FPA Report Number 68-03-002
         -1        May,  1982
           Air and Steam Stripping
             of Toxic Pollutants
                  Volume I
                     by
               D.  J.  Goldstein
        Hater Purification Associates
               238 Main Street
            Cambridge,  MA  02142
                     for
                 U.S.E.P.A.
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
           Cincinnati,  Ohio   45263
       Contract No.  68-03-3002 Task 4
        Project Officer Harry Bostian

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                                Table of Contents


Summary 	   1

List of Figures 	;	  H

List of Tables 	  12

1.   Introduction and Outline 	  13

2.   Conclusions 	  !5

3.   Recommendations 	  16

4.   VAPOR LIQUID EQUILIBRIA

     4.1  Introduction to the Theory of Vapor-Liquid Equilibria of
          Organic Molecules in Dilute Aqueous Solution 	  18

     4.2  Activity Coefficients for Slightly Soluble Compounds 	  21

     4.3  Vapor Pressure as a Function of Temperature 	  24

     4.4  Activity Coefficient as a Function of Temperature 	  25

     4.5  Extrapolation of Activity Coefficients Measured at High
          Concentration - Activity Coefficient as a Function of
          Concentration 	  26

     4.6  Direct Measurement of Henry's Law Constant 	  31

5.   THE THEORY OF STRIPPING

     5.1  Organization of the Section, Batch and Continuous Stripping,
          Isothermal and Adiabatic  	*	  33

     5.2  Evaporation from a Lake  	  36

     5.3  Isothermal Batch Stripping  	  36

     5.4  Adiabatic Batch Stripping with Air  	  39

     '5.5  Isothermal, Counter Current Stripping and Estimation of
          the Height of an Equivalent Theoretical Plate  	  45

     5.6  Number of Equilibrium Stages  in Continuous, Isothermal
          Stripper  	  51

     5.7  Pollutants Classified by Ease of  Stripping  	  57

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     5.8  Adiabatic Continuous Stripping with Air 	   57

     5.9  The Use of Air-Steam Mixtures	   70

     5.10 The Effect of Recirculating the Water 	   70

6.   THE EFFICIENCY OF STRIPPING EQUIPMENT

     6.1  Introduction and Summary 	   77

     6.2  Factors Effecting the Efficiency of a Bubble Cap Tray	   77

     6.3  Factors Effecting the Efficiency of a Packed Bed 	   79

     6.4  Two Film Theory of Mass Transfer 	   80

     6.5  Choice of Equipment 	   84

     6.6  Choice of Packing or Trays 	   85
7.   COMPARISON OF PREDICTIVE CALCULATIONS TO STRIPPING DATA AT LOW
     CONCENTRATIONS
     7.1  Methodolory of Comparison	   88

     7.2  Stripping Data at Low Concentration	   89

     7.3  Data Analysis and Results 	   91

     7.4  Development of a Correlation for the "Effect of Liquid-diffusivity
          on Tower Sizing and Organic Removal Efficiency 	   97

References 	  102

Appendices

1.   Adiabatic Batch Stripping Using Air 	  106
2.   Calculation of Water Temperature in a Continuous Air
     Stripper 	  109

3.   Henry' s Law Constants 	  114
                                          ii

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                                SUMMARY
          A compilation has been made  showing the Henry's Law constant (B)
as a function of temperature  for all the organic pollutants on the toxic
pollutant list.  Henry's Law  is

                (concentration in the vapor)(total pressure) =
                                    (concentration in water solution)(B)

so that B is a measure of  the apparent vapor pressure over a solution in water.
For poorly soluble compounds  the water molecules try to expel the organic
molecules and B is much higher than the vapor pressure over the pure organic.
The ratio  (B/vapor pressure)  is called the  activity coefficient.  The activity
coefficient is  inversely proportional  to  solubility for poorly soluble
compounds and often has a  value in the thousands or higher.
     Most values of B have been .determined  from data on the effect of
temperature on vapor pressure and  from a  knowledge of the solubility at one
temperature.  The solubility  has been  converted to an activity coefficient
and the activity coefficient  has been  extrapolated to other temperatures.
This procedure  is believed to be the most reliable available.  When B has
been measured at one temperature it is still the activity coefficient, and
not B, which has been extrapolated to  other temperatures.
     For the few toxic pollutants  which are miscible with water the
activity coefficient has been estimated  from the vapor-liquid equilibrium
data or from the azeotrope data (azeotropes are common) using the technique
of van Laar.
     We believe the estimates of B to  be  reasonably satisfactory for all
except 33  of the 186  listed pollutants.
     A brief development of the theory of stripping is given with the  intent
of classifying  pollutants  by  the  ease  with which they can be stripped.  A
classification  proved possible and will  be found on Table  5-2 which is
reproduced at the end of this summary.  Compounds which are "very easily
stripped"  can be reduced to about 1/1,000th of the feed concentration  by
low vapor  rates in  columns which  are  quite short  (5 to 10  ft), rather  like
small  cooling  towers.   Sixty-eight of  the 186 listed pollutants are very
easily stripped.   "Intermediate"  and "difficult to strip"  compounds may
require' columns up  to  twenty times as  high and will also need high  steam

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or air rates.  "Very easily  stripped" compounds  have a half  life in a still
body of water on the order of 12 hours.
     We compared air and steam  stripping  at  vapor rates which gave approxi-
mately the same cost for the vapor.  Air  rates were taken at about eight tines
the steam rate.  On this basis  most  compounds can be stripped as easily with
air as with steam because the Henry's Law constants tend to  be multiplied by
about eight when the temperature is  raised from  20°C to 100°C.  In general
air stripping will be used when the  contaminant  can be released to the
atmosphere and steam stripping  will  be  used  when the contaminant must be
recovered.
     When air is the stripping  vapor, water  will also evaporate and the water
stream will cool down which  decreases E.   Procedures for calculation are
given.  It is suggested that a  good  control  is to add steam to the air to
saturate it, particularly on cold, dry  winter days.
     A brief discussion on available equipment and on the comparison of
predictive calculations to stripping data at low concentration.  As expected
and supported by predictive  calculations, most stripping data indicated
significant removal of compounds with high Henry's Law Constant (H @ 100°C >
20 atm).  Deviations from this  behavior were observed for certain compounds.  .
     In case of packed towers stripping a waste  stream consisting of
compounds with Henry's Law Constant  higher than 100 atm, the height of
packing or the removal efficiency  was  found  to be nearly independent of the
magnitude of Henry's Law Constants.  Liquid-phase resistance  (diffusivity)
was found to be affecting the performance.  Developing better contacting
devices in terms of reducing liquid-phase resistance through more efficient
packing and better liquid distribution  in plate columns seems to be the
probable solution  to improving  the performance of strippers.
     Available data on stripping and stripping equipment is so limited that
meaningful comparisons between  predictive calculations and operating data
are very difficult to make,  particularly when there is so much uncertainty
in making on-site  analyses  of  organic  compounds at low concentrations.

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    Table 5-2      TOXIC POLLUTANTS CLASSIFIED BY EASE  OF STRIPPING
    Very easily stripped
    H(100°C)>100 atm
    H(20°C) 9 13 atm

    5-4"1"  2-Chloroethyl vinyl ether
    7-13  Triethyl amine
    9-1   Benzene
    9-2   Chlorobenzene
    9-3   1,2-DiChlorobenzene
    9-4   1,3-Dichlorobenzenj	 _
    9-5   1,4-Dichlorobenze
    9-6   1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
    9-7   Hexachlorobenzene
    9-8   Ethyl benzene
    9-10 Toluene
     9-15 Benzyl  chloride
     9-16 Styrene
     9-18  Xylenes
     10-1   2-Chloronaphthalene
**   10-3 Benzo(b)fluoranthene
**   10-4 Benzo(k)fluoranthene
**   10-5 Benzo(a)pyrene
     10-9  Acenaphthene
**   10-12 Chrysene
**   10-13 Fluoranthene
     10-15 Naphthalene
     10-17 Byrene

 4-   the left hand column are the code numbers used in the Treatability
     Manual and in Appendix 3.

**   probably, but data is poor

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(very easily stripped  -  continued)
11-1    Aroclor 1016
11-2   Aroclor 1221
11-3   Aroclor 1232
11-4-- Aroclor 1242
11-5   Aroclor 1248
11-6   Aroclor 1254
11-7   Aroclor 1260
12-1    Methyl  chloride
12-2   Methylene chloride
12-3   Chloroform
12-4   Carbon tetrachloride
12-5   CM oroe thane
12-6   1,1-Dichloroethane
12-7   1,2-Dichloroethane
12-8   1,1,1-Trichloroethane
12-S   1,1,2-Trichloroethane
12-10  1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
12-11  Hexachloroethane
12-12  Vinyl chloride
12-13  1,2-Dichloropropane
12-14  1,3-Dichloropropene
12-15  Hexachlorobutadiene
12-16  Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
12-17  Methyl bromide
12-18  Dichlorobromomethane
12-19  Chlorodibromomethane
12-20  Bromoform
12-21   Dichlorodifluoromethane
12-22   Trichlorofluoromethane
12-23   Trichloroethylene

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   (very easily  stripped  -  continued)

   12-24  1,1-Dichloroethylene
   12-25  1,2-Trans-dichloroethylene
   12-26  Tetrachloroethylene
   12-27  Ally!  chloride
   12-30  Ethylene dibromide
   13-20  Heptachlor
   13-25  Toxaphene
   13-37  Isoprene
   13-46  Carbon disulfide
   14-4   Amyl acetate
   14-5   n-Butyl acid
   14-13  Vinyl  acetate
   15-1   Methyl mercaptan
   15-3   Cyclohexane
   Easily stripped
   H(100°C) 2Q to 100 atm.
   H(20°C)   2 to  13 atm.

   5-3    Bis(2-chloroisopropyl) ether
   7-7    Acrylonitrile
   9-19   Nitrotoluene
   10-10  Acenaphthylene
   10-14  Fluorene
   10-16  Phenanthrene
   13-8   Aldrin
   13-9   Dieldrin
   13-24  Chlordane
   13-26  Cap tan
   14-1   Acetaldehyde
   14-16  Acrolein
   14-18  Propylene  oxide
**  probably,  but  data  is  poor

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    Intermediate
    H(100°C)  8 to 20 atm.
    H(20°C)   1 to  2 atm.
    5-2.   B1s(2-chloroethyl) ether
    8-5    Pentachlorophenol
    8-5    2-Ni trophenol
    9-9   - Nitrobenzene
    9-11   2,4-Dinitrotoluene
    9-12   2",6-Dinitrotoluene
    10-11  Anthracene
    12-31  Epichlorohydrin
    13-12  4.4'-DDD
    13-21  Heptachlor epoxide
    Difficult to strip
    H(100°C)   4 to 8 atm..
    H(20°C)  0.5 to 1 atm.

    8-2    2-chlorophenol
    8-3    2,4-Dichlorophenol
    8-4    2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
    14-15  Crotonaldehyde
    15-4   Isophorone
 * this is for air; a higher category for steam
** probably, but data 1s poor

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      Very difficult to  strip
      H(100°C)  2  to  4 atm.

      6.2     Diethyl  phthai ate
      8-1     Phenol
      8-10    2,4-Dimethylphenol
      8-13   4,6-Dinitro-o-cresol
      8-14   Cresol
      9-17   Quinoline
      14-3   Ally! alcohol
     Cannot be stripped

     5-7    Bis(2-chloroethoxy)  methane
     6-1    Dimethyl  ph thai ate
     7-10'   Ethylenedlamine
     8-7    4-N1trophenol
     8-8    2,4-Dinitrophenol
     8-9    Resorcinol
     9-13    Aniline
     9-14    Benzole acid
     10-8    Benzo(ghi)  perylene
     13-2    Endosulfan  sulfate
     13-13   Endrin
**   13-18   Diurone
     13-22   Carbofuran
**   13-28   Coumaphos
     13-29   Oiazinon
     13-30   Dicamba
     13-31    Dichlobenil
     13-32  Malathion
    13-33  Methyl parathion
    13-34  Parathion

 *  this is for air;  a  higher category for steam
**  probably, but data  is  poor

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(cannot be stripped - continued)

13-35  Guthion
13-38  Chlorpyrifos
13-39  Dichlorvos
13-41  Disulfoton
13-43  Mexacarbate
13-44  Trichlorfon
14-2   Acetic acid
14-6   Butyric acid
14-7   Formaldehyde
14-8   Formic acid
14-12  Propionic acid
14-14  Adi pic acid
15-2   Dodecyl benzenesulfonic acid
15-5   Strychnine
15-7   Zinc phenol sulfonate
 Poor data, but probably difficult to strip

 5-5    4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether
 6-3    Di-n-butyl phthalate
 6-5    Bis(2-ethylhexyl)  phthalate
 7-1    N-nitrosodimethyl amine
 7-2    N-nitrosodiphenylamine
 7-5    3,3'-Diphenylhydrazine
 7-6    1,2-Diphenylhydrazine
 13-11  4,4'-DDT
 13-17  Kepone
 13-40  Diquat
 13-42  Mevinphos
 14-9  Fumaric acid
 14-10  Maleic acid

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Poor data; better data worth obtaining  as may be stn'ppable

5-6    4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether
6-4    Di-n-octyl phthalate
6-6    Butyl Benzyl phthalate
7-3    N-m'trosod1-n-propylam1ne
7-4    Benzldlne
7-9    Di ethyl ami ne
8-12   p-Chloro-m-cresol
10-2   Benz(a)anthracene
10-6   Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
10-7   D1benzo(ah)anthracene
13-10  4,4'-DDE
13-27  Carbaryl
14-17  Furfural
15-6   2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
j?ata inadequate for comment

7-8    Butyl amine
7-11   Monoethylamine
7-12   Monomethylanrine
7-14   Trimethylamine
12-28  2,2-Dichloropropionlc acid
13-1   s-Endosulfan
13-3   S-Endosulfan
13-4   o-BHC
13-5   8-BHC
13-6   6-BHC
13-7   T-BHC
13-14  Kelthane
13-15  Naled
13-16  Dichlone
13-19  Endrin aldehyde
                                   • 9

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(data inadequate for comment - continued)

13-23  Mercaptodimethur
13-36  Ethion
13-45  Propargite
14-11  Methyl methacrylate
Decompose in water

5-1    Bis(chloromethyl) ether
12-29  Phosgene
                                    10

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                                 List of Figures
Figure 5-1.
Figure 5-2.

Figure 5-3.
Figure S-4.

Figure 5-5.
Pictorial of packed and plate towers 	  35
Half life in a lake as a function of Henry's
Law constant	  37
Affect of air quantity on residual concentration
when stripping o-nitrotoluene 	  41
Water temperature and water vaporized in batch
stripping 	
                                                                             42
Effect of air quantity on residual concentration
when stripping nitrobenzene	  43
Nomenclature for a packed tower 	  47
Simple stripping tower showing equilibrium stages 	  52
Relationship between stripping vapor rate and
number of plates 	  55
Water temperature when stripping water water with
air 	".	
               Water temperature when stripping cold water with
               air 	
                                                                             67
                                                              68
Figure 5-6.
Figure 5-7.
Figure 5-8.

Figure 5-9.

Figure 5-10.

Figure 5-11.
Figure -5-12.
Figure 5-13.

