Computers & Chemical Engineering, Vol. IO, No. 5, pp.

M-515,
Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved

1986
Copyright 0

0098-1354/86 $3.00 + 0.00

1986 Pergamon Journals Ltd

RIGOROUS SIMULATION AND DESIGN OF COLUMNS

FOR GAS ABSORPTION AND CHEMICAL
REACTION-II
PLATE COLUMNS
L. DE LEYE and G. F. FROMENT
Laboratorium voor Petrochemische Techniek, Rijksuniversiteit, Gent, Belgium
(Received

22 January 1985; revision received 5 September 1985;

received for publication 20 January 1986)

1. INTRODUCTION
In Part I [l, this issue, pp. 4935041 of this paper the
mathematical modelling of absorption accompanied
by chemical reaction was developed both for simple
and complex cases and attention was focused upon
application to packed columns. Part II applies the
theory to the design or simulation of plate columns.
These are preferred to packed columns when widely
varying loadings may be expected. Also, large values
of the mass-transfer coefficients and large interfacial
areas can be achieved in traycolumns, which makes
them appropriate not only for the fast reactions
encountered in gas treating, but also, given the high
liquid hold-up, for the slow reactions encountered in
chemical-producing processes.

neous absorption and parallel reactions (Type 1A).

The variation of, the mole fractions of the absorbing
components in the gas phase and of the total gas flow
rate on plate k are given by
F

dyi
di!

l-yjp!E?
I= I Njly=O
=

MATHEMATICALMODELLING

and

(2)
while for non-absorbing

The boundary

The various flows and compositions of the gas and

liquid in the column and on a typical plate are shown
in Fig. 1. Gas and liquid feed or withdrawal on a
plate are also included. The components in the liquid
phase are numbered in the following order: components undergoing absorption and reaction, physically absorbed components, liquid-phase reactants,
reaction products involved in further reactions, final
reaction products and inert liquid-phase components.
When the total number of plates, the compositions,
flow rates, temperatures and pressures of the gas and
liquid feed streams and the flow rates of intermediate
gas or liquid withdrawals are given, the flow rates,
compositions, temperatures and pressures on each
plate have to be calculated. This is the simulation
problem. In the design mode the number of plates
required to achieve a specified absorption has to be
determined. This requires a number of iterations in
the column calculation.
In the model to be described, the gas is assumed to
be in plug flow, while the liquid on the plates is
completely mixed. Non-isothermal and non-isobaric
operation are considered. The equations below are
written for a fairly general example involving simulta505

forj=l,...,nA,

-Njly=i)AtR*

FYI= constant
2.

(1)

components,
for j = nA + 1, . . . , n,.

conditions

(3)

are

for 2 = O,yj=yjpk
F=@

forj=l,...,no.

and

(4)

for 2 = h, y,= yj,k

F = Fk

Pf and yFk are the gas flow rate and the mole
fractions in the gas entering the plate. These are
related to the quantities leaving the plate k + 1 in the
following way, accounting for side streams:

and

forj=l,...,no.

(6)

The equations for the flow rate and composition of

the liquid are derived, by way of example, for the
parallel reactions (33) and (34) (Type 1A) of Part I
[l]. Since the various reactions probably have

L. DE LEVE and G.

506

F. FROMENT

X ,,,;j=

.f-JL

1..

-La
X, .;j= 1 ,

Y, ,;j=l,...,nG

, nL

k-7; ,@,I,

Fk+lk+l T
Liquid

Gas

Fig. 1. Flows and compositions in the column and on a plate.

different reaction rates, the xj,k depend upon the

appropriate Hatta number.
For the absorbed components undergoing a very
fast reaction (appropriate Hatta number > 3),
xik=O

for the remaining

absorbed components,

forj=n,+l,...,n,.

forj=l,...,nv;

(10)

(7)

for those involved in a moderately fast reaction

(appropriate Hatta number between 0.3 and 3),

The mole fractions of reactants, reaction products

and inerts in the liquid on the plate are given by
X,,.k(G + WW,)

X/k(L+

Ww~)=xj,k-,L;_, +xw,,k WV,

+NjIy-.vL

=x,~k_,L;_,+xw,,kwk

A:Rh, - aj,jrj(l - A,y,)Rh,c,

forj=n,+l,...,n,+n,;

x {(@Y&-

(8)

-(G-I%-,

for the absorbed components undergoing a very slow

reaction (Ha c 0.3)

F,Y,,,) -

a/,/
[x,Ow~ + 4)
I-

+ W,XW,,,)l~
forj=n,+l,...

