Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr.

Suhaib Salih

Determining the Minimum Liquid Flow Rate:

The minimum liquid (solvent) flow rate is calculated when the exit solvent concentration
from the absorber (X1) is in equilibrium with the entering gas concentration to the absorber (Y1).
At this point, driving force is almost 0. Hence it would take an infinetely tall absorber to
accomplish the desired separation. As a general operating principle, an absorber is typically
designed to operate at liquid rates which are 20 to 50 % greater than minimum rate.

To determine the minimum liquid flow rate, we follow:

(1) If the equilibrium relationship is linear (𝐘∗ = 𝐦 𝐗):

The exit solvent concentration from the absorber (X1) is calculated from the
equilibrium relationship as below:

𝐘𝟏
𝐘𝟏 = 𝐦𝐗 𝟏 𝐗𝟏 = … … … … … (𝟏)
𝐦

Overall solute material balance on the absorber:

𝐋𝐬 𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐
𝐆𝐬 (𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐 ) = 𝐋𝐬 (𝐗 𝟏 − 𝐗 𝟐 ) =
𝐆𝐬 𝐗𝟏 − 𝐗𝟐

For pure solvent (X2 = 0)

𝐋𝐬 𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐
= … … … … … . . (𝟐)
𝐆𝐬 𝐗𝟏

Substitute Eq. 1 into Eq. 2 to get the minimum liquid flow rate:
𝐋𝐬 𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐 𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐 𝐘𝟐
( ) = = 𝐦( ) = 𝐦 (𝟏 − )
𝐆𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝟏 𝐘𝟏 𝐘𝟏
𝐦
Therefore,

𝐋𝐬 𝐘𝟐 𝐋𝐬 𝐋𝐬
( ) = 𝐦 (𝟏 − ) ( ) = (𝟏. 𝟐 − 𝟏. 𝟓) ( )
𝐆𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝟏 𝐆𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧

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 Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr. Suhaib Salih

(2) If the equilibrium relationship is non-linear:

We can determine the minimum liquid flow rate using Eq. 2:

𝐋𝐬 𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐
=
𝐆𝐬 𝐗𝟏

𝐋𝐬 𝐘𝟏 − 𝐘𝟐
( ) =
𝐆𝐬 𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝑿∗𝟏

Where: 𝐗 𝟏∗ is the exit liquid concentration which is at equilibrium with (𝐘𝟏) and
calculated from the plot as show bellow:

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Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr. Suhaib Salih

Example: Calculate (L/G)min for the removal of 90% of the ammonia from a 3540 mol/min feed
gas containing 3% ammonia and 97% air. The inlet liquid is pure water and the temperature and
pressure are 293 K and 1 atm, respectively. The equilibrium ratio of mole fraction of ammonia in
air to mole fraction of ammonia in water at the column condition can be taken as 0.772. Since a
small liquid flow rate results in a high tower (which is costly), and a large liquid flow rate
requires a large diameter tower (which is also costly), the optimum liquid flow rate of 1.2 to 1.5
times the minimum flow rate is used in practice. Assuming the liquid flow rate to be 1.5 times
the minimum, determine NTU, HTU and the height of tower required. Take K ya = 82 mol/m3.s
and the cross-sectional area of the tower as 1.5 m2.

Solution: Since the entering solute concentration is dilute (y < 5%), then:

YA = yA , X A = xA , Gs = G , Ls = L

Given Data: Y1 = 0.03 , X1 = 0 , G = 3540 mol/min , Kammonia = 0.772 , S = 1.5 m2

Kya = 82 mol/m3.s.

Ammonia in the inlet stream = 0.03 x 3540 = 106.2 mol/min

Air in the inlet stream = 0.97 x 3540 = 3433.8 mol/min

Ammonia removed = 0.9 x 0.03 x 3540 = 95.58 mol/min

Ammonia in the outlet stream = 0.1 x 0.03 x 3540 = 10.62 mol/min

Air in the outlet stream = 0.97 x 3540 = 3433.8 mol/min

Ammonia in the outlet stream 10.62

Y2 = =
(Ammonia in the outlet stream) + (Air in the outlet stream) (10.62) + (3433.8)

Y2 = 0.003

Equilibrium line: Y = K X = 0.772 X (leaner relationship)

L Y L 0.003 L
(Gs ) = m (1 − Y2 ) (Gs ) = 0.772 (1 − ) (Gs ) = 0.6948
s min 1 s min 0.03 s min

L L L
(Gs ) = 1.5 (Gs ) (Gs ) = 1.5(0.6948) = 1.0422
s actual s min s actual

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Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr. Suhaib Salih

3540
̅̅̅
Gs
HTU (HOG ) = = 1.5 × 60 = 0.48 m
Kya 82

NTU (NOG) could be calculated using:

1 (1 − ɸ)Y1 + ɸY2
NOG = ln [ ]
(1 − ɸ) (1 − ɸ)Y2 + ɸY2

mG m 0.772
ɸ= = = = 0.74
L L 1.0422
G
1 (1 − 0.74)(0.03) + (0.74)(0.003)
NOG = ln [ ] = 4.65
(1 − 0.74) (1 − 0.74)(0.003) + (0.74)(0.003)

Height of the tower (Z) can be calculated as follows:

Z = HOG × NOG = 4.65 × 0.48 = 2.23 m

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Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr. Suhaib Salih

Calculation of Number of Transfer Unit (NOL):

We take a small slice of the column.

