GAS ABSORPTION/STRIPPING PROBLEM SET

1. (15 pts) A stripping column is to remove carbon dioxide from water. This is done by heating the
water and passing it countercurrent to a nitrogen stream in a staged stripper. Operation is
isothermal and isobaric at 60 deg C, 1 atm pressure. The water contains 9.2x10 -6 mol frac CO2 and
flows at 100,000 lb/h. Nitrogen enters the column as pure nitrogen and flows at 2500 ft 3/h. Nitrogen
is at 1 atm and 60 deg C. We desire an outlet water concentration that is 2x10 -7 mol frac CO2.
Ignore nitrogen solubility in water and volatility of water. Using a Murphree vapor efficiency of 40%,
determine:
a. the outlet vapor concentration number of stages.
b. The number of stages graphically
c. The number of stages analytically
Hint:
1. Assume nitrogen as ideal gas.
2. Use Perry in determining H
3. Both the graphical solution and the Kremser equation will have a different form considering
plate efficiency.

2. (10 pts) An absorption column for laboratory use has been carefully constructed so that it has
exactly 4 equilibrium stages and is being used to measure equilibrium data. Water is used as the
solvent to absorb ammonia from air. The system operatesisothermally at 80 deg F and 1 atm. The
inlet water is pure distilled water. The ratio of L/V = 1.2, inlet gas concentration is 0.01 mol frac
ammonia, and the measured outlet gas concentration is 0.0027 mol frac ammonia. Assuming that
the equilibrium is of the form y=mx, calculate the value of m for ammonia.

3. (15 pts) Air from a solvent plant contains 2% n-pentane by volume. The pentane concentration is to
be reduced to 0.1% by contacting the gas at 27 deg C and 10 atm with 6950 lb/hr of oil that
contains 0.05% of n-pentane by weight; 100,000 ft 3 of gas measured at 60 deg F and 1 atm is
handled per hour. MW of motor oil is 220. Assume y = 0.0727x. Determine:
a. the absorption factor
b. number of theoretical plates assuming both equilibrium curve and operating line are linear

4. (10 pts) A packed tower is 4m tall and is used to absorb ethyl alcohol from an inert gas by 90
kmol/h of pure water at 303 K and 101.3 kPa. The total gas stream flow rate of 100 kmol/h contains
2 mol% alcohol and the exit concentration is 0.20 mol%. The equilibrium relation is y=0.68x for this
dilute stream. Using analytical equations, determine the number of theoretical trays, number of
transfer units NOG, HOG and HETP.

5. (15 pts) A gas mixture containing 0.015 mole fraction of solute S at the inlet (and the rest inerts) is
subjected to counter-current absorption with water in a packed tower. The outlet concentration of
the solute is to be 1% of the inlet value. The total gas inlet flow rate is 1.0 kg/m2.s (MW = 29) and
the pure water entering is 1.6 kg/m2.s. The system can be considered as dilute.

The equilibrium condition can be described by Henry's Law and is given as y = 1.75 x, where y and
x are the mole fraction of solute S in the vapour and liquid respectively. The column uses a certain
type of packings which provides an overall gas-phase mass transfer coefficient (KYa) of 0.06 kg-
mole/(m3.s.mole fraction).

Determine:

(a) the height of packings required for the separation

(b) the minimum liquid rate required for the separation.