1

1.0 Introduction

Gas absorption is also known as scrubbing. It is a mass transfer process in

which a vapour solute A in a gas mixture is absorbed by means of a liquid in which
the solute is more or less soluble. The gas mixture consists mainly of an inert gas and
the solute. The liquid also is primarily immiscible in the gas phase; that is, its
vaporization into the gas phase is relatively slight. The solvent recovery process is
called stripping. Stripping is also employed when volatile components have to be
removed from a liquid mixture. The stripping agent is either a gas or a superheated
vapour.

Absorption and stripping employ special contactors for bringing gas and liquid
phases into intimate contact. In most common units the solvent enters the top of the
absorber/stripper and flow downwards, counter current to the rising gas stream. The
two phases mix and contact one another, either on plates or packing, and the solute is
transferred from the gas phase to the solvent.

A common apparatus used in gas absorption is packed tower. The device

consists of a cylindrical column, or tower, equipped with a gas inlet and distributing
space at the bottom; a liquid inlet and a distributor at top; gas and liquid outlets at the
top and bottom respectively; and a supported mass of inert solid shapes, called tower
packing. A typical example is absorption of the solute ammonia from an air-ammonia
mixture by water.

A major application of absorption in industry is the removal of CO2 and H2S

from nature gas or synthesis gas by absorption in solution of amines or alkaline salts.
Additional examples of absorption industrial processes with physical or chemically
reactive solvents are: water removal from natural gas streams using glycols as
solvents; absorption of HCl present at low concentrations in the gas stream using a
water-wash tower and sweetening of natural gas.

There are two types of absorption which are physical absorption and chemical
absorption that depend on whether there is any chemical reaction between the solute
and the solvent (absorbent). Physical absorption or non-reactive absorption is made
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between two phases of matter: a liquid absorbs a gas or a solid absorbs a liquid. An
example of physical absorption of a gas into a liquid is the absorption
of ammonia (NH3) into water (H2O).

Chemical absorption or reactive absorption is a chemical reaction between the

absorbed and the absorbing substances. Chemical absorption depends upon
the stoichiometry of the reaction and the concentration of the reactants. An example
of chemical absorption is the purification of natural gas by passing the natural gas
through an aqueous solution of an ethanolamine in which any acid gases, such
as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2), are removed from the natural
gas by reacting with the ethanolamine.

Figure 1.1: Packed tower

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Figure 1.2: Process flow diagram for gas absorption unit.

2.0 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.
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3.0 Theory

In an absorption process, two immiscible phases (gas and liquid) are present in
which the solute will diffuse from one phase to the other through an interface between
the two phases. For a solute A to diffuse from the gas phase V into the liquid phase L,
it must first pass through phase V, the interface, and then into phase L in series.
The absorption process requires the following steps:
i. diffusion of the solute gas molecules through the host gas to the
liquid boundary layer based on a concentration gradient
ii. Solvation of the solute gas in the host liquid based on gas-liquid solubility
iii. Diffusion of the solute gas based on concentration gradient, thus depleting
the liquid boundary layer and permitting further solvation.

A concentration gradient has to exist to allow the mass transfer to take place
through resistances in each phase, as demonstrated below.

Figure 3.1: Process of mass transfer

Packed columns are used in chemical industry to absorb a gas from a mixture
of gases or strip a volatile substance from a liquid. The columns are, usually, counter
current gas-liquid contactors in which gas flows upward and liquid downward. To
provide large interfacial area for mass transfer between gas and liquid, the columns
are filled with packing.
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Packed towers are used for continuous counter current contacting of gas and
liquid in absorption. In the packed towers, gas enters the distributing space below the
packed section and rises upward through the openings or interstices in the packing
and contacts the descending liquid flowing through the same openings. A large area of
intimate contact between the liquid and gas is provided by the packing.

Many different types of tower packing have been developed and a number are
used quite often. Most of the tower packing is made of materials such as clay,
porcelain, metal or plastic. High void spaces of 65-95% are characteristics of good
packing. The packing permits relatively large volumes of liquid to pass counter
current to the gas flow through the openings with relatively low pressure drops for the
gas. In the experiment, glass Raschig rings packing is used which is more efficient. It
is given that the packing value is 8 mm glass Raschig Rings.