Figure 6—1.
Figure 6-2.
Figure 7-1.
Figure 7-2.
                                                                            101
Figure A2-1.   A water stripping column or cooling tower 	 110
               Stripping in a cooling tower with circulated water	  71
               The effect of recycle when the organic is stripped	  73
               The effect of recycle when the organic is con-
               centrated 	  76
               Two film theory of mass transfer 	  81
               Bubble-cap tray	  86
               Dependency of NTD on Stripping Factor and Removal Efficiency  98
               The Effect of Liquid Diffusivity on the Height of a Packed
               Bed 	
                                        11

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                                 List of Tables

Table 4-1.     Henry' s Law Constants for Gaseous Contaminants 	  32
Table 5-1.     Isothermal Batch Stripping 	  40
Table 5-2.     Toxic Pollutants Classified by East of Stripping	  58
Table 7-1.     Summary of Available Stripping Data at Low Concentration ...  90
Table 7-2.     Organic Removal Efficiency Calculations for Plant
               No. 1290-010 of the EPA Organic Data Base 	  93
Table 7-3.     Organic Removal Efficiency Calculations for Plant
               No. 2930-035 of the EPA Organic Data Base 	  95
Table 7-4.     Organic Removal Efficiency Results of the Water Factory Data  96
Table A2-1.    Nomenclature for Water Stripping Column 	 Ill
                                         12

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                      1.  INTRODUCTION AND OUTLINE
     The transference of toxic pollutants from  solution  in  water to the vapor
phase or to the atmosphere is of  interest for several  reasons.
     (1)  It will occur naturally.  Many pollutants have a  half life in
solution in a slowly flowing river, pond or  lake which is controlled by the
rate at which they vaporize into  the atmosphere.  Bubbling  air  through the
water or a waterfall will greatly enhance the rate of  vaporization.
     (2)  Stripping can be used as a deliberate method of cleaning the
water.  If the contaminant is considered to  be  harmless  in  the  atmosphere,
air stripping can be used.  Air stripping is particularly useful for removing
small amounts of chlorinated hydrocarbons from  drinking water.   Air stripping
is used at Lake Tahoe to remove dilute ammonia  from treated sewage effluent.
When recovery of the contaminant  is required, such as  when  stripping high
concentrations of ammonia or hydrogen sulfide from industrial wastewaters,
steam stripping is usually used.
     The ease with which a particular compound  is stripped  or naturally
volatilizes depends on the volatility, which in turn depends on two
properties of the contaminant - its vapor pressure and its  solubility in
water.  That compounds with high  vapor pressures are easily stripped is
expected.  The effect of solubility can also be explained quite simply.
A compound which is not much soluble in water is a compound whose molecules
are not compatible with water molecules.  In dilute solution each molecule
of organic is surrounded by water molecules  which want to push  the organic
molecule away.  The apparent vapor pressure  of  a poorly soluble organic can
be thousands of times higher over an aqueous solution  than  over the pure
organic.
     The measure of the apparent  vapor pressure over solution is called
the Henry's Law constant.  Explanations and  techniques for  determining the
Henry's Law constant are given in Section 4. A compilation of  Henry's Law
constants for all lisred organic  toxic pollutants is given  in Appendix 3.
Appendix 3 is the single most important contribution of this report.
     In Section 5 the theory of batch and continuous stripping  is given and
the ease with pollutants can be stripped is  determined.   Pollutants will be
found ranked by ease of stripping on Table  5-2.  Of 185 listed  toxic
pollutants, 68 are very easily strippable;  that is, not much vapor is needed
                                     13

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and the period of contact or height of contacting tower between vapor and
liquid is snail.  For these 68 pollutants,  stripping is a  useful treatment.
Forty-eight compounds cannot be stripped  and  the  rest can  either be  stripped
with varying degrees of difficulty or information is lacking to make a
judgment.
     When air is used as the stripping vapor,  water will also evaporate.
This cools the water and decreases the volatility of the organic relative
to water.  Approachs for allowing for this  effect are also given in
Section 5.
     This report is not a design manual.  A brief introduction to the choice
of equipment is given in Section 6 and the  reader is referred to manufacturers'
manuals for details of design.
     Comparison of predictive  calculations  to stripping data at low
concentration is discussed  in  Section 7.  Also presented in this section
is the development of a correlation for the effect of liquid diffusivity
on tower sizing and organic removal efficiency.
                                     14

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                             2.  CONCLUSIONS
     The Henry's Law constant is known or  can be  reasonably  estimated
for all except 33 of the 185 toxic organic pollutants listed.   About 68
pollutants can be very easily stripped; they have a half life  in a lake of
the order of 12 hours and can be reduced to l/100th or 1/1,000th of their
original concentratin by stripping with air in  a  single stage  device such
as a small cooling tower.
     An additional 36 pollutants can be stripped  with more difficulty.
Design of air stripping equipment for these compounds is difficult because
the water temperature falls on  dry, winter days when water is  evaporated
by the stripper.  The addition  of enough steam  to saturate the air is a
possible method of control.  Stripping with pure  steam may also be used.
Although steam is much more expensive than air, the increased  temperature
so increases volatility that less steam than  air is required for the same
job.  Steam stripping is cheapest when the water  stream is already hot.
     About 48 compounds cannot  be stripped or probably cannot.
                                      15

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                           3.   RECOMMENDATIONS
     The following compounds,  for which volatility data  is  inadequate,  are
probably sufficiently volatile that measurement of Henry's  Law constant is
of interest.
                     5-6     4-Bromophenyl  phenyl ether
                     6-4     Di-n-octyl  phthalate
                     6-6     Butyl  benyl  phthalate
                     7-3     N-m'trosodi-n-propylamine
                     7-4     Benzidine
                     7-9     Diethyl amine
                     8-12    p-Chloro-m-cresol
                     10-2    Benz(a)anthracene
                     10-6    Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
                     10-7    Dibenzo(ah)anthracene
                     13-10   4,4'-DDE
                     13-27   Carbaryl
                     14-17   Furfural
                     15-6    2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

     The following compounds,  for which volatility data  is  inadequate,  are
probably not sufficiently volatile that measurement of Henry's Law constant
is of interest.
                     5-5     4-Chlorophenyl  phenyl ether
                     6-3     Di-n-butyl  phthalate
                     6-5     Bis(2-ethylhexyl)  phthalate
                     7-1     N-nitrosodimethyl amine
                     7-2     N-nitrosodiphenylamine
                     7-5     3,3'-Diphenylhydrazine
                     7-6     1,2-Diphenylhydrazine
                     13-11   4.4--DDT
                     13-17   Kepone
                     13-40   Di qua t
                     13-42   Mevinphos
                     14-9    rumaric acid
                     14-10   Maleic acid
                                     16

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     For the following compounds  there  is  insufficient data to judge whether
or not they are likely to  be  volatile.

                        7-8    Butyl amine
                        7-11    Monoethylamine
                        7-12    Monomethylanrine
                        7-14  __ Trimethylanrine
                               «
                        12-28  2,2-Dichloropropionic acid
                        13-1    o-Endosulfan
                        13-3    6-Endosulfan
                        13-4    a-BHC
                        13-5    B-BHC
                        13-6    6-BHC
                        13-7    Y-BHC
                        13-14  Kelthane
                        13-15  Naled
                        13-16  Dichlone
                        13-19  Endrin aldehyde
                                    17

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4.   VAPOR LIQUID EQUILIBRIA
     4.1  Introduction to the Theory of Vapor-Liquid Equilibria of Organic
          Molecules in Dilute Aqueous Solution.
     In order to design a stripper one must have information on the volatility
of the material to be stripped.  In this section we discuss  whether the
volatility (more correctly the vapor-liquid equilibrium  compositions)  can be
estimated from properties of the pure components.  In  fact,  estimates  cannot
be made for most organic molecules in water and some experimentally determined
information is required.  Very occasionally one has direct measurements at the
pressure, temperature and concentration of interest.   Sometimes there  is
distillation data at concentrations much higher than those of interest and
one needs to extrapolate to low concentrations.  Usually the only data
available is the vapor pressure of the pure organic and  its  solubility in
water.  This data can also be used to approximate  the  vapor-liquid equilibrium
relationship.  .
     The theory and estimation of vapor-liquid equilibria is given in  many
texts; for example, by Lewis and Randall  , Gilliland   and Reid, Pransnitz
and Sherwood .  The discussion given here is  limited to  a brief introduction
to nomenclature and estimation of the equilibria for dilute  solutions  of
organics in water at close to atmospheric pressure and in the temperature
range of liquid water.
     The property which describes the "escaping tendency" of a compound
was called "fngacity" by G. N. Lewis1.  At equilibrium,  and  by definition
of fugacity, the fngacity of every component,  i, in the  liquid equals  the
fugacity in the vapor:

                              4  '  'I

Fugacity is logically defined so that at  the  given temperature and at  such
a low total pressure that the vapor  is an ideal gas, the fugacity equals
the vapor pressure.  Thus, fugacity has the units  of pressure and may  be
regarded as an  "ideal"  or  "corrected" vapor pressure.
Gas Phase
     The  "mole  fraction" of  a component,  i, in the gas phase, written y^
equals  the vapor pressure divided by  the  total pressure and is, therefore,
a convenient expression of  concentration.   Since  the  pressure of interest
                                    18

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to us is low, the fugacity equals the vapor pressure and we have

                     V
                    f . = Vapor Pressure  = y.P

where ? is the total pressure.
     This equation is called Dalton's law and  it can be used for all cases
of interest to us here.
Liquid Phase
     The fugacity of a compound in the liquid  phase must be related to the
vapor pressure of the pure liquid, written p*.  Also,  the fugacity is
generally a function of pressure, temperature  and concentration.  However,
the pressure of interest to us is low and it is  customary,  for low pressures,
to define an "activity coefficient",  Y., and  to write
     In writing this equation  several decisions  have  been made.   The
correction necessary for high  pressure has been  omitted.   This correction
is called the "Poynting effect" in some texts.   The activity coefficient,
which is a function of composition and temperature, has been defined.   The
expression of concentration, x., has been chosen to be the mole  fraction.
This is so that the ratio y./x.  (concentration in the vapor divided by
concentration in the liquid) shall be dimensionless.   In  dilute  solutions

                         x = moles/1  x  0.018
and                      x = mg/1  x  18 x 10~ /MW

where MW •= molecular weight of the organic.
     A solution is called "ideal* if Y  » 1.  In this case
                              f* - x. p*
                               i    i *i

which equation is called Raoult's law.  In solutions  of  interest  to us
Gilliland ).  We cannot use Raoult's equation and   7.  must  be  determined
Raoult's law holds for water but not for the organic  (see,  for example,
Gilliland2).  W«
experimentally.

                                   19

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The Form of the Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium Relationship.
     The equations introduced so far give

                              y. =  VL x. p*/P

     In this equation P is total pressure and p? is  the  vapor pressure of
the pure organic  (a function of temperature) .   The activity coefficient,
which is dimensionless, is a function of concentration and  temperature.
     An alternative nomenclature is to write
This equation is called Henry's Law  and E is  called Henry's  Law constant.
H is a function of temperature and concentration except that H is independent
of concentration at  low concentrations.  H has the units of  pressure and the
two usual units for  reporting H are  mm Hg and atmospheres.   In reading the
literature one will  find reports  in  which the concentration  unit (for which
we use the mole fraction, x, which is  dimensionless)  is not  dinensionless.  In
this case H has the  units of pressure  divided by concentration.  Furthermore,
some authors report  the reciprocal of  our H.   The vapor-liquid equilibrium
relationship is
                              y±  = .  x.  H./P
and
     Yet another  nomenclature  is  to  write

                               y.  « x.  x.
                               •*
SO
K.  is  dimensionless.
  i
     To  use  any of the forms  of the vapor-liquid relationship we must know 7
and p*,  or H,  or K.
                                   20

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     4.2  Activity Coefficients  for Slightly Soluble Compounds.
     Most of the organic  compounds  of interest to us are only slightly
soluble in water and  this is  much the most important method of determining
activity coefficients.  This  is  the principal method used by all authors
                                                             4
that we have found  (see,  for  examples,  Hwang and Fahrenthold , Kavanaugh
and Trussel5, Dilling et  al6).
     When a sparingly soluble compound is  xiissolved in water to saturation,
 (x. »x.  (saturated)) there will be two liquid phases in equilibrium  (or  one
liquid and one solid  phase) - the water phase and the organic phase.  If,
in addition, no vapors  other  than water and the organic are present
 (particularly if air  is not present), there will be three phases in equili-
brium.  With two components present,  there is one degree of freedom and if
the temperature is chosen, the total pressure is specified.  When complete
information on two components with  three phases in equilibrium is available,
Henry's law constant  can  be determined accurately.  It can be shown that  if
Henry's law holds for the organic in the water phase, then Raoult's law
must hold for the water in the water phase (see, for example, Smith and Van
Ness, Ref. 44, page 347). In this  case, for equilibrium between the vapor
and water phases.
                    y   P = Y    x  p* =• x  H
                    •* o      o   o  o    o  o
                    y   P = x  p*
                     w      \rw
where  the  suffix  w means "water" and the suffix o means "organic".  Since
y  +y  =  x  + x   = 1,  adding  these two equations gives

               P  "To  XoPo *  (1 'V  Pw
                  * xo  HO * (1  - v *:
or,           Ho  -  P  -  (1 -  *0)  P*
                           xo                                     {1)
                                       xo
      Complete  equilibrium data is very seldom available.  Solubility is
usually measured  at pressures below the equilibrium pressure and, in
addition,  air  is  present in the vapor phase.   (Expressed another way, we
                                      21

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may say that solubilities are usually measured at one atmosphere and at
temperatures below the  equilibrium  temperature,  with air present in the
vapor phase).  The approximation usually made is
In this case
                            H   « p*/x   (satd)                      (2)
                            o    o  o
                            Y   « 1/x   (satd)
                            o      o

Equation  (2) is  the  approximation used throughout this report and by all
the authors quoted who  have made similar estimates.  In using Equation (2)
we assume that the fugacity of the organic phase is the vapor pressure of
the pure organic at  the prevailing temperature.   We thus neglect the
solubility of water  in  the  organic phase and assume that the fugacity of
the liquid organic is independent of pressure.
     Often the solubility of water in  the organic phase in equilibrium with
the water phase  is given.  In  this case another approximation,* which we have
never seen used, is  possible.   Assume  that Raoult's law holds for the
organic in the organic  phase.   Then

                     X     H  »  x   p*
                     o,w o    0,0 *o

where x    is the mole  fraction of organic in the water phase and XO,Q is
the moli'rraction of organic in the organic phase.

                     H   = x     p*/x                                (3)
                     o    0,0  *o  o,w

     Smith and Van Ness (Ref.  44 page  361) give complete data for ethyl-ether
and water.  Calculations are presented on the table below.  Compared to
Equation  (1), which  is  exact,  the approximate Equations (2) yields a maximum
error of  4.4%.   Equation (3),  which requires more data than Equation (2),
yields  the same  error and does not seem to be preferable.
                                       22

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                      Ethvl-ether and Water System
  P
(atm)
Satd.
Hater
Phase
  x
34     1.000  0.0123
50     1.744  0.0103
70     3.195  0.0075
90     5.514  0.0058
Satd.
Ether
Phase
  x
                                 (atm)
                                                         H  (atm)
                                                          o
                          (atm)   Eqn. (1)   Eon. (2)  Eon. (3)
0.9456
0.9348
0.9212
0.9107
0.053
0.121
0.306
0.691
0.983
1.679
3.018
5.040
77.0
158
386
832
79.9
163
402
869
75.6
152
370
791
     These equations require a knowledge of  the  vapor pressure of the pure
organic and its solubility as a function of  temperature.   They then give

us H or y at one concentration.  The concentration at which we know E and y

is the highest concentration obtainable, and  we must assume that R and y

remain constant with respect to concentration at concentrations below •

saturation.  Now it is experimentally true that  if the concentration is  low

enough H and y are independent of concentration.  For example, for such
sparingly soluble gases as oxygen and nitrogen,  Henry's law applies with

H constant.  In a later section we extrapolate phenol-water equilibrium

data to show that Y is constant at low  enough concentrations.   In using

the above technique to obtain H or y we have no  way of knowing if the
organic is sufficiently insoluble for accuracy;  we just assume it is and

this technique is less reliable the more soluble the organic.
     An example follows.

trichloroethane
                   At 25°C Hwang and Fahrenthold  give, for 1,  1,  1  -
                                         solubility (mg/1)
                                              4,400
                                      23

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Dilling  et  al6  give  (at 25CC),
                solubility (mq/1)        vapor pressure (mm Hg)
                     1,300                      123
 The Chem.  Eng.  Handbook   gives
                     •insoluble"                   125

 The two different solubilities are
                X » 4,400 x 18 x 10"€/133.4 = 5.9 X 10~4
 or
                X " 1.75 x 10~4
 The Henry's law constant is

                H = 123/5.9 x 10~4 « 2.08 x 105 mm Hg = 274 atm
 or
                H «= 925 atm.

' Kavanaugh and Trussel , who did not give the base data, calculated H = 400 ana.
      The numbers used illustrate not only the calculation but also the
 discrepancies that frequently are found.
      The use of this method will require a correlation of vapor pressure and
 solubility (or activity coefficient) as a function of temperature.
      4.3  Vapor Pressure as a Function of Temperature  .
      Reid, Prausnitz and Sherwood   (Chapter 6) have considered the many
 correlating equations available.  We are only interested in temperatures
 between about 0° and 100°C  (273° to 373°K).  We. are not interested in
 compounds with very low vapor pressures because they will not be stripped.
 For our purposes the preferred correlating equation is

                     Log p* » A + B/(C + T)
                                     24

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which is called Antoine's equation.  An  alternative equation,  less satisfactory
at low temperatures, is the Clapeyron equation

               Log p* - A + B/T
where T is in °K.
     4.4  Activity Coefficient as  a Function of Temperature
     Reid, Prausnitz and Sherwood3 (Page 307)  state that the effect of
temperature on the activity coefficient  is  a particularly troublesome
question.  They suggest using

               Log Y (constant composition)  = c + d/T
where T is in °K.

