NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

Assignment and Short Type Questions

Module 4: Absorption

Assignment Problem:
Assignment Problem 4.1: Nicotine is to be extracted from a liquor using a
solvent in a three-stage crosscurrent device. The feed rate is 2000 kg/hr,
containing 10 mass % nicotine. 95% of the solute has to be recovered. The
solvent has 0.001 kg nicotine/kg pure solvent. The equilibrium in the system can
be expressed as Wl=0.85 Ws, where, Wl is kg nicotine/kg nicotine-free feed and
Ws is kg is the nicotine/kg nicotine free solvent. If equal amounts of solvent are
used in the stages, calculate the total solvent requirement by using (a) graphical
method as well as (b) algebraic analysis method.
Ans. 8541 kg

Assignment Problem 4.2: A gas stream comprising of air and vapor of an

organic compound is to be scrubbed in an absorption tower for separation of
organic compound by absorption in oil. The operation is countercurrent.
Given:
Mol. wt. of oil: 250 kg/kmol; Inlet concentration of vapor of organic
compound in gas stream: 5% (by volume); Targeted (or desired) removal of
organic vapor: 95%; Flow rate of gas stream: 1000 m 3/h at 1.2 bar and 30C; Mol
wt of organic vapor: 80 kg/kmol and vapor pressure of organic vapor at 30C:
0.125 bar. You can assume that the system obeys Raoults law. If the inlet oil to
the absorption column does not contain any trace of organic vapor initially,
answer the following:
(A) Calculate the minimum flow rate of oil to the column for desired removal of
organic vapor.
(B) Calculate the number of theoretical stages using Kremsers equation if the
absorption factor A = L/mG = 1.4.

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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

If the inlet oil to the absorption column contains 0.5% by mass of organic
compound initially, answer the following:
(C) Calculate the number of theoretical stages of the absorption factor L/mG =
1.4.

Ans. (a) Lmin=943 kg/hr; (b) 6; (c) 9.

Assignment Problem 4.3: A gas flows at the rate of 15 kmol/s at 298 K and 1
atm with a H2S content of 0.10 mol%. Ninety five percent of the hydrogen sulfide
is to be removed by absorption with a pure liquid at 298 K. The design liquid flow
rate will be 30% higher than the minimum. Under these conditions, The
equilibrium line is Y = 10X/(1- 9X) based on solute free basis.

(a) Calculate the operating flow rate of the liquid and the H2S concentration in
the liquid leaving the absorber
(b) Calculate the number of ideal stages required for the specified flow rates
and %H2S removal. The number of ideal stage can be calculated as follows:
Y mX 0
ln N 1 (1 A 1 ) A 1
Y mX 0
N 1
ln A

Where m is the slope of equilibrium curve in the case of composition without

solute free basis and A is the absorption factor

Ans: (a) 185.0453 kmol/s, 7.7010-05 (b) 7.25

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NPTEL Chemical Mass Transfer Operation 1

Short type questions

1. Which parameters influence the HtOG and NtOG of a packed tower?

Ans. Gas flow rate, G/; Overall mass transfer coefficients, KY, KG; log mean
*
concentration of carrier, y BM ; solute concentration in gas, y and total pressure, P.

2. Write down the physical significance of height of transfer units (HTU).

Ans. It indicates inversely the ease of separation with which a column performs.

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