Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures In absorption also called gas absorption gas scrubbing and gas washing a gas mixture is contacted with a liquid absorbent or solvent to selectively dissolve one or more components by mass transfer from the gas to the liquid ID: 777748
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Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
In absorption (also called gas absorption, gas scrubbing, and gas washing), a gas mixture is contacted with a liquid (absorbent or solvent) to selectively dissolve one or more components by mass transfer from the gas to the liquid.
The components transferred to the liquid are referred to as solutes or absorbate.
Absorption is used for
:
a) Separate gas mixtures.
b) Remove impurities, contaminants, pollutants.
c) Recover valuable chemicals.
The opposite of absorption is stripping (also called desorption), where in a liquid mixture is contacted with a gas to selectively remove components by mass transfer from liquid to the gas phase.
Slide2Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
A typical absorption operation is shown in Figure 6.1 (Seader):
(absorption of acetone by water)
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide3Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide4Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
There are two types of absorption:
1. Physical absorption.
2. Chemical absorption (reactive absorption)
Examples of chemical absorption type is absorption of CO
2
in
NaOH
(irreversible chemical absorption)
More complex example of chemical absorption is CO
2 or H2
S in
monoethanol
amine (reversible reaction takes place in liquid phase)
Chemical reaction can increase:
Rate of absorption.
The absorption capacity of the solvent,
Selectivity to preferential dissolve only certain components of the gas,
Convert a hazardous chemical to a safe compound.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide5Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
EQUIPMENT
1.Trayed towers (plate columns).
2.Packed columns.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide6Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
3. Spray towers.
4. Bubble columns.
5.Centrifugal contactors.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide7Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Details of a contacting tray in a Trayed tower.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide8Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Froth regime:
The most common and favored regime is the froth regime, in which the liquid phase is continuous and the gas passes through in the form of jets or a series of bubbles.
The spray regime,
In which the gas phase is continuous, occurs for low weir heights (low liquid depths) at high gas rates.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Vapor liquid regimes for sieve tray tower, when the openings are holes, are one of the following:
Slide9bubble regime
For low gas rates, in which the liquid is fairly quiescent and bubbles rise in swarms.
Emulsion:
At high liquid rates, small gas bubbles may be undesirably emulsified.
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide10The liquid carries no vapor bubbles to the tray below.
The vapor carries no liquid droplets to the tray above, and there is no weeping of liquid through the openings of the tray.
With good contacting, equilibrium between the exiting vapor and liquid phases is approached on each tray.
Ideally
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide11Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Types of trays
Perforated (sieve) tray
Valve cap tray
Bubble cap tray
Comparison of type of trays
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide12Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
valve cap
bubble cap
perforated
Slide13Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Tray with valve caps.
Slide14Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Tray types are compared on the basis of cost, pressure drop, mass transfer efficiency, vapor capacity, and flexibility in terms of turndown ratio (ratio of maximum to minimum vapor capacity).
At the limiting vapor capacity,
flooding
of the column occurs because of excessive entrainment causing the liquid flow rate to exceed capacity of the down comer and, thus, go back up the column.
At low vapor rates, weeping of liquid through the tray openings or vapor pulsation becomes excessive.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Sieve trays are preferred because of their low relative cost.
Slide15Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Packed column.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide16Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Centrifugal contactor,
As shown in Figure 6.2 (Seader), consists of a stationary ringed housing, intermeshed with a ringed rotating section. The liquid phase is fed near the center of the packing, from which it is caused to flow outward by centrifugal force.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
The vapor phase flows inward by a pressure driving force.
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ChE 334: Separation Processes
1. Very high mass transfer rates can he achieved with only moderately high rotation rates
Advantage:
2. It is possible to obtain the equivalent of several equilibrium stages in a very compact unit.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide18Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Types of packing materials
1. Random Packing materials
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide19Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
2. Structured Packing materials
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide20Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide21Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Design or analysis of an absorber (or stripper) requires consideration of a number of factors, including:
1. Entering gas (liquid) flow rate, composition, temperature, and pressure
2. Desired degree of recovery of one or more solutes.
3. Choice of absorbent (stripping agent).
4. Operating pressure and temperature, and allowable gas pressure drop.
5. Minimum absorbent (stripping agent) flow rate and actual absorbent (stripping agent) flow rate as a multiple of the minimum rate needed to make the separation
6.
Number of equilibrium stages
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide22Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
7. Heat effects and need for cooling (heating)
8. Type of absorber (stripper) equipment
9. Height of absorber (stripper)
10. Diameter of absorber (stripper)
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide23Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
have a high solubility for the solute (s) to minimize the need for absorbent,
have a low volatility to reduce the loss of absorbent and facilitate separation of absorbent from solute (s),
(c) be stable to maximize absorbent life and reduce absorbent makeup requirement,
(d) be non corrosive to permit use of common materials of construction,
(e) have a low viscosity to provide low pressure drop and high mass and heat transfer rates,
The ideal absorbent should
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide24Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
(f) be non foaming when contacted with the gas so as to make it unnecessary to increase absorber dimensions,
(g) be nontoxic and nonflammable to facilitate its safe use.
(h) be available, if possible, within the process, to make it unnecessary to provide an absorbent from external sources, or be inexpensive.
The most common absorbents:
1. Water
2.Hydrocarbon oil.
3. Aqueous solutions of acids and bases.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide25Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
The most common stripping agents are:
1. Water vapor.
2. Air.
3. Inert gases.
4. Hydrocarbon gases.
For absorber, operating pressure should be high and temperature low:
1.To minimize stage requirements and/or absorbent flow rate. 2.To lower the equipment volume required to accommodate the gas flow.
Unfortunately, both compression and refrigeration of a gas are expensive. Therefore, most absorbers are operated at feed-gas pressure, Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures
Slide26Dr Saad Al-Shahrani
ChE 334: Separation Processes
For a stripper, operating pressure should be low and temperature high to minimize stage requirements or stripping agent flow rate.
However, maintenance of a vacuum is expensive. Also a high temperature can be used, but it should not be so high as to cause undesirable chemical reactions.
Absorption and Stripping of Dilute Mixtures