Since we are working at concentrations so low that Y is independent of
concentration, the limitation of constant concentration can be ignored.
     If only one point is available, the constant, c, should be taken as
zero so
                         Log Y   -  d/T

This is the form of  the equation that we most often use.  It is the way
that Hwang and Farenthold  extrapolate from 25°C to 100°C.  Fortunately
the effect of temperature on y is  very much less than the effect of
temperature on p* so the fact that we cannot correlate 7  very well is not
of extreme importance.  Tsonopoulos  and  Prausnitz  , working with aromatic
molecules in the range 0-50°C found  it best to assume V independent of
temperature.
     We return to our example on 1,  1, 1 - trichloroethane.  As we have seen,
                      A
Hwang and Fahrenthold  give, at  25°C, a  solubility of 4,400 mg/1 or a mole
fraction of 5.9 x ID*4.  Thus at 25°C  (298°K)   Y = 1/5.9 x 10~4 » 1,700.  At
100°C  (373"X) Y is  given by

                         Log  1.700    273       ,_
                           Logv    "  298     1*"

so                 Y (373eK)      =   384.
                                      25

-------
At 100°C Hwang and Fahrenthold give

                    p* -  213 kPa = 2.1 atm,
so, at 1 atm,
                    K = y/x =  7P*/P = 384 x  2.1 « 806 atm

The value given by Hwang  and Fahrenthold  is 796 and they nay have had
other solubility data.  Note that from 25°C to 100°C we assumed that 7 ,
changed by 4.4 «•!«•* and p* changed by 13  times.  The change in p* is much
the most important effect of temperature.
     4.5  Extrapolation of Activity Coefficients Measured at High Concentration
          Activity Coefficient as a Function  of Concentration
     The vapor-liquid equilibrium of phenol in water has been measured by
several authors.  Gilliland2 quotes a 1933 thesis and the lowest concentration
at which he  gives information  is x =  0.001, y = 0.002 at 1 atmosphere.  If
we assume that at this concentration 7 is independent of concentration we
would have

                               K » y/x «  2
                               H = Py/x - 2 atm
                               7 - *y/P*  * =  37
where p*  (100°C)  = 0.054 atm (see below).
     Note that 7 is very much greater than one and Raoult's law does not
apply.  We will  now suggest ways of extrapolating equilibrium data that
are preferrable  to linear extrapolation from the lowest point and show
that the  value of 7 obtained above is accurate.
     Many relationships have been proposed between 7 and concentration for
binary  mixtures.   All the relationships must satisfy the Gibbs-Duhem equation
and summaries have been given by Gilliland , Reid, Prausnitz and Sherwood
 (page  300, Table 8-3), Holmes and Van Winkle4 and in other texts.
      It seems that van Laar's equations, which are among the simplest to
use, are  adequate for our purposes.  We have not made a detailed comparison
with other equations.
                                      26

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     The van Laar equations are
          Log  yx  «
          Log  y2  - B/[l +

where 1 and 2 are the two components of a  binary mixture.   If we have any
one experimental point, we know Y  ,  Y  , x.  and x2 (» 1 - x^) and the two
equations can be solved for A and  B.  The  equations can then be used to
explore the variation of Y with x.
     The following manipulations give expressions specific in A and B which
are useful when a single point is  available.

                             Ax,	           I/Ax.
                                                      *     "2
                                                     + l/Bx2)

                              1/Bx,	
          *2 'L°q   2 "     (I/Ax,  + 1/Bx,)2
                               1        £

       x. Log 5'^/3E2  Log V  - Bx_/Ax.

From the first  Van Laar equation

                A  = Logy,  [1  + Ax,/Bx,]2
                         1         12             2
                  » Log yx  [1  + x2 Log Y^^ Log Xj

and similarly

                B  - Log 72  II  + x1 Log T^j Log Tj]2

     As a first example consider again phenol (component 1 or A) and water
 (component  2 or B).  A single point that is often known is the azeotrope.
At 1 atmosphere the  azeotrope is

                     x. = 0.0195,  x, » 0.9805
                                  27

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The boiling point is 99.8°C so

               p* •  0.054 atm  (see  correlation below)
               p* »  0.993 atm.
We calculate
               TX •  1/0.054  • 18.5, Y2  = 1/0.993 - 1.007

                         A, phenol =1.59
                         B, water «• 0.262

 (It is worth remembering the  p*  and  p* are the vapor pressures of the pure
components and do not add to  one atmosphere).   If A and B as calculated
above are used to calculate Y  when  x. • 0.001, we obtain

    Log  Y  • 1.S9/T1 +  (0.001)(1.59)/(0.999)(0.262)]2
            - 1.57
         Y1 • 37.2
which is an unusually good agreement with value found by linear extrapolation
from the point x = 0.001, y » 0.002.
     The van Laar equations are  not  useful when the single data point is at
a very low concentration.  At a  low  concentration of organics Y_ (for water)
approaches one and Log Y  is  very small.  But  x  (the organic) is also small
and x./Log y. tends to become indeterminate.   An error of one tenth of a
degree centigrade in the boiling point can drastically alter the calculation.
When data is available at low concentrations,  linear extrapolation is the
preferred extrapolation.
     Any extrapolation will be better if many  points are available.  To
extrapolate, the equations may be linearized so that the data can be
conveniently plotted to obtain A and B.   One way to plot the data is to
plot x./x. against I/(In Yj)  .   From the first van Laar equation
so
                     x /x   =  _,
                     VX2     —
                                   28

-------
                             Xl X2	
Another way is to plot ~—TT	T~T—7T	  against x, .   The following
                         1    YI T X2     2            x
manipulations explain this plot.
                                            I/Ax,                 1/Bx
          x  In Y  + x  in  Y  -
           1122
             Xl  X2
X
 2     Xl
     In plotting to obtain van Laar  coefficients  it must be remembered that
A and B are functions of temperature and  isothermal plots are required.
When, as frequently happens, the available  data is at constant pressure
and variable temperature, van Laar's equations  may be written

                    T Log ^ - A/(l  + Ax1/Bac2)2
                    T Log  Y2 «

and T log  Y., T Log  Y_ used instead  of Log  X and Log Y  in all the equations.
T is in °K.
     Hicks et al  have fitted van Laar's  equations to data given in
references 2 and 8 to 11 and found

                    A, phenol « 1.941 - 0.00352 t*C
                    B, water  • 0.324 - 0.00052 t°C
                                 55 < t°C < 240

The effect of temperature on A and B was  found  by simply putting the best
straight line through the available  values.  From these  equations we have
calculated Y,» for phenol, as shown below (we have ignored the temperature
limitation on the correlation).
                                   29

-------
           Temp                               Xl              y
            °C          _A_        B       (x;= 1 - XT)       	

            30         1.835     0.308       0.01            42^91
                                             0.001           65.06
                                             0.0001          68.05
                                              10~5^         68.36
                                              10"6           68.39

           100         1.589     0.272        10~2           26.11
                                              10~3           37.20
                                              10~4           38.65
                                              10"5           38.80
                                              10*6           38.81

     At  100-C and x^ « 10"3 (5,200 ppm)  YI (-37)  is as calculated from the
low  concentration data point  and YI  is  independent of concentration within
about  3%.  YI  is  independent  of  concentration within 1% when s^  < 10~4
 (= 520 ppm) and is independent of concentration within 0.05% when x  <   -5
                                                                    1   10
 (52 ppm).
     The vapor pressure of phenol  has been correlated by the equation

               Log p*  (ion Hg) -  A  +  B/(C + t°C)
where
                A         *          £             Reference
          !•   7.50      -1724       192          Hicks  et al7
          2.   7.14      -1518       175          Dean13
          3.   7.13      -1516       174          Reid et al3
          4.   6.93      -1383       159          Gteehling12

     These equations give very similar results and numbers 2 and 3 seem
to be a good average set of constants.
     At low concentrations,  for phenol

          Log E(mm Hg) *• Logy + Log p* = A + Log p* =
               1.941 - 0.00 352 t + 7.13 - 1517/7174 + t) =
               9.071 - 0.00352 t°C - 1517/(174 + t°C)

                                  30

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     4.6 '• Direct Measurement of Henry's Law Constant
     The solubility of gases is usually expressed  in  the  form of a Henry's
Law constant.  It is quite easy to vary the partial pressure of a gas and
measure its solubility which gives H directly.   Most  toxic  pollutants of
interest are not gases and solubility measurements of H are not usually
available.
     However, Mackay, Shiu and Sutherland  have devised  a  most useful
stripping technique to measure H which has been used  extensively by Warner,
Cohen and Ireland20.  Nitrogen is bubbled through  a column  of water is
which the organic was dissolved.  The water column is held  at constant
temperature and a record  is kept of the concentration of  the organic in
the water as a function of time.  It is experimentally demonstratable
that the organic is in equilibrium between  the water  and  the nitrogen
so that the rate of removal of organic by stripping,
               - V dc/dt  =  (pp) G/RT
where
                                               3
               V is the volume of the water,  m
                c is the concentration of  the  organic, moles/m
               t is time, hours
               G is the nitrogen rate, m  /hr
               R is the gas  constant,  (m  ) (atm)/(mole) (°K)
               T is the temperature,  DK
and
                (pp)  (the  partial pressure of organic over the solution)
                    » yp  s HX = HC  X 18 X 10~6
if c « c  at t » to
        o
 so,
                if c
                                         _
                     In (c/co) • (18 x 10   HG/VRT) t
                                                                   •6
                and a plot of In c against t has a slope of 18 x 10   HG/VRT
                from which H can be determined.
      We should mention here that we are not concerned with stripping
 contaminants that react with water such as NH3 and CO2.  Since it is HH3»
 not HH*, which is volatile, and CO2/ not HCO^, which is volatile, stripping
 calculations involve simultaneous calculations of chemical equilibrium in
 solution.  The basis for these calculations has been given by Hicks et al  .
                                   31

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     Henry's Law constants have been given for the  single  contaminants
for NB , H S, and HCN, which are of interest.  Some calculations from the
formulae given in the references are presented on Table  4-1.   For single
                                                                          18
contaminants we suggest using the newest reference  which is Edwards et al  .
The formulae are

     In E (ammonia)  -  -149.006 - 157.552/T +
                        28.1001 In T - 0.049227  T
     In H (H2S)      »  342.595 - 13,236.8/T -
                        55.0551 In T -I- 0.0595651 T
     In E (HCN)      =  1446.005 - 49,068.8/T -
                        241.82 In T+ 0.315014 T
where T is in °K
                                            -6-
and E is in  (atm) (kg)/mole = E atm x IB x 10

                              19
     Formulae given by the API   show that H  (ammonia)  is  altered by 100%
if the acid gases O>2 + E2S total about 160 mg/1 and that  E (E2S) is altered
by 100% if the alkaline gas NE3 is present at about 80 mg/1.   In most cases
the simple formulae for E given above are not useful and chemical equilibrium
must be taken into account.
       TABLE 4-1.  BENRX'S LAW CONSTANTS  FOR GASEOOS CONTAMINANTS
                                                      •
                          E in  (atm - kg/mole)
t°c
T*K
NH3
Ref.
Ref.
Ref.
H2S
Ref.
Ref.
Ref.
HCN
Ref.
Ref.

17
18
19

17
18
19

17
18
15
288

0.0101
0.0100
0.0104

7.24
7.49
8.79

0.0571
0.0466
50
323

0.0472
0.0478
0.0478

16.55
15.87
17.95

0.258
0.269
100
373

0.246
0.248
0.248

28.9
27.45
30.13

2.93
0.997
                                  32

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                        5.   THE THEORY OF STRIPPING
      5.1  Organization of  the Section,  Batch and Continuous Stripping,
          Isothermal and Adiabatie.
      If contaminated water is placed in a vessel, a pond or a lake and air
or other vapor  is  passed through it, the contaminants may be slowly
vaporized and,  as  time passes, the water is cleaned.  This is a realistic
situation;  con-tarnination nay have been  due to a spill or other one-tine
discharge.  Vapor  bubbling through a vessel or pond is described by the
equation for a  batch stripper given in  Section 5-3.
      A volatile contaminant trill vaporize from a lake even if air is not
bubbled through the  water.   In this case the rate of removal depends on
the rate of diffusion to the water surface, as well as on the volatility
 (Henry's Law constant}  of  the contaminant.  A description of this situation
has been given  by  Mackay and Leinonen   and is discussed in the next
Section (5.2).
      Now consider  a  continuous stripper; that is, the water as well as the
vapor is flowing.  The  passage of vapor through the vessel will normally
mix the water.   The  cleanest water we can hope to get from a simple vessel is
when  vapor  and  water reach  equilibrium  and then the water cleanliness will
depend on the Henry's Law constant of the organic contaminant and the vapor
to water ratio.  The  only way to obtain cleaner water is to pass more vapor.
Usually increasing the  vapor rate is not economical and the practice is to
pass  water  down  a  tower  counter-current to the vapor flowing up.   This means
that  the cleanest  vapor is  put in contact with the cleanest water and that
as the vapor rises it comes into contact with dirtier and dirtier water until
vapor leaves the top  of  the tower with  a high load of contaminant.
      The tower is  usually full of some  sort of packing designed to encourage
contact between  liquid  and  vapor.   An empty tower,  called a spray tower,
can also be used, but the results  will  be much the  sane as  a single sinple
vessel with vapor bubbled through.   The choice of tower packing is  discussed
in Section 6.
     The designer of a  stripping tower  has  the job  of determining the height
of the tower and the vapor/liquid ratio required to reach the wanted  degree
of stripping.   (The diameter  of  the  tower is  controlled by the  throughput
rate).  There are two approaches  to  determining  tower height.   The  first
approach,  which is mostly used when  the tower packing is  continuous  from

                                  33

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bottom to top, is to write an equation  for  rate  of transfer of contaminant
from the water to the vapor phase.  The rate  equation is  integrated to
determine the tower height.  This procedure needs  the rate coefficient of
mass transfer which must be determined  experimentally.
     When the stripping tower contains  discrete  trays or  plates rather than
a continous packing, it is usually more convenient to think in terms of
equilibrium stages "jsee Figure 5-1.).   The  vapor and liquid are assumed to
thoroughly mix and reach equilibrium on a plate.  The liquid then falls to
the next equilibrium plate below and the vapor rises to the equilibrium plate
above.  The height of the tower is expressed  as  the number of equilibrium
plates .to do the job.
     Equilibrium is not reached on real plates and an experimentally
determined efficiency is needed to tell how many real plates are required
when the number of equilibrium  (or theoretical)  plates has been calculated.
     We find it simpler to work in terms of equilibrium plates.  (The words
"equilibrium" and "theoretical" are  interchangeable and the words "plates"
and "stages" are interchangeable.)   In  Section 5.5 we briefly describe the
rate of mass transfer approach and show how the  height of packing equivalent
to a theoretical plate  (HET?) can be found  by taking measurements on an
operating tower.  In Section  5.6 we  give the  complete equations for the
equilibrium stages approach and use  the results  to classify organic pollutants
by the ease with which they can be stripped.
     The simplest equations to write apply  to isothermal  stripping.  In
isothermal stripping, when steam is  the vapor, the water must enter the
tower preheated to the boiling point; when  air is in the  vapor, the water
must enter at the wet bulb temperature  of  the air.  Air strippers are not
usually isothermal; they are  adiabatic. Water is usually evaporated and
the liquid water  is usually cooled.
     Adiabatic  stripping with air  is considered in Sections 5.4 and 5.8.
Particularly in the case of a counter-current air stripping it can be difficult
to design equipment which will behave  satisfactorily as the air conditions
change with the seasons.  We  suggest that  the best control of such equipment
is to  add a  little  steam to the  air  when  the air is particularly dry.  Steam-
air mixing is discussed in Section  5.9.
     Finally,  in  Section  5.10,  a brief analysis is given of a system in
which  the water  is  circulated.   This is particularly applicable to cooling
towers.
                                      34

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                         DIRTY
                         VAPOR
    DIRTY
    WATER
U)
in
                     DIRTY
                     VAPOR
DIRTY
WATER
                                      PACKING
                                      SUPPORT
                                      GRID
                                            CLEAN
                                            VAPOR
                                                            CLEANED
          WATER
                                                            WATER
                                           CLEAN
                                           VAPOR
                     PACKED TOWER
                                                                        PLATE TOWER
                              Figure 5-1. Pictorial of packed and plate towers.

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     5.2  Evaporation from a Lake
     Mackay and Leinonen  have  gi
volatile contaminant in a lake.  Their  formula is
Mackay and Leinonen  have given  a  formula  for the half life of a
where     tQ _ - half life in hours
             L » depth in meters  at  which the half life is measured
            K_ e overall mass transfer liquid coefficient, m/hr.
also
            1
            *L    kL      (18  x ID*"6)  H
where
          k_ •  liquid  side mass  transfer coefficient, = (approx) 0.2 m/hr
          k  «  gas side  mas  transfer coefficient, =  (approx) 30 m/hr
          B  =  Henry's Law constant in atm
   18 x ID*"6 -  m3/TOl  of water
          R  »  gas constant  » 8.2 x 10**  (m ) (atm)/(mol) (°K)
          T  a  temperature in °K.
    At 70°F  «  21DC  «  294°K, at  a depth of 1 meter,
         1      1   +        1
         KL     °*2     (2.24 x 10"2)  H
and    tQ 5  =  3.45  +  30.8/H.

