Appendix F - 52

F.9 SIZING AND COSTING FOR ABSORBER

Absorber T-20
(a) Flowrate
Data from simulation :
Top Column (tray above feed)
Liquid flowrate, Ln = 20331.00
Vapor flowrate, Vn = 7208.80
Liquid density, rL = 838.3
Vapor density, rv = 2.687
Surface tension, s = 0.02530
Bottom Column (tray below feed)
Liquid flowrate, Lm = 22059.0
Vapor flowrate, Vm = 7282.2
Liquid density, rL = 838.80
Vapor density, rv = 2.714
Surface tension, s = 0.02127

kmol/hr

= 6.540E+05

kg/ hr

kmol/hr

= 1.95E+04

kg/ hr

kmol/hr

= 7.298E+05

kg/ hr

kmol/hr

= 2.18E+04

kg/ hr

kg/ m3
kg/ m3
N/m

kg/ m3
kg/ m3
N/m

(b) Column Diameter

Estimation of vapor-liquid flow factor
For top column
FLV = Ln / Vn [ (rV / rL)1/2 ]
= 0.1597
For bottom column
FLV = Lm / Vm [ (rV / rL)1/2 ]
= 0.1723
Estimation of correction factor, K1
Take tray spacing as = 0.55m

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 53

Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)

From Figure 11.27
K1 (top column) = 0.0900
K1 (bottom column) = 0.0800
Correction for surface tensions,
K1,c (top column) = K1 (top column) [ s / 0.02 ] 0.2
= 0.0943
K1,c (bottom column) = K1 (bottom column)
= 0.0810

[ s / 0.02 ] 0.2

Estimate the flooding velocity, Uf

Uf

(top column)

1/2
= K1,c (top column) [ ( rL - rv ) / rv]
= 1.6635
m/s

Uf (bottom column) = K1,c (bottom column) [ ( rL - rv ) / rv] 1/2

= 1.4215
m/ s
Design for 85 % flooding at maximum flowrate
Therefore, Uf = 0.85 x Uf
Uf (top column) = 1.4140

m/ s

Uf (bottom column) = 1.2083

m/ s

Maximum volumetric flowrates

Vmax (top column) =
Vn
3600 rv
= 2.0136
Vmax (bottom column) =

m3/ s

Vm
3600 rv

= 2.2322

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

m3/ s

Appendix F - 54

Net area required

An (top column) = Vmax (top column)
Uf (top column)
= 2.0136
1.4140
An (bottom column)

= 1.4241
m2
= Vmax (bottom column)
Uf (bottom column)
= 2.2322
1.2083
= 1.8473

m2

Take downcomer area as 12% of total column cross-sectional area.

Column cross-sectional area
Ac (top column) = An (top column)
0.88
= 1.4241
0.8800
= 1.6182

m2

Ac (bottom column) = An (bottom column)

0.88
= 1.8473
0.88
= 2.0992

m2

Column diameter
Dc (top column) = [ (Ac (top column) 4) / p ]1/2
= 1.4353
m
Dc (bottom column) = [ (Ac (bottom column) 4) / p ]1/2
= 1.6348
m
Take the larger diameter as a final diameter for further design procedure, so
Dc = 1.6348
m

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 55

(c) Liquid Flow Pattern

aximum volumetric = Lm / (rL 3600)
liquid rate,Lmax

= 0.2417

m3/ s

Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)

From Figure 11.28
For Dc = 1.6348
m
and
= 0.2417

Lmaxm3/ s

Therefore,
The selected recommended liquid flow pattern is single pass tray
(d) Provisional Plate Design
Column diameter, Dc = 1.6348

Column area, Ac = 2.0992

Downcomer area,
= 12% Ac

m2

Ad (at 12%)
= 0.2519
Net area, An = Ac - Ad

m2

= 1.8473
Active area, Aa = Ac - 2Ad
= 1.5954
Take 10% as first trial :
Hole area, Ah = 10% Aa
= 0.1595

m2
m2

m2

Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)

From Figure 11.31
For (Ad / Ac) x 100% = 12%,
Therefore,
Iw / Dc = 0.77
Weir length, Iw = 0.77 Dc
= 1.2588
Take the recommended value
Weir height, hw = 50
= 0.050
Hole diameter, dh = 5
Plate thickness = 3

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

mm
m
mm
mm

(above 1 atm operation)

(stainless steel)

Appendix F - 56

(e) Check Weeping

aximum liquid rate, = 729820.0
Lmax
= 202.7278

kg / hr
kg /s

Minimum liquid rate = Lmax 70%

at 70% turn down, = 141.9094
kg/s
Lmin
Maximum how = 750 [ Lmax / ( rLIw) ]2/3
= 249.6116
mm liquid
Minimum how = 750 [ Lmin / ( rLIw) ]2/3
= 196.7872
mm liquid
At minimum rate, = 246.7872
mm
hw + how, min
Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)
From Figure 11.30
K2 = 31.0
Minimum vapor velocity through the holes
Uh (min) = [ K2 - 0.90( 25.4 - dh ) ]
rv1/2
= 7.6726

m/s

Actual minimum vapor velocity,

Ua (min) = 0.7 x Maximum volumetric flowrate, Vmax
Ah
= 9.7936

m/s

Since Ua (min) < Uh (min),

so minimum operating rate will not be well above weep point

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 57

(f) Plate Pressure Drop

Maximum vapor
= Vmax / Ah
velocity through
holes, Uh

= 2.2322
0.1595
= 13.9909

m/s

Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)

From Figure 11.34
For (i) plate thicknes= 0.6
(ii) Ah/ Ap @ Ah/ Aa = 0.1
Therefore, Orifice = 0.7400
coefficient, Co

