Mass transfer operations in packed towers
An alternative to stage wise equipment:
The idea is to fill a column with solid packing:
- The packing shaped to provide liquid-vapour mass transfer area
- There is no discrete and identifiable stages
- Liquid and vapour are continuously contacted
- Mass exchange tends to bring the two phases to equilibrium.
Mass transfer operations in packed towers
Gas outlet
Liquid inlet
Liquid outlet Gas inlet
Mass transfer operations in packed towers
Materials:
• metal
• plastic
• ceramic
Choice of materials depend on the corrosiveness of
the system and the cost of the material
Mass transfer operations in packed towers
Tray operations
Surface area for mass transfer:
Bubble/liquid interface
Equilibrium:
Vapour and liquid phases leaving a stage are assumed to be in equilibrium;
non-equilibrium is accounted for with stage efficiencies
Operating points are given by set of ( xn , yn 1 )
Packed operations
Surface area for mass transfer:
Surface area for packing
Equilibrium:
Vapour and liquid are not at equilibrium; non-equilibrium provides
the force for mass transfer
Mass transfer operations in packed towers
Advantages of packed columns
• Lower pressure drop for the gas phase,
e.g. for vacuum distillation
• Lower capital cost if the diameter (function of vapour flow rate) is less
than 0.6 m.
• Can be made of corrosion resistant material,
e.g. ceramics.
Mass transfer operations in packed towers
Advantages of plate columns over packed columns:
• More economical at higher vapour flow rates (i.e.
diameter).
• More suitable for large numbers of theoretical stages
(because of redistribution issue).
• Better for large fluctuations of temperature (leading to
packing attrition).
• More suitable for highly exothermic/endothermic
operations (easier to fit heat transfer surface).
• Better for highly fouling conditions (if the column size
allows for man-way access for cleaning).
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
A Liquid B Gas
mole fraction
Liquid Gas
mole fraction
xi y
x yi
Mass transfer of A
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
Two film theory:
resistance to the overall mass transfer is viewed as a combined
resistance of liquid and gas films at the interface
Liquid Gas
mole fraction
xi y
x yi
Mass transfer of A
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
Liquid Gas
mole fraction
y
xi
x yi
(mole fraction of A in V)
Mass transfer rate (per unit area) y equilibrium line
r k y y yi
y
r k x
x
i
x yi
x xi x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
Liquid Gas
mole fraction
y
xi
x yi
(mole fraction of A in V)
Mass transfer rate (per unit area) y equilibrium line
r k y y yi y
r k x
x
i
x yi
x xi x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
A Liquid
mole fraction
y*
C
Gas mixture C is in equilibrium with the liquid system A:
y * H (T ) x (in Henry’s law regime)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
A Liquid Gas B
mole fraction
xi y
y* y equilibrium line
C
Mass transfer rate (per unit area) y
r K y y y* yi
r K x *
x
x
y*
x xi x* x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
A Liquid
mole fraction
xi
x Gas B
y
y* y equilibrium line
C
Mass transfer rate (per unit area) y
r K y y y* yi
r K x *
x
x
y*
x xi x* x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
1 y i y*
1
K y kx (x x ) k y
i
1 m 1
y
K y kx k y equilibrium line
Resistance of gas film y
Resistance of liquid film yi
Overall gas resistance * m
y
x xi x* x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
1 1 1
y
K x k x mk y equilibrium line
Resistance of gas film y
Resistance of liquid film yi
Overall liquid
resistance y*
x xi x* x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Operations in packed towers:
Mass transfer theories
1 m 1
K y kx k y
Resistance of gas film
Resistance of liquid film
Overall gas resistance
- when coefficients ky and kx are of the same order of
magnitude and m is much greater then 1 the liquid phase
resistance is controlling
- in the opposite situation when solubility is very high, the
gas film resistance is controlling
Absorption
Gas absorption is a process in which a gas mixture is in
placed in contact with a liquid for the purpose of
preferential dissolving of one or more components of
the gas mixture
Examples:
- NH3 is removed from oven gas by water
- CO2, H2S are removed from natural gas using
water solutions of alkaline salts
- Benzene, toluene are removed from natural gas
using hydrocarbon oil
Equilibrium relations for dilute solutions:
solubility
- The maximum amount of the gas that can be dissolved in
a solvent at specific conditions (T,P) is called solubility
Absorption: Thermodynamics of the process
Imagine a system where we have a binary mixture
of two components A and B, one (A) is volatile and
the second one (B) is a non-volatile solvent. P, T
The mixture coexists with an equilibrium gas of
almost pure volatile component, which has pressure
P. So if we place a piston on the top of the system,
exerting pressure P, the system will be in
equilibrium.
The concentration of the volatile component A in
solvent B is called solubility of A in B at P, T. This
characteristics can be measured for a range of
binary systems under different P,T conditions.
In general solubility decreases with temperature. it
is natural to guess that if we heat the system up,
the energy supplied in the system will be used to
evaporate more of the volatile component A.
Thermodynamics of the process:
Multicomponent mixture
Now we deal with a jar where a number of
components is dissolved in the solvent and also
forms and equilibrium gas mixture. P, T
Each component can be characterized with it’s own
solubility under these conditions (composition, P, T).
In general these solubilities (and other properties of
the systems) must be described using methods of
multicomponent phase equilibria (or measured
experimentally).