     This equation  is graphed on  Figure 5-2.  It seems reasonable to classify
organic molecules as
                    H(21°C)   > 10,       easily stripped
                    H(21°C)   - 2  to 10,  intermediate
                    E(21°C)   < 2,        slow to be stripped.
This classification is  compatible with another classification given in
Section  5.7.
     5.3  Isothermal  Batch Stripping
     Consider  a solution of  M  moles of contaminant in W moles of water  at
the boiling point.  Saturated steam is passed through in such a way that
the vapor leaves  in equilibrium with the solution.  Water does not leave
the solution,  but  when  an amount  of steam, dv, is passed an  amount of
contaminant, -dM  , leaves the solution and appears in  the vapor.  The vapor
leaving  is dV  - dM moles (dM  is a negative quantity) .

                                     36

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   1000
                                                                        100
Figure 5-2.  Half life in a  lake as a function of Henry's Law constant.
                                    37

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(The derivation applies to air as well  as  to steam so long as the stripper
is isothermal or approximately isothermal.   The closer the air to being
saturated at the water temperature,  the closer the system is to isothermal.)
                                       -dM
                                1     dV - dM

  is  in  equilibrium with the solution composition,  i.e.

                                y = xH/P « Kx
  where
                                K « H/P
       Since                    x -     Mc
                                      W +• M
                           -dM           KM
                          dV - dM       W + M,.
                                 c           c
  and            KdV =  \ K-l - -2- \  dM
                        <,       Mc J    C
       If this equation is integrated between V = o  and V «= V,  and MC
  (initial) and MC = Mef (final) one obtains

                                                Mcf
                 K7 o (K-l)(Mrf - Mci) - W In   —
  This can be rewritten as
                 K ~
       The preferred nomenclature is to use
                          Mci
                  X.
                   1    Mci +
                                      38

-------
                    Mci       XL
30                  -5—  «   ,  „   -  (approx) x. for low values of x.
                     ™          i               l

 (and we are  interested in x.  less  than 10~  in all cases).
AlSO                -Si «s  1  _  p
                    "ci            *
where FR is the fraction of contaminant removed.
     The final equation is, for low  initial concentrations,

                    S -  -  (K-i) x± PR - ln(l-FR>

     In all the cases  of interest to us x. is so low that the first term
on the righthand side  can be neglected and

                         ^  -   (approx)  - lna-FR)

     Seme calculations using this formula have been  made for benzene,
nitrotoluene and nitrobenzene and are presented on Table 5-1 for a total
pressure of 1 ata so that K = H.  Graphs are presented later on Figures 5-3
and 5-5.
     5.4  Adiabatie Batch Stripping  with Air
                                                                   »
     The general situation is not isothermal and water evaporates into the fir
stream.  If the tank is adiabatic (heat not supplied), which it will usually be,
the water will cool.   It is necessary to calculate the rate at which the
temperature falls as the air is passed through the water.   It is then possible -to
calculate the rate at  which the organic is stripped,  taking account of the
decrease in Henry's Law constant as  the temperature  falls.
     A procedure for making the calculations is given in Appendix 1.
Calculations were made for benzene (R(20°C)  «= 278 atm),  o-nitrotoluene
(H(20°C) « 6 atm) and  nitrobenzene (H{20eC)  «= 0.9 atm).  Benzene stripped
so fast that the calculations were of no  interest.   The  results for
o-nitrotoluene are shown on Figures  5-3 and 5-4.   The results for nitro-
benzene are shown on Figure 5-5.  In each case the starting solution was
saturated at 20°C.
                                     39

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                 TABLE 5-1.   ISOTHERMAL BATCH STRIPPING
                                            Vapor Passed  Fraction Remaining
     Compound           °C      H(atm)            (V/W)            Cl-Fn)

Benzene  --             10      213               0.011             0.1
                                                0.022             0.01
                                                0.032             0.001
                        20      278              -0.0083            0.1
                                                0.017             0.01
                                                0.025             0.001

o-Nitrotoluene          10        4.23           0.54              0.1
                                                1.1               0.01
                                                1.6               0.001
                        20        6.0            0.38              0.1
                                                0.77              0.01
                                                1.15              0.001

Nitrobenzene            10        0.53           1.3               0.5
                                                3.0               0.2
                        20        0.91           0.76              0.5
                                                1.8               0.2
                                                2.5     '          0..1
                                       40

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                         Water enters at  20°C.
     I
     o
    •H
    -U
     (0
     U
    JJ

     i
     o
    U
10
        •  1
       0.1
                                        Air
                                        10°C
                                        30% R.H.
                Air
                20°C
                70% R.H.
                                          Isothermal
                                          at 108C
                                                        \
                                                         \
                                                          \
                    Isothermal
                    at  20°C
                          j	  ii          iii
                                     1.0
                     V/W,  moles air per mole water
                                                       2.0
Figure 5-3. Affect of air quantity on residual concentration when stripping
           o-nitrotoluene.

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 20
                                         Air  20°C,  70%  R.H.
                                        	Wet bulb temp.	
                                               Air  10°C, 30% R.H
                                                  Wet bulb temp
                                                     20CC, 70%  R.H
                                                     10°C,  30%  R.H
0.98
                                                        2.0
                     V/W  (moles  air/moles  water)




  Figure 5-4. Water temperature and water vaporized in batch stripping.

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     10'
I
.2    10-
*>
IB
M
I
     10'
                      Water enters  at 20"C.
- Isothermal,  10°C
                                                     Air

                                                     10°C,  30%R.H.
            Isothermal, 20°C
                                    Air

                                    20°C,  70% R.H.
                                   1.0


                      V/W,  moles air per mole water
                         2.0
 Figure 5-5. Effect of air quantity on residual concentration when stripping

           nitrobenzene.
                                  43

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     o-Nitrotoluene  (H(20°C) «=  6  atm,  H(10°C)  = 4.2 a tan)  is moderately easy
to strip.  The concentration is reduced  to 1/100 Oth of the initial concen-
tration by 1.1 moles air per mole water  when the air is warm and quite
saturated  (20°C and 70% relative  humidity) and by 1.7 moles air per mole
water when the air is colder and  dryer (10°C and 30% RH) .  For comparison
benzene  (H(10°C) = 213 atm) is  very  easy to strip and the concentration is
reduced to 1/1, 000th of the initial  concentration by about 0.^,3 moles »•**•
per mole water.  The warm air case for o-nitrotoluene is satisfactorily
duplicated by the isothermal  calculation at 20°C.   However, the cold
case is not really well duplicated by an isothermal calculation at 20°C
(the water temperature) nor at  10°C (the air dry bulb temperature) .  The
answer lies in between at about 15°C.
     The reason for the 15°C  average  can be seen from the graph of water
temperature on Figure 5-4.  Water starts at 20°C and, when the concentration
is reduced to 1/1, 000th after passing 1.7 moles air per mole water, the
water temperature has dropped to 9°C.  A temperature of 15°C is a good
average.
     Nitrobenzene (H(20°C) =0.9 atm  and H(10°C)  =0.5 atm) is -very
difficult to strip.  The • concentration is not even reduced to 1/lOth
by 2 moles air per mole water (see Figure 5-5) .  The warm air case is
reasonably calculated by a 20°C isothermal calculation and the cold air
case is reasonably calculated by a 10°C isothermal calculation.  The
temperature curve which is independent of the organic pollutant (discussed
later) , shows why these 'average temperatures are reasonably satisfactory
(see Figure 5-4) .
     The key to the calculation is to determine the temperature curve.  With
the temperature known the stripping can be calculated using the isothermal
equation with E evaluated at  a  reasonable average temperature or H can be
allowed to vary stepwise as the temperature falls.
     A general calculational  procedure is given in Appendix 1.  With a dilute
solution stripping the organic  has a  negligible effect on the temperature of
the solution which is overwhelmingly  dependent on the amount of water which
vaporizes.  It is, therefore, possible to illustrate what the computer does
by a simple hand calculation.
     The one essential formula  is a means of calculating the humidity of
satured air, H moles water per  mole dry air.

                                      44

-------
                                           y
                              HCsatd.)  = -
where
                             -—  exp   21.158 - ^f°:!L - 6.977 x 10~3  (t°C +  273)
                             A  /     I           fc^^T^/J                            I
                             •»•       |_                                            —
     Now consider water at  20°C.  Air  enters  at 10°C and 30% relative humidity.
For air saturated at 10°C
               HCsatd.) = 0.0121 moles water/moles air
so             H(30%)   - 0.00363
     Suppose we have 1 mole water and  allow 0.2 moles air to pass through
it.  For a first try assume the air  leaves  at 20°C.
               H(satd.,20°C)  » 0.0233
so 0.2 moles of air take out
               0.2  (0.0233  -  0.00363)  » 0.003934 moles water.
     The latent heat of water at 20°C  is 10,550 cals/mole and the specific
heat is 18 cals/(mole)(°C)  so the water temperature falls
               10,500 x 0.003934/18  -  2.31°C.
     Since the air must leave at the average  water temperature we cannot
assume that the air leaves  at 20°C.  We will  assume that the air leaves
at 19 °C.
               H(satd. 19°C)  - 0.0219
so 0.2 moles of air take out
               0.00365 moles  water
and the water cools by 2.13°C. Since  the water starts at 20°C and ends
at 17.9°C, our assumption of  an average exit  air temperature of 19°C is
satisfactory.  The calculation must  now be repeated for the next 0.2 moles
of air with the water starting at 18°C.
     The calculation is tedious and  may not be worthwhile.  The discussion
of how much detail is needed  is deferred to Section 5.8 in which we describe
continuous adiabatic stripping.
     5.5  Isothermal, Counter-Current  Stripping and Estimation of Height of
          an Equivalent Theoretical  Plate
     The theory of packed  towers  is  given in  all chemical engineering texts
on mass transfer and only  a brief summary is  given here.
                                    45

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Summary of the Theory
     A packed tower is pictured on Figure  5-6.   The tower is Z meters high
and S m  in cross section.  Dirty water enters  at a rate W moles/hr and,
because we assume that water does not evaporate,  water leaves at the same
rate.  The vapor rate  (steam or air) is'V  moles/hr.  x and y are mole
fractions of the contaminant in the  liquid and  vapor phases.
     The overall rate of mass transfer of  contaminant from water to vapor
at height Z of the tower can be described  by the equation

          dJ,  (Flux in moles/hr) = 1^ a  (x - x*)  SdZ - - Wdx - Vdy

In this equation
          SdZ     is the differential volume of the tower, m ,
            a     is the interfacial area  caused by the packing,
                    m /m  of tower,
           jr      is the mass transfer coefficient, moles/(hr) (m )
                     (unit mole fraction driving force measured in the water)
            x  =  mole fraction of contaminant  in the water
           x*  °  mole fraction that would occur in the water if the water
                    were in equilibrium with the vapor
We consider a tower at atmospheric pressure so

                              x« - y/H
where
               y = mole fraction of  contaminant in the vapor at
                     height Z of the tower
               H «* Henry's  Law constant expressed in atmospheres

     The differential  equation for mass transfer can be written in integrated
form as
                 x
                  'in       Ju         KT a S Z
                           dx
_KL
                         x - y/H         w
                  out
Two  equations  are possible,  one based on water concentrations and water
flow,  the  other  based on gas concentrations and gas flow.  The choice is
arbitrary  but  water concentrations are the more convenient.
                                   46

-------
DIRTY WATER
W moles/hr
xin
DIRTY VAPOR
      V moles/hr
CLEANED WATER
                                                     Tower cross
                                                     section =
                                                       S m2
               CLEAN VAPOR
W moles/hr
xout
               V moles/hr
               'in
                   = zero
             Figure 5-6.  Nomenclature for a packed tower.
                              47

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     The integral on the left hand  side  of  the above equation is called
the number of transfer units, NTD.  The  bigger the  difference between x.
                                         ~"""^^*"""~                         Ul
and xout/ the larger is the -number  of  transfer units needed to perform the
stripping.  Evaluation of NTD can,  in  general,  be made  by numerical
integration of concentrations measured in the  liquid and vapor at several
points in an operating tower.  Only a  few points are needed and the use of
Simpson's rule is usually adequate.  However,  in the particular case of
interest here, where Henry's Law applies, direct integration is possible
as discussed below.
     The term                        w
                                   v"5"
which has the dimensions of length, the  same as Z,  is called the height of
a transfer unit.  The larger K_a the smaller is the height of packing
needed to do a given transfer.  The height  of  the tower is,  from our
definitions,
                              Z a HTD  x  NTD
     The height of a transfer unit  and hence the mass transfer coefficient,
K^a, is determined experimentally by finding the number of transfer units in
a tower of known height at constant water and  vapor rates.
     Direct Integration to Determine the Number of  Transfer Dnits
     Since Wdx » - Vdy » dJ
     the flux, J, is a linear function of x and of  y and,  because H
is taken to be constant, of (x - y/H) . The  slope of the line of plotting J
against driving force (see nomenclature  on  Figure 5-6)  is

               d(x - y/H)       (xin " yout/H)   " *out
                   "      "            Jtotal
               (y^ has been taken as  zero)
     It is convenient to write
               xin " W^ "    *top
               X            •    A
                out                bottom
               x - y/H      =    A
                 Putting dJ B    A s dz   gives
                                48

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            V A  S                 Jtot
which can be integrated  to  give

         in    ^top
         111    A"         K  a S  Z
                 hot         L   .
                                           bot-   dZ
           top ~^>ot          tot
The lefthand side is the  reciprocal  of  the  logarithmic-mean driving force
(LMDF) and we  can write
                    Jtot  * V S  Z (LMDF)
Since Jtot " W  (*in  * "out*
we can also write
                                 W(x.  - x  J
                                    in    out
                          Z "   l^a S  (LMDF)
                            •  ETD X
Xin " Xout
  LMDF
from which it  follows  that
                                 X.  - X
                        NOT =     in    out
                                    LMDF
Design  of a  Packed Tower
      For a given job, W, x. , x  „  are given.  The vapor rate, V, is chosen
           7             in   out
and y   calculated from the material balance
      out

                          W(*in ' "out*  ' %«t

It  is then possible to calculate LMDF and NTD.  A suitable packing is chosen
for which K_a is known for the water and vapor rates chosen.  HTU and Z can
then be found.   Repeated calculations will give the trade-off between
decreasing the vapor rate, V, and  increasing the tower height, Z.  Additional
calculations can show the advantage of different packings.
Height  of an Ecuivalent Theoretical Plate
      We find it easiest to visualize stripping towers in terms of equivalent
theoretical  plates which are used  in the following sections.  The number  of
                                 49

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theoretical plates to do a given separation does not depend on the equipment.
The height of packing to do a given separation depends on the choice of
packing.  We need, therefore, to find the height of packing equivalent to
a theoretical plate  (HETP).
     The height of a tower (Z = HETP) which is equivalent to a theoretical
plate is the height which causes the vapor leaving at the top to be in
equilibrum with liquid leaving at the bottom.  That is
                                     " Xo«t
In this case
                                    Xin -
              vi-
                         (xin - Xout>  * (yout - yin)/H
                                   X.   -  X  .
        becomes                 ,    in     out
                          (x.  - x   .)  -  x  .  + y.  /H
                            in    out     out    in
     Now the mass balance  is
so
               W(xin - xout> = * V  (yin -
                       xout ' -H  (xin- Xout}
If we write
                R(range)  = x   -
                                     In     R
                                          WR/VH
                1/LMDF     =           R - WR/VH


         and       NTU     =       R/LMDF =  J".^^  =  W/VH - 1

                  HETP     =       H-TJ x  ln W/VH
                  HETP     -       HTU X
                                 50

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     5.6  Number of Equilibrium Stages in Continuous Isothermal  Stripper.
     In this section we find the number of equilibrium, or  theoretical,
stages to do a job of stripping.  The theory will  then be used to classify
pollutants by ease of stripping.
     Theoretical stages are very useful for comparing pollutants, but they
are not, in any sense, realizable pieces of equipment.  A real tower may
contain packing, in which case one has to know  the height of an equivalent
theoretical plate.  Or a real tower may contain plates.  But a real plate  is
not an equilibrium stage and one has to know the plate efficiency to find
the number of real plates when the number of theoretical plates  is known.
The difference is large.  Efficiencies may be as low as 0.5 and two real
plates may be required to do the work of one theoretical plate.
The General Formula
     A simple stripping tower is shown on Figure 5-7.  Dirty water at a rate
F moles/hr and having a mole fraction x.  of contaminant enters at the top.
Clean stripping vapor at a rate S moles/hr enters  at the bottom.  Cleaned
water at a flow rate W moles/hr and having a mole  fraction  XQ   of contaminant
leaves at the bottom,  x  ^ is specified.  Dirty vapor at a flow rate V moles/hr
                        out
and having a mole fraction y    of contaminant  leaves at the top.  For the
moment we consider only the cases where
                              F = W and V o S
That is, the cases in which water is neither evaporated  nor condensed.  If
steam is the stripping vapor the feed enters at the boiling point.  If air
is the stripping vapor, it enters saturated at  the water  temperature.  Our
assumption is an approximation but the concentrations of  contaminants are
so low that removal of contaminant has  negligible  effect  on the flow rate
of the total streams.
     A mass balance for the contaminant  around  the bottom of the tower
including the first plate gives
                         Mass IN » Mass  OUT
                             wx2 » wxx + vyx
A similar mass balance including the second plate  gives
                             Wx  • Wx- + Vy
If the  (n-l)th plate  is included
                             Wx  = Wx,  + vy   .
                                n      1     Jn-l
                                  51

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                                    DIRTY VAPOR
 DIRTY WATER'
 F. X.

