EXPERIMENT 1

EFFECT OF WATER AND AIR FLOW CHANGES IN GAS ABSORPTION

Objective
Study the relationship between water and air flow rate changes and their effect on
pressure drop of an absorption column.
Study the effect of air flow rate on flooding point in an absorption column.
Study the effect of water flow rate on flooding point in an absorption column.

Introduction
Many chemical process materials and biological substances occur as mixtures of different
components in the gas, liquid, or solid phase. In order to separate or remove one or more of the
components from its original mixture, it must be contacted with another phase. When the two
contacting phases are a gas and a liquid, the unit operation is called absorption. A solute or
several solutes are absorbed from the gas phase into a liquid phase in absorption.

Equipment
Legend
A = Control Panel O = CO2 Flow meter
B = CO2 Regulator P = CO2 Cylinder Valve
C = CO2 Cylinder Q = Main ON/OFF & Water Pump ON/OFF
D = Reservoir with Pressure Gauge R = CO2 Control Valve
E = Air Compressor S = Water Control Valve
F = Collecting Tank T = Air Control Valve
G = Water Pump U = CO2 sensor (final)
H = Water Tank V = CO2 sensor (initial)
I = Berls Saddle W = Gas Stream Incoming Valve
J = Tower Column X = Gas Stream Drain Valve
K = Manometer (Bottom-Middle) Y = Water Pump By-pass Valve
L = Manometer (Bottom-Top) Z = Water Stream Drain Valve
M = Air Flow Meter AA = Collecting Tank Inlet Valve
N = Water Flow Meter

Safety and Precaution

1. Place the apparatus on opened air laboratory or good air ventilation area.
2. The gas stream incoming valve (W) must always be fully closed unless there is air/gas
flow in the stream line.
3. Do not leave water in the column without air/gas flow. Water will flood the CO2 sensor
and damage the sensor if the gas stream incoming valve (W) is opened.
4. Do not regulate the CO2 flow rate for more than 10 SCFH as too much of CO2 is harmful
to human.
5. Do not leave any pressure in the air/gas stream line after shut down.
6. Do not regulate the water flow rate for more than 3 GPM.
7. Be careful when regulating the CO2 regulator (B). Please report to instructor if there is
any CO2 leakage.
8. No body part should touch any rotating part of the air compressor.
9. The compressed air should not exceed 8.5 bar. Any pressure exceeded 8.5 bar, please
shut off the air compressor immediately.
 10. Do not start the water pump if there is no water in the water tank.
11. Do not start the water pump with the by-pass valve (Y) is fully closed.
12. Do not impact the glass column.
13. Shut off the water pump immediately when the water level in the column reached the
highest point of the glass column.
14. Shut off the water pump immediately if there is any water leakage.
15. Shut off the CO2 gas supply immediately if there is any gas leakage.

Procedure

Pre-procedure
1. Normal air is used and do not run this experiment using CO2 gas.
2. The LS-32021-GAC Gas Absorption Column Unit is placed on a level floor.
3. The CO2 regulator valve (B) and CO2 cylinder valve (P) is ensured to be fully closed.
4. All the three valves (R, S, and T) located below the flow meters are ensured to be fully
closed.
5. The gas stream incoming valve (W), gas stream drain valve (X) and collecting tank inlet
valve (AA) is ensured to be fully closed (Caution: The gas stream incoming valve must
always be fully closed unless there is air/gas flow in the stream).
6. The water tank (H) inlet valve, water pump by pass valve (Y) and water stream drain valve
(Z) is ensured to be fully opened (or alternatively collecting tank inlet valve (AA) is fully
opened).
7. The drain valve for the water tank (H) is ensured to be fully closed. Drain valve for the
collecting tank (F) should be open if water is to be discharge directly.
8. The air compressor (E) and the CO2 cylinder (C) is placed next to the unit.
9. The air compressor 3 pin plug is plugged to the 3 pin plug socket which is located at the
side of the control panel (A) (Reminder: Do not switch ON).
10. The air hose from the air compressor outlet is connected to the reservoir inlet (D) which is
located at the bottom of the steel frame. The valve at the air compressor is opened.
11. The air hose from the CO2 regulator (B) is connected to the CO2 inlet port which is located
at the side of the control panel (near the 3 pin plug socket). The hose is ensure to tighten
properly.
12. The water hose from the laboratory water supply is connected to the water tank (H). The
water tank is filled with clean water.
13. The Gas Absorption Column Unit 3 pin plug is plugged to the laboratory 240VAC main
power supply. The power supply is switched ON.
14. The unit main power supply (Q) is switched on. The MCB/ELCB is ensured to be switched
ON.
15. The air compressor power supply is switched ON. The air compressor is allowed to
compress the air in the tank. The air compressor will stop running when the air is fully
compressed. The pressure gauge (D) reading is kept by an aye. The pressure should not
exceed 8.5 bar.
16. The pressure regulator (located above the water tank) is regulated to a reading of 3 bar.

