ABSTRACT

The experiment is conducted to investigate the air pressure drop in an absorption column as a
function of the air flow for varying water flow rates and to determine the flooding characteristics
of the column at different water and gas flow rates. In this experiment, the model that was used is
(BP751-B Absorption Column) which is intended to make students familiar with the basis of
working principle of gas absorption by mean liquids (solvent absorption). This absorption
column consists of receiving vessels, circulation pump and more. The equipment is usually used
to conduct experiments on gas absorption of carbon dioxide into water. Different values of air
flow rate and water flow rate will be used by regulating the valves, and finally, the pressure drop
across the column will be recorded. From the experiment data, it can be seen that as the air
flowrate increases with constant water flowrate the more the pressure will drop. It took 180
L/min air to achieve flooding point when the water flowrate used is 1.2 L/min. Meanwhile for
2.2 L/min and run 3 for 3.2 L/min, the flooding point decreases at air flowrate of 120 and 100
L/min respectively. From the experiment, it can be concluded that each water flowrate has its
own flooding point. This is because as the water flowrate increases, the lower the flooding point
in the gas absorption column. The flooding point is important to be determined so that the
process could be operated efficiently because the process will be no longer feasible even before it
reaches the flooding point. This experiment was done successfully.

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1.1 INTRODUCTION

Packed columns are efficient equipment used for contact processes between gases and liquids. It
consists of a column filled with packing material that is either dumped or organized. Packing
materials are considered based on their surface to volume ratio, good wettability, and sufficient
stability among others. The liquid enters from the inlet located above the column and exits at the
bottom while gasses enter from the inlet located at the bottom and exits through the top. The
contact between the two phases are aided by the packing material.

The pressure inside a column is high at the bottom and decreases with height of column
to allow gas flow to the top. With increasing gas flow the pressure drop will also increase until
some liquid will retain inside the packing. This phenomenon is called the loading point. Flooding
is the term used when pressure drop rises drastically and the liquid starts accumulating from the
bottom of the column. The gas velocity at this point is called the flooding velocity.

In the industry packed columns are operated well below the flooding velocity. This is to
ensure the packings and equipment are not damaged.

1.2 OBJECTIVES
To investigate the air pressure drop in an absorption column as a function of the air flow for
varying water flow rates.
To determine the flooding characteristics of the column at different water and gas flow rates.

1.3 THEORY

When a CO2-air mixture flows up a packed column, it comes into contact with the water flowing
down. As the air flow rate increases, the resistance against water flowing down will also
increase.

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 Figure 1.1 : Packed Column

If the air flow rate is high enough, it will cause the liquid to start accumulating inside the
packing material.This is called the loading point. If the gas flow continues to increase, the whole
column will be filled with water and this is called flooding.

1.4 APPARATUS AND CHEMICALS

Equipment (BP751-B Absorption Column)

1 Absorption Column (K1)

2 Receiving Vessels (B1, B2)

3 Circulation Pump (P1)

4 Basic Instrumentations and Control

5 Framework (stainless steel tubes and clamps)

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Materials

1 Water (laboratory mains supply)

2 Compressed air (laboratory mains supply)

3 Gas (CO2 gas supply)

1.5 PROCEDURE

general start use different values of

record the pressure drop
air flow rate and water
up procedure across the column
flow rate

Figure 1.2 : Methodology of Hydrodynamics Packed Column (Wet Column Pressure Drop)

1 The general start-up procedure is performed.

2 The receiving vessel B2 is filed with 50 L of water through the charge port by opening
vessel V3 and V5.
3 The valve V3 and V5 is opened.
4 The valve V3 is closed.
5 The valves V10 AND V9 are opened slightly. The flow from the vessel B1 is observed
through pump P1.
6 The pump P1 is switched on and the valve V11 is slowly opened and adjusted in order to
give the water flow rate around 1.2 L/min. The water is allowed to enter the top of the
column K1, flowed down the column and accumulated at the bottom until it overflows
back into vessel B1.
7 The valve V11 is opened and adjusted to give a water flow rate of 1.2 L/min into the
column K1.
8 The valve V1 is opened and adjusted to give an air flow rate of 40 L/min into column K1.