                               -,
                                                n

                                                n-1
CLEANED WATER
W, x
    'out
                            ' x.
                                                         STRIPPING VAPOR
                                                         (STEAM OR AIR)
    Figure 5-7. Simple stripping tower showing equilibrium stages.
                               52

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This equation has  two unknowns,  x   and y  ,  and another equation is needed.
                                 n       n—l
We assume that the vapor and  liquid leaving  a plate are in equilibrun so

                         yn » (H/P)  xn - Kxn

Equilibrium plates are  theoretical  plates.  Actual stripping column plates
do not reach equilibrium.  The approach to equilibrium is discussed in
Section 6.
     The calculation of the number  of  theoretical plates can now be made.

               x2  - XL  +  (V/W) y^ = x^ +• (VK/W)  x^
               X3  = Xl  *  (V/W) Y2 " Xl * (VK/W)  *2
                   =» X1  +  (VK/W)  x1  + (VK/W)2 xx
               and so on;
               *n  - x1tl +
To sum the series  inside  [],  let
               T - 1 +  VK/W + (VK/W)2  + .  .  . + (VK/W)11""1
     then       (VK/W) T -  VK/W + .  .  . + (VK/W)°
     and        ((VK/W)  -1) T  - (VK/W)n - 1.
     so
                Xl      (VK/W) - 1
                xn
     If n is the number of plates  to reduce the feed concentration,
x.  = x   , to the effluent concentration,  x    » x , then
                xout  m     (VK/W) -
                Xin   =
                n * * '        In  (VK/W)
Sample Calculation
     Suppose that epichlorohydrin  is  to be steam stripped at 1 atmosphere.
H a 20 atm and K « H/P ** 20.   Let  the feed concentration be 5,140 mg/1.
Since M.W. = 92.53,
                    x.   = 5,140  x  18  x !0"6/92.53 - 10"3
                      in       -6
     we choose      x ,=10   (5.14 mg/1)
                      out
                                  53

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          Let V/W - 0.15;
             VK/W = 3
                    n + 1 - ***                 ! »  "  5.9
Additional calculations give
                              V/W       n
                              0.1       9
                              0.125     7
                              0.15      6
                              0.2       5
                              0.3       4

     Note that the larger the value of V/W,  that  is  the  more steam used
for stripping, the smaller the number of plates.   This is  always  true of
stripping columns; the designer has a tradeoff between a lot of plates or
                                                      •                    .
a lot of stripping vapor.
The Range of Practical Operabilitv
     There are practical limits on the number of  theoretical plates and
the mass of stripping vapor used.  For the purposes  of this  report we will
make the following assumptions:
      (1) the column is limited to 20 theoretical  plates
      (2) the desired ratio x  ./x.  is between 10~2  and  10~4
                            out  in
      (3) stripping vapor rates will lie on the range
               0.1  < V/W  < 0,3 for steam
               0.75 ^ V/W  < 2.5 for air
Assumption number 3 is discussed ia the following subsection.
     The relationship between VK/W, n and xin/xout is graphed on  Figure 5-8.
VK/W must be greater than one.  Given the upper limit on the number of plates
of 20 plates a low value of VK/W -1.1 may just be useful.  There is a
general lower limit of VK/W = 1.2.  As VK/W  is increased fewer plates are
needed.  When VK/W = 10 about 3 plates will  do the job.   Increasing VK/W
above 10 does not give a large decrease in the number of plates and will
probably not be worth paying for the extra vapor. In general we  will use
                         1.2 < VK/W< 10
with a probable extreme of
                         1.1 < VK/W < 100.
                                  54

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in
ui
       VK/W
                  100
                   50
                   20
                   10
                         I    I    I
                   5x10
                        -2
                                     20  PLATES

                                     • i      •


                             I I I I  I  I   I   I    I
10~2    5xlO~3
10~3   5xlO~4
                                                         xout/xin
10
  -4
                 Figure 5-8.   Relationship between stripping vapor  rate and number of plates.

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Choice of Vapor Rate
     To compare air and  steam some discussion is necessary.   The  general
equations for the  horsepower needed to drive a gas compressor are  :
                        HP a WH/(33,OOOe)

            ,. (VI^/WL  r-^*-1
                \        ' \  w   /   L.
                              (n-l)/n -  (k-l)Ae

     HP is horsepower »  0.745 KW
     W  is gas flow in Ib/min
     H  is polytropic head  (ft-lb)/lb
     e  is polytropic efficiency  » 0.77
     Z , Z. are compressibility factors  for suction and discharge,  - 1
      s   a
     «  is molecular  weight
      w                 '
     T. is suction temperature, = 530 °R(°R = 460 + °P)
     r  is the compression ratio  =1.3 for 4.5 psi pressure drop
     k  is ratio of specific heats a 1.40
      (k-l)A for air  - 0.286

     From this equation, for a temperature of 70°F and compression ratio
of 1.3, the energy to supply S Ib moles  of air for stripping is 0.11 S kw-hrs.
     The energy to supply S Ib moles of  steam for stripping is about 18,000 S
Btu.  To compare steam to air one must convert kw-hrs to Btu.  The simple
energy conversion for generating  electricity is 10,000 BtuAw-hr which makes
1 Ib mole of steam equivalent in  energy  to 16.4 Ib moles of air.   However,
the value of 1 kw-hr  is  usually closer to the value of 20,000 Btu which
makes 1 Ib mole of steam of equal value  to about 8 Ib moles of air.  (An
example of value is  if electricity is worth 4$/kw-hr and low pressure
steam worth 52/lQ6 Btu).
     Note that for steam the vapor/liquid ratio is the same for weight
rates of flow as for  molar  rates  of flow.  For air

          vapor/liquid weight  ratio • 1.6 vapor/liquid molar ratio
                                 56

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   '  In practice steam strippers  (such as ammonia  strippers) usually operate
with steam rates between 0.1 and  0.3 times the feed rate,  that  is
                              V/W » 0.1 to 0.3
just as we have chosen.
     Air strippers, in the form of cooling towers  usually  operate  with
gas/liquid weight rates in the range 0.75 to  2, that  is  molar rates in
the range 0.47 to 1.25, so our chosen molar ratios are on  the high side
and have been chosen to .give equal cost between steam and  air.
     5.7  Pollutants Classified by Ease of Stripping
     At this point it is possible to classify compounds  by the  ease with
which they can be stripped.  The  classification is given on Table  5-2.
Consider compounds listed as very easily stripped. These  are all  compounds
for which it is practical and simple to obtain VK/W  > 10.  For steam we
chose V/W • 0.1 so K(100°C) "z. 100.  For air  we chose V/W » 0.75 so
K(20°) > 13. • Since K = H/P and we usually are concerned with atmospheric
pressure strippers, H - K if H is expressed in atmospheres.
     The "difficult to strip" compounds have  VK/W » 1.2;  V/W for  steam =
0.3 and K (steam) > 4.  A few compounds with  H(100°C)  between 2 and 4 atm.
have been classified as "very difficult to strip".  These  compounds require
more than 20 plates.  Compounds with H(1004C)<   2 atm have been classified
"cannot be stripped*.
     Of a total of 185 listed toxic pollutants Table  5-2 shows  that
          68 are very easily stripped or decompose in water.
          36 are strippable with  various degrees  of  difficult.
          48 cannot be stripped or probably cannot.
          33 lade  information.
     For most compounds the  classification was  independent of the choice
of stripping vapor  (air or steam).  A few compounds,  marked *,  are
classified for air stripping and  will be more easily stripped by one
category higher if steam  stripping  is used.
     Touhill  (Ref. 37 page  235) has  compiled  a large list of reports on
stripping.  Our classification is compatible  with this list.
     5.8  Adiabatic Continuous Stripping with Air
     If the water  does not enter  the top of the  column at the wet bulb
temperature of  the air,  then water  is  stripped and,  in the usual case

                                57

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     Table 5-2      TOXIC  POLLUTANTS  CLASSIFIED BY  EASE OF STRIPPING
     Very easily stripped
     H(100°C)>100 atm
     H(20°C)  >  13 atm

     5-4+  2-Chloroethyl vinyl  ether
     7-13  Triethyl amine
     9-1    Benzene
     9-2    Chlorobenzene
     9-3    1,2-DiChlorobenzene
     9-4    1,3-OiChlorobenzene	
     9-5    1,4-Dichlorobenze
     9-6    1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
     9-7    Hexachlorobenzene
     9-8    Ethyl benzene
     9-TO  Toluene
     9-15  Benzyl chloride
     9-16  Styrene
     9-T8  Xylenes
     10-1  2-Chloronaphthalene
**   10-3  Benzo(b)fluoranthene
**   10-4  Benzo(k)fluoranthene
**   10-5  Benzo(a)pyrene
     10-9  Acenaphthene
**   10-12 Chrysene
**   10-13 Fluoranthene
     10-15 Naphthalene \
     10-17 Ryrene

 +   the  left hand column  are the code  numbers used in the Treatability
     Manual and in Appendix 3.

**   probably,  but data is poor
                                 58

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(very easily stripped -  continued)
11-1   Aroclor 1016
11-2   Aroclor 1221
11-3   Aroclor 1232
11-4   Aroclor 1242
11-5   Aroclor 1248
11-6   Aroclor 1254
11-7   Aroclor 1260
12-1   Methyl  chloride
12-2   Methylene chloride
12-3   Chloroform
12-4   Carbon tetrachloride
12-5   Chloroethane
12-6   1,1-Di Chloroethane
12-7   1,2-DiChloroethane
12-8   1,1,1-TriChloroethane
12-9   1,1,2-Tri Chloroethane
12-10  1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
12-11  Hexachloroethane
12-12  Vinyl  chloride
12-13  1,2-Oh'chloropropane
12-14  1,3-Dichloropropene
1*2-15  Hexachl orobutadi ene
12-16  Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
12-17  Methyl  bromide
12-18  Oichlorobromomethane
12-19  Chiorodibromomethane
12-20  Bromoforra
12-21  Dichlorodifluoromethane
12-22  Trichlorofluoromethane
12-23  Trichloroethylene
                                59

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    (very easily stripped  -  continued)

    12-24  1,1-Dichloroethylene
    12-25  1,2-Trans-di chl oroethylene
    12-26  Tetrachl oroethylene
    12-27  Ally!  chloride
    12-30  Ethylene dibromide
    13-20  Heptachlor
    13-25  Toxaphene
    13-37  Isoprene
    13-46  Carbon disulfide
    14-4   Amy!  acetate
    14-5   n-Butyl  acid
    14-13  Vinyl  acetate
    15-1   Methyl  mercaptan
    15-3   Cyclohexane
    Easily stripped
    H(100°C) 20 to 100 atm.
    H(20°C)   2 to  13 atm.

    5-3    Bis(2-chloroisopropyl)  ether
    7-7    Acrylonltrile
    9-19   Nitrotoluene
    10-10  Acenaphthylene
    10-14  Fluorene
    10-16  Phenanthrene
    13-8   Aldrin
    13-9   Dieldrin
    13-24  Chlordane
**  13-26  Captan
    14-1   Acetaldehyde
**  14-16  Acrolein
    14-18  Propylene oxide
    probably, but data is poor

                                    60

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    Intermediate
    H(100°C)  8 to 20 atm.
    H(20°C)   1 to  2 atm.
    5-2    Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether
    8-5    Pentachlorophenol
    8-6    2-Nitrophenol
    9-9    Nitrobenzene
    9-11    2,4-Dinitrotoluene
    9-12   2,6-Dinitrotoluene
    10-11   Anthracene
    12-31   Epichlorohydrin
    13-12  4,4'-DDD
    13-21   Heptachlor epoxide
    Difficult to strip
    H(100°C)   4 to 8 atm.
    H(20°C)  0.5 to 1 atm.

    8-2    2-chlorophenol
    8-3    2,4-D1chlorophenol
    8-4    2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
    14-15  Crotonaldehyde
    15-4   Isophorone
 * this is for air; a higher category for steam
** probably, but data is poor
                                   61

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    Very difficult to strip
    H(100°C) 2 to 4 atm.

    6-2    Diethyl  phthai ate
    8-1    Phenol
 *  8-10   2,4-Dimethy!phenol
    8-13   4,6-Dinitro-o-cresol
    8-14   Cresol
 *  9-17   Quinoline
 *  14-3   Ally!  alcohol
    Cannot be stripped

    5-7    Bis(2-chloroethoxy) methane
    6-1    Dimethyl  phthalate
    7-10   Ethylenediamine
    8-7    4-Nitrophenol
    8-8    2,4-Dinitrophenol
    8-9    Resorcinol
    9-13   Aniline
    9-14   Benzole acid
    10-8   Benzo(ghi) perylene
    13-2   Endosulfan sulfate
    13-13  Endrin
**  13-18  Diurone
    13-22  Carbofuran
**  13-28  Coumaphos
    13-29  Diazinon
    13-30  Dicamba
    1.3-31  Dichlobenil
    13-32  Malathion
    13-33  Methyl parathion
    13-34  Parathion

 *  this is for air; a higher category for steam
**  probably, but data is poor
                                    62

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(cannot be stripped - continued)

13-35  Guthion
13-38  Chlorpyrifos
13-39  Dichlorvos
13-41  Disulfoton
13-43  Mexacarbate
13-44  Trichlorfon
14-2   Acetic acid
14-6   Butyric acid
14-7   Formaldehyde
14-8   Formic acid
14-12  Propionic acid
14-14  Adipic acid
15-2   Oodecyl benzenesulfonic acid
15-5   Strychnine
15-7   Zinc phenol sulfonate
Poor data, but probably difficult to strip

5-5    4-Chlorophenyl phenyl  ether
6-3    Di-n-butyl phthalate
6-5    Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
7-1    N-nitrosodimethylamine
7-2    N-nitrosodiphenylamine
7-5    3,3'-Diphenylhydrazine
7-6    1,2-Oiphenylhydrazine
13-11  4,4'-DDT
13-17  Kepone
13-40  Oiquat
13-42  Mevinphos
14-9   Fumaric acid
14-10  Maleic acid
                               63

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Poor data; better data worth obtaining as may be strippable

5-6    4-Bromophenyl  phenyl  ether
6-4    Di-n-octyl phthalate
6-6    Butyl Benzyl  phthalate
7-3    N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine
7-4    Benzldine
7-9    D1ethyl amine
8-12   p-Chloro-m-cresol
10-2   Benz(a}anthracene
10-6   Indeno(l,2,3-cd)pyrene
10-7   01benzo(ah)anthracene
13-10  4,4'-DDE
13-27  Carbaryl
14-17  Furfural
15-6   2,3,7,8-Tetrachl orodibenzo-p-dloxln
Data inadequate for comment

7-8    Butyl amine
7-11   Monoethylamine
7-12   Monomethylami ne
7-14   Trimethylaraine
12-28  2,2-Dichloropropionic acid
13-1   a-Endosulfan
13-3   8-Endosulfan
13-4   o-BHC
13-5   8-BHC
13-6   6-BHC
13-7   Y-BHC
13-14  Kelthane
13-15  Naled
13-16  Dichlone
13-19  Endrin aldehyde
                                  64

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(data inadequate for comment - continued)

13-23  Mercaptodimethur
13-36  Ethion
13-45  Propargite
14-11  Methyl methacrylate
Decompose in water

5-1    Bis(chloromethyl) ether
12-29  Phosgene
                                 65

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which is adiabatic, the water cools.  The Henry's  Law constant varies from
plate to plate as the temperature varies.   It  is a simple  matter to estimate
the fraction stripped on each plate once the temperature  is  known on
each plate.  The method for calculating the temperature on each plate is
given in Appendix 2 and some results are discussed below.  But a word of
caution is required.
     We calculate the temperature, and hence the fraction  of organic
stripped, on a theoretical or equilibrium plate.   When a real tower is
built, it is important to remember that real plate efficiencies may .not
be_ the same for water and for the organic.  Also,  the height of packing
equivalent to a theoretical plate is not the same  for water  and for the
organic.  The rate of stripping of water is controlled by  the rate of
diffusion of water vapor from the interface through the air  layer and into
the main body of the air.  The rate of stripping of volatile organics is
controlled by the rate of diffusion from the main  body of  the water to
the interface; this is always an order of magnitude slower than the diffusion
rate in the gas if the organic is easily strippable.  The  liquid side
resistance for organic stripping has been illustrated in Section 5.2 where
evaporation from a lake was described.
     Figure 5-9 shows a typical warm water  such as might be  fed to a
cooling tower with typical mid-season air  (not the height of summer nor
the middle of winter).  The feed rates are  0.37 moles air/mole water.  In
one theoretical plate the water temperature falls  by 13°C  (24°F) which is
about the way that cooling towers are designed. In fact our calculations
suggest that the usual cooling tower is close  to one theoretical plate.
In the next 5 plates the temperature only falls an additional 10°C.
For this situation stripping of an organic  can reasonably  be estimated
using the isothermal stripping equation with H evaluated  in  the temperature
range 30 to 35°C.  It is worth pointing out that in this  particular
application, air is heated as it rises.  The hot air near  the top of the
tower has a much greater capacity for water vapor  than the entering air.
Thus most of the water which evaporates does so on the top plate and the
biggest temperature drop for the water occurs  on the top  plate.
     On Figure 5-10 is shown the effect of  stripping a cold  water with
a rather dry air.  Note, as before, that on the top one or two plates the
temperature of the water falls rapidly, but that on the lower plates the
                                      66

-------
  , 50
    40 —
u
o

-------
a*
co
            U
            a
             01
rt
M
0)
                 10 -
                                           Water feed temperature = 20°C  (68°F)
                                           Air feed:  10°C  (50°F) ,   30% R.I1.
                                                    0.47  moles air/mole water
                                                    0.62     "
                                                                  II   II
                                                            0.93
                   	Wet bulb temperature	
                                                    ^v
                                                                       I      I     I
I     I      I     I     I     I      1     1
     2          4          6          8          17   18   19
                Number of theoretical plates
                  Figure 5-1O. Water temperature when stripping cold water with air.