,+,+nR+nP

(11)

and
+y~kkFl~-Yj,kFk-Uj,jrj(l

forj=nv+n,+l,...,n,+nM+n,;

-A$,)Rh,C,

Xj,k(L;+

(9)

WWt)=Xj,k-IL;-I+X~,.~Wv~

forj=n,+n,+n,+l,...,n,.

(12)

507

Simulation of absorption and reaction in columns-II

The minus sign in equation (11) applies to the

reactants, the plus sign to the reaction products.
The absorption fluxes of the different components
are determined from

Njly-0 =

fi
Hi

~
ko.j(Pt)k + kL,j(Pt)k

forj=l,...,nA,

NjIy=o=

Hay

forj=l,...,nv,

~jl,=,=kG,j(Pt)k[Yj-H~(Xj.k)il

and from the application

tanh (Ha;)

(13)

of Ficks law for diffusion:

du,
- Djckdy

(20)

are not necessarily computed from the integrated

equations (16) and (17), but may also be obtained
through

y=o

forj=l,...,n,

HjXj,k

(14)

- cash (Ha;)
Njly-o=

and
N,J,,=,, = -

DjCk3

dY

tanh(Ha;)
ko,jG,)k + kL.j(Jt)k HaJ
Hj

forj=n,+l,...,nv+n,

YYL

forj=n,+l,...,n,.

(21)

(15)

and
For the determination of these fluxes, the concentration profiles of the absorbed components, undergoing fast reactions in the liquid film, have to be
computed from the following set of second-order
differential equations:

Djdzx=%r.
for j=
dy2

Ha!,k

Njly-yL=

,c (xj,k>i-xj,kcosh(Ha~)
LJ k

sinh (Ha;)

forj=nv+l,...,nv+n,
with

I,...

,nv+n,;

C, *

(16)
HI

and for the liquid-phase reactant participating

fast reactions,

in the

/=I

Hi(Pth
ck

and provided that Ha; is expressed by

Da+rFr,
with boundary

(22)

mj,,y+
1aj,,k,C$

- I (xi k)?J - (xK ,+)yDj

Haj =

conditions

kLJ

at

y=o

forj=l,...,nv

dx,= -- Njly=o
dy

(23)

and

forj=l,...,nv+n,

DjCk

-dxa = 0 for the liquid-phase reactant

dy
ticipating in the fast reactions

par(17)

kL.j

for j = nv + 1, . . . , n, + nM. (24)

andat

y=y,,
xj = 0

forj=l,...,nv

xj=xik

forj=nv+l,...,nv+n,

xa = x, k for the liquid-phase reactant

ticipating in the fast reactions.

par-

When the kinetic expressions of the nv very fast

and nM moderately fast reactions have the following
simple forms:
rj = kjC_?lC~R

for j = 1, . . . , nv

If one or more of the fast reactions have a more

general kinetic expression, the set of second-order
differential equations (16) has to be solved numerically. The integration is performed by means of a
variable-step finite-difference method for the solution
of boundary-value problems.
The fluxes of the remaining absorbed components,
undergoing a very slow reaction or which are only
physically absorbed, are given by

(18)
Njly-o=

and
rj = kjC,CtR

for j = nv + 1, . . . , n, + nM, (19)

Yj- HjXj*k
1
Hj
ko,j(Pt)k + kL,j(Pt)k

forj=nv+n,+l,...,n,.
the interfacial fluxes of the absorbed components that
undergo the fast reactions, obtained through the
approximate solutions of Onda et al. [2],

(25)

The temperature on a plate is determined from an

enthalpy balance around the plate:

