Design of packed tower

The cross sectional view of the

packed tower is shown in
 Design of packed tower may be

• on the basis of individual mass transfer coefficients or

• on the basis of overall mass transfer coefficient.
• The column is packed with packing materials (any type) to
provide more contact between gas and liquid.
 Let, G/ is total gas flow rate
(solute+ inert) mol/h.m2
L/ is total liquid flow rate solvent
+ solute. mol/h.m2
The value of G/ and L/ changes
from bottom to top of the tower
ā is specific interfacial contact
area between gas and liquid,
m2/m3. The mole fraction of
solute in gas is y.
The mole fraction of solute in
liquid is x.
Hence, solute flow rate at any location of tower in gas= G/y
mol/h.m2
The decrease in solute flow rate over the height dh is given as
d(sxG/y) mol/s
For a cross-sectional area of (s m2), volume of differential
section = s×dh m3
interfacial area of contact in differential section= ā×s×dh m2
If NA is solute flux and ky is individual gas-phase mass transfer
coefficient, solute transfer through differential section is
given as ā×dh×sxNA. Therefore,

The change in total gas flow rate (dG/) is equal to rate of

solute transfer

as carrier gas is not soluble

Putting the value of –dG/ in the above Equation, we have

Note that the G’ is changing from bottom to top so

integration is not easy
The Boundary conditions: h=0; y=y1 ; h=hT ; y=y2
• Integration of Equation gives the height of packed column
as follows

•Interfacial solute concentration, yi is not known and G’ is

changing from bottom to top ; hence the integration of the
right hand side of Equation is complicated.
 STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
• Given G1’, y1, y2, x2 and equilibrium relation (m)
• For a particular gas-liquid system, draw equilibrium curve
on x-y and X-Y plane both
• G’(y1-y2) = L’(x1-x2); Gs = G1’(1-y1), Ls = L1’(1-x1)
Gs is inert gas flow rate (no solute) mol/h.m2
Ls is liquid flow rate inert solvent (no solute) mol/h.m2

Draw operating line in X-Y plane (PQ) using material balance

Equation.
• y = m x.
𝑦 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒
• Y= and X = =
1−𝑦 1−𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡
• Draw operating line in X-Y plane (PQ) using material
balance Equation.
 Draw operating line
in X-Y plane (PQ)
using material
balance Equation.

Most cases x2 is
given but L’ not given
Q is top, P is bottom
• The Eq. of operating line

• slope is Ls/Gs

•If liquid mass flow rate, Ls is not known, minimum liquid

mass flow rate (Ls)min is to be determined.
•Ls is generally 1.2 to 2 times the (Ls)min.
• In Figure above, lower
terminal of absorption tower is
represented by Q (X2, Y2); i.e.,
bottom of the tower.
• Operating line is PQ. If liquid
rate is decreased, slope of
operating line (Ls/Gs) also
decreases and
•operating line shifts from PQ
to P/Q, when touches
equilibrium line. This operating
line is tangent to equilibrium
line
 The driving force for absorption is zero at P/ and is called
“PINCH POINT”.
• The slope QP’ = Lsmin/Gs; calculate Lsmin
• Ls is generally 1.2 to 2 times the (Ls)min.
• = Draw operating line in X-Y plane (PQ) using material
balance Equation.
• Lower terminal Q (X2, Y2) and upper terminal P (X1, Y1) are
placed in X-Y plane.
• Now Ls, Gs, X1, Y1,X2,Y2 are known
𝑦1 𝑥1
• Y1 = and X1 =
1−𝑦1 1−𝑥1
𝑦2 𝑥2
• Y2 = and X2 =
1−𝑦2 1−𝑥2
Once the Ls is known and all four x,y and X, Y are known
Do every calculation in terms of x,y
Equilibrium line y= mx
Operating Line
𝑦 𝑦2 𝑥 𝑥2
Gs( - ) = Ls ( - )
1−𝑦 1−𝑦2 1−𝑥 1−𝑥2
If x = x2 ; y = y2 ; both side be zero
and if x=x1 y =y1 because total mat balance

