Mass Transfer

(CLPC18)

Problems

B.Tech. (Chemical Engineering)

IV Semester
January 2021 Session
Problem 1
Carbon disulphide is to be recovered from a nitrogen-Carbon disulphide mixture by scrubbing with an
absorbent oil (M.W. - 180) in a counter current plate column. The gas enters the column at a rate of
1500 m3/h at 300K and 100 kPa, the partial pressure of CS2 in the entering gas is 7 kPa. The CS2
content is to be reduced to 0.5%. The solvent oil entering the column is free of CS2. The CS2-oil
solutions may be assumed to obey Raoult's law. The vapour pressure of CS2 at 300K is 51.6 kPa.
Assuming isothermal operation, determine

a) The minimum Ls/Gs ratio,

b) For a Ls/Gs ratio 1.5 times (Ls/Gs)min, the oil circulation rate in Kg/h,

c) Mole % of CS2 in the exit liquid,

d) Number of trays by graphical method,

e) Number of trays using Kremser equation

 Assuming ideal gas behavior, the molar flow rate can be calculated using the relation,
PV PV 100 × 1500
n= G= = = 60.14 kmol / h
RT N +1
RT 8.314 × 300
PA 7
Mole fraction of CS2 , y N=
+1 = = 0.07
P 100
y N +1 0.07
Mole ratio,=YN +1 = = 0.0753
1-y N +1 1 − 0.07
The flow rate of gas on CS2-free basis is, GS = GN +1 (1 − YN +1 ) = 55.93 kmol / h
The CS2 in gas leaving the column is 0.5%, y1 = 0.005, Y1 = 0.00503

GS is constant throughout the column, G1 = GS (1 + Y1 ) = 55.93 (1+0.00503)=56.21 kmol / h

The solvent enters free of CS2 at the top, x0 = 0, X0 = 0, LS = L0

For equilibrium curve, Raoult’s Law,=

P S
51.6
y =A
x = x 0.516 x
P 100
In mole ratio,

X 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.16

Y 0 0.0102 0.0202 0.03 0.0397 0.0492 0.0585 0.0677 0.0766

From graph,  LS  YN +1 − Y1 0.0753 − 0.00503

=
  = =0.4476
 G S min X N (max) − X 0 0.157( from graph) − 0
  LS   LS 
  1.5
=   =× 1.5 0.4476 =
0.6714
 GS   G S min

G S = 55.93kmol / h, LS = 0.6714 × 55.93 = 37.55kmol / h

MW of oil = 180, the oil circulation rate = 37.55 × 18 = 6759 kg/h
c) From graph at YN+1=0.0753, XN = 0.105 moles of CS2/mole of oil.
XN
Mole fraction = × 100 =
9.5%
1+ X N

d) Number of theoretical plates N, (from graph) = 5 + 0.23 = 5.23

e)  ( A − 1)  y N +1 − mx0  1 
log   + 
 A  1 y − mx0  A
N=
log A

A = (A1AN)0.5

L1 L1 LN L
A1
= = ,=
AN =
mG1 mG1 mGN +1 mGN

L=
0 L=
S 37.55kmol / hr , G=
1 56.21kmol / hr , m
= 0.516
A1 = 1.2946

LN = LS (1 + X N ) = 37.55(1 + 0.105) = 41.49kmol / hr

GN +1 = 60.14kmol / hr
AN = 1.3370
A = 1.3156
∴N = 5.16
 Problem 2
The substance A (M.W. - 17) is stripped off from an aqueous solution containing 17.2% by weight A in a
plate column using air. If 90% of A is to be removed, calculate for 1000kg/h of feed solution, a)
Minimum gas rate in kmol/h and b) for a gas rate 1.5 times the minimum, the number of ideal stages
required. The equilibrium data (x and y are mole fractions of A)

x 0.0196 0.0476 0.0909 0.1304 0.1667 0.20 0.2308

y 0.0303 0.0663 0.1189 0.1825 0.2674 0.3711 0.4792

a) Inlet concentration of the liquid = 17.2%

17.2 17
The composition on mole basis, = 18.03%
17.2 17 + 82.8 / 18
0.1803
=x0 0.1803,
= X0 = 0.22
1 − 0.1803
When 90% A is removed, the exit liquid will contain only 10% of the A entering the column.
X N = 0.10 × 0.22 = 0.022
The solution feed rate = 1000 kg/h
 The average molecular weight of a solution containing 0.1803 mole A and (1-0.1803) mole water per mole of solution is
M.W. = 0.1803 × 17 + (1-0.1803) × 18 = 17.8197
1000
The molar flow rate of the solution is
17.8197
= 56.12kmol / h LS = 56.12(1 − 0.1803) = 46kmol / h
Since the air entering the column is free of solute, YN+1 = 0
Calculate X & Y based on the given data and draw graph and its slope.
 LS   0.328 − 0 
=
  =  1.6566
G
 S min  0.220-0.022 
LS 46
(G= )
S min = = 27.77 kmol / h
1.6566 1.6566

b)  LS 
 
 LS   G S min
=
  = 1.1044
G
 S 1.5

Number of ideal plates required (from graph) = 4.76

Problem 3
Acetone is to be recovered from a 5% acetone air mixture by scrubbing with water in a packed tower
using counter current flow. Both liquid and gas rates are 0.85 kg/m2s and 0.5 kg/m2s. Kya = 1.52×10-2
kmol/m3s. Calculate the height of the tower to remove 98% acetone? The equilibrium data in mole
fractions are as follows:
x 0.0099 0.0196 0.036 0.04
y 0.0076 0.0156 0.0306 0.0333

y1 0.05 Y2 0.001053
y1 = 0.05 1 (1 − y ) (1 − 0.05) 0.05263
= Y = Y= 0.05263 × 0.02
= 0.001053 =y = = 0.00105
(1 + Y2 ) (1 + 0.001053)
2
2
1

