BITS, PILANI – K. K.

BIRLA GOA CAMPUS

Gas Absorption

Dr. S. S. Baral

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Gas Absorption
 Gas absorption is operation in which a gas mixture is contacted
with a liquid for preferentially dissolving one or more components
of the gas & to provide a solution of them in liquid.
 Examples:
• Acetone can be recovered from acetone-air mixture by passing
the gas stream into water in which acetone dissolves and air
passes out.
• Washing of ammonia from ammonia-air mixture with liquid
water.
• Removal of objectionable hydrogen sulfide from naturally
occurring hydrocarbon gases by various alkaline solutions in
which it is absorbed.
• Absorption of oxides of nitrogen to give nitric acid.

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 Absorption processes are conveniently
divided into two groups
• those in which the process is solely
physical e.g. removal of ammonia from
ammonia-air mixture by absorption in
water
• those where a chemical reaction is
occurring, e.g. absorption of carbon
dioxide in a solution of NaOH
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Equilibrium between Liquid &
Gas
 The degree to which gas is absorbed from gaseous
mixture by liquid solvent is determined by its partial
pressure
 Each dissolved gas exerts a partial pressure at a
given temperature and concentration
• Gas is said to be slightly soluble when the partial
pressure exerted by the dissolved gas from solution
is higher
• Gas is said to be more soluble when the partial
pressure exerted by dissolved gas of given
concentration is lower

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Temperature influence:
 The solubility of any gas is influenced
by the temperature , described by
van’t Hoff’s law of mobile equilibrium.
 General trend is that solubility of gas
decreases with increase in
temperature.

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 Equilibrium between Liquid &
Gas

In case of curve B
• the gas is relatively insoluble
for curve C
• the solubility is high

Solubility of gas decreases with

increasing temperature
Eg. Curve A and D

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Ideal/ non-Ideal Liquid
Solution

Raoult’s Law:
p*  px
where p* partial pressure of solute gas A
p vapor pressure of A at the same temperatur e

Henry’s Law:
y*  mx
where y* equilibrium mole fraction of A
m constant
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Choice of Solvent for Absorption

Gas solubility:
• should be high, thus increasing the rate of absorption and
decreasing the quantity of solvent required
• Solvents of chemical nature similar to that of the solute to
be absorbed will provide good solubility eg. hydrocarbon
oils , and not water, are used to remove benzene from
coke-oven gas
• A chemical reaction of solvent with the solute will
frequently result in very high gas solubility, but if the
solvent is to be recovered for reuse, the reaction must be
reversible.

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 Choice of Solvent for Absorption
Volatility:
• The solvent should have a low vapor pressure since the gas
leaving absorption operation is generally saturated with the
solvent and much may thereby be lost. Viscosity:
Viscosity:
• Viscosity of the solvent should be less to obtain high
absorption rates
Cost:
• Solvent should be inexpensive and should be readily available.
Solvent should be Nontoxic, Nonflammable & Chemically Stable

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Equipments for Absorption

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Equipments for Absorption

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 Material Balance
L2
LS G2
X2
x2
GS
Y2 G1, G2, and G the molal flow rates of total
y2
gas at inlet, outlet and at an arbitrary section
in column.
Let y1,y2 and y be mole fractions of solute
L
G
gas at respective stations.
LS
X G
Y
Let L1,L2 and L be the molal flow rates of
liquid at inlet, outlet and at an arbitrary
section, and x1,x2 and x be the mole fractions
at respective stations.
L1 G1
LS
X1
GS
Y1 Also let Gs and Ls be the molal flow rates of
x1 y1
inert (insoluble) gas and solute-free solvent
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 L2 Material Balance
LS G2
X2 GS
x2 Y2
y2

MB over envelope is
G1 + L = L1 + G
MB of solute component is-
L
G1y1 + Lx = L1x1 + Gy
G
LS
X G where,
Y
y = mole fraction of solute in gas phase
(1- y) = mole fraction of inert gas in gas
phase
Gs = G (1-y) = G1(1-y1) = G2(1-y2)
Similarly,
L1 G1
LS GS (1-x) = mole fraction of solute-free
X1 Y1
x1 y1 solvent in liquid phase
Ls = L(1-x) = L1(1-x1) = L2(1-x2)
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 Material Balance
L2
LS G2
GS
X2
Y2 y1 x x1 y
Gs  Ls  Ls  Gs
x2
y2

