The Kremser Equation

Tore Haug-Warberg
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
October 1st, 2004
The Kremser Equation represents an analytical solution to a classical sepa-
ration problem of N ideal equilibrium stages connected with countercurrent
gas and liquid ows:
V
1

1
V
2

V
n

n
V
n+1

V
N

N
V
N+1

L
0

L
1

L
n1

L
n

L
N1

L
N

It is assumed that one (single) chemical component takes part in the separa-
tion, or, if the system is multicomponent, that all the components are being
separated independently. Moreover, the equilibrium relation is assumed to
be linear (Henrys law). The component balance is written:
L
n
x
n
+ V
N+1
y
N+1
= L
N
x
N
+ V
n+1
y
n+1
Constant molar ow assumption:
L
n
= L
n+1
= = L
N
= L
.,,.
Constant
and V
n+1
= V
n+2
= = V
N+1
= V
.,,.
Constant
Combine the equations above into a simplied component balance:
L(x
n
x
N
) = V (y
n+1
y
N+1
) , n [0, N]
The compositions (x
n+1
, y
n+1
) for n [0, N are assumed to represent true
equilibriumpairs where y
n+1
= mx
n+1
is a linear equilibriumrelation (Henrys
law). The mass balance becomes L (x
n
x
N
) = V (mx
n+1
y
N+1
), or on a
slightly modied form (operating line):
x
n+1

L
mV
x
n
=
y
N+1
m

L
mV
x
N
A L/mV is the so-called absorption factor (problem dependent). The
nal balance equation reads
x
n+1
Ax
n
=
y
N+1
m
Ax
N
.,,.
Constant c
, n [0, N]
These are the N + 1 equations that must be solved simultaneously to x
the concentration prole of the column. The equations constitute a set of
1
2
coupled algebraic equations ideally suited for matrix algebra. Let us start
by visualizing the coupling in matrix terms:
A

.
.
.
A

_
1 0 0
A 1 0
0 A 1
.
.
.
A 1
_

_
_

_
x
0
x
1
x
2
.
.
.
x
N
_

_
=
_

_
x
0
c
c
.
.
.
c
_

_
The rst (and only) stage in the elimination process is indicated to the left.
The outcome of the elimination is
_

_
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
.
.
.
0 1
_

_
_

_
x
0
x
1
x
2
.
.
.
x
N
_

_
=
_

_
x
0
c + Ax
0
c + A(c + Ax
0
) = c + cA + A
2
x
0
.
.
.
c
_
N
k=1
A
k1
+ A
N
x
0
_

_
The vector elements on the right hand side are recognized as members of
the geometric series
N

k=1
A
k1
=
1 A
N
1 A
The solution of x
N
can thereby be written
x
N
= c
N

k=1
A
k1
+ A
N
x
0
= c
1 A
N
1 A
+ A
N
x
0
This equation constitutes The Solution to the original problem, and the
remaining part of the note shows simply(?) how to tweak it into something
recognizable from Geankoplis. Substitutes the denition of c
y
N+1
m
Ax
N
x
N
=
_
y
N+1
m
Ax
N
_
1 A
N
1 A
+ A
N
x
0
and isolates an expression for x
N
(the right hand side is now in terms of
column input parameters only)
x
N
=
_
y
N+1
m
_ _
1A
N
1A
_
+ A
N
x
0
1 + A
_
1A
N
1A
_
Multiplication on both sides by
1A
1A
gives
x
N
= x
N

1 A
1 A
.,,.
1
=
y
N+1
m
_
1 A
N
_
+ A
N
x
0
(1 A)
(1 A) + A(1 A
N
)
3
Add and subtract the term
_
1 A
N
_
x
0
in the nominator
x
N
=
y
N+1
m
_
1 A
N
_
+ A
N
x
0
(1 A) +
0
,..,
_
1 A
N
_
x
0

_
1 A
N
_
x
0
1 A
N+1
=
_
y
N+1
m
x
0
_ _
1 A
N
_
+ x
0
_
1 A
N+1
_
1 A
N+1
=
_
1 A
N
1 A
N+1
_
_
y
N+1
m
x
0
_
+ x
0
Collect all the concentration variables on the left hand side and the absorp-
tion parameters to the right
x
0
x
N
x
0

y
N+1
m
=
1 A
N
1 A
N+1
=
1 A
N
1 A
N+1

A
(N+1)
A
(N+1)
.,,.
1
=
_
1
A
_
N+1

_
1
A
_
_
1
A
_
N+1
1
.,,.
Eq. 10.3-21
=
S
N+1
S
S
N+1
1
Here, S A
1
mV/L is the so-called stripping factor. Rather than
asking for x
N
we can ask for y
1
. The same procedure repeated leads to:
y
N+1
y
1
y
N+1
mx
0
=
A
N+1
A
A
N+1
1
.,,.
Eq. 10.3-24
The equations above express the concentration dierences in a column of
xed size (number of trays N). We may occasionally want to invert the
relationship and calculate N given a separation specication :
x
0
x
N
x
0

y
N+1
m
.,,.

=
1 A
N
1 A
N+1
=
1 A
N
1 A A
N
Rewrites the last equation into 1 A
N
= AA
N
which yields
A
N
=
1
1 A
= N =
ln
_
1
1A
_
ln A