Figure 3.2: 8 mm glass Raschig ring packings

In a given packed tower with a given type and size of packing and with a
definite flow of liquid, there is an upper limit to the rate of gas flow called the
flooding velocity. Above this gas velocity, the tower cannot operate. At low
velocities, the liquid flows downward through the packing, it is not influenced by the
upward gas flow. As the gas flow rate is increased at low gas velocities, the pressure
drop is proportional to the flow rate. At loading points, the gas starts to hinder the
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liquid downflow and local accumulations or pools of liquids starts to appear in the
packing. The pressure drop of the gas starts to rise at faster rate. As the gas flow rate
is increased, the liquid holdup or accumulation increases. At the flooding point, the
liquid can no longer flow down through the packing and is blown out with the gas.

4.0 Apparatus

The apparatus used in this experiment are:

i. SOLTEQ-QVF Absorption column (Model: BP 751-B)

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5.0 Procedures

A) General start-up

1. All valves are closed except the ventilation valve V13.

2. All gas connections are ensured of properly fitted.

3. The valve on the compressed air supply line is opened. The supply pressure is set up

in between 2 to 3 bar by turning the regulator knob clockwise.

4. The shut-off valve on CO2 gas cylinder is opened. The CO2 gas cylinder pressure is

ensured to be sufficient.

5. The power for the control panel is turned on.

B) Experimental Procedures : Hydrodynamic of a Packed Column (Wet Column

Presssure Drop)

1. The general start up procedures are carried out

2. The receiving vessel B2 is filled with 50 L of water by opening valve V3 and V5.

3. Valve V3 is closed.

4. Valve V10 and valve V9 are slightly opened. The flow of water from vessel B1

through pump P1 is observed.

5. Pump 1 is switched on then valve V11 is slowly opened and adjusted to give a water

flow rate of around 1 L/min. Water is allowed to enter the top of column K1, flow

down the column and accumulate at the bottom until it overflows back to vessel B1.

6. Valve 11 is opened and adjusted to give a water flow rate of 0.5 L/min into column

K1.

7. Valve V1 is opened and adjusted to give an air flow rate of 40L/min into column

K1.
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8. The liquid and gas flow in the column 1 are observed, the pressure drop across the

column at dPT-201 is recorded.

9. Steps 6 to 7 are repeated with different values of air flow rate, where each time is

increased by 40L/min while the same water flow rate is maintained.

10. Steps 5 to 8 are repeated with different values of water flow rate, of which each time

is increased by 0.5L/min by adjusting valve 11.

C) General Shut-Down Procedures

1. Pump 1 is switched off.

2. Valves V1,V2 and V3 are closed

3. The valves on the compressed air supply line are closed and the supply pressure is

exhausted by turning the regulator knob counter clockwise all the way.

4. The shut-off valves on CO2 gas cylinder is closed

5. All liquid in the column in K1 is drained by opening valve V4 and V5.

6. All liquid from receiving vessels B1 and B2 are drained by opening valves V7 and

V8.

7. All liquid from pump 1 is drained by opening valve V10.

8. The power for the control panel is turned off.

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6.0 Results

Table 6.1: Pressure drop for Wet Column

Flow rate Pressure drop (mm H2O)

(L/min)
Air 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Water
1.0 0 0 1 3 4 6 8 10 14

2.0 0 3 6 9 11 17 21 Flooding Flooding

point point
3.0 0 13 17 23 28 Flooding Flooding Flooding Flooding
point point point point

Table 6.2: Log Gas Flow and Log Pressure Drop

Water 1.0 2.0 3.0

Air
Gas Log Pressure Log Pressure Log Pressure Log
Flow Gas drop Pressure drop Pressure drop Pressure
rate Flow (mm drop (mm drop (mm H2O) drop
rate H2O) (mm H2O) H2O) (mm (mm
H2O) H2O)
20 1.301 0 - 0 - 0 -
40 1.602 0 - 3 0.4771 13 1.1139
60 1.778 1 0 6 0.7782 17 1.2304
80 1.903 3 0.4771 9 0.9542 23 1.3617
100 2.0 4 0.6021 11 1.0414 28 1.4472
120 2.079 6 0.7782 17 1.2304 Flooding -
140 2.146 8 0.9031 21 1.3222 Flooding -
160 2.204 10 1.0000 Flooding - Flooding -
180 2.255 14 1.1461 Flooding - Flooding -
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Table 6.3: Theoretical Flooding Point

