Absorption

It is a physical or chemical phenomenon or a process in which atoms,

molecules or ions enter some bulk phase – liquid or solid material. This is a
different process from adsorption, since molecules undergoing absorption
are taken up by the volume, not by the surface (as in the case for adsorption).
A more general term is sorption, which covers absorption, adsorption, and
ion exchange. Absorption is a condition in which something takes in another
substance.

Absorption principle
Types of Packing used in Absorption
A common apparatus used in gas absorption and certain other options is the
packed tower . The deviceconsists of a cylindrical column , or tower,
equipped with a gas inlet and distributing space at the bottom ; aliquid inlet
and distributor at the top; gas and liquid outlets at the top and bottom,
respectively ; and a solidsupported mass of inert solid shapes , called tower
packing.The packing support is typically a screen , corrugated to give it
strength , with large open area so that floodingdoes not occur at the support,
The inlet liquid , which may be pure solvent or a dilute solution of solute in
thesolvent is usually a weak liquor distributed over the top of the packing by
the distributor , uniformly wets thesurfaces of packing.The packing provides
a large surface area of contact between the liquid and the gas and encourages
intimtecontact between the phases.Various types of packings made of
different types of materials of construction are available, and both
randomand structured packings are commonly used. Examples of random
packings as shown in the Figures below left and right - are Raschig rings,
Pall rings, Berl saddles, etc.
Random vs. Stacked

Random packings, as the name implied, are dumped into a column during
installation and allowed to fall in random. Small packings poured randomly
into a vessel is certainly the more popular and commonly employed form of
packed-tower design. However, in certain instances where exceptionally low
pressure drop and very high flow rates are involved, stacked or oriented
packings have also been used.

Dry packing
avoids high hydrostatic liquid head, and prevents the introduction of water
into a dry process. It is also quicker and less expensive than wet packing,
and it minimizes rusting of metal packings. In any case, it is not suitable for
plastic packings, as plastic typically floats on water.
Wet packing
applications are preferred when the packings are constructed of breakage-
prone materials, suchas ceramic or carbon. The column is first filled with
water and the packings are gently poured down thecolumn. The water
cushions the fall and promotes randomness of settling. This tends to increase
columncapacity and improve the column pressure drop characteristics. Wet
packing also minimizes compression andmechanical damage to packing
materials. The main disadvantage is the need to remove the water
afterloading and dry the packings.
Structured Packing
Structured packings are considerably more expensive per unit volume than
random packings. They come withdifferent sizes and are neatly stacked in
the column. Structure packings usually offer less pressure drop andhave
higher efficiency and capacity than random packings.

Packed Beds
Packed bed columns use absorption to remove contaminants such as
corrosive gaseous emissions, acidic fumes, and various odors. Distillation
columns and packed bed columns involve essentially the same equipment.

General Information
Packed beds are used to clean gas streams. As the animation below shows ,
gases flow up through the packed bed, shown by the arrows from orange to
yellow, and the scrubbing liquid flows down the bed, shown by the arrows
from blue to violet. Contaminants are transferred from the gas stream to the
liquid stream. The packing provides a large surface area for gas to liquid
mass transfer to occur.
Equipment Design
A packed bed column contains a support plate, a liquid distributor, and a
mist eliminator. The liquid stream flows through a liquid distributor and
down the column due to gravity, resulting in counter-flow, cross-flow, or co-
current flow. Contaminants are transferred from the vapor to the liquid, due
to equilibrium or kinetic mechanisms, with the packing providing contact
between phases for this transfer .

Mist eliminators are used to condense any vaporized scrubbing liquid. The
picture below to the left shows a mesh mist eliminator, and the picture below
to the right shows a vane mist eliminator. For more information, see the mist
eliminators section of this Encyclopedia.The picture below shows a packed
tower. The outer shells can be made out of fiberglass- reinforced plastic,
stainless steel, high-nickel alloys, non-ferrous metals, or thermoplastics. The
inside packing can be made of metals, ceramics, or plastics. Inert ceramics
and plastics are commonly used when operating with corrosive substances.
The packing can be dumped(random) or structured.

