METU Chem. Eng. Dept.

Ch.E. 420 Chem. Eng. Lab III

EXPERIMENT 50
WETTED-WALL ABSORPTION COLUMN

OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this experiment is to study the mass transfer in a wetted wall
absorption column and investigate the effects of water and air flow rates on the
mass transfer coefficient of oxygen absorbed from air into distilled water.

PRELIMINARY WORK
A. Theoretical Background
1. Review the fundamental concepts of gas absorption.
2. Review the fundamental concepts of mass transfer between gas and liquid
phases.
3. Study Henry’s Law.
4. Review the fundamental concepts in determining mass transfer coefficient by
using the dimensionless correlations.
5. Write down a general mass transfer rate equation, rewrite it as a flux equation,
identify top and bottom driving forces for column operation and write an
average driving forcew equation to apply for the column.

B) Preparation for the Experimental Work

1. Study the apparatus and familiarize yourself with its operation.
2. Obtain the column dimensions (as height and inner diameter)
3. Prepare a data sheet.
4. How can you calculate the thickness of a falling liquid film?
5. How can you determine saturation concentrations of dissolved oxygen in water
at different pressures?
6. Write the expressions for the Sherwood, Schmidt and Reynolds numbers and
discuss their physical interpretations.
7. Find out mass transfer correlations which can be used to calculate the mass
transfer coefficient for our experimental system from the literature.

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METU Chem. Eng. Dept. Experiment 50
Ch.E. 420 Chem. Eng. Lab III Wetted-Wall Absorption Column

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
The system is designed to study the absorption of oxygen from ambient air into de-
oxygenated distilled water, as shown schematically in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Schematic representation of the experimental set-up

The wetted column (C1) consists of a vertical glass tube. The absorbing liquid
(distilled water) is stored in a tank (D1) and is pumped (G1) to the top of the de-
oxygenating column (C2), situated as adjacent to the absorption column. Water is
de-oxygenated with nitrogen sparged in the bottom and then pumped (G2), via a
rotameter (FI2), to the top of the wetted-wall column (C1). Air is pumped by a
compressor (P1) to the bottom of the wetted-wall column (C1) via a rotameter
(FI1), transferring oxygen to water. The concentration of dissolved oxygen and
temperature of the liquid are measured by two probes (AI1 and AI2) at the inlet and
outlet ports of the wetted-wall column (C1) The water drains from the column (C1)
into the storage tank (D1) to be recycled to the de-oxygenator via a pump (G2).

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METU Chem. Eng. Dept. Experiment 50
Ch.E. 420 Chem. Eng. Lab III Wetted-Wall Absorption Column

Start up
1. Switch on the main power.
2. Set the pressure regulator on the compressed nitrogen cylinder at 0.5-1 bar.
3. Switch on pump G1 and adjust the valve V3 very slowly and carefully.
4. Switch on pump G2 and adjust flow rate using the micro valve on the flow meter
(FI1).
5. Switch on the compressor (P1) and adjust the flow rate using the micro valve
on the flow meter (FI2).
6. Start nitrogen flow to the de-oxygenator column, very slowly and carefully by
opening the V1.

Shut down
1. Turn off the nitrogen supply by closing the valve V1.
2. Turn off the compressor P1 and both pumps G1 and G2.
3. Switch off the main power.

Important Notes
1. Uniform wetting of the inner surface of the column C1 ensures more valid data.
2. The small tank near the bottom of the column C1 serves to saturate air with
water. The tank should be about 3/4 full of water before starting the air flow.
3. A stead stream of nitrogen bubbles is sufficient to effectively strip oxygen from
the feed water. Reduce the nitrogen flow If there is slugging in the column C2.
4. The column will require several minutes to come to steady state, especially with
low water flow rate. Be sure to verify the actual attainment of this condition
(dissolved oxygen concentration AI2 must be constant)

Controlled Parameters
Air flow rate : Change for three times (e.g., 60, 120, 180 l/h)
Water flow rate : Change for four times (e.g., 4, 8, 12, 16 l/h)
Data
When the system reaches steady state at each air and water flow rate sets, record,
1. the dissolved oxygen concentration at the inlet and outlet of the column C1,
2. the temperature at the inlet and outlet of the column C2

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METU Chem. Eng. Dept. Experiment 50
Ch.E. 420 Chem. Eng. Lab III Wetted-Wall Absorption Column

CALCULATIONS
1. Calculate the average flux of the oxygen through the gas-liquid interface in the
wetted-wall column. Remember that a more accurate value of the average flux
can be calculated by taking the liquid film thickness into account.
2. Calculate the average driving forces for mass transfer at the liquid phase inlet
and outlet to the wetted-wall column. Calculate the log-mean average of the
mass transfer driving forces. Note that during calculation of the driving forces
you will need the saturation concentrations of dissolved oxygen in water at the
inlet and outlet temperatures. You can access them from literature for solubility
of oxygen in pure water.
3. Calculate the average mass transfer coefficient at the liquid side for the
experiment by using the results obtained in steps 1 and 2.
4. Remember that the correlations for mass transfer are generally in the form of
(Sh)=K(Sc)m(Re)n; where Sh is the Sherwood number; Sc, the Schmidt number;
Re, the Reynolds number; and K is a constant.
5. Calculate Sh, Re, and Sc numbers for each of the twelve pairs of liquid and air
flow rate. The diffusivity of oxygen in water may be found from literature.
6. Plot a graph of ln(Sh) vs ln(Re) at each air flow rate. Draw a best fitting line
through data points.
7. Determine from the slope the exponent (n) in the mass transfer correlation.
Compare them with each other and with literature. Calculate an average value.
8. Determine from the intercept the combined value of K(Sc)m in the mass transfer
correlation. Compare them with each other and with literature. Calculate an
average value.
9. Propose a mass transfer correlation for the system studied and compare with
similar equations in literature.

SUGGESTED REFERENCES
1. Geankoplis, C. J., Transport Processes and Unit Operations, 3rd ed., Allyn and
Bacon Series in Engineering, USA, 1993
2. McCabe, W. L., Smith J. C., and Harriott, P., Unit Operations of Chemical
Engineering, 6th ed., McGraw Hill Company, New York, 2001

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METU Chem. Eng. Dept. Experiment 50
Ch.E. 420 Chem. Eng. Lab III Wetted-Wall Absorption Column

3. Perry, R. H., Green, D., Maloney, J. O., Perry’s Chemical Engineers’

Handbook, 6th Ed, McGraw Hill Company, 1985
4. Treybal, R. E., Mass Transfer Operations, McGraw Hill Company, New York,
1980
5. Seader, J.D., Henley, E.J., Separation Process Principles, John Wiley and
Sons, New York,1998.
6. Incropera, F. P., De Witt, D. P., Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 5th
Ed, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 2002.

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