1  y1 1 x 1  x1 1 y
Y
y

moles of solute per
1 y mole of
L
G
solute-free gas
LS
X G x moles of solute per
Y X   mole of
1 x
solute-free solvent
GsY1 + LsX = LsX1 +
L1 G1
GsY
LS GS
X1 Y1
x1 y1

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G ( Y -Y ) = Ls( X1-X )
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Operating Line for Absorber and Stripper

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Minimum Liquid to Gas Ratio

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Cocurrent Absorber

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 Cocurrent Absorber

When the gas and liquid flows down Cocurrently

• Operating line as a slope – (LS/GS)
• No limit on this ratio but exceptionally tall
tower is required to achieve the equilibrium
• It may be used when gas has to be dissolved
as a pure substance, where there is no
advantage to counter current operation

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 Problem based on Absorber
1) A coal gas is to be freed from its light oil by scrubbing
with wash oil as an absorbent.
Given Data: Gas in = 0.01075 kmol/s at 26 deg C, which
contain 2 % by volume light oil vapors.
Light oil is assumed to be benzene and 95 % has to be
removed
Wash oil enters at 26 deg C, containing 0.005 mole fraction
benzene, and Avg Mol weight 260. An oil circulation rate of
1.5 times the minimum is to be used. Wash oil benzene
solutions are ideal. T = 26 deg C constant and Total
Pressure = 803 mmHg
Vap pressure of Benzene = 100 mm Hg = 13,330 N/m2

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 Solution to the Problem
Development of Operating Line Equation

p*  100 x y*  p * / pt y*  (100 / 803) x

y*  0.12453 x
y* x
Y*  & X
1 y * 1 x
Y* X
 0.12453
1 Y * 1 X

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 X1 = 0.176 kmol Benzene/kmol wash Oil
(E)

Min LS = Gs [( Y1-Y2 ) /( X1-X2 )]

= 1.190 x 10-3 kmol oil/s

1.5 times Ls = 1.787 x 10-3 kmol oil/s

X1 = 0.1190 kmol Benzene/kmol oil

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 DESIGN OF A PACKED-BED ABSORPTION
COLUMN CONSIDERING
1. HETP method (Old method not used)
2. Differential method

Differential method
Z=HtGNtG=HtOGNtOG
Z=HtLNtL=HtOLNtOL

HtG=G/Fga=G/kya(1-y)im=G/kGapt(1-y)im

NtG=(y1-y2)/(y1-y2)im

HtOG=G/FOga=G/Kya(1-y)*m=G/KGapt(1-y)*m
NtOG=(y1-y2)/(y1-y2)*m

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 Example
5000 kg/h of SO2-air mixture containing
5% by volume of SO2 is to be scrubbed with
2,00,000 kg/h of water in a packed tower.
The exit concentration of SO2 is reduced to
0.15 %. The tower operate at 1 atm
pressure. The equilibrium relation is given
by Y=30X
If the packed height of the tower is 420 cm,
estimate the height of the gas transfer unit

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 Example

A packed tower is designed to recover 98% CO2

from a gas mixture containing 10% CO2 and 90% air
using water.
The equilibrium relation is Y=14X
The water to gas rate is kept 30% more than the
minimum value. Calculate the height if HtOG=1m

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 Problem:
A gas stream containing 3% of A is passed through a packed bed to
remove 99% of A by absorption in water. Absorber @ 25oC and 1
atm. Gas and liquid rates are 20kmol/h.ft2 and 100kmol/h.ft2
respectively. Mass transfer coefficients and equilibrium data are
given as follows :
y* = 3.1x @ 25oC
kxa = 60 mol/h.ft3. unitmol fraction
kya = 15 mol/h.ft3. unitmol fraction
•Find NtOG, HtOG, ZT assuming isothermal operation and neglecting
change in gas and liquid flow rates. What % of total resistance is in
the gas phase?
•Calculate ZT using NtOl and HtOl.
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Solution:-
 Assume xa = 0. Since GMΔy = LMΔx
xb = (20)(0.003)(0.99)/100 =0.00594
y*b = 3.1(0.00594) = 0.01841
At the bottom of the column,
yb-y*b = 0.03-0.01841 = 0.01159
At the top,
ya-y*a = 0.0003
Δy*BM = = 0.00309
NOy = Δy/Δy*BM = 9.61
= 0.11833 ; =>Kya = 8.45
HOy = LM/Kya = 20/8.45 = 2.37ft.
ZT = (HOy)(NOy) = 9.61 x 2.37 = 22.7ft.

