Mass Transfer Operations-I
Humidification
Introduction
• Humidification and dehumidification are operations in which
a pure liquid is in contact with an inert gas phase which is
insoluble in the liquid.
• In humidification, the liquid vaporises and the vapors are
transferred to the gas phase, whereas in dehumidification, the
vapors are condensed and transferred from the gas phase to
the liquid phase.
• In majority of these operations, the liquid phase is pure water
and the gas phase is air.
• The mass transfer is confined to the gas phase as there is no
concentration gradient in liquid phase.
Applications
• Liquid cooling: Cooling towers
• Gas cooling:
• Adiabatic humidification
• Dehumidification: Solvent recovery, Gas drying, Air-conditioning
• Evaporative cooling
• Water desalination
Humidity
• Humidification involves contact between a pure liquid (A) and
a gas phase consisting of an insoluble gas (B) and the vapors
of the liquid (A).
• “Humidity” – the concentration of the vapor in a gas-vapor
mixture – the amount of vapor present per unit quantity of
vapor-free gas.
• Eg: For air-water vapor system, humidity refers to the amount
of water vapor present per unit quantity of dry air.
Molal Humidity
• The humidity expressed on mole basis or on mass basis.
• Molal Humidity: No. of moles of vapor present per mole of
vapor free gas.
• Assuming the gas is ideal,
Molal Humidity at saturation, YS
• If the gas were saturated with the vapors, the molal humidity
is the “ molal humidity at saturation.
• It is equal to the moles if vapor per mole of dry gas under
saturation.
Absolute Humidity, Y’
• Absolute Humidity: the mass of vapor present per unit mass
of vapor free gas.
Problem
• A mixture of acetone vapor and nitrogen gas at 101.3
kPa and 300 K contains acetone vapor to the extent
that it exerts a partial pressure of 20kPa. The vapor
pressure of acetone is given by the Antonie equation
2795.817
ln P 14.39155
S
T 43.198
where the pressure is in kPa, and temperature in K.
Determine a) the molal humidity b) the absolute
humidity c) molal saturation humidity d) absolute
saturation humidity
Unsaturated vapor-gas mixtures
• If the partial pressure of the vapor in a gas-vapor
mixture for any reason less than the equilibrium
vapor pressure of the liquid at the same
temperature, the mixture is unsaturated.
Dry-bulb temperature
• It is true temperature of air measured (or, any non-
condensable and condensable mixture) by
thermometer whose bulb is dry.
• This is the temperature of a vapor-gas mixture as
ordinarily determined by immersion of a
thermometer in the mixture.
Relative saturation/Relative humidity
• It is the ratio of partial pressure of water vapor in air
at a given temperature to the vapor pressure of
water at the same temperature.
• Relative humidity does not explicitly give he moisture
content of a gas, but gives the degree of saturation
of the gas at a given temperature.
Percent saturation/Percent humidity
• It is the relation between absolute humidity, Y’ to
that of saturation humidity at the same temperature
and pressure.
Dew Point
• If a vapor-gas mixture is gradually cooled at a
constant pressure, the temperature at which it just
becomes saturated is called its “ Dew point”.
• The partial pressure of water vapor in air is same as
the vapor pressure of water at this temperature.
• If the temperature is reduced even slightly,
condensation and droplets (dew) of water appear.
Humid Volume, vH
• The volume of unit mass of dry air with
accompanying water vapor at a given temperature
and pressure.
Humid heat, cH
• It is the heat energy required to the raise the
temperature of unit mass of dry air with the
accompanying water vapor by one (1) degree.
Enthalpy
• The enthalpy of a vapor-gas mixture is the sum of the
relative enthalpies of gas and vapor content.
Adiabatic saturation temperature
Wet-bulb temperature
• It is the steady-state
temperature attained by a
small amount of evaporating
water in a manner such that
the sensible heat transferred
from the air to the liquid to the
latent heat required for
evaporation.
• It is the steady state
temperature reached by a
small amount of liquid
evaporating into large amount
of unsaturated vapor-gas
mixture.
The Psychrometric Chart
• The psychrometric chart represents
– The dry bulb temperature
– The wet bulb temperature
– The relative humidity
– The absolute humidity
– The dew point
– The enthalpy
– The specific volume
The Psychrometric Chart
• The psychrometric charts for any vapor-gas mixture
can be prepared when circumstances warrant, the
system air-water occurs frequently that unusually
complete charts for this mixture are available.
• The most important principle of a psychrometric
chart is that if you know any two values of the air
conditions, you can determine all other parameters.
Problem
• Determine the following psychrometric properties of a
moist air sample having a dry-bulb temperature 27
degree Celsius and a humidity of 0.015 kg/kg dry air
using the psychrometric chart and the vapor pressure
equation for water.
– Relative humidity
– Dew point
– Adiabatic sat. temperature
– Wet bulb temperature
– Enthalpy
– Humid volume
– Humid heat
Cooling Towers
• A cooling tower is a special type of heat exchanger in
which the warm water and the air are brought in direct
contact for evaporative cooling.
• It must provide a very good contact for better mass
transfer.
• Important factors that govern the operation of a cooling:
– The dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures of the air
– The temperature of warm water
– The efficiency of contact between air and water
– The air pressure drop
– The desired temperature of the cooled water
Classification of cooling towers