Dry plate drop, hd = 51 [ Uh / Co]2 rv / rL

= 58.9862
mm liquid
3
Residual head, hr = (12.5 10 ) / rL
= 14.902
mm liquid
Total plate pressure drop, ht = hd + hw + how (max) + hr
= 373.500
(g) Downcomer Liquid Back-Up
Downcomer pressure loss
Take hap = hw -10 = 50 - 10 = 40
= 0.0400
Area under apron, Am = hap It

mm liquid

mm
m

= (40 10-3) 1.0383

= 0.0101
Head loss in downcomer, hdc

Back-up downcomer, hb

m2

2
= 166[ Lmax / (rL x Am) ]
= 0.010
mm
= 0.000010
m

= hw + how + ht + hdc
= 112.32
mm
= 0.1123
m

Since
0.1123 < 1/2 ( plate spacing + weir height )
0.1123 < #VALUE!
So, tray spacing is acceptable

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 58

Check retention time, =t

AdhbrL
Lmax

= 0.1171
s
(since tr > 3s, the retention time is satisfied)
= 0.0020
min
(h) Check Entrainment
Actual percentage flooding for design area :
Uv = Maximum volumetric flowrate, Vmax
An
= 2.2322
1.8473
= 1.2083
m/ s
% flooding = (Uv / Uf) 100
= 1.2083
100
1.4140
= 85.45
%
Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)
From Figure 11.34
For % floooding
= 85.45
%
and FLV
= 0.1723
Fractional

= 0.0350

entrainment, y

y well below 0.1, satisfactory

(y below 0.1 give small effect only to the column efficiency.)
(i) Perforated Area
From Figure 11.32
Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)
At Iw/ Dc = 1.2588
1.6348
= 0.7700
Therefore, qc

= 99

Angle subtended at plate edge by unperforated strip,

= 180 - 99
= 81
= ( Dc - hw ) (81 / 180)
Mean length,
unperforated edge
strips

= (1.6348 - 0.05) (81/ 180)

= 2.2131

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 59

Area of unperforated = hw mean length

edge strips
= 0.05 2.2131
Area of calming
zones

= 0.1107
m2
= 2hw ( weir length, Iw - 2hw )
= 2 0.05 ( 1.2588 - 2 (0.012) )
= 0.1159

m2

Total area available for perforation, Ap

= Aa - (area of unperforated + area of calming)
= 1.3689
Ah/ Ap = 0.1595
1.3689
= 0.1165

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

m2

Appendix F - 60

Chemical Engineering Volume 6 Second Edition (R.K. Sinnott, 1996)

From Figure 11.33
Ip / dh = 2.76

(satisfactory, within 2.5 to 4.0)

(j) Number of Holes

Area of one hole
Number of holes

= 1.964E-05
Ah
=

m2

Area of one hole

= 0.1595
1.964E-05
= 8123.4
= 8123
holes

(k) Height of Column

Number of trays, n = 8
assume stage efficiency = 0.7
Number of real = (n-1)/0.7
stages,N
= 10

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 61

Plate thickness = 3
mm
= 0.003
m
Total thickness of = N plate thickness

0.024 m

=
=
=

5.40 m
1.5 m
2.0 m

=
=

1.5 m
10.42 m

plate, Hp

Single plate spacing, = 0.55

24"

Number of spacing =
=
Tray stack =
Extra feed space
Disengagement space
(top & column)
Skirt height
Total height of
column, Ht
Check : Ht/ Dc
=

N-1
9
(N-1) x tray spacing

(satisfactory if Ht/ Dc < 20)

6.3764
Equipment Costing for Absorber T-20
From sizing results :
Pressure vessel
Column height
Inside diameter
Number of trays
Type of vessel
Material of
construction
Economic data :

=
=
=
=
=
=
=

21.7800
atm
22.0686
bar
10.42
m
1.63
m
8
Vertically oriented
Stainless steel

=
=

34.20 ft
5.36 ft

CE Index Year 2003, CEI

= 405.60
CE Index Year 1968, CEI
= 115

Equipment cost, C

= Co

L
LO

D
DO

( )( )

From Table 4.11, page 134, Systematic Methods of Chemical Process Design:
With Co = 1000; Lo = 4.0; Do = 3.0; a = 0.81 ; b = 1.05
BC

= 1000 (34.22/4.0)0.81 (19.67/3.0)1.05

= $10,466.85

MF

= 4.23

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen

Appendix F - 62

MPF

= Fm Fp

Fm

= 1.93

Fp

= 1.0
= 1.0 1.93
= 1.93

MPF

(Stainless steel)

Update factor, UF = 3.53

Update bare module = UF (BC) (MPF + MF - 1)
cost
= 3.57 (40992.46) (1.93 + 4.23 - 1)
= $190,487.22
=
RM 725,756.30
Price of sieve trays
Equipment cost,C

= Co

L
LO

D
DO

( )( )

From Table 4.11, Systematic Methods of Chemical Process Design:

With Co = 180; Lo = 10; Do = 2.0; a = 0.97; b = 1.45
C = 180 (34.22/10)0.97 (19.67/2.0)1.45
= $2,037.12
MF = 1
MPF = Fm + Fs + Ft
Fm = 1.7
Ft = 0
Fs = 1

(Stainless steel)
(sieve tray)
(24 inch.spacing)

then,
MPF = 2.7000
Update factor, UF = 3.53
Update bare module = Update bare module cost = UF(BC)(MPF+MF-1)
cost
= 3.57 (13418.05) (2.7 + 1 - 1)
= $19,399.04
=
RM 73,910.34
Total equipment = 799,666.65
cost, (RM)

Production of 100,000 MTA Hydrogen