-------
 water temperature changes very little.  The approach to the  air wet bulb
 temperature is very slow.  The vapor pressure of water falls off  rapidly
 as the temperature falls and so, therefore, does the driving force  for
 mass  transfer.  The fractional approach to the wet bulb temperature falls
 rapidly as the water temperature falls.
      While it is not difficult to calculate the temperature on each plate
 with  a computer, it is very tedious to do by hand.  We have not made
 enough estimates to find any reliable simplification.  The best we  can
 suggest,  and it is not accurate, is that isothermal stripping be  assumed
 to occur  at a temperature which is the arithmetic mean of the feed  water
 temperature and the air wet bulb temperature.
      When the air rate is about doubled from 0.47 moles/mole water  to
 0.93  moles/mole water, the steady temperature on all but about the  top
 three plates is reduced from about 13.2°C to about 7.5°C.  The stripping
 of an organic depends on the group VVW » (at one atmosphere) VH/W.
 Returning to a previous example of nitrobenzene we find that

                               H(13.2°C)  = 0.632
                     and       HC7.S°C)   » 0.454

 This  means  that doubling the air rate multiplies the fraction stripped by
 (0.454 x  2)/0.632 = 1.4.   There is a positive  advantage to increasing  the
 air flow, but it is a much smaller advantage than night have been thought
 to  occur  if  the effect of temperature had been neglected.   Each case will
 have  to be estimated but our preliminary conclusion is that varying the
 air rate  is  not an efficient way to control  a  stripping tower.
     But  some  control is  necessary.  The temperature and humidity of the
air vary  from hour to hour,  day to night and season to season.   If the
organic is very easily stripped,  the variations  in the air conditions
will matter  very little.   A  small overdesign will guarantee satisfactory
stripping under all likely conditions.   For  example,  Recon Systems,  Inc.,
of Somerville,  NJ,  have designed and installed very reliable stripping
columns for  such  extremely volatile contaminants as trichloroethane and
trichloroethylene.   There  is, however, a. lot of  difficulty in designing
a column  for  stripping  a  less volatile  compound. , Consider o-nitrotoluene
as an example.  Take  99%  stripping at V/W -  1.
                                   69

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           Temp (°C)            Number of Theoretical Plates
              20                         2.6
              15                         2.8
              10                         3.2
               5                         6.6
The column can be designed for 5°C water on the coldest winter days and
the column wiill be twice  as high as needed in summer time, or the column
can contain about 3  plates and satisfactory stripping will not be obtained
on the coldest days.
     One alternative is to use steam stripping, which is not dependent on
the weather,  for difficult-to-strip compounds.  The energy cost will not be
higher, but the capital cost is usually higher than for air strippers
because the influent and  effluent water must be heat exchanged for reasonable
energy efficiency.
     A possible alternative,  briefly explored below, is to mix steam and air.
     5.9   The  Use of Air-Steam Mixtures
     If, to air at 10°C,  30% RH,  is added 0.0085 moles steam/mole air, which
is the quantity of steam  needed to saturate the air at 10°C,  the dry bulk
temperature rises to 10.9°C and the wet bulb temperature is raised from
3.4°C to 10°C.
     Now suppose that a stripping column does a good job when the air and
water enter at  about 20°C,  the air has  a high humidity and the air to water
rate is 0.93 moles air/mole water.   As  is shown on Figure 5-10, if the
air temperature and  humidity drop to 10°C,  30% RH,  the mean water temperature
approaches 7.5°C.  However,  adding a little steam (less than 1% of the air)
raises the mean water temperature to about  11°C.   In our example for
o-nitrotoluene  we have seen that an increase in temperature from 7.5 to 118C
can divide the  plates necessary to do-a given stripping job by about 1.7°.
     The addition of  a little steam when the air is dry seems to be a good
way of controlling a  stripping tower.
     5.10   The  Effect of  Recireulating  the  Water
     Water can  be recirculated to obtain more net stripping in a tower
of lower height or less plates.   The penalty is a bigger tower cross
section and pumping costs.   In a  cooling tower, as  pictured on Figure 5-11,
recirculation of the  water is the normal practice.
                                    70

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                                                            AIR
                                               F.
                     HEAT
                    EXCHAN-
                     GER
                                                       1
                                                      STRIPPING
                                                        TOWER
t
                         F moles/hr
                                    1
          «-*•
                                  MAKEUP
                                  M moles/hr
                                  XM
SLOWDOWN
B moles/hr
XB
AIR
V moles/hr
y s  0
                Figure 5-11.  Stripping in a cooling tower with circulated water.
                                             71

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     Suppose that in a single pass  down the stripping tower the feed
concentration at the top, x  , is  reduced to a bottoms concentration, x  ,
                           F                                          B
and we write       „
                   *B
                 —-—   =»   r   (the removal)
r is a function of the water rate,  air rate and Henry's Law constant, but
does not depend on x  .  It  is  important to remember that if water is
evaporated, as it usually is,  the  concentration of organic may increase
in a pass through the tower if the organic is not volatile; that is r can
be greater than 1.
     Now let suffix, n, denote the conditions of the circulating water
entering or leaving the tower  for  the n'th time.  Water leaving the tower
fron the n'th pass is circulated and enters the tower for the  (n+1) 'th pass.

                    Fx,,     , - WX,,    - Bxa    + MX..
                      F, n+1     B, n     B, n     M
so
                    ***. n+l/r  -  <» - B)  XB, n * ""M
but,
                    P « W - B  •*• M
          or        W - B = F  - M-
so
                    FXB, n+l/r  "  {F " M)  XB,n *
     If, now, one puts

                    F/M » R (the recycle ratio)

                              _ (R-l)r           r
                    *3,  n •»• 1    R    * ^, n   R  M

The average number  of passes made by the water is, in fact, equal  to  the
recycle ratio,  that is
                               n » R
                                   72

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      1.0
0)
c
•H
u
c
o
u


1
•a

*
c
-H
U
c
o
o
      o.o -
      0.6
0.4
      0.2
                              20
                                                                   1.0
                                              curves  are labelled  by the value of
                                                                     B,l ,  the concentration
                                                                      M    per pass.
                                              40


                                     Recycle ratio, R
60
80
                      Figure 5-12. The effect of recycle when the organic is stripped.

-------
     When the system is first started up  the  concentration everywhere is


the makeuD concentration x  ; that  is
         ""                n





                              XF,1 " XM


                              S.l - r  XM




It follows that

"*
               „    -„  +            x-+x
             •»    	5	 Xu        5       M   H  M
            ,3       _2      M       _2       H   R  M
                     R               K
                                                        Rn-2
           (R-l)r  fB^     (R-l)nrn+1


            R       ^M   °       Rn
                                                       ^ • • • T-
                                                                   _



                                                                 A
               (R-l) r   *B


                    ""
                        Rn-l            Rn             Rn
                                    74

-------
 Putting
                                 n = R
 and  consolidating gives

                        • j ^ ^ \ ** ** t *  %
                     r +• (R-1)  g  (1-g)
            Tf               O^ 1
            *B,n  _  	R8 •*"
            xu    "     R(l-r)  + r
     A numerical investigation of the above equation shows that for nearly
any recycle  (R > 2) if an  important amount of stripping occurs per pass so r
is small  (rs approx 0.2)  it is sufficiently accurate to write
            XB,R

for
                        *M
                       ** ^^^  •
                       r^  0.2
For larger values of r the equation is graphed on Figure 5-12.  So long
as r< 1, the concentration  in the blowdown falls rapidly as the recycle
ratio increases to 10 or  20  and then falls much less with additional recycling.
(A cooling tower has a recycle ratio on the order of 50).
     If r » 1, recycle has no  effect.  It must be remembered that when r = 1,
the concentration of the  organic caused by evaporation of water is exactly
offset by the stripping of the organic.
     When r > 1> Figure 5-13 shows that the concentration increases rapidly
with the recycle ratio.
                                     75

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              2.0
o>
                                                                    curves labelled by the  value of
                                                                        XB,1  ,  the concentration
                                                                                per pass.
                                                     Recycle  ratio, R
                         Figure 5-13.  The effect of  recycle when the organic Is  concentrated.

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               6.  THE EFFICIENCY OF STRIPPING EQUIPMENT
     6.1  Introduction and Summary
     The development of the theory of stripping was based  on the number of
theoretical plates required to do a given job of  stripping.   The number
of theoretical plates depends on the Henry's Law  constant  (and therefore on
the temperature) and on the ratio of water to vapor rates.   The number of
real plates depends on their efficiency.  We have found no data on the
efficiency of distillation trays or of packed towers  for stripping toxic
pollutants, and very little data on stripping of  any  sort.   All available
data comes from distillation and absorption.  The efficiency for distillative
separation of miscible organic liquids is usually in  the range 60% to 100%.
But the efficiency for absorption of C02 into water can be as low as 1%.
Stripping of an insoluble organic is probably more related to adsorbing an
insoluble gas than to a distillation, and we cannot assume a high efficiency.
     A theoretical (equilibrium) stage can be obtained in  practice.  It is
the usual method for measuring the Henry's Law constant experimentally.
                                                                           •
However, the liquid must be at least 60 cm deep,  the  vapor must be well
distributed and in fine bubbles and the flow rates must be low.  It is
never economical to use multiple theoretical stages and cheaper, less
efficient equipment is always used.
     The factors which affect the efficiency of a bubble-cap tray and of
a packed bed are listed in Sections 6.2 and 6.3.   It  is reported that
efficiency decreases as the Henry's Law constant  increases.  This
phenomenon is explained on the basis of the two film  theory of mass transfer.
For most stripping jobs of interest here the liquid  film will be the
controlling resistance.  This is shown in Section 6.4. Finally a few
reasons for choosing particular equipment are given  in Section 6.5.
     The design of any particular piece of equipment  is not given here;
in particular,  the sizing of equipment to the correct capacity is not
discussed, nor  do we describe the determination of optimum liquid and
vapor rates and of pressure drop.  Designs are best  made  from manufacturers'
design manuals  after the type of equipment has been  chosen.
     6.2  Factors Affecting the Efficiency of a Bubble Cap Tray
     Real trays do not reach equilibrium and a real  tower  requires more
trays to perform a given degree of  stripping  than the calculated number
of theoretical  stages.  One way  to  define  tray efficiency  is to use an
overall efficiency, S°, defined  as

                                  77

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                     0   Number of theoretical  stages  required
                       * Number of actual  trays required

     The overall efficiency has been found to depend on the  following factors
(as summarized by Gilliland  and the Chemical Engineers Handbook   ).
Viscosity.  Efficiency increases as the liquid  viscosity  decreases.   Different
authors have found different expressions for the dependence  but the  variation
is approximately

                    E" is proportional to  (viscosity)~n
                    where n is 0.7 to 0.9

so the effect is large.  Since the viscosity of water  decreases from 0.89
centipoise at 25°C to 0.28 at 100°C there  will  be an important  increase
in efficiency with temperature.
Liquid Depth.  The efficiency increases as the  depth of liquid  on the tray
is increased.  The price is an increased pressure drop.
Vapor Rate.  The efficiency is not much dependent on vapor rate 'up to the
point where frothing and entrainment occur.  Entrainment  causes liquid to
be mixed backwards up the tower and the efficiency•to  decrease.
Liquid Rate.  Since liquid on a bubble-cap tray flows  across the  vapor
(see Figure 6-2 below), it is possible for there to exist more  than one
equilibrium stage on a tray.  Insofar as an increased  liquid rate causes
more back mixing in the liquid, the efficiency  falls somewhat as  the
liquid rate increases.  The effect is dependent on tray design.
Henry's Law Constant.  The efficiency decreases as the Henry's  Law constant
increases.  This is a most important consideration in  the design  of
strippers because we are most often concerned with compounds having a high
Henry's Law constant.  The effect of Henry's Law constant cannot  be
understood in terms of intimacy of contact between vapor  and liquid,  as
the preceding factors have been.  The effect is caused by the controlling
resistance to mass transfer being increasingly  due to  the rate  of diffusion
of the organic through the liquid as the Henry's Law constant increases.  A
preliminary understanding was given in Section  5-2 where  evaporation from
a lake was considered.
                                   78

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     The overall efficiency is not a useful tool for understanding
resistances to mass transfer and it is customary to use an efficiency
called a Murphree efficiency, E,_ which  is defined as
                               MV
where
                    y. •  vapor composition entering the plate
                    y  »  vapor composition leaving the plate
                    y* a  vapor composition in equilibrium with  the
                            liquid leaving the plate
Since, on a theoretical plate, y  = y*,  the Murphree efficiency  is  a
                                o    e
measure of
                           depth of liquid on  the plate
                        • depth of liquid on a theoretical plate

that is, the Murphree efficiency compares  the depth of  liquid  on  the plate
to the height of liquid equivalent to a theoretical plate.
     The mathematical model for defining a Murphree efficiency is just the
same as the model used in Section 5.5 where the height  of packing equivalent
to a theoretical plate was determined.  We will, therefore, next  list the
factors affecting the efficiency of a packed bed and  then describe the two
film theory for rate of mass transfer and  show how the  HETP increases and
tray efficiency decreases as the Henry's Law constant gets larger.
     6.3  Factors Affecting the Efficiency of a Packed  Bed.
     A packed bed is more efficient the smaller is the  height  of  an
equivalent theoretical plate (HETP) or the height of  a  transfer unit (HTU).
HETP and HTU are affected by the following factors:
          HETP and HTU                       Factor
          Decrease                      Viscosity decreases
                                        Liquid flow rate decreases
          Little change                 Vapor flow rate alters below
                                             the flooding rate
          Increases                     Henry's Law constant or relative
                                             volatility increases
                                  79

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     The increase in HETP with  relative volatility  has  been given by
Coulson and Richardson  (Ref .  30 page  649) who quote both Murch and Ellis
to show that HETP is directly proportional to relative  volatility.  An
understanding of this phenomenon comes from  the  two film theory for mass
transfer.
     6.4  Two Film Theory of  Mass Transfer.
     We assume that for an organic molecule  to be stripped it must diffuse
through a Liquid film to the  liquid-vapor interface wherp it transfers to
the vapor phase.  Then the organic molecule*  must diffuse through the
vapor film to the main body of  the vapor where it is swept away.  The rate
of mass transfer can, therefore, be written

                    J (moles/hr) (ft   of packing)
where
                              - x.)  = koatyi " y>  " *!,*** ~ **}

          a  -  interfacial area,  ft2/ft3 of packing
         k_  »  transfer rate through the liquid  film,  moles/ (hr)
          *•       .     2
                     (ft  of interface) (mole fraction driving force)
         k_  »  transfer rate through the vapor film, moles/ (hr)
          «            -
                     (ft  of interface) (mole fraction driving force)
         K,  a  overall mass transfer rate for a  liquid concentration
          it
                    driving force
     The mole fractions  x, x,  x*,  y,  y  are  defined on Figure 6-1.
                    at equilibrium
                         y -  Kx*
                        y.-Kx.

