1

ABSTRACT
Gas absorption is the process of absorption of gas into a liquid and it possible to breakdown
or separate one or more components of a gaseous mixture and producing a liquid that contain
a desired quantity of a gas. Process of packed column of gas absorption is under gas-liquid
counter current condition. This process can be obtained the value in experiments depends on
the packing size, shape and material of construction. The objective in this experiment is to
examine the air pressure drop across the column as a function of air flow rate for different
water flow rates through the column. The methods in this experiment are where step up the
experiment to switch on the pump and valve to run it. Then, the flow rate of water was
constant at 1.0 L/min, 2.0 L/min and 3.0 L/min and adjusted the valve that control air flow
rate used in different rates at 20, 40,60,80,100,120,140,160 and 180 L/min. These shown that
the results of pressure drops reading are increased at increasing air flow rates and water flow
rates. For example at 2.0 L/min the pressure drop starting point from 20L/min increase highly
at 11 mm H2O,at 40L/min is 22 mm H2O, at 60L/min is 25 mm H2O, at 80 is 38 mm H2O, at
100 is 49 mm H2O and at 120 is 63 mm H 2O which It was achieved floading point. When the
conditions are achieved at maximum temperature and pressure, the pressure drops are at
flooding point.

INTRODUCTION
Gas absorption processes are widely used in the industry. It can be used for removing
contaminants or impurities from a gas stream. There are numerous applications of this
approach in the chemical industry. Common example of gas absorption are removal or
recovery of NH3 in fertilizer manufacturing, control of SO2 from combustion source,
control of odorous gases from rendering plants and removal of CO2 from air. In addition,
gas absorption can controlled industrial air pollution and make separation of acidic
impurities from mixed gas streams which are including carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide
and organic sulfur compounds (Jackson, 2008).
There are numerous types of contactors that have been developed to assure a good
contact between the gas and liquid streams. This is important to obtain an efficient
separation process that requires a minimal size for the absorber. Many of the contactors
are similar to those used in distillation. These include bubble cap trays and columns filled
with various packing.
Chemical engineers need to be able to design gas absorbers which produce a treated gas
of a desired purity with an optimal size and liquid flow. This can be based on existing
correlations and when required, laboratory and or pilot plant data. (Cusler, 2009).
Gas absorption is a unit operation in which soluble components of a gas mixture are
dissolved in a liquid. The inverse operation, called stripping or desorption, is employed
when it is desired to transfer volatile components from a liquid mixture into a gas. Both
absorption and stripping, in common with distillation, make use of special equipment for
bringing gas and liquid phases into intimate contact. The apparatus consists of a
cylindrical column or tower with a gas inlet and a distribution space at the bottom, a
liquid inlet and distribution space at the top, gas and liquid outlets at the top and bottom
respectively; and a supported mass of tower packing, known as raschig rings. A
schematic diagram of the gas absorption column is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Gas Absorption Column System

OBJECTIVES
The objective of this experiment is;
-To examine the air pressure drop across the column as a function of air flow rate for
different water flow rates through the column.
-To plot the column pressure drops against the air flow rate for every different water flow
rate in the log-log graph paper and compare with the value obtained from generalized
correlation chart (APPENDIX).

THEORY
In a gas absorption column, a component of the gas stream is absorbed into the liquid
stream. The absorption may be purely physical, or it may involve solution of the gas into
the liquid followed by chemical reaction. The rate of mass transfer is governed by stream
flow rates, interfacial contact area, component diffusivities, temperature, and pressure.
The packed column design is involved the diameter of the column and height of the
packing which essential for specific separation. The liquid in the column fills up with
increasing flow which can cause the pressure drop increased and the space of gas flow is
reduced from the column. However, the pressure drop increased rapidly when gas flow
rises and the liquid hold up in the column also increased when the conditions is beyond
the loading point. Meanwhile, at up loading point, the pressure drop flow the same
relation as in dry run. Since the column is not analyzed for gas absorption, the only
equations used are the ones for calculating the values used on the pressure drop
correlation chart.
X- axis

