It is desired to absorb 88% of the acetone in a gas containing 1.0 mole% acetone in air in a counter-current tray column. The total inlet gas flow to the column is 40.0 kmol/hr, and pure water is to be used to absorb the acetone. The process is to operate isothermally at 300 K and a total pressure of 1 atm.

The equilibrium solubility relationship for acetone in water is y = 2.5 x.

Determine:

(a) the minimum pure water flow in kmol/hr.

(b) the number of theoretical trays required for the separation if the pure water flow is 1.2 times the minimum.

(c) Compare your answers for part (b) using the Kremser-Brown-Souders (KBS) Equation for gas absorption:

where the Absorption Factor A, is assumed constant.