6 m in

height is enough.
• Low pressure drop over column.
• Corrosive fluids.
• Low liquid hold up.
• Foaming problems.
Single stage (equilibrium)
Counter current steady state process Mole ratio
𝑋 = 𝑥𝑜
𝑜
1 − 𝑥𝑜
= 𝑦𝑜
𝑌 𝑜
1 − 𝑦𝑜
Mass balance
•Assume
steady state operation hence and do MBs:
Total:
Component A:
Solute free solvent flow
• We desire a mass transfer of solute, if we have

miscible solvent they will also transfer between
phases.
• Hence all variables of the outlets may be unknown.
• To simplify calculations (reduce degrees of freedom)
we study the inert material in the streams.
• V, L – solute + solvent
• V’, L’ – inert solvent only
L’ and V’
•For
totally immiscible solvent phases, the pure solvent rates are
constant.
L’ pure solvent flow rate,
V’ pure solvent flow rate,
Substitute back to MB:
General steps to solve absorption
•1. Calculate inert flowrate and .

2. Perform component material balance.
3. Apply Henry’s law to relate the and .
4. Solve for and .
5. Substitute and into the inert equation to find flowrate.
Example 1
A gas mixture at 1.0 atm(abs) pressure containing air and CO2 is

contacted in a simple mixer continuously with pure water at 293
K. The exit streams reach equilibrium. The inlet gas stream is
100 mol / h, containing 20 mol% CO2. The liquid flow rate is
300 mol/h Calculate the amounts and compositions of the 2
outlet phases. Assume that the water doesn’t vaporize into the
gas stream.
Example
=300 mol/h

=100 mol/h
= 0.2
= 0.8
References
C. J. Geankoplis, Transport Processes and Separation Process

Principles, 4th Ed., Prentice Hall 2003. Sections 10.1,10.2
W. L. McCabe, J. C. Smith and P. Harriott: Unit Operations of

Chemical Engineering, 7th Ed., McGraw Hill, 2004.
Chapter 18
Seader and Henley, Separation Process Principles, 2nd Ed.,

Wiley, 2006.
Sections 6.1,6.2

Separation Process I: Gas Absorption

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SEPARATION PROCESS I

Last Updated:Monday, March 15, 2021

To highlight the different methods of solving multiple stage

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to solve multiple

As any separation processes, it is about reaching an equilibrium

Absorption is dealing with a gas phase and a liquid phase.

Depending on direction of mass transfer we refer to it as Gas

•Removal of SO from flue gas by amine solution.

The same theories and equations apply.

Cylindrical column fitted

Sieve tray (Perforation)

Bubble cap tray

• Can be easily scaled to fit requirements.

good contact and hence efficient mass transfer is achieved.

Cylindrical column filled

Random packing material: Structured packing material:

• Used when less than 60 cm in diameter and 6 m in

Counter current steady state process Mole ratio

• We desire a mass transfer of solute, if we have

V’ pure solvent flow rate,

Substitute back to MB:

•1. Calculate inert flowrate and .

A gas mixture at 1.0 atm(abs) pressure containing air and CO2 is

C. J. Geankoplis, Transport Processes and Separation Process

W. L. McCabe, J. C. Smith and P. Harriott: Unit Operations of

Seader and Henley, Separation Process Principles, 2nd Ed.,

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