Y axis
Where:

Gx
y
G y x y

G2y F p 0.1
x
g c ( x y ) y

equation (1)

equation (2)

Gx = water flow rate, in lbs/sec*in2

Gy = air flow rate, in lbs/sec*in2
rx = density of water, in lbs/ft3
ry = density of air, in lbs/ft3
mx = viscosity of water, in centistokes
4

g = acceleration due to gravity, 32.2 ft/sec2

FP = packing factor
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS
5.1 APPARATUS
1. Gas absorption column
2. 50 mL buret and buret clamp
3. 50 mL graduated cylinder
4. Stopwatch
5. Erlenmeyer flasks
5.2 MATERIALS
1. Phenolphthalein indicator solution
2. Sodium hydroxide solution
3. Carbon dioxide gas

PROCEDURES

General Start-Up Procedures

1. All valves were closed except the ventilation valve V13.
2. All gas connections were checked which in properly fit.
3. Valve on the compressed air supply line was opened. The supply pressure was set between 2 to
3 bar by turning the regulator knob clockwise.
4. The shut-off valve was opened on the CO2 gas cylinder. CO2 cylinder pressure was checked
either in sufficient or not.
5. The power was turned on for the control panel.
General Shut-Down Procedures
1. Pump P1 was switched off.
2. Valves V1, V2 and V12 were closed.
3. Valve on the compressed air supply line was closed and the supply pressure was exhausted by
turning the regulator knob counterclockwise all the way.

4. The shut-off valve on the CO2 gas cylinder was closed.

5. All liquid in the column K1 was drained by opening valve V4 and V5.
6. All liquid from the receiving vessels B1 and B2 were drained by opening valves V7 and V8.
7. All liquid from the pump P1 were drained by opening valve V10.
8. The power for the control panel then was turned off.
EXPERIMENT : Hydrodynamics of a Packed Column (Wet Column Pressure Drop)
1. The general start-up procedures were performed as aboved.
2. The receiving vessel B2 was filled through the charge port with 50 L of water by opening
valve V3 and V5.
4. Then valve V3 was closed.
5. Valve V10 and valve V9 were opened slightly. The flow of water from vessel B1 through
pump P1 was observed.
6. Pump P1 was switched on, then V11 was opened and adjusted slowly to give a water flow rate
of around 1 L/min. The water was allowed to enter the top of column K1, flow down the column
and accumulated at the bottom until it overflows back into vessel B1.
7. Valve V11 was opened and adjusted to give a water flow rate of 0.5 L/min into column K1.
8. Valve V1 was opened and adjusted to give an air flow rate of 40 L/min into column K1.
9. The liquid and gas flow in the column K1 was observed, and the pressure drop across the
column at dPT-201 was recorded.
10. Steps 6 to 7 were repeated with different values of air flow rate, each time increasing by 20
L/min while maintaining the same water flow rate.
11. Steps 5 to 8 were repeated with different values of water flow rate, each time increasing by
1.0 L/min by adjusting valve V11.

7.0

RESULT

Flowrate
(L/min)
Air

Pressure drop (mm H2O)

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1.0

11

21

42

2.0

11

22

25

38

49

63

3.0

25

27

33

47

51

Water

Table 1: Flowrate and Pressure drop

Log
Flowrate
(L/min)
Air

Log Pressure drop (mm H2O)

1.3

1.6

1.8

1.9

2.0

2.1

2.15

2.2

2.3

1.0

0.3

0.5

0.7

1.3

1.2

2.0

1.3

1.4

1.6

1.7

1.8

3.0

1.4

1.4

1.5

1.7

1.7

Water

Table 2: Flowrate and pressure drop

Flow rate

Pressure drop

(L/min)

(mm H2O)
Air

Water
1.0
2.0
3.0

20

40

0
1
25

0
11
27

60

80

100

120

140

2
3
5
7
11
22
25
38
49
63
33
47
51
Table 3 Pressure drop across the column

160

180

21
-

42
-

70
Pressure drop (mm H2O)
60
50
40

1 L/min
2 L/min

30

3 L/min

20
10
0
20

40

60

80

Air Flow rate (L/min)

100

120

140

160

Graph 1 Pressure drop against air flow rate.