Air Air Gy y-axis x-axis x-axis x-axis Pressure drop correlated

Flow Flow (kg/ms2) (1 (2 (3 in mm H2O
rate rate LPM) LPM) LPM)
(L/min) (m3/h) 1 LPM 2 LPM 3 LPM
20 1.2 0.0779 0.001174 1.4568 2.9136 4.3705 2.083 6.25 14.60
40 2.4 0.1558 0.004696 0.7284 1.4568 2.1852 7.60 20.83 40.40
60 3.6 0.2337 0.010567 0.4856 0.9712 1.4568 19.16 27.50 72.50
80 4.8 0.3117 0.018798 0.3641 0.7282 1.0923 22.50 39.20 101.63
100 6.0 0.3896 0.029368 0.2913 0.5826 0.8739 25.83 41.70 110.90
120 7.2 0.4675 0.042286 0.2428 0.4855 - 59.32 83.32 -
140 8.4 0.5454 0.057552 0.2081 0.4162 - 80.81 116.63 -
160 9.6 0.6233 0.075167 0.1821 - - 103.30 - -
180 10.8 0.7012 0.095130 0.1618 - - 123.30 - -

Table 6.4: Log Pressure drop correlated in mm H2O

Log pressure drop correlated in mm H2O

1 LPM 2 LPM 3 LPM
0.3187 0.7959 1.1644
0.8808 1.3187 1.6064
1.2824 1.4393 1.8603
1.3522 1.5933 2.0070
1.4123 1.6201 2.0449
1.7732 1.9207 -
1.9075 2.0668 -
2.0141 - -
2.0910 - -
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Graph of Log Pressure Drop against Log Gas

Flow Rate
1.6
1.4
1.2
Log Pressure drop

1
0.8 3 LPM
0.6 2 LPM
0.4 1 LPM2
0.2
0
1.301 1.602 1.778 1.903 2 2.079 2.146 2.204 2.255
Log Gas Flow Rate

Figure 6.1: Graph of Log Pressure Drop against Log Gas Flow Rate

Graph of Log correlated Pressure Drop

against Log Gas Flow Rate
2.5
Log correlated Pressure drop

1.5
3 LPM
1 2 LPM
1 LPM
0.5

0
1.301 1.602 1.778 1.903 2 2.079 2.146 2.204 2.255
Log Gas Flow Rate

Figure 6.2: Graph of Log correlated Pressure Drop against Log Gas Flow
Rate
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7.0 Sample of Calculations

Data:
Density of air = 1.175kg/m3
Density of water= 996kg/m3
Column diameter = 80mm

Area of packed column diameter, Ac = D2 = (0.08m)2 = 0.005027 m2

Packing Factor = 900 m1

Water viscosity = 0.001Ns/m2
Acceleration due to gravity, gc = 1

Theoretical Flooding Point for 20 L/min:

1. GG, gas flow rate (kg/m2s)

G Xp
Gy =
Ac

20 L 1 min 1.175kg 1m 3
3

min 60 sec m 1000 L
0.005027

= 0.0779 kg/m2s

2. Capacity parameter, y-axis

L 0.1
(G y ) 2 F p (
)
L
=
G ( L G )

0.1
2
0.001
(0.0779) 900( )
= 996
1.175(996 1.175)

= 0.00174
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3. GL , liquid flowrate per unit column cross-sectional area

For 1 LPM

GL Y
=
AC

1L 1 min 996kg 1m 3

min 60 sec m3 1000 L
= 0.005027m 2

= 3.3022 kg/m2.s

For 2 LPM

GL Y
=
AC

2 L 1 min 996kg 1m 3

min 60 sec m3 1000 L
= 0.005027m 2

= 6.6043 kg/m2.s

For 3 LPM

GL Y
=
AC

3L 1 min 996kg 1m 3

min 60 sec m3 1000 L
= 0.005027m 2

= 9.9065 kg/m2.s
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4. Flow parameter , x- axis

For 1 LPM

x-axis =

= 1.4568

For 2 LPM

x-axis =

= 2.9136

For 3 LPM

x-axis =

= 4.3705
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8.0 Discussions

Throughout this experiment, the main objective is to determine the

relationship of air pressure drop across the column when different water flow rates are
used. The experiment based on the flow rate of liquid and gas in the packed.

Firstly the water flow rate is kept constant to 1 L/min and the air flow rate is
then recorded after 2 minutes interval. Air flow rate is kept rising at constant by 20
L/min every 2 minutes. All reading of pressure drop is then recorded until the
flooding point is reached. The pressure drops for flow rate of air are 0, 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8,
10 and 14 mm H20 respectively to 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160 and 180 L/min
of air. There is no flooding happen for water flow rates at 1 L/min.