L=2
L=
S
0.85 kg / m =
2
s 0.0472 kmol /
= m 2
s G1
0.5
= kg / m 2
s 0.0165 kmol / m 2
s
GS = G1 (1 − y1 ) = 0.0165(1 − 0.05) = 0.0157 kmol / m 2 s
G2 = GS (1 + Y2 ) = 0.0157(1 + 0.001053) = 0.01572kmol / m 2 s
LS Y −Y
= 1 2
GS X 1 − X 2

0.0472 0.05263 − 0.001053 0.01716

= =
X 1 = 0.01716 x1 = 0.01687
0.0157 X1 − 0 1 + 0.01716
 G
H tOG =
Kya
K=
y
a 1.52 × 10 −2
kmol / m 3
s

G = G1G2 = 0.0165 × 0.01572 =0.01611kmol / m3 s

0.01611
H tOG = 1.06
1.52 × 10 −2

y1
dy 1 (1 − y2 )
N tOG ∫y ( y − y∗ ) + 2 ln (1 − y1 )
2
 y1
dy 1 (1 − y2 )
N tOG ∫y ( y − y∗ ) + 2 ln (1 − y1 )
2

Area Under the Curve

Z H tOG × N tOG
Z = 1.06 × 4.9 = 5.216m
Problem 4
An inert gas cointaminated with H2S is to be scrubbed with an aqueous solution of triethanolamine in a
counter current packed column operated at 300K and 101.3kPa to reduce H2S content from the initial
concentration of 0.03 mole H2S per mole of inert gas to one hundredth of this value. Solvent enters the
tower free of H2S and leaves with a concentration of 0.013 mole H2S per mole solvent. The flow of inert
gas is 50 kmol/m2h. The equilibrium is described by the linear relation y=0.57x (y and x are mole
fractions). The overall MT coefficient Kya = 125 kmol/m3h. Determine a) the rate at which solvent is
introduced in kmol/m2h, b) the height of the absorber by assuming dilute solutions.

a) GS = 50 kmol/m2h
Y1 = 0.03 kmol H2S/kmol inert gas Y2 = 0.0003
G1 = GS (1 + Y1) = 51.5 kmol/m2h, G2 = GS (1 + Y2) = 50.015 kmol/m2h
Mole fraction, y1 = 0.0291, y2 = 0.0003
X2 = 0, x2 = 0, X1 = 0.013, x1 = 0.0128
GS (Y1 - Y2) = LS (X1 - X2) LS = 114.23 kmol/m2h

L1 = LS (1 + X1) = 115.71 kmol/m2h

L2 = LS (1 + X2) = 114.23 kmol/m2h
b) For dilute solutions, H tOG =
G
K ya

G = avg. gas flow rate

G1 + G2
=G = 50.758kmol / m 2 h
2
50.758
=H tOG = 0.406m
125
NtOG = 22.15 (from graph i.e. area under the curve)

Z = HtOG × NtOG = 0.406 × 22.15 = 9m

Problem 1
Water enters a forced draft counterflow cooling tower at a rate 1000 kg/m2h at 318K and leaves at
298K. The air enters at 300K with a wet-bulb temperature of 293K. The heat transfer resistance in the
liquid phase is negligible. The overall coefficient Kya is 1200 kg/m3h. Determine a) The minimum air
circulation rate in kg/m2h, b) the tower height, if the air rate used is 1.5 times the minimum. The
saturation enthalpy of air versus temperature data are as follows:
Temperature, K 283 288 293 298 303 308 312 318 323

Enthalpy, kJ/kg 29.1 41.8 57.2 76.0 99.4 128.7 165.7 212.8 273.6
Enthalpy of the inlet air (H1’) C=
S CB + Y ' C A =
CS 1.005 + 1.884Y '
The humidity of air with dry bulb temperature 300K & wet bulb temperature 293K = 0.0118 kg water vapour per kg dry air
CS = 1.005 + 1.884 × 0.0118 H =' CS (T − T0 ) + Y ' λ0
=' 1.0272(300 − 273.15) + 0.0118 × 2502.3
H
H ' = 57.1kJ / kg
' ' '
LC H (max) − H 200 − 57.1
'
L
= 2
= 1
= 7.145kJ / kgK
GS ,min TL ,2 − TL ,1 318 − 298
1000 × 4.1868 G '
= 585.98kg / m 2
h
'
= 7.145 S ,min
GS ,min
GS' =
1.5GS' ,min =× 878.96kg / m 2 h
1.5 585.98 =
'
LC 1000 × 4.1868
L
= 4.763 H 2 ' = 152.37
GS' 878.96
 ' H 2'
G dH ' 878.96
Z H tOG × N tOG Z= S
KY a ∫' ( H '∗ − H ' ) =
H tOG = 0.7325m
1200
H1

Z= 0.7325 × 3.76= 2.75m