EXPERIMENT 1:

EFFECT OF WATER AND AIR FLOW CHANGES IN GAS ABSORPTION

1.0

Objective

Study the relationship between water and air flow rate changes and their effect on pressure drop of an absorption column.

Study the effect of an air flow rate on a flooding point in an absorption column. Study the effect of water flow rate on flooding point in an absorption column.

2.0

Introduction

Many chemical process materials and biological substances occur as mixture of different components in the gas, liquid, or solid phase. In order to separate or remove one or more of the components from its original mixture, it must be contacted with another phase. When the two contacting phases are a gas and a liquid, the unit operation is called absorption. A solute or several solutes are absorbed from the gas phase into a liquid phase in absorption.

3.0

Equipment A A J

E F G

M N

Q S T

Z A U V

Legend A Control panel B CO2 regulator C CO2 cylinder D Reservoir with pressure gauge E Air compressor F Collecting tank G Water pump H Water tank I Berls saddle J Tower coloumn K Manometer (Bottom-middle) L Manometer (Bottom-top) M Air flow meter N Water flow meter O CO2 flow meter P CO2 cylinder valve Q - Main ON/OFF & water pump ON/OFF R CO2 control valve S Water control valve T Air control valve U CO2 sensor (final) V CO2 sensor (initial) W Gas stream incoming valve X Gas stream drain valve Y Water pump by-pass valve Z Water stream drain valve AA Collecting tank inlet valve

4.0

Safety & precaution

1. Place the apparatus on opened air laboratory or good ventilation area. 2. The gas stream incoming valve (W) must always be fully closed unless there is air/gas flow in the stream line. 3. Do not leave water in the column without air/gas flow. Water will flood the CO2 sensor and damage the sensor if the gas stream incoming valve (W) is opened. 4. Do not regulate the CO2 flow rate for more than 10 SCFH as too much of CO 2 is harmful to human. 5. Do not leave any pressure in the air/gas stream line after shut down. 6. Do not regulate the water flow rate for more than 3 GPM. 7. Be careful when regulating the CO2 regulator (B). Please report to instructor if there is any CO2 leakage. 8. No body part should touch any rotating part of the air compressor. 9. The compressor air should not exceed 8.5 bar. Any pressure exceeded 8.5 bar, please shut off the air compressor immediately.

10. Do not start the water pump if there is no water in the water tank. 11. Do not start the water pump with the by-pass valve (Y) is fully closed. 12. Do not impact the glass column. 13. Shut off the water pump immediately when the water level in the column reached the highest point on the glass column. 14. Shut off the water pump immediately if there is any water leakage. 15. Shut off the CO2 gas supply immediately if there is any gas leakage.

5.0

Procedure

5.1.

Pre-Procedure

1. Only normal air was use in this experiment. CO2 gas was not use in this experiment. 2. LS-32021-GAC Gas Absorption Column Unit was placed on a level floor. 3. The CO2 regulator valve (B) and CO2 cylinder valve (P) was ensure is fully closed. 4. The three valve (R, S and T) was ensure located below the flow meters are fully closed. 5. The gas stream incoming valve (W), gas stream drain valve (X) and collecting tank inlet valve (AA) was ensured is fully closed. (Caution : The gas stream incoming valve must always be fully closed unless there is air/gas flow in the stream). 6. The water tank (H) inlet valve, water pump by pass valve (Y) and water stream drain valve was ensured is fully opened (or alternatively collecting tank inlet valve (AA) is fully opened). 7. The drain valve for the water tank (H) was ensured is fully closed. Drain valve for the collecting tank (F) should be open if water is to be discharge directly. 8. The air compressor (E) and the CO2 cylinder was placed next to the unit. 9. The air compressor 3 pin was plug to the 3 pin plug pocket which is located at the side of the control panel (A) (Reminder : Do not switch on). 10. An air hose from the air compressor outlet was connected to the reservoir inlet (D) which is located at the bottom of the steel frame. The valve at the air compressor was opened. 11. An air hose from the CO2 regulator (B) was connected to the CO2 inlert port which is located at the side of control panel (near the 3 pin plug socket). The hose was ensured is tightening properly.

