Question

a short packed tower uses an organic amine at 14 c to absorb carbon dioxide. the entering gas, which contains 1.27% co2, would be in equilibrium with a solution of amine containing 7.3 mole % co2. the gas leaves containing 0.04% co, the amine, flowing countercurrently, enters essentially pure. gas flow is 2.31 g mol/s, liquid flow is 0.46 g mol/s, the tower's cross-sectional area is about 0.84 m2, and the mass transfer coefficient times the surface area per volume is 0.022 s-1. how large a tower is needed to achieve this amount of co2 absorption?

Answer 1

To determine the size of the tower needed for CO2 absorption, we use the rate of CO2 absorption formula and the given values for gas and liquid flow rates, equilibrium concentrations, and tower area. By rearranging the formula, we can calculate the volume of liquid flow required and then determine the tower size.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the size of the tower needed to achieve the desired amount of CO2 absorption, we need to consider the gas and liquid flow rates, the mass transfer coefficient, and the equilibrium concentrations of CO2 in the entering gas and the amine solution.

We can use the rate of CO2 absorption formula:

Rate of CO2 Absorption = Volume of Liquid Flow x Concentration Difference

By rearranging the equation, we can solve for the volume of liquid flow required:

Volume of Liquid Flow = Rate of CO2 Absorption / Concentration Difference

Using the given values, we can calculate the volume of liquid flow and then determine the tower size by dividing the volume of liquid flow by the cross-sectional area of the tower.