A packed-bed tower is used for absorption of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) from an air stream using water as the solvent. At one point in the tower, the composition of SO₂ is 10% (by volume) in the gas phase, and 0.30 wt% in the liquid phase, which has a mass density 61.8 Ib_m/ft³. The tower is isothermal at 3 0°C, and the total system pressure is 1.0 atm. The convective mass-transfer coefficients are k_L = 2.5 lbmole/ft² · h · (lbmole/ft³) for the liquid film, and k_G = 0.125 lbmole/ft² · h· atm for the gas film. Equilibrium distribution data for the SO₂-water-air system are provided in Problem 29.1. 

a. Plot out the equilibrium line in units of p_A (atm) vs. c_AL (lbmole/ft³). Plot out the operating point (p_A, c_AL) on the same graph. Determine p^*_A and c^*_AL and plot on the same graph. 

b. Determine the gas—liquid interface compositions p_A.i and c_AL,i^*, 

c. Estimate K_G and K_L, K_y and K_x at the operating point, and the molar flux N_A. 

d. Determine the % resistance in the gas phase at the operating point.