Methane CO Absorption Analysis
Translated by
ScribdTranslationsMethane CO Absorption Analysis
Translated by
ScribdTranslationsExercise 2
A methane flow containing 5% by volume of CO.2is washed with water under total pressure
at 50 atm. The washed gas has a residual content of CO2of 0.1% in volume, while water
outgoing contains 0.25% weight of CO2.
1°) Determine for 1000 kg.h-1of the water flow used.
2°) Determine the theoretical number of stages of the absorption column used.
3°) Following an incident, the water flow drops to about 40m.3.h-1. Graphically estimate the
new CO content2in the methane output.
4°) The water flow is restored, but the pressure drops from 50 to 45 bars. Same question.
Data:
The solubility of CO2in water at 25°C under 1 atm is 0.145g of CO2for
100g of water.
It is accepted that CO2follows
Henry's law in the field of study.
One can make the approximation of low solute concentrations in both.
phases.
The solubility of methane in water is neglected.
MCO244 g/mol-1, MCH416 [Link]-1.
Corrected:
1°) The mass fraction of CO2 in the incoming gas stream is [Link]=5×44/(5×44+95×16)=0.1264,
soityemass12.64%
The mass fraction of CO2 in the outgoing gas flow is ysmass=0.1×44/(0.1×44+99.9×16)=0.0027,
soitysmass0.27%
By writing the mass balance on the diluent Vs(1-ys=Ve(1-ye) we obtain Vs=Ve×(1-ye/(1-
ys=1000×(1-0.1264)/(1-0.0027), so Vs876 kg.h-1.
By writing the mass balance on the solute Lexe+Veye=Lsxs+Vsyswe obtain Ls=eye-
Vsys)s=(1000×0.1264-876×0.0027)/0.0025, soitLs=49614 kg.h-1.
By writing the mass balance on water Le(1-xe)=Ls(1-xs) we obtain Le=Ls(1-xs)/(1-
xe)=49614×(1-0.0025)/1, which is Le=49490 kg.h-1.
2°) The equilibrium is given by 0.145g of CO2for 100g of water in the liquid phase at P=PCO2=1 atm.
Given the low levels of CO2in both phases, we choose to work on a title
molar and not in molar ratio.
The mass title of the given solution at equilibrium is xCO2mass0.145/(100+0.145)=1.448e-3
let xCO2mass=0.145%. Its molar mass is xCO2mol=(0.145/44)/(0.145/44+100/18)=5.93e-4.
Henry's law is expressed as PCO2=Hxmol×xCO2mol, that is Hxmol=PCO2/xCO2mole1/5.93e-4=1686.8 atm/titre
molar.
For our equilibrium at 50 atmospheres, we have the relationship:
yCO2mol=PCO2/Ptotal=1686.8×xCO2mole/50=33.74×xCO2mol.
Molar titles in CO2the incoming and outgoing phases are:
yemole=5%, ysmol0.1%
xemol=0%, xsmol=(0.25/44)/(0.25/44+99.75/18)=0.001, that is xsmol0.1%
We then draw the equilibrium line with a slope coefficient of 33.74, and then the operational line.
going through the points (xe,ys)=(0,0.001) and (xs,ye(0.001,0.05), and we determine the number
theoretical floor, such that NET=7.