Usage Examples

Packed beds are most commonly used in air pollution control, but they are
also used in the chemical,petrochemical , food, pharmaceutical, paper, and
aerospace industries. The beds shown below are used to absorb and
eliminate ethylene gas from a sterilization chamber. The water-soluble
ethylene gas is hydrolyzed to ethylene glycol.
The packed bed absorption column shown below removes acidic fumes such
as H 2 SO 4 , HCl, HNO 3 , and HF from an inlet gas stream. Packed bed
absorption is commonly used when dealing with corrosive substances such
as these.

Spray Columns
General Information
Spray columns are differential contactors, and as such they use continuous
contact between the two phases, as opposed to the stages used in staged
contactors.

Equipment Design
As the animation below demonstrates, the liquid stream enters the column
through spray nozzles, shown by the movement of arrows from blue to
violet. Nozzles can be placed at different heights in the column. The droplets
that form provide a large surface area for exposure to the gas stream; smaller
droplets result in a greater exchange area. Gas flows counter-currently with
respect to the liquid in the animation below, as shown by the movement of
arrows from orange to yellow. The gas could also flow co-currently with the
liquid. Low droplet velocities may lead to low contact or turbulence, and
high droplet velocities may cause flooding. Therefore, an optimum droplet
velocity is essential. A mist eliminator (not shown) is used to separate any
liquid that is entrained into the gaseous phase.

Usage Examples
One example of a spray column is in the absorption of sulfur dioxide from
coal-fired boiler exhaust gases..

Falling Film
General Information/Equipment Design
The animation below shows the operation of a falling film absorber. Falling
film absorbers are differential contactors, and are mainly used when a large
amount of heat is removed during absorption. Falling film absorbers are also
vertical shell and tube heat exchangers. As the animation below
demonstrates, the cooling medium falls through the absorber according to
the movement of arrows from teal to green. The vapor rises through the
tubes, shown by the movement of bubbles from orange to yellow, and the
solvent falls through the tubes, shown by the movement of arrows from blue
to violet.
The solvent enters at the top and falls down the tube as a film. Gas enters at
the bottom or top to produce counter-current or co-current flow. The
absorption of contaminants from the gas to the solvent depends on gas
velocity, liquid-gas distribution, and the tube surface condition.

Bubble Columns

General Information/Equipment Design

Bubble columns are a type of sparged tank. In a sparged tank, the gas stream
is introduced in the form of small bubbles and acts as the agitator. As shown
in the animation, gas enters at the bottom through a gas distributor or
sparger, shown by the movement of arrows from orange to yellow, and is
dispersed in the form of bubbles through the liquid stream, shown by the
movement of arrows from blue to violet. The liquid can be introduced at the
top or the bottom, resulting in either counter-flow or co-current flow,
respectively. The bubbles rise at a velocity determined by the bubble size:
the larger the bubbles, the faster they rise. Spargers are designed to produce
consistent bubble sizes, so that all the bubbles rise at the same velocity. The
bubbles may contain entrained liquid, which may result in more hold up at
high velocities.

Usage Examples
Bubble columns can be used to purify nitroglycerin with water; in the
chemical industry for hydrogenation, oxidation, chlorination, and alkylation;
and in the biotechnology field for effluent treatment, single-cell protein
production, animal cell culture, and antibiotic fermentation. Bubble columns
can be used for radioactive elements because there are no moving parts.

Tray Columns
The number of trays, or stages, in a tray column are specific to a given
application.

General Information
The animation below shows a tray column absorber in action. The vapor
stream flows up through the trays, as shown by the movement of arrows
from orange to yellow, and contacts the down-flowing liquid stream, shown
by the movement of arrows from blue to violet, which causes the absorption
of the red contaminant. The equipment used is similar to that used in
distillation columns.