508

L. DE LEYE and

G. F. FROMENT
with

G-IL;-,

? Xj,k-ICpL.,-Tk Fk f yj,kCpc;.j

j=l

Q$ = (-AH,b)(Ft_YFk- FkJj,k)

j=l

+ (WW, + Li) 5

,=I

t Tk+, (Fk+\-

Xj.kCpL,

VW,+)) 2

forj=l,...,n,+

Yj,k+lCpG.,

j-l

(27)

and
Q~k=(-AH~)~,{(~~Y~k-F,Yj.k)

+Tvk+,l/,k+,

j$

Yv,,,

+ I CPO., +

Twt

WV,

-[xj,k(L;+

OL
x

j=l

xw,.kcPL.,

Q: -,$,

Q;? - 5 Q;, (26)

,= I

W~,)-(~;-,~j,k-,

+ WVkXW,,,)I)

forj=l,...,n,.

start

YES

NO
Gas

withdr.

Estimate

ITER

k=l

DETERM.

PHYS.
kG

PLATE

PROP.

kL
CHARACT.

I
Haj,j

Determine
= 1 . . .

I-IR

NO

YES

Fig. 2(a)

(28)

Simulation of absorption and reaction in columns-11

Equation

3. A COMPUTER PROGRAM, A-Tray

(26) is written in the following form:

Tk_,A;+TkB;+Tk+,C;=D;

k=l,...,

N,

(29)
with A; = 0 and CN = 0, so that the coefficient matrix
of the set of non-linear algebraic equations (29) is
reduced to a tridiagonal matrix.
The pressure drop on a plate depends upon the
type of tray (sieve, bubble caps, valve, . . . , etc.).
Correlations are available in the literature and these
were incorporated into the program A-Tray.

Ha" .* j
3'

= l,n

V + "M

509

The second subprogram of A-Tower, specifically

dealing with plate columns is called A-Tray. It comprises three modules: one for physical absorption,
one for single absorption accompanied by a single
reaction, reversible or irreversible, and one for multiple absorption accompanied by a set of parallel or
consecutive reactions, with kinetic regimes ranging
from very slow to instantaneous and non-isothermal,
non-isobaric operation. It is clear from the previous
section that the calculations lead to the number of

xI

= l,n

V + "M

j,k

'k

I
Determine
kG'

PHYS.

Determine

PROP.

kG

kL

Plate

charact.

Plate

PHYS.

PROP.

kL

1
I

chat-act.

I
RUKUGILL
Num.
Eqs (l),(2)
;

y;:k

RUKUGILL
Num.
Eqe (l),(2)

Int.

= 1,nA

Eq

(3)
; j=n

';:k
Eqs

+ 1,n

l,n

(3)
; j = nA + l,nG

y;;k

Eqs

(5),(6)

(5),(e)

Fk+l

Fk+l
j = l,nG

'i,k+l'

_*

L'k
Eqs
'j,k'

j = 1,n

yj,ktl'

Eqs (11),(12)

Combin.

(11),(12)
j = nA t l,nL

2ndorder
Num. Integr.
Diff. eqs (16)

(8),(9),(10)

Eqs
'j,k'
Eqs
Ha"

F;"

F;"
Eq

y;:k

Int.

j = *v t l,nA

(23),(24)
j = l.nV
3'

Calculate

xI.
J*k

t nM

dc.

Ck

5-l

YYL

= 1,

"V + "M

= nv t

Eqs (8),(9),(10)
'j,k'

j = nv t l,nA

Calculate

Ck

d
4

Fig. 2(b)

l,nV

L. DE LEYEand G. F. FROMENT

510

real-not
theoretical-trays.
By way of example, the
algorithm used for the case whereby the absorption
is accompanied by Type 1A parallel reactions,
defined in Part I [1] of this paper, is shown in Fig. 2.

