PED- III

Packed_Bed_absorber

DESIGN OF PACKED BED ABSORBERSTEP 1: CALCULATE Yb, Yt , Xt

Yb = kmol of GAS ABSORBED / kmol of inerts

(at bottom)

Yt = kmol of GAS ABSORBED / kmol of inerts

(at top)

STEP 2: CALCULATION OF FLOW RATES:

From the V-L-E graph drawn, calculate (Lm/Gm) min
(Lm/Gm)actual = (1.1 to 1.5 times) (Lm/Gm)min
From (Lm/Gm)actual, calculate (Lm)actual
{(Gm)actual is given in question or can be calculated from the question}
Let us denote (Lm)actual = Lm and (Gm)actual = Gm
Inert Mass Balance: Gm(Yb Yt) = Lm(Xb Xt) (from this eqn. calculate Xb)
Now, calculate avg. mol. Wt (at top and bottom of gas and liquid)
Calculate the following values of molar flow rates (kmol/time):Gm, b = Gm(1+ Yb)

Gm, t= Gm(1+ Yt)

Lm, b = Lm(1+ Xb)

Lm, b = Lm(1+ Xt)

From above values calculate Gb, Gt , Lb , Lt by multiplying respective avg. mol. Wts.
Calculate densities, if not given in question.

STEP 3: CALCULATION OF TOWER HEIGHT:

Calculate {L/G x (g/L)1/2} for top and bottom and select the greater among the two.
Now, from fig 5.33(below) we get the value of

Where,
G =Superficial mass flow rate of the gas kg/s.m2
L and g=liquid and gas density, kg/m3
= liquid viscosity, cP
1

PED- III

Packed_Bed_absorber

The value of Fp {packing factor} is take given with packing substance details or see table.
So, we substitute all the other values and obtain the value of Gas superficial velocity, G f
Gas flow rate of bottom is fixed so that the cross section can be calculated.
For this we have to operate below the flooding limit, thus G we choose should be 60-85% of
G f.
Then,
operating velocity G = 0.80Gf
C.S. area of absorber, Ac = Gb or Gt /G (metre)

{depends on step-3}

From here calculate the diameter of tower Dc.

CHECK Dc/dp > 10 ; for satisfactory design (dp given with question)

STEP 4: DEGREE OF WETTING:

We have to calculate the degree of wetting rate:
Lw ={L/ (Ac L a)}

m3/m-s

[L Lb or Lt ; depends on step-3]

(This value must be > 0.85 ft3/ft-hr)

PED- III

Packed_Bed_absorber

STEP 5: PRESSURE DROP CALCULATION:

P = C2 x [10]C3Utl x g x (Utg)2
Where,
P = mm H2O/m packing
g = gas density ,kg/m3
C2 and C3 = constants given in question.
Utg and Utl are superficial velocities of gas and liquid respectively
Utg = {G / g AC}
Utl = {G / l AC}

STEP 6: TOWER HEIGHT Calculations:

Z = HOG x NOG
Where,
Z, height of tower.
HOG: height of overall gas transfer unit.
NOG: number of overall gas transfer unit.
HOG = HG + (mGm/Lm) HL
Where, m = slope of linear equilibrium relationship.

Cornells Method:
The generalized equation of Cornell et al, for gas phase transfer units, H G

HG = (0.029 D1.11 Z0.33 Scg0.5) / (L f1 f2 f3)0.5

{ will be given}

Dg , diffusion coefficient for mixture of gases (given)

Scg = g / (g Dg)

f1, f2 & f3 - given in question

L = Lt / Ac
We will get an expression in the form of HG = .. x z0.33
The generalized equation of Cornell et al, for liquid phase transfer units, HL

PED- III

Packed_Bed_absorber

( )(

C
H L=
3.28

L
L D L

0.5

0.15

)( )
z
3.05

Where,
C: correction factor (0.48 for CO2 question)
: Correlation parameter
L =liquid viscosity, Pa.s
L =Liquid density, kg/m3

DL =liquiddiffusion coefficient, m2/s {given}

Z =height of packing, m
We get the expression as HL = x z0.15
Now substitute the values of HG and HL in the equation
HOG = HG + (mGm/Lm) HL

in which,

Gm/Lm = {(Gm/Lm)t + (Gm/Lm)b } / 2

NOG Calculations:

dy
1
1+Yb
Y Y} ln
2
1+ Yt

Yb

N OG={
Yt

From the graph calculate Y* and fill in the following table:

Y

Y*

1/(Y-Y*)

Plot a graph of 1/(Y Y*) vs Y

NOG = {Area under the curve from Yt to Yb}

1
1+Yb
ln
2
1+ Yt

So we have,
Height of the tower, Z = HOG x NOG

= [HG + (mGm/Lm)HL] NOG

Packed_Bed_absorber

PED- III