Equipment Design
The geometry of the trays within the column affects the extent and type of
contact between the vapor and liquid streams. The different tray types
include sieve, valve, and bubble cap. Sieve trays contain holes for vapor to
flow through. Valve trays are similar, containing holes with opening and
closing valves. Bubble cap trays contain caps that allow vapor to flow
through tiny openings through the liquid. The three types of trays are shown
below: sieve, valve, and bubble cap (left to right).

After the feed mixture enters the column, it flows down the column and
across the trays in either cross flow or counter-flow. In cross flow columns,
downcomers channel the liquid flowing from one tray down to the tray
below.

Usage Examples
A tray scrubber column is pictured below. Common applications include
removal of micron-sized particles and volatile organic compounds.

Venturi Scrubbers
Venturi scrubbers are used in the removal of gas stream contaminants by
liquid droplets.

General Information
In a venturi scrubber, contact between a high velocity gas and a free-flowing
liquid causes the gas contaminants to be trapped in liquid droplets. The
liquid in venturi scrubbers may contain solids, which would plug other types
of absorbers. Venturi scrubbers are able to remove solid sub-micron
particles.

Equipment Design
In venturi scrubbers, the gas and liquid streams enter from the top. The
liquid jet enters through a nozzle to a wet-approach or flooded wall entry
designed to avoid buildup. Below the entry is a throat where droplets are
formed by shearing. Gas contaminants are absorbed into these droplets in a
single stage.

Below the venturi is a flooded elbow, or entrainment, that prevents wear.

The flow is circulated in the entrainment by a pump. The gas stream and the
droplets are further separated in a cyclone separator or demister. The lighter
gas flows out the top, and the heavier droplets fall to the bottom, where they
exit with the entrained liquid.

Usage Examples
Venturi scrubbers are used to recover valuable components from hot gases,
and to separate fine particles or liquid mists. The four venturi scrubbers
pictured below are used in copper mining applications, and operate at very
high pressures.
Wet Scrubbers
Wet scrubbers
combine a liquid spray
and cyclonic action to
purify gas streams of gas
compounds and dust
particles.

General Information
The liquid spray in a wet scrubber removes fine particles, typically sulfur or
acidic compounds, or liquid mists entrained in a gas stream.

Equipment Design
In a wet scrubber, contaminated gas enters through an inlet at the bottom of
the column. Liquid enters through a nozzle or pipe, flowing in a counter-
flow, cross flow, or co-current manner. The gas flows in a circular path
within the cyclone portion of the scrubber, forcing heavier dust particles
against the wall. Any liquid entrained within the remaining vapor is removed
by the demister. Lighter particles hit the vane stages, where much of the
vapor-liquid contact takes place. Acidic gases are converted to neutral salts
and other solids so that the pH of the gas is 7 or 8. Gas exits at the top, while
liquid and dust particles exit at the bottom.A mist eliminator, installed near
the top of the spray tower, removes droplets of alkaline reactant that are
transported by the flue gas stream. Mist eliminators can be made from
polypropylene, fiber-reinforced plastic, polysulfone, or stainless steel. These
mist eliminators can accumulate solids which can cause corrosion, fouling,
and heat related damage, so regular maintenance is critical.

Usage Examples
Wet scrubbers are used by the food industry, such as in cheese processing,
for dust and ambient moisture removal. They also capture airborne dust in
the processing of a number of cereals.

Stirred Tank
General Information/Equipment Design
Stirred tanks, also called agitated tanks or CSTRs, are used when the
absorption process includes a slow liquid-phase chemical reaction, or when
close control of the process is needed. In a stirred tank, the gas is introduced
directly into the liquid and mixed by the stirrer. The solids are suspended.

A cylindrical tank is typically used, with a liquid depth of one or two

diameters. There are no stages in a tank. Impellers, described in
the Mixers section of this Encyclopedia, are the most commonly used
agitator. Propellers and turbines are also used.

Usage Examples

Agitated tanks can be used in lime slurry carbonation, paper stock

chlorination, regular oil hydrogenation, fermentation broth aeration,
penicillin production, citric acid production, and aeration of activated
sludge.

Absorption principle