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At the bottom of the column,

x* = 0.03/3.1 = 0.009677
Δx = 0.009677-0.00594 = 0.003737

At the top,

x*= 0.0003/3.1 = 9.677x10-5 ; x=0

ΔxL = = 9.96x10-4
NOx = (xb/ΔxL ) = 5.96
(1/Kxa) = = 0.03817 =>Kxa = 26.2
HOx = (LM/Kxa) = 100/26.2 = 3.817ft.
ZT = NOx x HOx = 5.96x3.817 = 22.7ft.

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 Problem :
A packed tower uses an organic amine to absorb
carbon dioxide. The entering gas which contains
1.26 mol% CO2, is to leave with only 0.04 mol%
CO2. The amine enters pure, without CO 2, If the
amine left in equilibrium with the entering gas
(which it doesn’t), it would contain 0.8 mol%
CO2. The gas flow is 2.3 gmol/sec, the liquid flow
is 4.8 gmol/sec, the tower’s diameter is 40 cm,
and the overall mass transfer coefficient time the
area per volume Kya is 5x10-5gmol/cm3 sec.
How tall should this tower be?

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 PROBLEM
Coal gas is to be freed of its light oil by scrubbing with wash oil as an absorbent and the
light oil recovered by stripping the resulting solution with steam. The circumstances are
as follows.
Absorber: Gas in, 0.250 m3/s at 26°C, pt= 1.07 x 105 N/m2, containing 2.0% by volume of
light oil vapours. The light oil will be assumed to be entirely benzene, and a 95% removal
is required. The wash oil is to enter at 26°C, containing 0.005 mole fraction benzene, and
has an average molecular wt 260. An oil circulation rate of 1.5 times the minimum is to
be used. Wash oil-benzene solutions are ideal. The temperature will be constant at 26°C.
Stripper: The solution from the absorber is to be heated to 120°C and will enter the
stripper at 1 std atm pressure. Stripping steam will be at standard atmospheric pressure,
superheated to122°C. The debenzolized oil, 0.005-mole fraction benzene, is to be cooled
to 26°C and returned to the absorber. A steam rate of l.5 times the minimum is to be
used. The temperature will be constant at 122°C.
Compute the oil circulation rate and the steam rate required.

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Problem:

It is desired to absorb 95% of acetone by water from a

mixture of acetone and nitrogen containing 1.5% of the
component in a countercurrent tray tower. Total gas input is
30kmol/hr and water enters the tower at a rate of
90kmol/hr. The tower operates at 27ºC and 1 atm. The
equilibrium relation is y+1.53xy-2.53x=0.

Find the equation of the operating line

Determine the number of ideal stages necessary for the

separation using graphical method and Kremser’s equations.

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Solution G N+1
=30kmol
yN+1=0.015 Basis: 1 hour
L0=90 kmol
Moles of acetone in = 30×0.015 moles=0.45 moles
Moles of nitrogen in = (30-0.45) moles=29.55 moles
•Gs=29.55 moles
Moles of acetone leaving (95% absorbed) = 0.45×(1-0.95) moles
=0.0225 moles
Ls=90 moles (assuming the water feed is free of acetone)
Y1=0.0225 / 29.55=7.61×10−4
YN+1=0.015 / (1-0.015) = 0.0152
Operating line:
Gs(YN+1-Y1)=Ls(XN-X0)
29.55 x (0.0152 - 7.61×10−4) = 90 x (XN – 0)
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XN=4.68x10 -3
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Construction of operating line PQ:
P(X0,Y1)=P(0,7.61×10-4)
Q(XN, YN+1)=Q(4.68×10-3, 0.0152)
Slope of the operating line== 3.085
Y-3.085X=7.61×10-4
Equilibrium relation: y+1.53xy-2.53x=0
can be rewritten as y-xy+2.53xy-2.53x=0
y (1 - x) + 2.53x (y – 1) = 0
Y = 2.53X

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We plot different values of X and corresponding values of Y
to obtain the equilibrium line. From the graph, the number
of triangles obtained is more than 7. Hence the number
ofideal stages is 8.

