Sample Problem #1:

A vent gas stream in your chemical plant is 15wt% Z; the rest is air. The local pollution
authorities feel that Z is a minor pollutant and require a maximum concentration of 4wt %. You
have decided to build an absorption tower using water as the absorbent. The inlet water is
pure and at 30C. The operation is essentially isothermal. At 30C, your laboratory has found
that the equilibrium data can be approximated by y = 0.5x (where y and x are weight fractions
of Z in vapor and liquid, respectively).
a. Find the minimum ratio of water to air  L V  min (This is on a Z-free basis.).
b. With an L V = 1.22  L V  min , find the total number of equilibrium stages and the outlet
liquid concentration.
Assume that air is not soluble in water and that water is nonvolatile.

x0= 0 y1 = 0.04

Absorber
t = 30C
y = 0.5x

xN yN+1 = 0.15

Solution:

Top coordinates:

x0 0 y1 0.04
X0   0 Y1    0.0417
1 x0 1 0 1  y1 1  0.04

Bottom coordinates:

y N1 0.15
XN  ? YN1    0.1765
1  y N1 1  0.15
Equilibrium data:

x y
Assign x y = 0.5x X Y
1 x 1 y
0.00 0.00 0 0
0.05 0.025 0.0526 0.0256
0.10 0.050 0.1111 0.0526
0.15 0.075 0.1765 0.0811
0.20 0.100 0.2500 0.1111
0.25 0.125 0.3333 0.1429
0.30 0.150 0.4286 0.1765

Graphical representation of  L V  min :

0.2

YN+1 0.1765 Pinch

point

0.1

Equilibrium
curve

Top
(X0,Y1)
XN,max = 0.4286
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

 L  Y  Y1 0.1765  0.0417
   N1   0.3145
 V   min XN,max  X 0 0.4286  0
Determination of number of stages:

L  L 
 1.22   1.22 0.6145   0.3837
V  V  min

L YN1  Y1

V  XN  X 0
0.1765  0.0417
0.3837 
XN  0
xN
 XN = 0.3513 
1  xN
or xN = 0.26

0.2 Bottom
(XN,YN+1)

5
Operating
line 4

3
0.1

2 Equilibrium
curve
Top 1
(X0,Y1)

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Answers:

a.  L V  min = 0.3145
b. N = 4.9 and xN = 0.26