Algebraic manipulation gives
  Also
                                  r-  _ „ -,          j~x  _ x*~|
                             _±_  j      j 1 +  JL     j       L -i.   +
                                     -x       k     x-x        k
                                  80

-------
b

a
a

a
fi
a
o»
u
0
§
u
a
Vi
    ,  at the interface
y, main body of

   the vaoor
                                                   Equilibrium,

                                                    y = kx
                                    (x - x^)-
                                                      I
                                  x. , at the

                                   l  interface
                            •(x - x*)
                  x , in equilibrium

                   with the vapor

                         I
                                                I

                                        x. Bain body of

                                           the water
                mole fraction of the organic in water, x
            Figure 6-1.  Two film theory of mass transfer.
                                81

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or, at 1 atrosphere total pressure when

                         K = H measured  in  atmospheres
          In Section  5.5 it was shown  that  the  height of a packed tower
necessary to perform  a desired job of  stripping is given by

                         ZCheight) » NTD x  HTU

     In this equation NTD  (the number  of transfer units) is a function of
                         Inlet water concentration
                         Outlet water  concentration
                         Henry's  Law constant
NTU is a measure  of the degree of stripping required.  It does not depend
on the tower paclcing  or the flow  rates.   The higher the Henry's Law constant,
the lower the NTU for the  same reduction in water concentration.
     HTU, the height  of a  transfer unit, is given by
                                         W
                               HTU =   £
                                       K]
where
                W/S  is the moles of water flowing per hour per unit
                cross  section of paclcing (moles/ (hr) (f t ),
and
                K_a  is the overall mass transfer rate for a liquid
                concentration driving force defined above in the units
                moles/(hr)(ft  of packing)
      HTU **a"  be written

                                   W  / 1      _l_
                          HTU =    Sa I  k      Hk
                                      V  L       G

 and is seen to depend on the resistance to mass transfer in both the
 liquid and gas films.
                                  82

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     The liquid film resistance  is  found by measuring the overall rate
coefficient, K a, when absorbing a  slightly soluble gas such as carbon
              L
dioxide or oxygen.  The gas side resistance is small because pure gas is
used and all the resistance is in the  liquid film.   It is found that

               k a is a proportional to D    and W
where          D is the molecular diffusity (so transfer is more
                 rapid with lower molecular weight  molecules than
                 with large molecules)
               W is the water rater
               n is 0.5 to 0.8
Although k.a increases as  the water rate increases,  HTU » W/SJc a also
increases as W increases;  that  is,  more packing is needed to deal with the
increased load even though transfer becomes faster.
     The values of k_a and HTU  depend on the packing as well as on the
                    L
properties of the gas being absorbed and on the flow rates, but the order
of magnitude can be given.   Water  rates vary from a low of

                    5 gallons/(min)(ft  of cross section)

for very open slatted towers like  cooling towers, to more than

                         60 gallons/ (min)(ft2).

That is, water rates are in the range

                         2,500  lb/(hr)(ft2) to more than 30,000
or.
                          140 moles/(hr)(ft2)  to more than 1,700
HTU is in the range 1  to  5  ft with the larger values applying to higher
flow rates16'34'35'36.  The order of magnitude of k^a is 100 to 400
moles/(hr)(ft )(mole fraction),   k a is sometimes expressed in dimensioned
                                3                                         3
concentration units; since  1 ft  of water » 3.47 Ib moles, 1 mole/(hr)(ft )
3.47 moles/(mole  fraction)  « (hr)(ft3)(moles/ft ).
                                         33

-------
     Trulsson   has measured k  a  for adsorption and desorption of CO  from
                              ii                                     2
air to deionized water in three plastic packings,  Intalox saddles,
Tellerettes and Plasdek  (Hunter's)  Corp.   He  found k a to lie in the range
                -1                           3
0.01 to 0.05 sec    (125  to  625  moles/(hr) (ft  ) (mole fraction)}  with the
value depending mainly on liquid  load.  The  liquid load varied from 6 to
60 Kg/(m2)(sec)(10 to 100 gpm/ft2,  280 to  2,800 moles/(hr)(ft2)} and the
higher loadings gave the higher values of  k a.
     The gas film resistance is found by evaporating water into an air
stream or absorbing the  very soluble gas,  ammonia, from a dilute gas
stream into water,  k a  varies  with the gas rate to about the 0.8 power,
                     G
and HTTT is the sane order of magnitude as  for liquid film controlled systems.
Thus- k a will be the same order of  magnitude  as k a when the liquid and
vapor rates are the same (as in air strippers)  and k a may be as low as
0.1 k a when the vapor rate is  much lower  than  the liquid rate, as in a
steam stripper.  Since k a  and  k  a  are the same order of magnitude in air
strippers, BTU for evaporating  water is close to HTU for stripping which
means that the difficulties in  calculating adiabatic strippers mentioned
in Section 5.8 may not be large.
     It also follows that the overall rate of mass transfer, K a, is
predominantly controlled by the liquid film  resistance when the Henry's Law
constant, H, is greater  than about  10 a-dn  for air stripping or greater than
about 100 atm for steam  stripping.   All the  compounds shown on Table 5-2
as "very easily stripped",  and  many of those  shown as "easily stripped" will
be liquid side controlled.
     6.5  Choice of Equipment
     The advantages and  disadvantages of various water-vapor contacting
devices are listed in many  tests.   We summarize here the suggestions given
by King   and by Morris  fi Jackson  , and by  other sources referred to below.
     The simplest equipment is  a  simple spray tower.  Small water drops
should be helpful when the  resistance is on  the liquid side; however, spray
towers are prone to entrainment which causes  internal circulation of the
liquid.  Thus,  true counter-current flow  is  not obtained and spray towers
do not do more  than one  theoretical stage.  A spray tower is only useful for
easily stripped compounds when  only one theoretical stage is needed*.
                                     84

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     Similarly, in an agitated  vessel  the  liquid is mixed and only one stage
is obtained.  It is quite simple  to  obtain a  full equilibrium plate at the
price of a deep vessel and  a  larger  pressure  drop,  but not more.  Agitated
vessels are used for batch  stripping but not  continuous stripping.
     When more than one  theoretical  plate  is  required, packed towers or
tray towers are used.
     6.6  Choice of Packing or  Trays
     The choice of a packed tower or a tray tower,  and the choice of type
of packing or type of tray, will  be  made on the basis of cost.  A few rules
can be given:
     (1)  For steam stripping with only a  moderate number of theoretical
plates  (5 to 20) required,  it is  not certain  whether packing or trays will
be cheaper.  When many stages are needed,  trays are usually cheaper.  With
air stripping, when plastic packing  can be used, packing is usually cheaper
than trays.
     (2)  The pressure drop is  less  through packing than through trays and
packing is the first choice for air  stripping.
     (3)  The efficiency of a packed tower decreases steadily as the liquid
flow rate'is decreased below  the  design rate.  This is because the liquid
tends to channel and not wet  all  of  the surface of the packing.  If very
variable liquid flows, or very  low liquid  flows are expected, bubble-cap
trays should be considered.  A  bubble-cap  tray  is pictured in Figure 6.2.
The liquid level on the  tray  is controlled by the overflow weir height.
The liquid flows across  the tray  and the vapor-liquid contact area is
independent of the flow  rates.  A valve tray  is similar to a bubble-cap
tray but sieve trays and perforated  trays  are not the same and cannot be
used with variable liquid rate.
     (4)  Trays redistribute  the  liquid repeatedly and tall towers do
not result in the channeling  usually found in tall packed towers.  Thus,
when a  close approach to equilibrium is required with many theoretical
plates, a tray tower is  preferred.
     (5)  Tray towers are easier  to  clean  than  packed towers and are used
when suspended solids are present or precipitation may occur  (such as when
lime is added to release ammonia  for stripping).  Very open packings can
also be used on turbid streams.
                                    85

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                             Bubble cap
Plate
                                    Gas riser
                                   Liquid
                                            s&f
                                            $ >;•?•* x
                                            **^lvM, /,
                                            •V*"-* ^/

                                            ^^

                                            r**^<^
                                            l~x~ /,
                                            WIA. .-.^ f.
          Figure 6-2. Biisble-cap tray.
                36

-------
Efficiency
     It appeared to us that packing, which distributes  the  liquid in a
thin film, should be more efficient than  trays when  the  liquid side is
controlling.  We had very brief consultation with makers of packings (Mass
Transfer, Inc., Houston, Texas, and the Hunters Corporation,  Fort Myers,
Florida) and with firms who make both packings and trays (Glitsch, Inc.,
Dallas, Texas and Koch Engineering Company, Ltd., Wichita,  Kansas).  The
manufacturers gave the opinion that overall cost was the deciding factor
and that trays need not be less efficient than packing.
     For steam stripping both types of equipment are used.   For air stripping
it is so important to maintain a low pressure drop that  plastic (cheap)
packing is the first choice.  All the manufacturers  provide correlations
and manuals for design.  Pressure drops are usually  in  the  range 0.2 to  1
inch water per foot of packing, but can be as low as 0.05 inch water/ft  for
very open grid packings.  Open grid packings, such as used  in small cooling
towers, should be given first consideration.
                                 87

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7.   COMPARISON OF  PREDICTIVE  CALCULATIONS  TO STRIPPING DATA AT LOW
     CONCENTRATIONS
     In  this section  the  results  obtained front strippers in operation are
compared to those from  theoretical predictive calculations.  The applicability
of theoretical models were  assessed by:
     •  Developing  a  methodology  of comparison
     0  Identifying limitations of the  existing predictive calculation
        methods, if any,  and
     0  Performing  sensitivity calculations to determine the effect of
        identified  parameters  on  tower  sizing and effluent contaminant
        concentrations.                          • N
     7.1  Methodology of  Comparison.
     Organic removal  by air/steam stripping is a function of numerous
interrelated parameters,  as discussed in  previous sections of this report.
In light of the variety of  toxic  organic  pollutants being considered in
this study, it is not feasible to incorporate the effect of each design
and operating parameter on  the theoretical  predictive calculations.   Thus,
a one-to-one correspondence between the theoretical and experimental data
for all the organic pollutants is unlikely.
     The simplified methodology of comparison,  as developed and used in
the analysis, is more of  a  qualitative  nature and consists of the following
steps:
     1.  The predictive calculations are  based on sound engineering
principles and the  results  should be compared only with reasonably
accurate and precise  experimental data.   Thus,  all data were first
checked for consistency.  This was especially necessary when the sampling
data was gathered over  a  period of time and/or the analysis was performed
by two or more laboratories.
     2.  If inconsistencies were  found, original sources of the data were
contacted to determine  whether problems were  encountered during sampling
and analysis.
     3.  A comparative  analysis is more meaningful and conclusive if enough
data is available.  Since the  quantity of data  available in the beginning
of this study was judged  inadequate, a  limited  review of current literature
was made to obtain  additonal experimental stripping data at low concentrations.

                                    88

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     4.  The ease with which a particular  compound  is  stripped  depends on
the volatility, and thus Henry's Law Constant  is one of  the most  important
parameters in determining the feasibility  of organic removal by stripping.
For a given set of experimental data,  the  relative  degree of removal was,
therefore, compared to the relative magnitude  of Henry's Law Constant for
all the components.  Calculations were made using predictive methods
whenever necessary production and equipment data, such as stripping agent,
type of contact, and the configuration of: the  contacting device were
available.  The differences and disagreements  were  outlined.
     5.  Further investigation was made  to identify design parameters or
unreasonable assumptions in the theoretical models  that  could be
responsible for the disagreements in the results.
     6.  A hypothetical system of compounds with different characteristics
was utilized to demonstrate the degree of  influence of the identified
parameters on the strippability of a compound.
     7.2  Stripping Data at Low Concentration.
     Table 7.1 provides a summary of sources and characteristics  of stripping
data that were analyzed in this study.   This section provides additional
information on the sources and the quality of  data.
     A.  Commercial Scale Units
         In the EPA organic data base, commercial wastewater strippers
used in petrochemicals and plastics plants were selected for sampling of
Influent and effluent organic concentrations.. The  waste streams  contained
phenolic compounds and chlorinated hydrocarbons.  Sampling was  conducted
for about thirty days period and part  of the samples were analyzed by two
laboratories.
     water Factory 21 is a 0.66 a /s plant that employs  several of the
wastewater treatment processes, including  air  stripping, to treat waste-
water for trace organic contaminants.  The data presented is for  cooling
towers that use polypropylene spash-bar  packing with an  air-to-water ratio
of 3000 m /m  at design capacity.  The important information in these data
is that the towers were originally designed for ammonia  removal and the
type of packing used has very low contact  area per  m   of packing  volume
than most other packing materials.
                                    89

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          TABLE 7-1.   SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE  STRIPPING DATA AT LOW CONCENTRATION
Source
Scale
Type of
Stripper
Stripping
Agent
Organic Compounds in Aqueous
Waste Stream
1.  EPA Organic  Commercial
    Data Base

Plant #1290-010

2.  EPA Organic  Commercial
    Data Base

Plant #2930-035
 3.  EPA Organic  Commercial
    Data Base

•Plant #3390-005
4. Water         Commercial
   Factory Data
5. Robert S.
   Kerr
Environmental
Research Lab.
Laboratory
6. Water General Laboratory
   Corporation
7. Treatability  Laboratory
   Manual
              Multistage
              Tray Tower
                 with
             Total Reflux

              Multistage
              Tray Tower

              Information
              on refluxing
              Not Known
               Steam       Benzene, Nitrobenzene,
                           2-Nitrophenol,  4-Nitrophenol,
                           2,4 Dinitrophenol,  phenol
                Not        Benzene,  Carbon Tetrachlor.ide,
               Known       Chlorobenzene,  1,2 Dichloroethane,
                           1,1,1-Trichloroethane,
                           1,1-Dichloroethane, Chloroethane,
                           1,1,2-Trichloroethane,  Chloroform,
                           Ethylbenzene, 1,1-Dichloroethylerie,
                           Methylene Chloride, Toluene, Vinyl
                           Chloride, Tetrachloroethylene,
                           Trichloroethylene, Cis-1,2-Dichloro
                           ethylene
                              Not
                             Known
                              Air
Packed- Tower

Information
on refluxing
Not Known

Cooling Tower
Polypropylene
Spash-bar
Packing
 Packed Tower  Steam
 Berl Saddles
 No Reflux
                Multistage
                Tray Tower
                No Reflux

               Packed Tower
               Polypropylene
               Pall Rings .
Chloroform, Methylene, Chloride,
Toluene, Trichloroethylene,
Vinyl Chloride
Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane,
Dibromochloromethane, Chlorobenzene,
1,2; 1,3? and 1,4-Dichlorobenzene,
Tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-
Trichloroethane

Benzene,  Chloroform, 1,1,2,2-
Tetrachloroethane, Chlorobenzene,
Ethyl Benzene, Tetrachloroethylene
               Steam       Ammonia,  Phenol
                Steam      Same as in 5 +
                           1,2-Dichloroethane,  1,2-Trans
                           Dichloroethylene,  1,1,1 and 1,1,2
                           Trichloroethane, Trichlorofluoro
                           Methane

-------
     In the EPA organic data base, information on  the  type of  stripping
agent and the mode of refluxing  is not available for Plant Nos.  2930-035
and 3390-005.  In all cases, the influent and effluent concentrations  of
each organic is available over a period of time.
     B.  Laboratory Scale Units
         Nineteen bench-scale steam  stripping runs were carried  out in the
study by the Robert S. Kerr Laboratories.  Three of these runs involved
acetone, methanol and 2-propanol to  evaluate the performance of  the equipment,
and the rest involved some single and some mixtures of priority  pollutants
listed in the table.  The experimental results were compared to  those  calculated
using stripping factor design models.  The draft report of  the study concludes
that the performance of the bench-scale  stripper for priority  pollutants was
unexpectedly low and further states  that  the use of estimated  K-values instead
of the experimentally determined values may be the cause of poor performance.
It recommends that before future evaluations of  steam  stripping  are performed,
the K-values be determined experimentally.
     The data of WGC were obtained  from  a 20 tray  continuous steam stripper
of laboratory scale.  These data are limited in  terms  of the number and type
of compounds that are of  interest in this study.
     7.3  Data Analysis and Results.
     All stripping data were  first checked for consistency.  A simple and
effective parameter  that  was  used in this test is  the  removal efficiency
defined as:
                               F concentration in - concentration out ~\   .__
                     n (%) "   \_          concentration in         J X XU°
                                                                   •
since  it requires  a  minimum amount of information.  However,  for plants for
which  additional  information was available,  a suitable  theoretical model  for
removal  efficiency was  used.   For example, a continuous plate tower model
with total reflux was  used to analyze the results of plant No. 1290-010.
     Inconsistencies were identified in the EPA organic data base,
especially in  the data  obtained  from Plant No. 1290-010.  The samples
obtained from  the plant were analyzed by two laboratories and the  results
were  found to  vary significantly.  The data sources were contacted and it
was  learnt that significant problems were encountered during  sampling and
                                     91