A tray-to-tray method
plate of the column. The
estimates of the unknown
various plates is reduced

is used, starting at the top

calculation of the successive
variables at the top and the
to the problem of solving a

NO

(APt)k-+.(Pt)k;

k = 1 ... N

M0

Estimate
j = 1 . . . nC-1

I
yj,l'

Estimate
j = 1 . . . nA

'j,l'

F1

L
TV
ITER

= ITER

t 1

b8
SSQ, = Z(

(x.

k)E

J9

(x.

k)C

(Ha" .jE

tZ(

(Xi
= Z(

k)E - (Xi,k)C

(x*,
+ Z(

(x.
=

Z(

k)E

(x.

k)C

Cc,),

('k)E

)E - (Xi,

+(

- ('k)C)2

(=k)E

J,k)'
('I.
)E
J,k

)
('j,k)E

-q2

.lgk

('j,k)E

SSQ,

(Ha .)

(Ha"j)E

('j,k)E

SSQ,

(=k)C
)

(CkjE - (CkjC 2
)2 + (

)
(=k)E

('k)E

Fig. 2(c)
Fig. 2(a-c). Flow chart of the algorithm for the simulation of a plate column in which absorption is
accompanied by a Type IA system of parallel reactions.

511

Simulation of absorption and reaction in columns---II

Table 3. Commuted results for the H,S-DEA

Table 1. Constructive details of the valve trays in

the H,S-DEA column
Property
Active area, n (m)
Relative free area on plate
Weir length (m)
Weir height (m)
Valve thickness (m)

0.4225
0.153
0.872
0.066
0.00188

L (kmol/h)
F (kmol/h)
YHB
xti,s
+wx-I
XHS;;;y

of non-linear algebraic equations. For this purpose the program contains Wegsteins method [3] and
the generalized secant method [4]. The application of
A-Tray to a couple of important industrial processes
is illustrated in the next section.
set

4. EXAMPLES OF THE APPLICATION

4.1. The absorption of H2S

ethanolamine (DEA) solution

in an aqueous di-

HS- + RNH; .

(30)

This reaction is instantaneous and reversible.

Data for the determination
of the equilibrium
constant of the reaction, K,, were taken from the
literature [7,8].
Densities and viscosities of the solution and
diffusivities of the reactants in the solution were
calculated out of the experimental values [9] and
literature data [lo, 111. For the determination of the
diffusivity of the H,S in water, Wilke-Changs correlation was used. This diffusivity was corrected for
the composition of the aqueous solution according to
the Stokes-Einstein relationship.

Table 2. Standard correlations in

the A-Tray program for the determination
of the mass-transfer
coefficients and the plate characteristics
Property
ko
k,
A:
h,
f,

&, h

Correlation
Stichlmair [I 21
Stichlmair [12]
Stichlmair [12]
Stichlmair (121
Stichlmair [I21
Glitsch Inc. [13]

Bottom
column

2208.8
161.69
0.13 x lo-
0.0
0.41 x lo-
0.0
0.0
7.47
318.15
535.68
0.442
0.367
0.153
0.371

2247.9
200.8
0.195
0.134 x 10-J
0.230 x IO-
0.173 x 10-l
0.173 x 10-l
7.590
321.5
292.45
0.443
0.387
0.169
0.328

No. of iterations: 4
CPU time used (Data General MV 6000): 25 s

OF A-Tray

In this example a DEA solution is used for the

removal of H,S from a refinery stream. The gas feed
has an average molecular weight of 24.9 kg/kmol and
contains 19.5 mol of Hz S. The flow rate, temperature
and pressure of the gas feed are 200.85 kmol/h,
318.15 K and 7.6 b, respectively. A 20 wt% DEA
solution at a temperature of 318.15 K is used as
solvent. Its flow rate is 2208.8 kmol/h. The column
has a diameter of 0.98 m and is equipped with 18
Glitsch Vl-ballast trays. The constructive details of
the plates are summarized in Table 1.
The absorption of H2S in this solution is accompanied by the following overall reaction [5,6]:

H, S + R,NH &

T (R)
A: (m2/m)
ko, HZ (kmollm h b)
F. ::)(mih)
F
LI

absorption column

Top
column

The solubility of H,S in the solution was taken

from Kent and Eisenberg [8].
The standard correlations incorporated in the program, which are listed in Table 2, were used for the
determination of the mass-transfer coefficients and
the different plate characteristics.
The initial estimates of temperature and pressure
on each tray were 3 18.15 K and 7.6 b. The mole
fraction of HIS at the top of the column was estimated to be 1 x lo-, the convergence tolerance was
set equal to 10-j. The results of the computations are
summarized in Table 3.
The variations of the mole fractions of H,S in the
gas phase, of DEA and the reaction products in the
liquid phase and of the gas and liquid flow rates along
the column are shown in Fig. 3.
Figure 4 shows the computed temperature and
pressure profiles in the column.
4.2. The simultaneous absorption of H,S and CO2 in
an aqueous NaOH solution
The absorption of H2S and CO2 in an aqueous
NaOH solution is applied in the purification of the
effluent resulting from the thermal cracking of naphtha for the production of ethylene. The absorption is
carried out in a plate column with two NaOH
circuits, one with a concentrated and one with a lean
caustic solution. The configuration of the tower is
schematically represented in Fig. 5.
The gas feed to the column,
F,, equals
5800 kmol/h. The feed temperature and pressure are
3 13.15 K and 12.8 b. The composition of the gas feed
is given in Table 4. 2510 kmol/h of an aqueous
solution containing 4 wt% of NaOH are fed at the
top of the column. 1500 kmol/h of the liquid solution
is withdrawn from tray 15 and 2300 kmol/h of a
1 wt% NaOH solution is added on the underlying
tray.
The column, with a diameter of 2.764m, is
equipped with 30 V,-Glitsch Ballast trays. The constructive details of these trays are given in Table 5.

L. DE LEYEand G. F. FROMENT

512

Gas
0
0

TOP

or

liquid

flaw

rate

(kmol/h)

1000
I
0.1 x10-
I

l-

2000
I
0.3 x10-
I

02x10-
I
x,

mole

t
0.4 x10-
I

fraction

5-

y,

mole

fraction

Fig. 3. Variation of the mole fractions of H,S in the gas phase, of DEA and the reaction products in
the liquid phase and of the gas and liquid flow rates along the column.

Total

TOD

pressure

(b)
8.0

7.5

Temperature

330

320
(K

Fig. 4. Temperature and pressure on each tray in the H,S-DEA

absorption column.

The absorption of H,S in an NaOH solution is

accompanied by the following overall reaction [14]:
H,S + NaOH 2

NaHS + H20.

This reaction is instantaneous

In strong

OH

solutions

(31)

and reversible.
CO2 is undergoing

the

following overall reaction [ 15, 161:

COz + 2NaOH -

Na2 CO3 + H,O.

(32)

Since NaOH and the salt products are completely

dissociated, reactions (31) and (32) can be presented
in ionic form:
H2S + OH- &

HS- + Hz0

(33)

CO:- + H,O.

(34)

and

Fig. 5. Schematic representation

CO2 + 20H-

column.

of the H,S-CO,-NaOH

Simulation of absorption and reaction in columns-11

Table 6. Compositions, flow rate and temperature
of the intermediate liquid withdrawal (W,,,) and
liquid feed (WV,,) in the H,S-CO,-NaOH
absorp
tion column

Table 4. Composition of gas feed

for the H,S-CO,-NaOH
absorption column
Component

Mole fraction

KS

Stream Wwll

0.00079
0.00055
0.28612
0.31337
0.07493
0.10218
0.0442
0.0171
0.16076

CO,
CH,
GH,
C,H,
C,H,
C,H,
C,H,s
H,

513

Stream IV,,,

1500
0.123 x lo-

W (kmol/h)
XHlS

xcol

2300
0.0

0.0

0.0

0.183 x lo-
0.602 x 10-J
0.710 x lo-*
314.63

&hOH

%w-IS
%&go,
T (K)

0.4529 x IO-
0.0
0.0
313.15

Table 5. Constructive details of the ballast trays in

the H,S-CO,-NaOH
absorntion column
Prooertv
Active area, C2(m*)
Relative free area on plate
Weir length (m)
Weir height (m)
Valve thickness (m)
Density material (kg/m)