𝑦1 𝑦2 𝑥1 𝑥2
Gs( - ) = Ls ( - )
1−𝑦1 1−𝑦2 1−𝑥1 1−𝑥2
Assume few more values of x in between x1 and x2 and
generate the value of y from Operating Line
𝑦 𝑦2 𝑥 𝑥2
Gs( - ) = Ls ( - )
1−𝑦 1−𝑦2 1−𝑥 1−𝑥2
Draw a curve for operating curve not a st. line but two end
points are x2,y2 and x1,y1.
A point A (X, Y) is taken on the operating line.
From the known value of kx and ky or kxā and kyā, a line is
drawn with slope of kx /ky to equilibrium line, B(xi,yi).
ky( y-yi) = kx( xi-x) = - kx( x-xi)

Line AB is called “TIE LINE” and xi and yi are known for a set
of values of x and y.
Step (3) is repeated for other points in the operating line to
get several (xi ,yi) sets for y1 ≥ y≥ y2.
Calculate flow rate of gas G’ (kg/h.m2) at each point as
G’ = Gs(1+y).
Calculate height of the packing hT by graphical integration.
 The height of the stripping column is also obtained in a
similar way. For stripping, y2 > y1 and driving force is (yi-y).
The corresponding design Equation will be
EXAMPLE 2 (Packed tower design using individual coefficients) A gas
mixture containing 10 mol% SO2 and 90 mol% air at 1 atm total
pressure and 30°C is to be scrubbed with water to remove 97% of
the SO2 in a tower packed with 25 mm ceramic Raschig rings. The
feed gas rate is 1500 kg per hour. Calculate (a) the minimum liquid
rate, (b) Operating line the liquid rate is 1.25 times the minimum and
(c) the packed height.
The Colbum-Drew individual volumetric mass transfer coefficients at
the given conditions are:

The calculated equilibrium data in mole fraction unit (30°C, 1 atm

total pressure) are given below:
Tower cross-section = 0.781 m2
 xy plot
0.120

0.100

0.080

0.060

0.040

0.020

0.000
0.0000 0.0005 0.0010 0.0015 0.0020 0.0025 0.0030
Average molecular weight of the feed gas (10% SO2, 90% air) =
(0.10)(64) + (0.90) (28.8) = 32.3 kmol/kg

G1= = 46.41 kmol/h; Gs = G1(1-y1) = 46.41(1-.01) = 41.77 kmol/h

Lsmin/Gs = (Y1-Y2)/(X1-X2) = Slope =39.63; Lsmin 1655 kmol/hr

Ls = 1.25*1655= 2069 kmo/hr
 xy plot
0.120
Operating Line Eq.
0.100

0.080

0.060

0.040

0.020
Y1 0.11100
0.000 Y2 0.00335
0.0000 0.0005 0.0010 0.0015 0.0020 0.0025 0.0030
X1 ?
X2 0.00000
Gs = G1(1-y1) = 46.41(1-.01) = 41.77 kmol/h
Ls = 1.25*1655= 2069 kmo/hr
Ls/Gs = (Y1-Y2)/(X1-X2) = Slope =1655/41.77= 49.54
X1= 0.002173 note X1= 0.0027163(minimum con)
 𝑥
X= = 0.002173 Y1 0.11100
1−𝑥
Y2 0.00335
𝑋 0.002173 X1 0.002173
=𝑥= = 0.00217
1+𝑋 1 +0.002173 X2 0.00000

y1 0.1
Operating Line Eq. y2 0.00334
x1 0.00217
x2 0.00000
Y = Y2 + (Ls/Gs)* X
Y = Y2 + (49.54)* X
 𝑥 𝑦
=𝑋 =𝑌 𝑋 𝑌
1−𝑥 1−𝑦 =𝑥 =𝑦
1+𝑋 1+𝑌
Y = Y2 + (49.54)* X Y1 0.11100
X Y x y Y2 0.00335
0.00000 0.00335 0.00000 0.00334 X1 0.002173
0.0002 0.0133 0.00020 0.01308 X2 0.00000
0.0004 0.0232 0.00040 0.02264
0.0006 0.0331 0.00060 0.03201
0.0008 0.0430 y1 0.1
0.00080 0.04121
0.0010 0.0529 0.00100 0.05023 y2 0.00334
0.0012 0.0628 0.00120 0.05909 x1 0.00217
0.0014 0.0727 0.00140 0.06778 x2 0.00000
0.0016 0.0826 0.00160 0.07631
0.0018 0.0925 0.00180 0.08468
0.0020 0.1024 0.00200 0.09291
0.002173 0.1110 0.00217 0.10000
G1’ (1-y1) = Gs’ = 59.42(1-0.1) = 53.478 kmol/h.m2

