ANS:B - smaller than

In an absorption column, the flooding velocity for random packing is typically greater than that for stacked/regular packing. Flooding velocity refers to the maximum velocity of the gas or liquid flow through the packing material before flooding occurs. Flooding is a condition in which the gas-liquid contact area in the column becomes completely filled with liquid, leading to decreased mass transfer efficiency and reduced column performance. Random packing, characterized by its irregular arrangement of packing elements, tends to have higher void fractions and greater surface area compared to stacked/regular packing. This allows for more effective contact between the gas and liquid phases, resulting in higher mass transfer rates and higher flooding velocities. On the other hand, stacked or regular packing typically has a more ordered arrangement of packing elements, which may lead to lower void fractions and reduced surface area for mass transfer compared to random packing. Consequently, the flooding velocity for stacked/regular packing is generally smaller than that for random packing. Therefore, the flooding velocity for random packing is usually greater than that for stacked/regular packing.