Limitations and practical use of a mass transfer model for predicting air stripper performance

The Onda Mass Transfer Model is widely used for predicting air stripper performance, yet reports of its reliability vary significantly. Researchers, who generally pay close attention to all aspects of a stripping column's design, construction, and operation, report results closely aligning with model predictions (± 30 percent). In practice, however, where design and construction details vary, much wider variations between field performance and model predictions are reported. This paper discusses design and construction issues that can contribute to performance problems in practice and lead to field deviations from model predictions. The design and construction issues of greatest importance include: liquid distribution, packing material, and adherence to the limitations and restrictions of the air stripping model used, in this case the Onda Model. Some less common problematic areas are also discussed, including: Henry's Law data, fouling, chemical reactions, and end effects.