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analysis.  Table 7.2 tabulates all efficiency calculations for data  collected
over a two months period.  Similar calculations were performed for plant
Mo. 2930-035 which are tabulated in Table 7.3.  Table  7.4 presents results
of the Water Factory study.  The ease with which a particular compound is
stripped depends on the volatility, and thus Henry's Law Constant is one of
the primary determinants of feasibility of organic removal by stripping.
For a given set of experimental data, the removal efficiency was, therefore,
compared .to the magnitude of Henry's Law Constant for  all compounds.  As
expected and supported by predictive calculations, most stripping data
indicated significant removal of compounds with high Henry's Law Constant
(H @ 100°C > 20 atm).
     Deviations from this behavior were observed for certain compounds.
There was not necessarily a direct correlation between a compound's  Henry's
Law Constant and the removal efficiency.  This means the removal efficiency
of compound A with Henry's Law Constant higher than that of compound B,
may not be higher than the removal efficiency of compound B.   In addition,
the removal efficiencies of some compounds with high Henry's Law Constant
were not consistently high as would be expected.   In many cases  this may
be due to analytical and sampling errors.  Nevertheless, we spent some
tin"* searching for alternative explanations.  High  liquid-phase  resistance
would be one reason for low removal efficiencies over  with high  Henry's Law
Constant.  The problem was investigated  from theoretical aspects using pure
component properties.  It was confirmed  that liquid diffusivity  does affect
the degree of removal and consequently is  important in the design  and sizing
of stripping equipment.  This is discussed in  further  details  with  specific
examples in the next section.
     In  case of packed towers stripping  a waste  stream consisting  of compounds
with Henry's Law Constant higher than 100  atm,  the  height of packing on the
removal  efficiency was found  to be nearly  independent  of  the  magnitude of
Henry's  Constant.  Liquid-phase resistance  (diffusivity) was  a factor affecting
the performance.  Again, experimental data on  liquid-diffusivity is not
abundant and empirical methods to  estimate diffusivity may  not provide
reliable values  for  many organic compounds.   Developing better contacting
devices  in terms of  reducing  liquid-phase  resistance through more  efficient
packing  and better  liquid  distribution  in  plate columns seems to be the
probable solution to improving  the performance  of strippers.
                                      92

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TABLE 7-2.   ORGANIC REMOVAL  EFFICIENCY-CALCULATIONS FOR  PLANT
                     NO. 1290-010 OF  THE  EPA ORGANIC DATA  BASE
Bats of
Sampling
1979
nl»
Benzene
(M - 1190) Z
Nitxulionzene
(M - 17)
2-Nitropnenal
(H - 14.81
4-Nitropnenl
(H - 4KlO~3)
2.4-Nitraphenol
(H < 1.5)
Phenol
(H - 2)
10/2
10/3
10/5
10/9

10/10
10/11

10/13
10/16

10/17
10/18
.
10/19
10/23
10/24
10/25
10/26

10/30
10/31

11/1
11/2

11/6
11/7

11/8
11/9
11/13
11/15
11/16

11/20
11/21

11/22
11/23

11/27

11/29
11/30
» 99.7
> 99.8
> 99.8
> 99.5
(99. 9) 3
> 99.7
87.6
(97.2)
> 99.8
> 98.9
(>99.7)
> 99.2
> 99.5
(99.9)
. > 99.7
» 99.7
> 99.8
> 99.5
> 99.7
(>99.6)
> 99.4
> 98.7
(99.9)
48.6
> 99.3
(H)
> 99.4
> 99.0
(>98.S)
> 99.6
* 99.2
> 99.1
> 98.3
> 97.5
(>99.0)
> 99.0
-
(>24.4)
> 99
> 99.5
(>98.5)
-
( - )
> 98.8
> 99.3
99.9
99.9
99.9
85.0
(99.9)
98.8
99.9
(99.7)
99.8
99.9
(99.8)
99.9
66.7
(99.9)
99.9
99.0
99.9
99.9
99.9
(99.6)
99.9
98.8
(99.9)
85.6
90.7
(99.9)
99.7
99.8
(99.4)
99.9
99.9
99.9
99.9
99.9
(99.9)
99.9
99.9
(99.9)
-
99.9
(99.9)
99.9
(99.7)
99.4
52.4
89.9
91.4
87.5
80.0
(35.5)
- 86.5
69.9
(15.8)
- 15.9
21.7
I- 6.4)
44.1
44.6
(10.4)
82.1
89.4
87.2
22.2
7.1
(-86.6)
70.3
90.8
(-72.8)
34.8
77.7
(-42.9)
98.6
66.1
(-402.6)
44.9
87.0
54.5
99.8
67.7
(-120.8)
10.2
S2.0
(48.8)
-
85.7
(92.8)
59.8
(38.1)
47.3
79.1
> 99.2
9.2
43
86.4

> - 31.5
70
(-139.3)
- 4.2
28.1
(-101.1)
50.8
68.9
(78.2)
49.5
62.7
45.2
8.2
48
(46.9)
30.9
2.7
(-56.1)
- 40.7
81.0
(63.3)
17.0
38.7
(»>
81.3
44.7
27.6
81.0
91.5
(-250.0)
57.1
63.5
(69.1)
-
52.3
(-55.2)
89.7
(-146.7)
89.7
33.6
78.4
90.7
99.3
58.3
(99.9)
- 48.9
89
(90.9)
- 34.6
64.3
(-40.8)
14.8
30.0
(38.7)
45.9
17.9
7.1
33.0
92.4
(79.0)
16.0
- 8.7
(-38.3)
15.0
60.9
(29.6)
43.7
42.8
(89.0)
43.9
89.9
20.5
4.3
. 84.1
(50.6)
22.2
48.4
(99.0)
-
90.3
(-4647)
29.1
(-533.0)
55.8
67.3
96.3
60.8
99.9
94.5
(93.8)
71.2
> 99.9
O99.8)
57.1
- 40.7
(41.0)
- 145.4
85.5
(-46.3)
84.7
84.1
80.4
68.1
51.1
(-12.9)
69.3
89.7
(-595.4)
68.9
66.0
(-292.3)
> 9.1
> SO
099.5)
> 98.8
21.2
9.1
18.8
> 99.7
099.6)
99.9
> 99.9
(95.4)
-
> 99.6
(>74.2)
98.8
(79.8)
99.8
99.9
Notes t
1.  efficiency n%
'Cone (in) - Cone (out)
       Cone (in)
x 100
2.  Henry Law Constant  H « 100°C.
3.  Values tn brackets represent analysis of  the sane sanples by another laboratory
«.  Neqaciva values indicate outflow cone, oreaeer Chan inflov cone.
4.  Hien iteaa/feed ratio (25 or greater).

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TABLE 7-3 .<  ORGANIC REMOVAL EFFICIENCY  CALCULATIONS  FOR  PLANT NO.  2930-035
                              OF THE  SPA ORGANIC DATA BASE

Data o*
34ffl&LmQ
1979
Unit
Ceapound
A.
' 8
c
0
z
r
e
B
I
J
K
I
H
•
0
V
Q

March
1
-134
88.2
iao
80
Hi
97.9
78.8
98.9
31.2
80.1
JO.O
96.4
-653
< 83
-S2.4
99.4
H10
HOtaat
1. CrUciancy n
2. Onie 1 • OHC
4
2
99.9
99.3
100
99.2
100
> 99.6
97.6
100
65.8
100
iao
100
100
98.2
99.3
100
100
% PCD*:
% L
n »
lurch
1
60. S
99.2
M10
83.4
(U
99.1
94.8
97.6
to.
94.6
810
99.6
-U96
100
97. S
99
99
(in) - Cone
Cone (u)
10
2
99.3
99. S
100
92.4
99.1
> 99.6
98.9
100
66.9
99.5
H10
100
87.5
HI
96
100
100
(cue) -I
J

March
1
-JS.7
HI
100
76.8
Ml
100
95.7
100
93.2
96
M10
100
-1722
H10
75.6
100
98.9
BO
11
2
99.8
100
100
93.2
99.2
100
99.8
100
64.2
99.7
H10
100
97.8
-
98.fi
100
100


natch
1
72.6
810
H10
HI
81
100
96.6
99.9
99.9
91.7
810
99.9
HI
H10
HI
96.6
100

12
2
99
100
100
-158
100
100
95
100
88
99
810
100
91
99
97
100
N10



.7







.3
.3


.9
.8
.2



Scrippar (pH rang* 1-2)
         Onie 2 - Win Strippar   2000
                                                                         continued	
                                               94

-------
Date of
Sapling
1979
Unit
Caapouad
B
0
E
r
G
B
I
J
L
H
B
0
P
g
DM* Of
Saopllag
1979
Unit
B
0
B
r
e
H
z
j.
L
H
0
P
0
No teat
1. £

nay 5

1 2

Nl HI
Ml 61.6
Nl 99.8
99.8 100
M10 92.2
99.8 99.9
MI as.i
98.5 99.9
100 100
-127 99.7
-
97.6 99.9
98.6 100
99.9 99.9

Kirch 17
1 2
HI 100
78.8 91.0
99.9 100
99.9 99.9
100 84.2
99.9 99.9
65.5 99.2
97.} 99.9
99.9 99.9
Ml 97.4
HI 99.9
99.9 99.6
100


nay 12

1 2

Nl Nl
Nl 66
Nl 99.3
> 99.7 100
N10 99.6
» 98.9 100
Nl HI
» 99.6 100
> 99.9 100
» -1.9 98.2
> 98.9 99.6
» 78.6 99.9
98.9 99.9
-

"•«* 24 Apri
121
MI MI mo
Ml Ml HI
HI 100 HI
99 100 99.5
HI Ml
99.4 HI 99
Nl U HI
96.7 99.9 99.6
99.9 99.9 99.2
1.68 99 HI
88.8 99.8 99.3
98.1 100 91
99.9 N10 100





















1 2 April 8
212
HID H10 100
HI > 99.7 99.4
100 HI 100
100 100 100
98.9 ' HI 99.8
100 > 99.9 100
Nl > 99.9 99.4
100 100 100
99.9 100 100
99.9 HI 99.9
99.9 99.7 99.9
100 100 100
100 10O 10O

CritLinj-u n % • I"0"*  "* '"

Cone (in) j - «~

2. Unit 1 • QHC Stripper (pH rang* 1-2)
     Unit 2 • WRI Stripper (pH range 10-12)
3.   HI • Not detected ia influent but detected in affluent
     H10 • Hoc detected in influent and affluent
4.   Negative value* indicate higher concentration in effluent than in influent
5.   Naaa of the compound*:                   (« 100°e) Henry'« taw Conatant
                                                      1190
                                                      1167
                                                       798
                                                       265
                                                       801
                                                       862
                                                       250
                                                      1257
                                                      1244

                                                       901
                                                      1812
                                                      3596
                                                      1118
                                                      1600
                                                    > 2000
A •
B • Carbon Tetrachloride
C • Chloreaanxane
0 • 1.2-DicUonethana
t • 1.1.1-fricnlocoothene
P • 1.1-OichloraataaiM
6 • 1.1.2-firicaloroethane
H - Calaroetbene
Z • Chlorofon
J - 1.1-Oichloroetfaylane
K • Ethyl Benzene
L - Hethylene Cbloride
H » Tatraenloroetbylena
H - Toluene
O - Trichloroetaylene
P • Vinyl Chloride
Q • Cia-1.2-0ichloroectiylena

-------
TABLE 7-4.  ORGANIC REMOVAL EFFICIENCY RESULTS OF THE WATER FACTORY  DATA






                  Compound                        %   Range




               Chloroform                           79-83




               Dichlorobromomethane                   -




               Chlorodibromomethane                   82




               Chlorobenzene                          96




               1-2 Dichlorbenzene                     88




               1-3 Dichlorbenzene                     83




               1-4 Dichlorbenzene                   92-97




               1-1-1 Trichloroethane                  91




               Tetrachlorethylene                     95
                                       96

-------
     7.4  Development of a Correlation for the Effect of Liguid-diffusivity
on Tower Sizing and Organic Removal Efficiency.
     The effect of diffusivity was demonstrated by considering  the  example
of a continuous packed bed tower stripping organics from aqueous waste
stream.
     The height of a packed bed  (Z) can be determined from  the  knowledge
of two factors:  the height of a transfer unit  (HTU) and the  number of
transfer units (NTU)

                         Z » HTU y NTU                                 (1)

     The MTU is defined in terms of an integral of influent and effluent
concentrations and this integral equation can be  solved analytically for
dilute solutions and solutes obeying Henry's Law  to give the  following
expression
          NTO -  - t-r— a  I -=*- u - ±* + T I                      (2)
where          S = stripping  factor
                 - Ha G/PtL
              X. = mole  fraction in  influent
              X  » mole  fraction in  effluent
               o

     We have plotted the NTU  as  a function  of stripping factor for
various removal efficiencies  ranging from 60  percent to 99.99 percent.
The results are illustrated in Figure 7.1.  An important observation
made from  this figure is that for compounds with high Henry's Law
Constant and consequently high stripping factor ( > 50), the number of
transfer units is nearly independent of the magnitude of Henry's Law
Constant for any given  removal efficiency.  Thus, it can be stated that
for compounds with high Henry's  Law  Constant,

                    NTU  *    (removal efficiency alone)              (3)
                                    97

-------
15
10  D
                                 I*]

NTU = No.  of transfer units
 S  » Stripping factor
 n  = Removal efficiency
(Note: At S>50, NTU / f(S) for a given n)
                                                                                          H=99.99%
                                      a                                  n             Q n = 99.9%
    A
       A
   —     A
                                                           A             A             A n = 99%
   A
    AA
                       A                                          A                    A n = 90%
      o o                                                                o             o n = 80%
   •   •                               •                                 •             • n = 60%
   	i	=	LVI	1	
  0            .                      50                                 100  1000         5000
                Figure 7-1.  Dependency of NTU on stripping factor and removal efficiency.

-------
and therefore,  for a  given  removal  efficiency

                    Z  «    HTD                                         (4)

The height of a transfer  unit  is  defined as

                    HOT  =   L/T^  a  CQ                                   (5)

When a solute has a large Henry's Law Constant,  as do slightly soluble gases
or volatile  liquids,  the  overall  transfer coefficient K. depends primarily
                •                                        •*
on the local transfer coefficient (k_),  and therefore
                    HOT  =  L/k, a C_
                               L    o
For a given packing and  loading  rate  L,  a and CQ are the same for any compound
in the mixture,  and therefore

                         HOT   «    1AL                               t6)

A typical empirical correlation  used  for liquid-phase mass transfer
coefficients  in  towers containing  randomly packed materials is given by

Perry'               kLa         / L   \ 1~n /   WL  \ °*5



All the  factors  in this  expression, except the diffusivity D^, are the same
for any  organic  in the mixture which  means that
                               B^»
                               k                                      (7)

Combining Equations 4, 6 and  7 we  arrive at the final correlation:
In other words,  for a given removal efficiency and for compounds with high
Henry's  Law Constant, the height of a packed bed is inversely proportional
                                     99

-------
to the square root of the component's  liquid diffusivity in dilute aqueous
solutions.
     For example, if there are two  compounds in  a  solution with diffusivities
0  and D , and the height of packed bed required is  Z  ,  and Z  respectively,
then the relationship between the ratios D../D- and Z_/Z-  will be as shown in
Figure 7.2.
                                     100

-------
        DR(1:2)  =  Ratio of  Diffusivitioa  (Compound I/Compound 2)

        ZR(2:1)  =  Ratio of  Heights  for any removal'efficiency and
                  stripping factor  greater than 50
                  (Compound 2/Compound 1)
     2.0
n    1.5
    1.0
        i.o
                               _L
2.0                     3.0

          DR(1:2)
                                                                              4.0
  Figure 7-2. The effect of liquid diffusivity on the height of a packed bed.

-------
REFERENCES

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-------
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18.  Edwards, T.J.,  et al "Vapor Liquid Equilibria in  Multicomponent
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                                    •               _

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                                    103

-------
29.  U.S.  EPA "Aldrin/Dieldrin - Ambient Water Quality Criteria,"  1979,
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               "Chlordane,   PB 292-425
               "DDT," PB 297-923
               "Endosulfan," PB 296-783
               "Endrin," PB 246-785
               "Heptachlor," PB 292-434
               "Hexachlorocyclohexane," (BHC)  PB 297-924
               "Toxaphene," PB 296-806
               "Haloethers." PB 296-796
               "Phathalate Esters," PB 296-804
               "Benzidene," PB 297-918


30.  Mackay, D., Shiu, W.x. and Sutherland, R.P., "Determination of Air-
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36.  Coulson, J.M. and Richardson, J.F., Chemical Engineering, McGraw-
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37.  Touhill, Shuckrow & Associates, Inc. "Concentration Technologies
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38.  Trulsson, S.G., "Design of Adsorption/Desorption Towers, Mass.
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     Sweden, March  1979  (lent  to the authors by Munters Corp.) .  ..
                                                                &
39.  Smith, J.K. et al  "Laboratory Studies of Priority Pollutant ^reatability,"
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40.  Hsu, Jackson, Matouk, Rudorfer and Zirps, "Determination of Henry's
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     December  1980.
                                     104

-------
41.  Stephen, H. and Stephen, T., eds.  Solubility of inorganic and Organic
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42.  Leighton, D.T., and Calo, J.M., "Distribution Coefficients of Chlorinated
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43.  Leinonen, P.J. and Mackay, D.,  "The Multi-component Solubility of
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                                 105

-------