180

Flow rate

Pressure drop

(L/min)

(mm H2O)
Air

Water
1.0
2.0
3.0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0
0
0

4.3
6.9
21.

9.2
28.5
76.2

25.7
62.4
NA

39.9
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
NA

1
Table 4 Pressure drop (in inch H20/foot) across the column (Theoretical data)

90
Pressure drop (mm H2O)
80
70
60
50

1 L/min
2 L/min

40

3 L/min

30
20
10
0
20

40

Air Flow
rate (L/min) 80
60

100

Graph 2 Pressure drop (in inch H20/foot) across the column (Theoretical data)

100

Pressure Drop, mmH2O

10

Experimental Data

Theoretical Data

1
10

100
Flow Rate (Air), L/min

Graph 3 Pressure drop of experimental data and theoretical data against air flow rate 1.0 L/min
100

Pressure Drop, mmH2O

10

Experimental Data

Theoretical Data

1
10

100
Flow Rate (Air), L/min

Graph 4 Pressure drop of experimental data and theoretical data against air flow rate 2.0 L/min

10

100

Pressure Drop, mmH2O

10

Experimental Data

Theoretical Data

1
10

100
Flow Rate (Air), L/min

Graph 5 Pressure drop of experimental data and theoretical data against air flow rate 3.0 L/min

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8.0

Calculations

1. Calculation of column diameter

1m
1000 mm

= 75
=0.075

2. Conversion of flowrate, L/min to mass flowrate, kg/m2.s

2

D 2
4

, =

3.14 x ( 0.075)
4

= 4.42 103 2
Flowrate
() =
Area

3
1 min
0.001m
60 s
1L

20 L
min

1
4.42 103 m2

= 0.08/
Flowrate
(2) ==
Area

1L
min

=3.77 103 /
=1.2 /3,
= 1000 /3
=
= (0.08 /) (1.2 /3)
= 0.10 /2.
12

1
1 min
0.001m3
60 s
4.42 103 m2
1L

=
= (3.77103 /) (1000 /3)
=3.77 /2.

3. Computation of X-axis

3.77
0.10

GL
Gv

V
L

1.2
1000

=1.31
4. Computation of Y-axis
Y

GL
Gv

V
L

0.1

CG
( Lv) v

(10.764)(0.10)2 (530)(0.89)0.1
(10001.2)(1.2)
13

= 0.047

Sample Calculation of Error

At air =60 mmH2O, water = 2L/min

, % =

TheoreticalExperimental
Theoretical

28.522
28.5

100 %

100%

= 22.81 %

9.0 DISCUSSION
The experiment was done by conducting the different flow rate of water and flow rate of gas.
All the data of pressure drops were tabulated in Table 1 which shows the increasing air flow
rate caused the rises of pressure drop. When the result obtained at water flow rate 1.0 L/min,
the air flow rates were increased to get resulted of the pressure drop from 20 L/min until 180
L/min of gas flow rate. The reading of pressure drop at 20 L/min of air flow rate at constant
water flow rate at 1.0 L/min shown in Table 1 is 0 mmH 2O. However, the air flow rate
increased at 60 L/min, the reading pressure drop increased at 1 mmH 2O and the results of
pressure drop were obtained through increasing the air flow rate. Although the increasing of
air flow rate from 20 L/min until 180 L/min give the resulted that pressure drop rises but the
14

