DESIGN OF ABSORPTION
COLUMN
PRESENTED BY: ALI SHAAN(016)
USAMA SAEED(049)
ALI HASSAN(031)
CASE
It is required to design a packed tower to treat 40000 ft3 /h of an air stream containing
20 mole% of so2 at 700c and 1 atm total pressure. It is necessary to recover 96% of
the so2 using water at a rate 30% more than the minimum. The column may be
1
packed with 1 -inch Raschig rings and may be operated at 60% of the flooding
2
velocity. The individual mass transfer coefficients are k /x a=1.25kmol/m3s and
k /ya=0.075kmol/m3s . Design the tower.
STEPS USED DURING DESIGN OF
ABSORPTION COLUMN
• Selection of solvent
• Selection of column type
• Selection of packing
• Equilibrium data
• Material balance
• Minimum solvent flow rate
CONTINUED…
• Operating solvent flow rate
• Flooding/Diameter collection
• Pressure drop
• Height of packing
SOLVENT SELECTION
We Selected water(H2O) here:
• Because it is cheap.
• Non Toxic.
• Easily available.
SELECTION OF PACKING
We have selected random packing here:
• Because pressure drop is nearly negligible in our case.
• It is cheap as compare to structured .
MATERIAL AND TYPE OF PACKING
Raschig ring 1.5 inches.
Ceramic material.
Because they have:
• High Strength.
• High Fracture Toughness.
• High Hardness.
• Excellent Wear Resistance.
• Good Frictional Behaviour.
EQUILIBRIUM DATA
g S02/100 g H2O 600c 700c 900c
0.01 0.43 0.689999997 1.21
0.05 5.24 7.793333308 12.9
0.1 13.5 19.56666661 31.7
0.15 22.7 32.53333324 52.2
0.2 32.6 46.29999986 73.7
0.25 42.8 60.46666649 95.8
0.3 53.3 74.86666645 118
CONTINUED…
Mole Fractions
X y
2.8124E-05 0.000908
0.000140604 0.010254
0.000281169 0.025746
0.000421694 0.042807
0.000562179 0.060921
0.000702625 0.079561
0.000843032 0.098509
0.001123727 0.137456
0.001404264 0.177456
0.00280459 0.385088
CONTINUED…
Mole Ratios
X Y
2.8125E-05 0.000909
0.00014062 0.010361
0.00028125 0.026426
0.00042187 0.044721
0.0005625 0.064873
0.00070312 0.086439
0.00084374 0.109273
0.00112499 0.159361
0.00140624 0.215741
0.00281248 0.626248
CONTINUED…
Conversion is as follows:
Pso2 0.6mmHg
y (e.g) 7.89x10-4
Patm 760mmHg
c / M.Wso2 0.02 / 64
x (e.g ) 5.625x10-5
c / M.Wso2 100 / M .WH 2 0 0.02 / 64 100 /18
The equilibrium (x, y) data are converted to mole ratio unit (X, Y) and plotted on X-Y plane.
As shown below. The cure is slightly convex upward. So the operating line corresponding to
the minimum liquid rate will not touch the equilibrium line. It will rather meet the equilibrium
line at the point having an ordinate Y1 (0.25). This is the pinch point having abscissa = (X1)max
= 0.0015.
EQUILIBRIUM CURVE
Equilibrium curve
0.7
0.65
0.6
0.55
0.5
0.45
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
0 0.0005 0.001 0.0015 0.002 0.0025 0.003
.
Material Balance
Average molecular weight = (mole fr. So2)*(M.W of so2)+( mole fr. Air)*(M.W of Air)
M .w (.2)(64) (.8)(28.8)
35.84
PM 1*35.84
ρ 0.07945 ft 3 / h
RT 1.31443*343.15
Volumetric flow rate = 40,000 ft3/h
Mass flow =m 40, 000 ft 3 / h *0.07945lb / ft 3
CONTINUED…
G 3178.38lb / h
G 1441.6889kg / h
G1 (1441.6889 / 35.84) kmol/ h
G1 40.2256kmol / h
y1 0.2
y1
Y1 0.25
1 y1
Gs G1 (1 y1 ) 32.180kmol / h
so2 entering G1 y1 8.04512kmol / h
so2 absorbed so2 entering * (0.96) 7.7233152kmol / h
so2leaving 0.32180kmol / h
concentration
Y2 so2 / Gs 0.01
y2 1 Y2 / Y2 0.001
CONTINUED…
As solvent is pure
x2=0 (Mole Fraction unit)
X2=0 (Mole ratio unit)
MINIMUM LIQUID FLOW RATE
By an overall material balance:
( Ls ) min Y1 Y2
Gs ( X 1 ) max X2
( Ls ) min 4984.682kmol / h
( Ls )operating 1.3( Ls ) min 6480.0866kmol / h
Molecular weight of solvent =18
Ls 6480.0886 /18
Ls 116641kg / h
LIQUID FLOW RATE AT BOTTOM OF
TOWER
L1 Ls so2 absorbed 116641 7.7233 116649.2821kg / h
And the x1=0.002462
FLOODING VELOCITY CALCULATION
Total pressure in the tower =1atm ( I have neglected the pressure drop in the tower); temp=
303 k
L1=116649.2821 kg/h
G1=1441.6889 kg/h
M.Wav=35.84
ρg 0.07945lb / ft 3 1.267kg / m3
µl=0.4079cp; surface tension = 64.47 dyne/cm (McCabe smith 7th edition)
ρ(liquid)=61.07 lb/ft3 =978.25 kg/m3 (McCabe smith 7th edition)
CONTINUED…
Flow parameter
L ρ g 0.5
Flv ( ) 2.91
G ρl
As our packing material is Raschig (dp=1.5 inch);
By using Eckert’s GPDC Chart ( Figure 5.33, principle of mass transfer and separation by
Binay k. dutta). Since it good enough for first generation packing. At flooding Flv=2.91, the
capacity parameter is 0.0075.