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 9 The liquid and gas flow in the column K1 is observed in the column K1 and the pressure
drop across the column at dPT-201.
10 Steps 6 to 7 are repeated with different values of air flow rate, each time increasing by 40
L/min while maintaining the same water flow rate.
11 Steps 5 to 8 are repeated with different values of water flow rate, each time increasing by
1.0 L/min by adjusting the valve V11.

1.6 RESULTS

Flowrat Pressure Drop (mmH2O)

e
(L/min)
Air
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Water
0
1.2 19 21 25 29 33 37 44 49 83
2.2 23 25 29 34 42 68
3.2 35 39 44 61 79

Table 1.1 : Pressure Drop for Wet Column

Pressure Drop vs Air Flow Rate

100

80

60
Pressure Drop (mbar)
40

20

0
0 20 40 60 80 100120140160180200

Air Flow Rate (L/min)

Figure 1 : Pressure Drop vs Air Flow Rate

1.7 CALCULATIONS

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SAMPLE CALCULATION

Data

Density of air = 1.175 kg/m3

Density of water = 996 kg/m3

Column diameter = 80 mm

Area of packed column diameter = 0.005027 m2

Packing Factor = 900 m

Water viscosity = 0.001 Ns/m2

Theoretical Flooding Point :

GG, gas flow rate (kg/m2s)

GG = GyXp/A

20 L 1min 1.175 kg 1m3

x x x
= min 60 sec m3 1000 L
0.005027

=0.0779 kg/m2s

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Capacity parameter , y-axis

L 0.1
13.1 ( GG ) 2 F P ()
PL
PG (P L P G)

0.001 0.1
2
13.1 ( 0.0779 ) 900( )
996
=0.01542
1.175(9961.175)

GL , liquid flowrate per unit column cross-sectional area

GL X P
A

1.2 L 1 min 1.175 kg 1 m 3

x x x
min 60 sec m3 1000 L = 4.6748 x 10-3 kg/m2
0.005027

Flow parameter, x-axis

G
L

x-axis = GL

GG

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 Water Flow Rate (L/min) GL (kg/m2s)
1.2 4.6748 x 10-3
2.2 8.5704 x 10-3
3.2 0.01247

Air Flow Rate (L/min) GG (kg/m2s) Capacity Parameter (y-axis)

20 0.0779 0.01538
40 0.1558 0.06152
60 0.2337 0.13843
80 0.3117 0.24625
100 0.3896 0.38472
120 0.4675 0.55394
140 0.5454 0.75393
160 0.6233 0.98469
180 0.7012 1.24619

Air Flow Rate (L/min) Flow Parameter (x-axis)

20
40 1.0306 x 10-3 1.8894 x 10-3 2.7491 x 10-3
60 6.8706 x 10-4 1.2596 x 10-3 1.8327 x 10-3
80 5.1513 x 10-4 9.4440 x 10-4 1.3741 x 10-3
100 4.1213 x 10-4 7.5556 x 10-4 1.0994 x 10-3
120 3.4346 x 10-4 6.2966 x 10-4 9.1616 x 10-4
140 2.9440 x 10-4 5.3973 x 10-4 7.8531 x 10-4
160 2.5761 x 10-4 4.7227 x 10-4 6.8716 x 10-4
180 2.2899 x 10-4 4.1980 x 10-4 6.1082 x 10-4

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1.8 DISCUSSION

The main objective in this experiment is to investigate the pressure drop across the absorption
column by adjusting the air flow with constant water flow rate. Firstly, water is pumped up onto
the absorption column. The water will flow down the packet filled column into the receiving
tank. Next, the valve for airflow is opened up at specific rate. The air goes into the absorption
column through a nozzle located below the column and on top of receiving tanks, or simply
called distribution space. The pressure drop is calculated digitally across the column by the
sensor with two transmitter, which located on top of column and another one slightly above
airflow nozzle.