Experiment procedure
1. The water level in both of the manometers is balanced by pressing the release valves which
is located top of the manometer or the tubing may be pulled out and fixed it back.
2. The water pump is swiched ON by pressing the green push button (Q). The water stream
drain valve (Z) is opened (or alternatively collecting tank inlet valve (AA) is fully opened).
3. The by-pass valve (Y) is closed to half of it original position. The water flow meter (N) is
kept by an eye. The water flow rate is set to 1.0 GPM by regulating the water control valve
(S). (Caution: Do not regulate the water flow rate for more than 3 GPM and valve W must
be closed if there is no air/gas flow in the stream line).
4. The air control valve (T) and the gas stream incoming valve (W) is opened slowly. The air
flow meter (M) is kept by an eye. The air flow rate is set to 2.0 SCFM by regulating the air
control valve (T) (Reminder: Read the largest diameter to indicate flow rate).
5. The water flow rate and air flow rate is left to run for about 3 minutes. The data for pressure
drop, P from both manometers is taken after 3 minutes. The air flow rate and water flow
rate are made sure to be always constant. The reading is recorded to a table provided.
6. Step 3 and 4 are repeated by manipulating the air flow rate (i.e., 2.40 4.20 SCFM) until
the flooding point is observed (when the water level reached higher than the gas absorber).
7. Step 3 and 4 are repeated with a constant air flow rate at 2.0 SCFM and the water flow rate
is manipulated (i.e., 0.60 1.40 SCFM).
8. Both of the water flow rate and gas flow rate are converted to liter per minutes (LPM) unit.
Results

Effect of Water and Air Flow Changes

Constant Water Flow Rate

Time Water Air Water Air P P Log P Lop P Log
(min) Flow Flow Flow Flow (top- (bot- (top- (mid- Air
Rate Rate Rate Rate bottom) mid) bottom) bottom) Flow
(GPM) (SCFM) (LPM) (LPM) Rate
2.0 1.00 2.00 3.785 56.632 25 12 1.40 1.08 1.75
4.0 1.00 2.40 3.785 67.958 45 11 1.65 1.04 1.83
6.0 1.00 2.60 3.785 73.622 55 12 1.74 1.08 1.86
8.0 1.00 3.00 3.785 84.958 69 12 1.84 1.08 1.9
10.0 1.00 3.40 3.785 96.274 88 22 1.94 1.34 1.98
12.0 1.00 3.80 3.785 107.601 110 22 2.04 1.34 2.03
14.0 1.00 4.00 3.785 113.264 116 34 2.06 1.53 2.05
16.0 1.00 4.20 3.785 118.927 122 41 2.09 1.61 2.08

Constant Air Flow Rate

Time Water Air Water Air P P Log P Lop P Log
(min) Flow Flow Flow Flow (top- (bot- (top- (mid- Air
Rate Rate Rate Rate bottom) mid) bottom) bottom) Flow
(GPM) (SCFM) (LPM) (LPM) Rate
2.0 0.60 2.00 2.271 56.632 1 3 0 0.48 0.36
4.0 0.80 2.00 3.028 56.632 3 4 0.48 0.60 0.48
6.0 1.00 2.00 3.785 56.632 -41 42 1.61 1.62 0.58
8.0 1.20 2.00 4.542 56.632 -88 112 1.94 2.05 0.66
10.0 1.40 2.00 5.299 56.632 -105 172 2.02 2.24 0.72
Graphs

Based on your result obtained in the experiment,

i. Plot a graph (computerized) of log P (top-bot) versus log air flow rate for constant
water flow rate.

ii. Plot a graph (computerized) of log P (top-bot) versus log water flow rate for constant
air flow rate.
Discussions

There are two variable being studied in this experiment that is constant water flow rate and
constant air flow rate. The time taken for constant water flow rate is 16 minutes with 2minutes
intervals and for constant air flow rate is 10 minutes, also with 2 minutes intervals. Based on
the results obtained, when the water flow rate is kept constant at 3.785 LPM, the air flow rate
will increase with time. However, when the air flow rate is kept constant at 56.632 LPM, the
water flow rate will increase. Graph is plotted based on the results obtained. For the constant
water flow rate, the graph increase slightly and for the constant air flow rate, the graph increase
linearly from beginning to the end of experiment.

i. State the relationship between pressure drop, P and air flow rate.
The pressure drop, P increase with the increase of air flow rate.

ii. State the relationship between pressure drop, P and water flow rate.
The pressure drop, P increase with the increase of water flow rate.

Questions

i. Flooding point
The point where the pressure drops at a much faster rate when all the liquid is carried
away by the gas.

ii. Loading point

The point when the gas velocity is high enough to restrict the flow of liquid.

iii. Flooding velocity

Velocity of the vapour rising through the column at which the liquid is suspended.

Conclusion

The experiment managed to achieve its objective that is to analyse the relationship between
water and air flow rate changes and their effect on pressure drop of an absorption column is
studied in this experiment. Other than that, the effect of air flow rate and water flow rate on
flooding point in an absorption column is also being studied in this experiment.