CONTINUED…
The other parameters are:
ρw µl 0.4079cp
1
ρl Fp 94.5 / ft
g c 4.18x108 ft / h 2
Capacity parameter equation for the first generation.
ρw
(G ')2fl Fp ( )( µl )0.2
ρl
cp
ρ g ρl g c
CONTINUED…
G 'fl 438.931lb / ft 2 .h
G 'op 0.70* G ' fl 307lb / ft 2 .h
G 'op 1500kg / m2 .h
TOWER DIAMETER
Tower cross section:
G / G 'op 1441.6889 /1500
0.9611m2
Diameter 0.9611* 4 1.106 m
TOWER HEIGHT CALCULATION
Overall material balance equation:
( Ls ) min Y Y2
1
Gs X 1 X2
Gs 32.180kmol / h
Ls 6480.0866kmol / h
y1 0.20
x1 0.001547
y2 0.001
x2 0
CONTINUED…
The individual gas and liquid phase mass transfer coefficient are given. The following equation
is used to find the height.
h H tG * N tG
G'
H tG
k 'y a '
(1 y )iM
y1 y 1
N tG dy f ( y )dy
y2
(1 y ) *( y yi ) y2
Now we have plotted the equilibrium data on x-y plane (mole fr. Unit). Then we fined the
interfacial concentrations on the gas side. ( By Following the procedure describe in the Section
6.4.1 ( principle of mass transfer and separation process By Binay K.Dutta).
CONTINUED…
Equilibrium Curve (mole fr. unit)
0.42
0.39
0.36
0.33
0.3
0.27
0.24
0.21
0.18
0.15
0.12
0.09
0.06
0.03
0
0 0.0003 0.0006 0.0009 0.0012 0.0015 0.0018 0.0021 0.0024 0.0027 0.003
CONTINUED…
y yi (1-y)im 1-y y-yi f(y)
0.2 0.19 0.80499 0.8 0.01 100.6237
0.185 0.175 0.81999 0.815 0.01 100.6122
0.149 0.133 0.858975 0.851 0.016 63.08572
0.1 0.047 0.926247 0.9 0.053 19.41818
0.0569 0.0513 0.945897 0.9431 0.0056 179.1011
0.0427 0.0376 0.959848 0.9573 0.0051 196.6003
0.00887 0.00633 0.992399 0.99113 0.00254 394.205
0.00335 0.00178 0.997435 0.99665 0.00157 637.4442
CONTINUED…
By using trapezoidal rule:
(1 y )iM
y1 y 1
NtG dy f ( y )dy 12.5
y2
(1 y )*( y yi ) y2
so
NtG 12.5
CONTINUED…
The height of a gas-phase transfer unit:
G'
H tG
k 'y a '
k ' y 0.075*3600 270kmol / h.m 2
G '1 40.2256 / 0.9611 41.85371kmol / h.m 2
G '2 Gs / (1 y2 ) *0.9611 33.4824 kmol/ h .m 2
G ' 37.6686 kmol/ h .m 2
H tG 0.311m
h NtG * H tG
h 0.311*12.5 3.88m
Specification Sheet
Identification:
Item: Packed Absorption Column
Item No: N/A
No. required: 1
Function: To remove SO2 from mixture of gases
Operation: Continuous
CONTINUED…
Entering gas Exit gas Liquid entering
Kg/hr Kg/hr Kg/hr
1441.6889 1045.904 116649
Design data:
No. of transfer units = 12.5
Height of transfer units = 0.311 m
Total height of column = 3.88m
Diameter = 1.109m
Pressure drop = Neglected
CONTINUED…
Internals:
Size and type = 1.5 in Rachig ring
Material of packing: Ceramic
Packing arrangement: Dumped
Type of packing support: Simple grid & perforated support