From the experiment data, it can be seen that as the air flowrate increases with constant
water flowrate the more the pressure will drop. From run 1, the water flowrate is equal to about
1.2 L/min and it took 180 L/min air to achieve flooding point. Meanwhile Run 2 for 2.2 L/min
and run 3 for 3.2 L/min, the flooding point decreases at air flowrate of 120 and 100 L/min
respectively. At the flooding point the pressure drop is very large given 83, 68 and 79 mmH 2O
according to the run respectively.

This shows that each water flowrate has its own flooding point. As the water flowrate
increases, the lower the flooding point in the gas absorption column. This phenomenon can be
understand easily, for instance, people can easily lift up a light weightbar but if the weightbar is
heavy it will become difficult for a person to lift it and took more energy to lift it. In this case the
weightbar can represent water flowrate, the person as airflowrate and the energy as pressure
drop. Which means at low airflowrate the pressure drop is too low to lift up the water that flows
down and at high flowrate the pressure drop is high enough to lift up the water and eventually if
airflowrate is increased, the water will be blown up.

The experiment shows that, the gas absorption cannot be done at high pressure drop and
high gas flowrate. Even before reaching flooding point the process is no longer feasible. For

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example at run 1 of experiment at air flowrate of 140 L/min, accumulation of water or pools can
be seen at 2/5 of the column height. As it goes up to 160 L/min the pools already reaches at about
3.5/5 of column height and eventually at 180 L/min the pools already at about 4.5/5 of the
column height. The same pattern also shown for the last 2 run albeit at lower air flowrate.

The pool of water happened because the air hinders the liquid downflow, as it hinders the
liquid the pressure drop increases. At this point it is called the loading point. However, only at
flooding point the liquid could no longer flow down through the packing. Although, the liquid
still flows down at flooding point, it is still not wise to set it up as operating process. In reality,
operating tower, the gas velocity and flowrate is below flooding point. The optimum economic
gas velocity and flowrate is about half or more of flooding point (Geankoplis, Transpot Processes
& Seperation Processes Principles, 2014).

1.9 CONCLUSION

Gas liquid contacting devices are used widely in the chemical industry for absorbing gases into
liquids and solvents. These devices varied from stirred vessels to packed beds and bubble
columns and are employed for a variety of different industrial applications. From this
experiment, it can be concluded that as the air flowrate increases with constant water flowrate the
more the pressure will drop. This can be proven from the data recorded, when the water flowrate
was about 1.2 L/min, it took 180 L/min air to achieve flooding point. As for 2.2 L/min and 3.2
L/min, the flooding point decreases at air flowrate of 120 and 100 L/min respectively. It also can
be seen that the pressure drop was very large, 83, 68 and 79 mmH 2O respectively as the process
reached its flooding point. The aim of this experiment; to study the air pressure drop in an
absorption column as a function of the air flow for varying water flow rates and to determine the
flooding characteristics of the column at different water and gas flow rates was successfully
achieved.

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1.10 RECOMMENDATION

The experiment is conducted to determine the air pressure drop across the column as a function
of air flow rate for different water flow rates through the column. The experiment is highly
recommended in improving the safety measures as frequently check and rectify any leak that
might be exist through the system. Besides that, all the operating instructions supplied must be
clearly understood before performing the experiment. In terms of handling the hazardous
chemicals in the system especially the carbon dioxide CO 2 which is flammable, the chemicals
need to be ensure to operate under ventilated and atmospheric pressure working condition.

1.11 REFERENCES/APPENDICES

1. McCabe, L., Smith J.C. and Harriot, P. (2001) Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering,
6 th Edition, New York: McGraw Hill

2. Geankoplis, C.J. (2003). Transport Processes and Separation Process Principle, 4 th

Edition. New York: Prentice Hall

3. iitb.vlab.co.in,. (2012). Hydrodynamics of packed column. Retrieved 23 March 2016,

from iitb.vlab.co.in/?sub=8&brch=116&sim=950&cnt=4

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