In many cases the system can be described with
simplified relations
If ideal gas is in equilibrium with ideal mixture we can
apply the following expression to find partial
pressures of the components:
pi Pxi
If ideal gas is in equilibrium with non-ideal mixture,
Henry’s law applies
pi H (T ) xi
Equilibrium relations for dilute solutions:
Henry’s law
Henry’s law is valid for dilute solutions,
p A H (T ) x A where A does not ionize, dissociate or
react in the liquid phase
For water H [atm/mole fraction]
Equilibrium relations for dilute solutions:
Henry’s law
Henry’s law is valid for dilute solutions,
p A Py A H (T ) x A where A does not ionize, dissociate or
react in the liquid phase
For water H [atm/mole fraction]
Equilibrium relations for dilute solutions:
Solubility data
Absorption: General design considerations
1. Entering gas composition flow rate, temperature and pressure Design
2. Desired degree of separation objective
3. Choice of solvent:
- High gas solubility Thermophysical
- Low volatility characteristics
- Low corrosiveness
- Low cost
- Low viscosity
- Non-toxic, non-explosive
4. Minimum solvent flow rate -> actual solvent flow rate Basic design
5. Number of equilibrium stages elements
6. Heat/cooling requirements
7. Type of absorber Technical
8. Geometrical parameters of the system/economy specifications
Absorption in packed towers
Consider an absorption column;
For diluted gases the change in flow rates is neglected
Va,ya
Consider a mass transfer process in a section of
the column dZ (cross-section of the column is S) La,xa
Z
Vdy K y a ( y y*)SdZ
dZ
Integration leads to:
Z yb
K y aS K y aS dy
V dZ
0
V
Z y y*
Vb,yb Lb,xb
ya
S
Absorption in packed towers
yb Va,ya
V /S dy
Z
K ya
ya
y y*
La,xa
Z
yb
dy change in the concentration divided
y y*
by driving force. This property is
ya called the number of transfer units
(NTU)
Vb,yb Lb,xb
This property has units of length, is
V /S constant for constant L/V and is called
the height of transfer units
K ya (HTU) S
Absorption in packed towers
Va,ya
La,xa
Z
b
V /S dy
Z
K ya
a
y y*
H Oy N Oy
Vb,yb Lb,xb
S
Absorption in packed towers
To understand the meaning of these
definitions consider a specific case when
both the equilibrium and operating lines are
straight and parallel
y equilibrium line
The driving force is then constant
throughout the process and can be operating line
moved outside the integral, leading to:
yb
yb y a
N Oy
y y*
ya
xa xb x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Absorption in packed towers
To understand the meaning of these
definitions consider a specific case when
both the equilibrium and operating lines are
straight and parallel
y equilibrium line
The driving force is then constant
throughout the process and can be operating line
moved outside the integral, leading to:
yb
yb y a
N Oy
y y*
ya
Similar to the number of stages in
the tray process xa xb x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Absorption in packed towers
b
V /S dy
Z
K ya
a
y y*
H Oy N Oy
V /S HTU (Hoy) is the height
of packing required to achieve
K ya one separation step y equilibrium line
operating line
yb
yb y a
N Oy
y y*
ya
Similar to the number of stages in
the tray process xa xb x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Absorption in packed towers
b
V /S dy
Z
K ya
a
y y*
H Oy N Oy
yb y y
dy b
dy 1 b
N Oy
y y * ya y y * y y * ya
dy Simplification using
ya average driving force
y
1 b yb y a notion
y ya
dy
y
[ yb yb* ] [ ya ya* ] Average driving force
y
yb yb* calculated as logarithmic
ln mean of driving forces at
ya ya* the top and bottom of the
column
Absorption in packed towers: Example
Example: A gas stream of 3.0% A is passed through a packed column to
remove 99% of A by absorption in water. The absorber operates at
25C and 1 atm, V/S=20mol/h/ft2, L/S=100mol/h/ft2
y*=3.1x
kxa=60mol/h/ft3
kya=15mol/h/ft3
Find Noy, Hoy ZT neglecting changes in the gas and liquid flow
Absorption in packed towers:
effect of pressure
Consider the effect of pressure on
the equilibrium distribution of the
volatile component:
y H (T ) x / P Henry’s law
y equilibrium line P=1bar
P=2bar
x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Absorption in packed towers:
effect of pressure
Consider the effect of pressure on
the equilibrium distribution of the
volatile component:
y H (T ) x / P Henry’s law
y
P=1bar
If the L/V ratio remains the same
P=2bar
yb
- at higher pressure we need fewer
stages
ya
xa xb xb* x
(mole fraction of A in L)
Absorption in packed towers:
effect of pressure
Consider the effect of pressure on
the equilibrium distribution of the
volatile component:
y H (T ) x / P Henry’s law
y
P=1bar
If the L/V is changed
P=2bar
- lower L/V ratio yb
- less solvent required
- higher pressure leads to more ya
efficient absorption
xa xb xb* x
(mole fraction of A in L)
- lower pressure leads to more
efficient desorption (stripping)
Absorption processes
Multicomponent absorption
- separate equilibrium and operating
lines
- for dilute mixtures, L/V constant ->
the slope of the operating lines
for all components is the same
Absorption processes
Multicomponent absorption
- separate equilibrium and operating
lines
- for dilute mixtures, L/V constant ->
the slope of the operating lines
for all components is the same
Absorption processes with chemical reactions
- Can be used to obtain a more complete removal of a component from the
mixture
• NH3 from air by using dilute acid solution
• CO2 from natural gas by using dilute basic solution
yb y
dy b
dy yb
N Oy
ya
y y * ya y
ln
ya
Irreversible reaction
