TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENT PAGE

 Abstract / summary 2

 Introduction 2-3

 Objective 3

 Theory 4

 Apparatus 5

 Experimental procedure 6

 Observation and Calculation 7-8

 Conclusion 10

 References 10
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this experiment is to calculate the absorption of CO2into water from analysis of
liquid solutions flowingdown absorption column.

ABSTRACT
We will be calculating rate for absorption and de-absorption of CO2 in water using gas
absorption unit. The gas CO2 was provided through gas cylinder and atmosphere. The
concentration of CO2 absorbed was calculated. The carbonated water from absorption unit’s
sample tank was titrated against NaOH using phenolphthalein as indicator. The NaOH solution
used for titration was o.o5M. The negative value for absorption rate showed de absorption.

INTRODUCTION
Absorption, or gas absorption, is a unit operation used in the chemical industry to separate gases
by washing or scrubbing a gas mixture with a suitable liquid. One or more of the constituents of
the gas mixture dissolves or is absorbed in the liquid and can thus be removed from the mixture.
In some systems, this gaseous constituent forms a physical solution with the liquid or the solvent,
and in other cases, it reacts with the liquid chemically. The purpose of such scrubbing operations
may be gas purification, e.g. removal of air pollutants from exhaust gases; product recovery; or
production of solutions of gases for various purposes. Gas absorption is usually carried out in
vertical countercurrent columns. The solvent is fed in at the top of the absorber, the gas mixture
from the bottom. The absorbed substance is washed out by the solvent, which is often recovered
in a subsequent stripping or desorption operation. The absorber may be a packed column, plate
tower, or simple spray column, or a bubble column.

THEORY
 WORKING PRINCIPLE

The fundamental physical principles underlying the process of gas absorption are the solubility
of the absorbed gas and the rate of mass transfer.

 ABSORPTION:

In absorption (also called gas absorption, gas scrubbing, or gas washing), there is a transfer of
one or more species from the gas phase to a liquid solvent. The species transferred to the liquid
phase are referred to as solutes or absorbate. Absorption involves no change in the chemical
species present in the system. Absorption is used to separate gas mixtures, remove impurities, or
recover valuable chemicals.
  STRIPPING

The operation of removing the absorbed solute from the solvent is called stripping. Absorbers are
normally used with strippers to permit regeneration (or recovery) and recycling of the absorbent.
Since stripping is not perfect, absorbent recycled to the absorber contains species present in the
vapor entering the absorber. When water is used as the absorbent, it is normally separated from
the solute by distillation rather than stripping.

 PACKED COLUMN

A common instrument used in gas absorption or stripping is a packed tower. A packed tower
consists of the following:

 a cylindrical tube with inert packing material;

 a gas inlet at the bottom with an exit out the top;
 and a liquid inlet at the top with its exit out the bottom [2].

In an ideal operation the liquid will descend through the packed column and distribute uniformly
over the packing surface in films. The gas will enter the column from below the packed section
and rise upward countercurrent to the liquid flow through the small spaces between the packing
material. The large amount of intimate contact between the liquid and gas streams allows for an
efficient transfer of mass.

There are two types of packings which is random and structure.

Figure 1:Typical Packed tower Packings: (a) Rasching ring (b) Lassing Ring (c) Berl Saddle (d)Pall
Ring
 FIGURE 2: GAS ABSORBER SCHEMATIC

REAGENTS
 CO2 carbon dioxide
 Water
 NaOH Solution
 Phenolphthalein

APPARATUS
 Gas absorption unit
 Burette
 Conical flask
 Pipette
 Dropper
 Funnel
 Iron stand
DIAGRAM

Column
Steel rank

Flow meter

Manometer

Compressor
Water tank

Valve

Fig 1: Gas Absorption Unit

PROCEDURE:

ABSORPTION
 We provided the inlet of gas that was carbon dioxide through two sources that is pure
CO2 cylinder and atmospheric air.
 We entered the gas from bottom of the packed column which being lighter raised upward
and entered pure ionized water from upper end of the column.
 The flow rate was set to 7 litre per minute for both water and CO2.
 the water we obtained from the absorption column was refluxed to increase the CO2
concentration in it.
 The carbonated water from sump tank was taken as a sample after 10, 20, 30 minutes.
 These samples were titrated against 0.05 M NaOH solution.
 The volume of NaOH used was directly considered as the concentration of CO2 in water.
 Then we calculated Absorption rate from the formula given.
STRIPPING/DE-ABSORPTION
 The carbonated water was entered as a feed to the same packed column and we turned the
heater on.
 As in case of absorption we took 3 samples from sump tank after 10 minutes interval.
 We titrated the sample against NaOH solution.
 We noted the volume of NaOH used and used the concentration of NaOH as the
concentration of CO2 used.

OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS:

 Cd = Concentration of dissolved free carbon dioxide (gmol/liter).

 F = Volumetric Flowrate (liters/sec).
 VB = Volume of NaOH Solution Added in liquid analysis (ml).
 VT = 40 (volume of Water in System liters).
 T = Total
 I = Inlet Conditions to Column
 O= Outlet Conditions from Column
The amount of free CO2 in the water sample is calculated from:

𝐶𝑑 = 𝑔𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒𝐶𝑂2 = 𝑉b×0.0277 𝑚𝑙. 𝑜𝑓𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒

= 2×0.0277
C𝑑 = 0.0554

Note: Solubility of CO2 in water is a strong function of temperature. And the accuracy of this
titrimetric method is approximately ±10%.

Time From liquid outlet sample From sump tank S5at outlet
(mint) point S4 for absorption for de-absorption
VB ml Cdi at VB ml Cdo at
outlet(gmol/L) outlet(gmol/L)
10 2 0.0554 4 0.11088
20 4 0.11088 2.5 0.06925
30 4 0.11088 2.5 0.06925

CO2 absorbed over a time period (e.g. 30 minutes)

[𝐶𝑑𝑜 at(t = 40) – 𝐶𝑑𝑖 at(t = 10)]×𝑉𝑇
Absorption rate = gmol/sec
30×60
[0.11088– 0.0554]×40
= gmol/sec
30×60
Absorption rate = 0.00123 𝐠𝐦𝐨𝐥/𝐬𝐞𝐜
CO2 de-absorbed over a time period (e.g. 30 minutes)
[𝐶𝑑𝑜 at(t = 40) – 𝐶𝑑𝑖 at(t = 10)]×𝑉𝑇
De-absorption rate = gmol/sec
30×60
[0.06925−0.11088]×40
= gmol/sec
30×60
De-absorption rate =-0.0009233 𝐠𝐦𝐨𝐥/𝐬𝐞𝐜

CONCLUSION:

The absorption rate of CO2 was positive because it shows the addition of CO2 in water. On the
other hand the absorption rate for stripping section was negative that shows the gas is being
removed. The absorption increases with decrease in temperature and vice verse. So when we
increased the temperature the absorption stopped and gas started removing.

REFERNCES

1. CERa/CERb Mass Transfer and Diffusion Coefficients – Issue 10, 1 October 2010 at
http://www.discoverarmfield.co.uk/data/cer/?js=enabled
2. Determining the diffusivity of nitrogen tetroxide, 1 October 2010 at
http://www.springerlink.com/content/k0501550x585x0kn/
3. How does the temperature affect the diffudion rate?, 1 October 2010 at
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_temperature_affect_diffusion_rate
4. How does temperature affect the rate of diffusion?, 1 October 2010, at
http://www.studyzones.com/questionzone/answer/73267x1565/How-does-temperature-
affect-the-rate-of-diffusion