The flow rate of water is then adjusted to 2 L/min, the data recorded are 0, 3,
6, 9, 11, 17 and 21 mm H20 respectively to 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 140 L/min of
air. It cannot reach 160 L/min of air flow rate as the water will sprayed out from the
column due to the high flow rate. Flooding happens.

As the water flow rate increased to 3 L/min, the data obtained are 0, 13, 17, 23
and 28 mm H20 respectively to 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 L/min of air flow rates. Beyond
120 L/min of air flow rates, the flooding occurs.

Above the flooding velocity, the tower cannot operate. In this experiment, the
flooding point is noticed when the water in the packing column suddenly shooting up
to the column with high speed and the monometer reading starts to be unstable.
Flooding occur when the flow rate of water is at 2 L/min and 3 L/min and do not
occur during the water flow rate is 1 L/min. Flooding point occurred at higher flow
rate of water and also gas. At high gas flow rate, the liquid is prevented from draining
down the tower by the frictional drag of the gas on the liquid. From the graph plotted,
it can be seen that the higher the gas flow rate, the higher the pressure drop.

The pressure drop for the volume water flow rate 1.0 (L/min), the range is
between 0.0 mm H2O until 14 mm H2O where 14 mm H2O is the highest pressure
drop at gas flow rate of 180 L/min. While the pressure drop for the volume water flow
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rate 2.0 L/min, the range is between 0.0 mm H2O until 21 mm H2O where 21 mm
H2O is the highest pressure drop at gas flow rate of 140 L/min. For volume water flow
rate 3.0 L/min, the pressure drop range is between 0.0 mm H2O until flooding point at
gas flow rate of 120 L/min.

It can be observed that as the gas flow rate increases, the pressure drop will
also increases. This is because packed tower used for continuous counter current
contact of liquid and gas is vertical columns which have been filled by packings. The
liquid is distributed over and trickles down to the packed bed thus exposing a large
surface to contact the gas. The frictional losses increase as the gas flow rate is
increased. Since both the gas and liquid are competing for the free cross-sectional area
left by packing, an increase in liquid flow rate will result in an increase in the
frictional losses thus producing an increase in the pressure drop also.

9.0 Conclusion

At the end of the experiment, flooding point has been identified. When the
volume water flow rate at 3.0 (L/min), the flooding point started at gas flow rate of
120 L/min. Plus, the pressure drop (P) as a function of gas (air) and liquid (water)
mass velocities ((L/min)) using flexi glass packed with Raschig rings has been
identified. The pressure drop for the volume water flow rate 1.0 (L/min), the range is
between 0.0 mm H2O until 14 mm H2O where 14 mm H2O is the highest pressure
drop at gas flow rate of 180 L/min. While the pressure drop for the volume water flow
rate 2.0 L/min, the range is between 0.0 mm H2O until 21 mm H2O where 21 mm
H2O is the highest pressure drop at gas flow rate of 140 L/min. For volume water flow
rate 3.0 L/min, the pressure drop range is between 0.0 mm H2O until flooding point at
gas flow rate of 120 L/min. It can conclude that as the gas flow rate increasing, the
pressure drop (P) will also increase. Thus, it can determine that all the objectives of
the experiment had been reached.
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10.0 Recommendations

In order to improve this experiment, a structured packing is used rather than

random packing. Example of structured packing is Flexipac and Mellapak. It has high
surface area which allows vapour-liquid contact area, having a good efficiency. It also
has a large void space per unit column volume which will minimize the resistance for
gas up flow thereby enhancing packing efficiency.

Furthermore, constantly adjust the volume flow rate when changes are made to
gas flow rate. This is because the volume flow rate will automatically change slightly
from its initial position as change is made in the gas flow rate.

This experiment can be improved by replacing the usage of water with

trigethylene glycol because when trigethylene glycol flows from top to bottom, it will
absorb water vapour in air. When the flow rate of trigethylene glycol increases, the
rate of water absorption also increases. Thus affecting its pressure drops.

11.0 References

Dixon, D., Higgins, K., Fox, B. (2012). Gas Absorption Into a Liquid in a Packed
Column. Oklahoma State University. Retrieved in 18 April 2016.

Gas-Liquid Absorption. Retrieved 19 April 2016

http://www.che.iitb.ac.in/courses/uglab/cl333n335/mt304-absorption.pdf

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

Fourth edition, page 653-660.

J. M Coulson et. al., Fluid Flow, Heat Transfer and Mass Transfer, Volume 1, 6th
Edition, Coulson & Richardson.
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Yunus A. Cengel et. al., Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals and Applications, 2nd Edition,
McGraw Hill.

12.0 Appendix
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