The equilibrium

constant

Table 7. Computed

5.072
0.1869
2.259
0.05
0.00188
8169

K, of the first reaction is

results for the H$-CD-NaOH

column

L (kmol/h)
F (kmol/h)
YH2.s
Y,Z
+s
xcol
+&OH

Top
column

Bottom
column

2510
5792.2
0.103 x 10-r
0.132 x 10-s
0.0
0.0
0.1842 x 10-l

3314.6
5800
0.792 x 10-s
0.551 x lo-
0.903 x 10-s
0.0
0.551 x 10-Z
0.138 x 1O-2
0.930 x 10-a
12.79
313.78
523.1
0.381
0.378
0.313
0.410
0.170
0.226
39.3

+WiS

W-1

For the
K, , data
reaction
function

kCco, CoH_

determination of the equilibrium constant

of Edwards et al. [17] were used. The
rate coefficient k in equation (36), as a
of temperature and ionic strength of the

Flow
0

0.0
12.569
314.11
525.7
0.401
0.392
0.390
0.429
0.159
0.225
76.1

P, (b)

The kinetic expression of the reaction with CO2 has

the following form:
r =

0.0

XN.EO,

K1 = (HrS)(OH-)

absorption

T (K)
A ; (m2/m)
IC0.u2s(kmollm2 h b)
ko.,,, (kmol/m h b)
k,n,, (m/h)
k,, co1 (m/h)
hF (m)
el.
Haco2
No. of iterations: 8
CPU time used: 242 s

rote

(kmol/h)

2500

5000
I

0.1 x10-1

b
02x10-4
I

x, mole

fraction

5
NoOH

10

25

Bottom
0

0.1

x10-3

0.5

01

x10-3

y,

mole

x10-z

fraction

Fig. 6. Variations of the mole fractions of the different components

the gas and liquid flow rates along the H,S-CO,-NaOH

in the gas and liquid phases

absorption
column.

and

of

514

L. DE LEYEand G. F. FROMENT
Total

TOP

12 0

pressure

(b)

12.5

130

1
5

F = Total molar gas flow (kmol/h)

F, = Enhancement factor
Fk = Molar gas flow rate leaving plate k (kmol/h)
Hj = Henrys coefficient for absorbed component j
(b m3/kmol)
Ha, Ha = Hatta number, modified Hatta number

T
10

Temp
laquld

is

mtermed
feed
4

0).: 15
f;
a
20

-AH, = Heat of absorption of component j (kJ/kmol)

-AH? = Heat of reaction of reaction i (kJ/kmol)

& = Froth height on plate (m) .

Ki = Equilibrium constant of reaction j

T
25

Bottom 30

>\:

3,0

315

Temperature

Fig. 7. H$-CO,

C, = Total molar concentration in the liquid on

plate k (kmol/m)
cP= Specific heat (kJ/kmol K)
D = Molecular diffusivity (m2/h)
dk = Column diameter (m)

320

1K)

absorption in NaOH. Temperatures and

pressures along the column.

solution, is given by Hikita et al. [16] and Pinsent et

al. [18].

The simultaneous absorption of H,S and CO2 in

the NaOH solution is accompanied by a Type 1B
system of parallel reactions.
The diffusion coefficients of H,S and CO, in Hz0
were determined from experimental data [9, 191.
These coefficients were corrected for the composition
of the liquid using the Stokes-Einstein relationship.
For the determination of the diffusion coefficients of
the ionic species the correlation of Nernst-Haskell
[20] was used.
The solubilities of H,S and CO, in H,O were
computed from data by Edwards et al. [17]. They
were corrected for the ionic strength of the solution.
Again, the standard correlations (see Table 2) in
the program were used for the determination of the
mass-transfer coefficients and plate characteristics.
The initial estimates of temperature and pressure
on each tray were 313.15 K and 12.8 b. The mole
fractions of H,S and CO2 at the top of the column
were estimated to be 1 x lOen and 1 x 10m6. The
convergence tolerance was set equal to lo-. The
computed results are summarized in Tables 6 and 7.
The reaction with CO2 is in the very fast regime.
The variations of the mole fractions of the different
components in the gas and liquid phases and of the
gas and liquid flow rates along the column are shown
in Fig. 6. Fig. 7 shows the computed temperatures
and pressures along the column.
NOMENCLATURE
A, = Absorbed component j
a = Stoichiometric coefficient
A, = Gas-liquid interfacial area per unit liquid
volume (m2/m3)
A: = Gas-liquid interfacial area per m3 froth on the
plate (m2/m3)
a; = Interfacial area per unit of packed column
(mlm)
C, = Molar concentration
of component
A
(kmol/m)

