Mass transfer characteristics of a tower filled with random and structured packings from an air stripper study of the removal of volatile organic compounds from groundwater

The mass transfer characteristics of commercial random and structured packings have been evaluated for predominantly liquid phase controlling conditions. The study was conducted in two parts. In the first part, the overall height of a transfer unit, H_tOL was obtained for 16 mm Flexirings, KOCH/Sulzer Type BX plastic gauze packing, and KOCH Flexeramic Type 48 ceramic packing; the experimental portion of these studies was conducted using a 0.3 m ID tower where jet fuel components were stripped from groundwater. Activities with the two structured packings were focused on obtaining improved estimates of the individual height of a liquid phase transfer unit, H_L. In the second part of the study, the gas-liquid interfacial area was determined for the KOCH/Sulzer type BX packing; the experimental portion of these studies was conducted in a 0.1 m ID tower where CO₂ was absorbed into NaOH solutions. With the knowledge of the interfacial area, an estimate of the individual liquid-phase mass-transfer coefficient was obtained for the KOCH/Sulzer packing. The results of this study include better estimates of the individual height of a liquid-phase transfer unit for the structured packings, and authoritative estimates of the gas-liquid interfacial area and the individual liquid-phase mass-transfer coefficient for the KOCH/Sulzer type BX packing.