Gs’
G’ (1-y) = Gs’ or G’ =
(1−𝑦)

𝐺𝑠′ 𝑦1 𝑑𝑦
hT = 𝑘 𝑎 𝑦 1−𝑦 2(𝑦−𝑦𝑖)
𝑦 2

1
if f(y) =
1−𝑦 2(𝑦−𝑦𝑖) 𝐺𝑠′ 𝑦1
hT = 𝑓 𝑦 . 𝑑𝑦
𝑘𝑦 𝑎 𝑦2
0.120
xy Plot
0.100

0.080 Operating line

0.060

0.040 Equilibrium line

0.020

0.000

-0.020
-0.0010 -0.0005 0.0000 0.0005 0.0010 0.0015 0.0020 0.0025 0.0030
 (i) Locate any point P(x, y) on the operating line;
NA =ky’a(y-yi)=kx’a(xi-x) or (y-yi)/(x-xi) = -kx’a/ky’a
(ii) draw a line of slope =

-kxa/kya=(y-yi)/(x-xi)= - 1.25/0.075 = - 16.67 from (x, y) to

meet the equilibrium line at the point M, which gives the first
approximation of the interfacial concentrations (xi, yi).
Let P (0.00217, 0.1)
(y-0.1)/(x-0.00217) = -16.67
yi = 0.1 -16.67*(xi-0.00217)
yi = y-16.67*(xi-x)
Equilibrium line y = 2776.1x2 + 30.127x - 0.0014can be
yi = y-16.67*(xi-x)
Equilibrium line y = 2776.1x2 + 30.127x - 0.0014
Equilibrium line yi = 2776.1xi2 + 30.127xi - 0.0014

y-16.67*(xi-x) = 2776.1xi2 + 30.127xi - 0.0014

y-1.67*xi + 16.67*x = 2776.1xi2 + 30.127xi - 0.0014
2776.1xi2 + (30.127+16.67)xi + (- 0.0014-y-16.67x) =0.0
yi = y-16.67*(xi-x)
 x y xi yi
0.000000 0.003339 0.000101 0.00166
0.000400 0.022641 0.000632 0.01876
0.000799 0.041210 0.001121 0.03585
0.001199 0.059086 0.001573 0.05285
0.001597 0.076308 0.001994 0.06970
0.001996 0.092911 0.002388 0.09226
0.002168 0.100000 0.002551 0.09927
0.120
xy Plot

0.100

0.080

0.060

0.040
y = 2776.1x2 + 30.127x - 0.0014

0.020

0.000

-0.020
-0.0010 -0.0005 0.0000 0.0005 0.0010 0.0015 0.0020 0.0025 0.0030
 ′
𝐺
f(y). dy, where f(y) = =
(1−𝑦)(𝑦−𝑦𝑖)
Tower cross-section = 0.781 m2
G1’ (1-y1) = Gs’ = 59.42(1-0.1) = 53.478 kmol/h.m2

Gs’
G’ (1-y) = Gs’ or G’ =
(1−𝑦)

1
f(y). dy, where f(y) = 2
1−𝑦 (𝑦−𝑦𝑖)
Gs’ = 59.42(1-0.1) = 53.478 kmol/h.m2

Gs’ 53.478
= =0.198 m
𝑘𝑦.𝑎 270

1
f(y). dy, where f(y) = = 2
1−𝑦 (𝑦−𝑦𝑖)
 x y xi yi 1/((1-y)^2)*(y-yi)

0.000000 0.003339 0.000101 0.001661 599.93

0.000400 0.022641 0.000632 0.01876 270.00
0.000799 0.041210 0.001121 0.03585 203.04
0.001199 0.059086 0.001573 0.05285 181.09
0.001994 0.06970 177.40
0.001597 0.076308
0.002388 0.09226 185.97
0.001996 0.092911
0.002551 0.09927 193.41
0.002168 0.099910

1
f(y) =
1−𝑦 2(𝑦−𝑦𝑖)
hT = 0.198*22.82 = 4.52 m