Po lyte ch n ic U n ive rsity O f Pu e rto

R ico
C h e m ica lE n g in e e rin g
D e p a rtm e n t
Benzene Vapor C H ERecovery
4120 System
Pro f. M a ria V . A rro yo

John L. MejiasDiaz #53168

Jose M. De Jesus #53456
Omar Rodriguez Maldonado #53030
Agenda
 Introduction
 Problem Statement

 Diagram of the System

 Calculations

 Graphics

 Conclusion



Introduction
 Absorption
 Separation Process that involves the
separation of solute gases from gaseous
mixtures of noncondensables by transfer
into a liquid solvent.
 Stripping (Desorption)
 Separation Process where one or more
components are removed from a liquid
stream by a vapor stream.
 Tray Tower
A vertical process tower for liquid-vapor
contacting, along the height of which is a
series of trays designed to cause intimate
contact between the falling liquid and the
rising vapor
Problem Statement
 Benzene vapor in the gaseous effluent of an industrial process is scrubbed with a wash oil in

a countercurrent packed absorber. The resulting benzene-wash oil solution is then

heated to 398 K and stripped in a tray tower, using steam as the stripping medium. The

stripped wash oil is then cooled and recycled to the absorber. Some data relative to the
operation follow:
 Absorption:
 Benzene entering the gas = 1.0 mol %

 Operating pressure of absorber = 800 mmHg

 Oil circulation rate = 2m3/1000m3 of gas at STP

 Oil specific gravity = 0.88 MW=260kg/kgmole

 Henry’s law constant = 0.095 at 293 K and 0.130 at 300 K

 Number of transfer units = Ntog = 5

 Stripping
 Pressure = 1 atm Steam at 1 atm, 398 K

 Henry’s law constant = 3.08 at 398 K

 Number of Equilibrium Stages = 5

Problem Statement
 A) In the winter it is possible to cool the recycled oil to 293 K, at which
temperature the absorbent then operates. Under these conditions 72.0 kg of
steam is used in the stripper per 1000 m3 of gas at STP entering the absorber.
Calculate the percent of benzene recovery in the winter.

 B) In the summer it is impossible to cool the recycled wash oil to lower than 300
K with the available cooling water. Assuming that the absorber then operates
at 300 K, with the same oil and steam rates, and that Ntog and equilibrium
stages remain the same, what summer recovery of benzene can be expected.

 C) If the oil rate cannot be increased but the steam rate in the summer is
increased by 50% over the winter value, what summer recovery of benzene
can be expected.
Diagram of the System
Calculations
 For part A the problem requires:


 Because we have four (4) unknowns: y2a , x1a , x2a and

y2s , we have to perform an iterative process to find
them using the following equations:
Calculations
 Molar gas velocity at Absorber (Va):





 Molar liquid velocity at Absorber (La):




Calculations
 Absorption factor (Aa):


 Molar liquid velocity at Stripper (Ls): Due

to Henry’s Law assuming L remains
constant, then Ls = La = 6.7692
 Molar steam velocity at Stripper (Vs):



Calculations
 Absorption factor at Stripper (As):


 Assuming small values for the unknowns

(y2a , x1a , x2a and y2s ) due to Henry’s
law and using the MathCAD®
program, we perform the iteration
process.
Calculations
 MathCAD calculations for part A:
 Molar gas velocity in the absorber:

( 0.99⋅ 1000) ⋅ ( 101.325) Va = 44.196
Va :=
 ⋅ )
( 8.314273

 Molar liquid velocity in the absorber:

 ( 2⋅880)
La := La = 6.769
 260

 Absorption factor in the absorber:

 La
A a := A a = 1.612
 ma⋅ Va

Calculations
 Molar gas velocity in the stripper:
 72
Vs := Vs = 4
18
 Molar liquid velocity in the stripper: Due
to Henry’s Law assuming L remains
constant L := L s a


 Absorption
L factor in the striper:
s A s = 0.549
A s :=
 ms ⋅ Vs


Calculations
 Data: y 1s := 0 y 1a := 0.01 ms := 3.08 ma := 0.095

 Assuming small values for the unknowns

(y2a , x1a , x2a and y2s ) due to Henry’s
law:

x1a := 0.001 x2a := 0.0001 y 2a := 0.001 y 2s := 0.001


Calculations
Given
 Iteration process: ( y − m ⋅x ) ⋅1 − A − 1 
 1a

a 2a  a  − 1
ln + Aa
N TOG :  y 2a − ma⋅ x2a 
 5
 
−1
1 − Aa

 ( x1a) ⋅ ( 1 − A s ) 
ln + A s
 N:
 x2a

5
ln A s 
−1
  



( 1a 2a) a a ( 2a 1a)
Material balance in the absorber: y − y ⋅ V + L ⋅ x − x 0

Material balance in the

 (
Ls ⋅ x1a − x2a ) Vs ⋅ y 2s
stripper :


Calculations
 Matrix solution using Find built-in function:

 x1a  x1a = 0.062
 
−4
  x2a  y 2a = 7.546 × 10
  := Find( x1a , x2a , y2a , y2s) −3
x2a = 1.434 × 10
  y2a
y  y 2s =0.102
  2s 
 Recovery percent: ( y1a − y2a) ⋅100 Recovery = 92.454
Recovery :=
 y 1a

 Mole ratios: x1a x2a −3

X1a : = = 0 .066 X2a : = = 1.436× 10
 1 − x1a 1 − x2a

y1a y 2a −4

Y1a : = = 0.01 Y2a := = 7.552 × 10
1 − y1a 1 − y 2a
Calculations
 Absorber Ideal Stages:


 Stripper Ideal Stages:



 Part A Mole Ratios Table:

X Y X Y
0 0 0 0
0.01 0.000941 0.01 0.0305
0.02 0.001863 0.02 0.0604
0.03 0.002767 0.03 0.0897
0.04 0.003654 0.04 0.1185
0.05 0.004524 0.05 0.1467
0.06 0.005377 0.06 0.1743
0.07 0.006215 0.07 0.2015
Ideal Stages
Ideal Stages

4
5
Conclusion
 After having studied and analyzed all related with discipline of a gas absorption and stripping is now

easier to understand how the process work. To help analyze the problem design process are well

develop for packed columns and the commercial uses in the industries are common. Is important

to understand gas effluents recycling process before the chemical engineer enter in the industry

environment.

 In most applications the solute are contained in gaseous effluents from chemical reactors. Passage of

strict environmental standards with respect of air pollution by emission of noxious gases from

industrial sources has greatly increased the use of gas absorbers. The fraction of the component

absorbed in the countercurrent cascade depends on the number of equilibrium stages and the

absorption factor, A= Ls / m Vs for that component.