King Saud University

.Chemical Engineering Dpt

:Prepared by
Mohammed Al-Zamil

ID # 424 10 4330

Group # 1
Lab - ChE- 403

:Prepared For
Dr.M.Alahmad

Packed bed column

TABLE OF CONTENT

.................................................................................................3

Summery

..................................................................................................4

Introduction
Theory

.........................................................................................5

Experimental Procedure.........................................................................................6
.........................................................................................7

Schematic diagram

.................................................................................................8

Result

................................................................................................10

Discussion

...............................................................................10

Conclusion

............................................................................... 11

Appendix

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1.Summary:
In this experiment pressure drop was studied with changing air flow rate in six cases
(dry column, wet column, constant flow of water 1.5 L/ min, 2.5 L/min and 3 L/min).
The curves was plotted on logarithmic coronation between pressure drop and air flow
rate .
Loading point and flooding point for each case was founded
The objective of this experimental
1) Finding pressure drop through paced column as a function in air flow with a
different water flows.
2) Finding loading & fooling point for each flows of water.

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2.Introduction:
Packed column is very common in chemical engineering, there are tow types of
packing (random and structured packing).
Random packing has a many types like raschig rings, metal ball ring..etc.
This experiment interested in pressure drop and loading & flooding through the
packing column. In a given packed tower with a given type and size of packing and
with a definite flow of liquid, there is an upper limit to the rate of air flow, called the
flooding velocity. Above this air velocity the tower cannot operate. At low air
velocities the liquid flows downward through the packing, essentially uninfluenced by
the upward air flow. As the air flow rate is increased at low air velocities, the pressure
drop is proportional to the flow rate. At an air flow rate called the loading point, the
air starts to hinder the liquid down flow, and local accumulations or pools of liquid
start to appear in the packing. The pressure drop of the air starts to rise at a faster rate.
As the air flow rate is increased, the liquid holdup or accumulation increases. At the
flooding point, the liquid can no longer flow down through the packing and is blown
out with the air.
In an actual, operating tower, the air velocity is well below flooding. The optimal economic air velocity is about one-half or more of the flooding velocity. It depends upon
a balance of economic factors including equipment cost, pressure drop, and
processing variables. Pressure drop in the packing is an important consideration in
design of a tower and is covered in detail below.

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3.Theory:

h = h h ....(cm)
h = h
h
P = 100 . . g ....( pa)
P = h .10 . g ....( pa)
2

Loading:
Amount of liquid accumulate in side packed column that generate pressure drop.

loading

Figurer 1 : loading in side packed column

Fooling :
Amount of the liquid flood in the top of column with increasing pressure drop due to
accumulation of liquid in side packed column

flooding

Figure 2 :flooding in packed column

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4. Experimental Procedure:
1- passing the maximum air flow until all evidence of moisture in the packing
has disappeared.
2- run on the pump of air .
3- pressure differential cross the column was readied At ( 0 ) flow of air.
4- flow rate of air was increased (20 L/min) , and the pressure differential
cross the column was readied. This step rebated until 160 L/min air flow was
reached.
5- Take care about loading and flooding cause the water maybe come out from
the top of the column .

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5.Schematic Diagram:

Figure3: schematic of experiment

Picture 1 : packed bed column

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6.Resulet & Computation:

DRY AND WET P RES S UR DROP IN BAC KED C OLUMN

0
180

160

140

120

100

80

) AI R FLOW ( L / MI N

60

40

20

DRY COLUMN
WET COLUMN

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PACKED BED PRESSUR DROP

60

50

FOOLING

40

LOADING

30

WF= 1.5
L/MIN
WF= 2 L/MN
WF= 2.5
L/MIN

20

)r
te
a
w
m
(c
O
D
U
S
E
R
P
10

0
180

160

140

80
100
120
) AIR FLOW RATE ( L / MIN

60

40

20

7.Discussions:

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10

From the graphs we see the loading point is appearing at 2 , 2.5 and 3 L/min of
flow rate of water at 160 , 140 L / min of air flow rate respectively.
Also the flooding appears after the loading directly at 2.5 and 3 L / min of flow rate of
water at 160 L / min of air flow rate for each cases.
We know from results and graphs the loading is appear after that is coming the
flooding thats mean if the water flow rate and air flow rate is increase that makes
water is stopping in the column mean not dropping in down this case is called loading,
after increase the water flow rate is appear the flooding thats mean the water is
backing to top in the column.

Conclusion:
This experiment is important to studded to be educated what the meaning of
phenomena of loading and flooding to tacit as meaning in designing, and to now the
type of packs and how we can packed.

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11

Appendix

a. Variable Listing:

= Height different in manometer

12

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= Density

error = Error in manometer

= Graffiti

= pressure drop

b. Result table

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13

A) Dry column :
h1
-9.8
-9.7
-9.8
-9.9
-10
-10.2
-12
-12.1
-12.9

h
0
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
2.7
4.7
5.1
6.7

h2
-9.8
-9.1
-9
-8.9
-8.8
-7.5
-7.3
-7
-6.2

h
0
0.7
0.9
1
1.3
2.2
3.8
5.6
7.4

h2
-9.8
-9.1
-9
-9
-8.9
-8.4
-7.6
-6.8
-5.8

h
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.9
2.6
5
7.3
11.8
13.2

h2
-9.7
-9.2
-9.2
-8.9
-8
-6.9
-5.9
-3.6
-1.2

h1
-9.8
-9.4
-9.6
-9.8
-10.6
-11.9
-13.2
-15.4
-14.4

h
0.2
0.6

h2
-9.6
-9

h1
-9.8
-9.6

) air flow ( L / min

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160

B) Wet column :
h1
-9.8
-9.8
-9.9
-10
-10.2
-10.6
-11.4
-12.4
-13.2

) air flow ( L / min

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160

C) Water flow rate @ 1.5 L/min :

) air flow ( L / min
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160

D) Water flow rate @ 2 L/min :

) air flow ( L / min
0
20

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14

1
3.2
3.8
6.2
10.9
15.1
25.8

-8.9
-10.4
-7.6
-6.4
-4
-1.9
2.8

h
0.5
0.9
1.1
2.5
4.5
10
13.4
24.5
40.6

h2
-10
-9
-8.9
-8.4
-6.9
-4.4
1
2.9
11.6

H
0.4
1.1
1.6
2
3.6
9.8
21
33
49

h2
-9.5
-8.9
-8.6
-8.4
-7
-4.6
1
7
15

-9.9
-13.6
-11.4
-12.6
-14.9
-17
-23

40
60
80
100
120
140
160

E) Water flow rate @ 2.5 L/min :

h1
-9.5
-9.9
-10
-10.9
-11.4
-14.4
-12.4
-21.6
-29

) air flow ( L / min

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160

F) Water flow rate @ 3 L/min :

h1
-9.9
-10
-10.2
-10.4
-10.6
-14.4
-20
-26
-34

) air flow ( L / min

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160

C. References:

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15

MCCAE, W.L, SMITH, J.S, HARRIOT, P Unit Operations of Chemical (1

Engneering 5th ED ,McGRAW-HILL,1993 P 683 -693
GEANKOPLIS ,C.J,Transport Processes AND Separation Process Principles 4th (2
.ED , Prentice Hall ,2003 P 656-659
.Chemical Engineering Laboratory 2 CHE 403 2001, P G1-G2 (3
FELDEE , R.M , ROUSSEAU , R.W Elementary Principles Of Chemical (4
.Engineering 3rd ED , WILEY , 2000 P 54-56