Absorption in packed and bubble columns

Abstract

The purpose of this monograph is to deal with the absorption of gases in liquids within the ecological applications, especially if mass transfer is accompanied by chemical reaction. Both packed towers and bubble columns are considered, the former for the removal of gasphase pollutants present in low concentrations and fixed by suitable reagents added to the scrubbing liquid, the latter for pollutants which are in the liquid phase, while reagents are in the gas phase (for instance ozone for oxidation of surfactants and dyes, or CO2 for basic waste water neutralization) . Theoretical formulas are followed by several numerical examples to allow designers to easily come up to the final sizing of process equipment. For packed towers the unsteady-state operation is also dealt with, to face the case of periodical replacement and disposal of the scrubbing liquid. Moreover, the actual possibility of solvent abatement using only water is considered. Finally, the particular problem of CNCl desorption within the process of HCN removal, using NaClO and NaOH, is dealt with in the Appendix.