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 Kremser’s Equation:

Where,

•Number of ideal stages by Kremsen’s Analysis method is =8.

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Problem:

An absorber packed with pall rings to the height of m is currently

being used at 200C and 2 atm pressure to remove a pollutant from
an exhaust gas stream. 800m3/h of the exhaust gas containing
2.9volume% pollutants is fed to the bottom of the tower. By feeding
a recycled nonvolatile solvent stream (containing 0.4mol% pollutant)
to the top of the tower, the pollutant concentration in the exiting gas
stream is reduced to 0.15%. The solvent stream leaves the bottom
of the tower containing 4.6% pollutant. Calculate the following.
The molar rate of gas stream entering the tower in mol/h
Equation of the operating line
Inert liquid solvent rate in mol/h, through the tower
Liquid flow rate from the bottom of the absorber
Feed liquid flow rate.
Check the overall mass balance

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PROBLEM
Ammonia is to be scrubbed from a stream of air containing 16 mol%
of the solute by water at 250C and 1 atm total pressure. The feed
gas rate is 60kmol/h.m2and the water rate is 70kmol/h.m2. It is
required to remove 99% of the ammonia in the feed. If the overall
gas phase volumetric mass transfer coefficient is K’ ya=100 kmol/(h)
(m3)(Δy), determine the HTU. NTU, and the height of the packing
required.
Equilibrium Data
Where,
P= total pressure (atm) – vapour pressure of water at the given
temperature
x= mole fractions of the solute in the liquid
y*=equilibrium mole fraction of NH3 in air.
The vapour pressure of water at 250C = 0.4574psi

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 Problem
A mixture of acetone vapor and air containing 5%by vol.
of acetone is to be freed of its acetone content by
scrubbing it with water in a packed bed absorber. The
blowrate of the gas mixture is 700m3/hr of acetone free
air measured at STP and that of water is 1500 Kg/hr . The
absorber operates at 20°C and a pressure of 101kpa.The
scrubber absorbed 98%acetone.The equilibrium relation
between acetone vapor and water system is given by
Y*=1.68X.calculate:
a)The mean driving force for absorption
b)Mass transfer area if the overall mass transfer coeff.
KG=0.4Kmol of acetone/m2.hr(kmol of acetone/kmol of
dry air.
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 Problem
5000kg/hr of SO2-air mixture containing
5%by vol. SO2 is to be scrubbed with
200ton/hr of water in a packed tower.The
exit concentration of SO2 is reduced to
0.15%.The operating pr. is 1atm.The
equilibrium relation is given by Y=30X .if
the packed height of the tower is
420cm.Estimate the height of the gas
transfer unit.

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 Problem
A packed tower is designed to recover
98% CO2 from a gas mixture containing
10% CO2 and 90% air using water.
Equilibrium relation is Y=14X.The water
to gas rate is kept 30% more than the
minimum value. Calculate height if
HtG=1m.
Y  kg CO2/kg dry air X  kg CO2/kg
water
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 Problem
It is desired to absorb 95% of acetone in
a 2mol% mixture of acetone in air in a
continuous countercurrent operation
using 20% more than the min. water
rate. Pur water is introduced at the top
and gas mixture from the bottom at a
rate of 500Kg/hr.Find NtoG , T=25°C.
Equilibrium relation Y*=2.53X.

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 Problem
An ammonia air mixture containing 2% by
vol. of ammonia is to be scrubbed with
water at 20°C in a tower packed with 1.27
rasching rings. The water and gas rate are
1170kg/hr.m2 each. Estimate the height of
the tower required of 98% f the ammonia in
the entering gas is to be absorbed. The
tower operates at 1atm pr. The equilibrium
relation is y=0.746x.HTU is given as 2m.

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 Thanks

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