pressure drop achieved at flooding point at 180 L/min of air flow rate. Whereas this
explained that the pressure drops at this point have maximum pressure and achieved
maximum temperature.
The table 1 result also shows that the 2.0 L/min of water flow rate also gets the increasing of
pressure drop when the flow rate of air increased from 20 L/min to 180 L/min. The initial
flow rate of air at 20 L/min shows that resulted of pressure drop at 1 mmH 2O. However, the
resulted at 2.0 L/min of water flow rate, the pressure drop only can be calculated or read at
point 20 L/min until 140 L/min of air flow rate and after 140 L/min of air flow rate, there
were flooding of pressure drop occurred and achieved the maximum temperature and
pressure.
The tabulated result show that at 3.0 L/min of water flow rate and at initial of air flow rate
was increased at 25 mmH2O compared to 1.0 L/min and 2.0 L/min. At this 3.0 L/min of
water flow rate also shows that the increasing air flow rate at 20 L/min until 60 L/min caused
to increase the pressure drops. Even though the air flow rate increased highly at this water
flow rate level, the flooding point of pressure drop was achieved at point 100 L/min until 180
L/min. The highest water flow rate and air flow rate used, produced the highest result of
pressure drop where it caused the flooding point at maximum temperature and pressure.

From the experiment, there also having calculation of pressure drop from the correlation
graph for pressure drop in the packed column. This pressure drops were compared with
pressure drop that recorded from the experiment. The value pressure drop was finding from
graph pressure-drop correlation for random packing by Strigle as shown in appendix. The
result of pressure drop calculation can be shown in Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6 depending on
the water flow rate. Based on that result, there have quite different value pressure drop get
from experiment and calculation. Besides that, for all different water flow rate, the pressure
drop were most of at flooding point.
Regarding to this result, there may be some errors or problems during conducting the
experiment. One of the problem is it is hard to have accurate flow rate values for water and
air. This is because, it is difficult to control the valve manually. This resulted that the reading
15

of pressure drops also not stable. As a result, the pressure drop is not accurate and the value
quite different from calculation.

10.0

CONCLUSION

Based on these experiment, it can concluded that the objective of the experiment were achieved
which is to determine the pressure drop across the dry column as a function of the air flow rate
for different water flow rates through the column. For the graph of log pressure drop against log
gas flow rate, it can concluded that the log gas flow rate enters to the packed column is increases,
the log pressure drop of the packed column also increases. While for the graph of for generalized
theoretical pressure drop correlation, it concluded that the value of the flow parameter, x-axis is
higher, the value of the capacity parameter, y-axis is lower. Furthermore, we manage to visualize
pressure drop as a function of gas(air) and liquid(water) using packed column and Rashing Ring.

11.0

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Before starting the experiment, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) was reviewed on
NaOH. The sheets can be found in the MSDS notebook located in the laboratory.
2. Personal protective equipment should include goggles and mask. Disposable nitrile
gloves should be worn when handling NaOH solutions.
3. Safety requirements should be checked and needed to be aware of when using high
pressure gas cylinders.
4. When starting up the system, always use low initial air and water velocities. Be sure
the recycle valve to the sump pump is always at least partially open to prevent buildup of
liquid and flooding. Open the tank valve slowly.
5. Remember to plug in the gas heater 5 minutes before turning on the gas.

16

12.0
1

REFERENCES

2
3

E. L. Cussler, (2009). Diffussion: Mass Transfer in Fluid Systems,(3rd Ed.) .

Cambridge University Press, New York.Page 993-998
Jackson Y.Z. (2008). Modeling gas absorption. Project number: WMC 4028, page 5-57.
McCabe, W. L., Smith, J. C., & Marriott, P, (1985). "Unit Operations of Chemical

Engineering", 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill.

Treybal, Robert E., (1980). "Mass-Transfer Operations", McGraw-Hill Book Company,

Inc., New York, N.Y.

Washburn, E. W., Editor, "International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics,
Chemistry, and Technology", McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, N.Y.

13.0

Appendices

17

Figure 2: Gas absorption column

18

Figure 3: Generalized correlation for pressure drop in packed columns

(1 in.H2O/ft = 817 Pa/m)

19

20