Faculty of Chemical & Natural Resources Engineering

BKF3731
Unit operation lab
Sem. I - Session 2015/2016

Exp 1: Crystallizer
Exp 2: Thin Film Evaporator
Exp 3: Short Path Distillation
Exp 4: Sieve Tray Distillation
Exp 5: Solid Liquid Extractor Unit
Exp 6: Absorption Column Unit
Exp 7: Pressure Swing Adsorption
Instructor: Dr. Fatmawati Adam (coordinator), Mr. Syaiful Nizam Hassan, Mdm
Zatul Iffah Mohd Arshad, Mdm Siti Kholijah Abdul Mudalip, Dr. Noor Sabrina
Ahmad Mutamim
Teaching Engineer: Hairul Hisham Ismail, Mohd. Hafiz Abd. Latib, Mohd Faried
Abdullah, Zainal Giman, Zulhabri Khadisah

Fatmawati Adam/ Jolius Gimbun

EXPERIMENT 6: ABSORPTION COLUMN UNIT

OBJECTIVE
To study gas absorption in absorption column
Scope
1. To determine the effect of air flow rate and water flow rate on flooding point in
an absorption column.
2. To explain the relationship between water and air flow rate changes and their
effect on pressure drop, P of an absorption column.
INTRODUCTION
Absorption column is one of the separation techniques that involve liquid and vapor.
One or more component of a gas mixture can be separated when a certain liquid
flow through it counter-currently. The liquid absorbs the component(s) and mass
transfer process which separates the component(s) from gas mixture occurs. Packed
material is used to increase the contact surface area in absorption process which
enhances the efficiency and shortens the duration of the process.
EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS/MATERIAL
1. Packed Absorption Column
2. Air Compressor
3. Water and Air
4. Stop watch
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
1. Check and make sure the valves for right column for sadle pack are opened.
2. Set the water flow rate at 2.5 L/min.
3. Set the air flow rate at 100 L/min. Start the stop watch and leave it for 5
minutes. Make sure the water and air flow rate are always constant.
4. After 5 minutes, take the data for pressure drop, P from Digital P Meter.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 by increasing air flow rate by 10 L/min until the flooding
point is observed.
6. When the flooding point is achieve, read the P from Digital P Meter and
reduce the air flow rate back at 100 L/min
7. Repeat Step(s) 3 to 7 for water flow rate at 3.0 L/min respectively.
8. Then, maintain the air flow rate at 100 L/min and, read the pressure drop
every 2 minutes at different water flow rates range from 2.0 to 3.5 L/min with
an increment by 0.5 L/min

Fatmawati Adam/ Jolius Gimbun

RESULT

Water flow rate,

W
(L/min)
2.5

Table 1
Air flow rate, G
Pressure Drop,
(L/min)
P
(cm H2O)

Time
(every 5
minutes)

3.0

Air flow rate, G

(L/min)

100

Table 2
Water flow rate,
Pressure Drop ,
W
P
(L/min)
(cm H2O)
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5

Fatmawati Adam/ Jolius Gimbun

Time
(every 2
minutes)