Absorption Columns can be built of a variety of materials in a broad size range that goes from a few m³/h up to several hundred thousand m³/h.
In many cases, column type contactors are combined with other GEA Scrubber types - the overall configuration of the gas cleaning line depends on the gas composition and the relevant emission limits.
The naming of the column type depends on the applied column internals. A distinction is made between:
- Packed-bed columns using random packing material
- Packed columns using structured packing material
- Plate columns using trays instead of packing material
Besides the use as emission control equipment, Absorption Columns can be used in various other cases where an intensive contact between gas and liquid is needed, e.g. in chemical production processes.
Key Features:
- Energy efficient gas/liquid contactor
- Low pressure drop
- Low maintenance and low maintenance costs
- Available in nearly all materials
- Can be combined with all other types of gas scrubbers
Working Principle
How do Packed Column Scrubbers work?
Absorption columns are vertically standing tubes, equipped with internals that enable intensive contact between the liquid medium and the gas. The choice of the internals depends on the respective absorption task and the hydrodynamics.
In most cases absorptions columns are operated in counter-current mode. The counter-flow arrangement results in a maximum exploitation of the concentration difference between the gaseous and liquid phase, which is an important motive factor for the absorption process. In counter-current flow, the liquid is applied at the column top and flows gravimetrically driven downwards. The gas is applied below the packing, flows upwards, and exits the column at the top.
The washing liquid is distributed over the entire absorber cross-sectional area by means of a static liquid distributor or by a spray nozzle.
In the case of physical absorption, the scrubbing liquid passes the column once (single pass). When chemical absorption is used, the scrubbing liquid is recirculated from the sump of the column to the top, as the absorbed compounds are transferred to salts or other products through a chemical reaction in the liquid phase.
Downloads
Related Products
Jet scrubber
Versatile as fast absorber, de-duster or gas cooler. Operate according to injection principle: no pressure loss, but a pressure increase in the gas flow.
Annular gap scrubber
Seeking to provide a flexible unit, capable of mastering manifold industrial off-gas problems, resulted, in 1950, in the development of an adjustable annular gap scrubber which today ranks among the outstanding high-efficiency scrubbers. As far as grain size of solid and liquid dust particles and concentration of gaseous components in a gas mixtu...
FleX scrubber
FleX scrubbers are designed to adapt to fluctuating gas flow rates, providing consistent scrubbing performance across varying operating conditions.
Radial flow scrubber
Adjustable flow scrubbers with high collecting efficiencies achievement even when working with critical substances. Mainly used for either gas cooling (to reduce the temperature by water evaporation) or gas cleaning (to condense aerosols and remove solid impurities).
GEA Insights
The water equation
Across Europe, drought is a recurring reality – and no longer confined to the south. While water increasingly shapes where industries locate, its value is determined by local context. There are many technological routes to water efficiency in industrial processes, but location, energy needs and other factors are also key.