The material balance over the “liquid side” of

this slice gives:

(𝐋𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐝)𝐈𝐧 + (𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞)𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 = (𝐋𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐝)𝐨𝐮𝐭

𝐒 𝐋̅𝐬 𝐗 (𝐳) + 𝐍 𝐚 𝐒 ∆𝐳 = 𝐒 𝐋̅𝐬 𝐗 (𝐳 + ∆𝐳)

Where:

kmol
𝐋̅𝐬 : is the molar fluxes of liquid entering( 2 ) .
m . s

kmol
𝐍 = 𝐊 𝐱 (𝐗 ∗ − 𝐗) ( 2 )
m . s
Therefore, 𝐒 𝐋̅𝐬 𝐗 (𝐳) + 𝐍 𝐚 𝐒 ∆𝐳 = 𝐒 𝐋̅𝐬 𝐗 (𝐳 + ∆𝐳)

Dividing the mass transfer rate equation by S and z, we get:

𝐗(𝐳 + ∆𝐳) − 𝐗(𝐳)

𝐍𝐚 = 𝐋̅𝐬
∆𝐳
Because we want a differential height of the slice, we take limit when ∆𝐳 → 𝟎 :

𝐝𝐗
𝐍𝐚 = 𝐋̅𝐬
𝐝𝐳
Introducing the definition of N:
𝐝𝐗
𝐋̅𝐬 = 𝐊 𝐱 𝐚 (𝐗 ∗ − 𝐗)
𝐝𝐳
Separating variables and integration gives:
𝐇 𝐗𝟏
𝐋̅𝐬 𝐝𝐗
𝐇 = ∫ 𝐝𝐳 = ∫ ∗
𝐊 𝐱 𝐚 (𝐗 − 𝐗)
𝟎 𝐗𝟐

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Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr. Suhaib Salih

Taking constant terms out of the integral and changing the integration limits:

𝐗𝟏
𝐋̅𝐬 𝐝𝐗
𝐇= ∫
𝐊 𝐱𝐚 (𝐗 ∗ − 𝐗)
𝐗𝟐

HOL NOL

The right-hand side can be written as the product of the two terms HOG and NOG:

𝐇 = 𝐇𝐎𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐋 OR 𝐇 = 𝐇𝐓𝐔 × 𝐍𝐓𝐔

# The term HOL is called the overall Height of a Transfer Unit (HTU) based on the liquid
phase.

# The term NOL is called the overall Number of Transfer Units (NTU) based on the liquid
phase. It represents the overall change in solute mole fraction divided by the average
mole fraction driving force.

Number of Transfer Unit (NOL) Calculations:

(1) Leaner Equilibrium Relationship (Y = m X*).

X dX
NOL = ∫X 1 (X∗ − X)
…………… (1)
2

Y
X∗ = … … … … … (2)
m

# Operating line:
Ls
Y= (X − X 2 ) + Y2
Gs

For pure liquid solvent used then, X2 = 0

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Mass Transfer Absorption / Lecture 4 Dr. Suhaib Salih

Ls
Y= X + Y2 …………. (3)
Gs

Substitute Eq.(3) into Eq.(2), we get:

Ls Y2 𝑋 Y2
X∗ = X+ = + ……………… (4)
mGs m ɸ m

Substitute Eq.(4) into Eq.(1), we get:

X1
dX
NOL = ∫
𝑋 Y
X2 ( + 2 − 𝑋)
ɸ m
X1
dX
NOL = ∫
1 Y
X2 𝑋 ( − 1) + 2
ɸ m

X1
dX
NOL = ∫
1−ɸ
X2 ( ) 𝑋 + ɸ𝒀𝟐
ɸ

ɸ (1 − ɸ)X1 + ɸ𝐘𝟐
NOL = ln [ ] 𝐍𝐎𝐋 = ɸ 𝐍𝐎𝐆
(1 − ɸ) (1 − ɸ)X2 + ɸ𝐘𝟐

(2) If the Equilibrium Relationship is non-leaner, we follow the same previous steps that
based on the gas phase.

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