kj = Reaction-rate coefficient of reaction j

coefficient
for
mass-transfer
absorbed component A, (kmol/m2 h b)
k , *. = Liquid-side
mass-transfer
coefficient of
-_I absorbed component A, (m/h)
L = Volumetric liquid flow rate (m3/h)
L = Molar liquid kow rate (kmoljhj
L&= Molar flow rate of liquid feed to column
(kmol/h)
L; = Molar flow rate of liquid stream leaving plate
k (kmol/h)
mj,, = Reaction order with respect to component j
in reaction I
h4 = Molecular weight (kg/kmol)
m = Reaction order
Njl,-0 = Interfacial flux of component j per unit
gas-liquid interfacial area (kmol/m2 h)
n, = Number of absorbing components
n, = Number of reactions in the liquid phase
no = Total number of components in gas phase
nL = Total number of components in liquid phase
nM= Number of gas-phase components involved in
moderately fast reactions
np = Number of reaction products in the liquid
phase
na = Number of reactants in liquid phase
n, = Number of gas-phase components involved in
very slow reactions
nv = Number of gas-phase components involved in
very fast reactions
p = Partial pressure (b)
pt = Total pressure (b)
P, = Product j
r = Reaction rate (kmol/m h)
Rj = Liquid-phase reactant j
Q$ = Total heat of absorption of component j on
plate k (kJ/h)
QF = ;f;;;,heat
of cooling taken away from plate
k o, A, = Gas-side

QTk = T$$)heat

of reaction of reaction j on plate k

Tk = Temperature on plate k (K)

T,, = Temperature of intermediate gas feed to plate

k (K)
T,,

= Temperature
plate k (K)

of intermediate

liquid feed to

V,, = Flow rate of intermediate gas feed to plate k

(kmol/h)
V,,

= Flow rate of intermediate

from plate k (kmol/h)

gas withdrawal

X, = Mole fraction of component j in the liquid

bulk
.x~,~= Mole fraction of component j in the bulk of
the liquid stream leaving plate k
x~,,~ = Mole fraction of component j in the intermediate liquid feed to plate k
y = Coordinate perpendicular to the gas-liquid
interface (m)

Simulation of absorption and reaction in columns-II

yr, = Location of reaction front of reaction j (m)
yo = Gas-film thickness (m)
y, = Mole fraction of component j in the bulk of
the gas phase
yik = Mole fraction of component j in the bulk of
the gas stream leaving plate k
y, = Liquid-film thickness (m)
J+,,~ = Molar fraction of component j in the intermediate gas feed to plate k
z = Axial coordinate in the froth on the plate (m)

Greek symbols
eL = Liquid hold-up

of packing or fraction of
liquid in the froth
pL = Liquid density (kg/m3)
R = Cross-section of tower (m2)
R, = Active area of plate (m)

Subscripts

A, = With respect to absorbed component j

b = In the bulk of the gas or liquid phase
Cj = With respect to the consecutive component j
G=Gas
i = At gas-liquid interface
j = Co&one& index
k = Plate number
L = Liquid
Pj= With respect to product j
RI= With respect to reactant j

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Superscripts
G = In gas phase

L=
in =
out =
eq =
abs =
R=
C=

In liquid phase
At inlet
At outlet
Equilibrium value
Absorption
Reaction
Cooling

515

18.

Bodenkolonne.

Verlag Chemie, Weinheim-(1978).

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G. Astarita, Mass Transfer with Chemical Reaction.
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