12. A water hose from the laboratory water supply was connected to the tank (H). the water tank was filled with clean water. 13. The Gas Absorption Coloumn Unit 3 pin was pluged to the laboratory 240VAC main power supply.The power was switched ON. 14. The unit main power supply (Q) was switched ON. The MCB/ELCB was ensured is sitched ON. 15. The air compressor power supply was switched ON. The air compressor was allowed to compress the air in the tank. The pressure gauge (D) reading was kept an eye the pressure should not exceed 8.5 bar.

5.2 Experiment procedure

1. The water level in both of the manometers was balanced by pressing the release valves which is located top of the manometer. 2. The water pump was switched ON by pressing the green push button (Q). The water stream drain valve was opened (or alternatively collecting tank inlet valve (AA) is fully opened). 3. The by-pass valve (Y) was closed to half of it original position. The water flow meter (N) was keep on eye. The water flow rate was set to 1.0 GPM by regulating the water control valve (S). (Caution : Do not regulate the water flow rate for more than 3 GPM and valve W must be closed if there is no air/gas flow in the stream line). 4. The air control valve (T) was opened slowly and the gas stream incoming valve (W) was opened. The air flow meter (M) was keep on eye. The air flow rate was set to 2.0 SCFM by regulating the air control valve (T). (Reminder : Read the largest diameter to indicate flow rate). 5. The water flow rate and air flow rate was leaved to run for about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the data was taken for pressure drop P from both manometers. The air flow rate and water flow rate were make sure are always constant. The reading was recorded to a table. 6. Step 3 and step 4 was repeated by manipulating the air flow rate (i.e,2.40 4.20 SCFM) until the flooding point was observed (when the water level reached higher than the gas obserber).

7. Step 3 and step 4 was repeated with a constant air flow rate at 2.0 SCFM and the water flow rate was manipulated (i.e, 0.60 1.40 SCFM). 8. Both of the water flow rate and gas flow rate were converted to liter per minutes (LPM) unit.

6.0

Results

Useful data :

1 GPM 1 SCFM 1 SCFH

= 3.785 LPM = 28.316 LPM = 0.472 LPM

Effect of Water and Air Flow Changes Constant Water Flow Rate P (topbot) P (botmid)

Water Time (min) flow rate (GPM) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00

Air flow rate (SCFM)

Water flow rate (LPM)

Air flow rate (LPM)

log P (topbot)

log P (midbot) 1.56 1.57 1.60 1.59 1.62 1.65 1.66 1.58

log air flow rate

2.00 2.40 2.60 3.00 3.40 3.80 4.00 4.20

3.785 3.785 3.785 3.785 3.785 3.785 3.785 3.785

56.632 67.958 73.622 84.948 96.274 107.601 113.264 118.927

75 85 84 85 91 102 94 81

36 37 40 39 42 45 46 38

1.88 1.93 1.92 1.93 1.96 2.01 1.97 1.91

1.75 1.83 1.86 1.93 1.98 2.03 2.05 2.08

Constant Air Flow Rate P (topbot) P (botmid)

Water Time (min) flow rate (GPM)

Air flow rate (SCFM)

Water flow rate (LPM)

Air flow rate (LPM)

log P (topbot)

log P (midbot)

log water flow rate

1 2 3 4 5

0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40

2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

2.271 3.028 3.785 4.542 5.299

56.632 56.632 56.632 56.632 56.632

17 32 84 121 165

14 18 49 84 125

1.23 1.51 1.92 2.08 2.22

1.15 1.26 1.69 1.92 2.10

0.36 0.48 0.58 0.60 0.72

GRAPH

CONSTANT WATER FLOW RATE:

log P (top- bot) VS log air flow rate

2.05 2

log P (topbot)
1.95 1.9 1.85 1.8 1.75 1.83 1.86 1.93 1.98 2.03 2.05 2.08

Log Air flow rate

CONSTANT AIR FLOW RATE

log P (top- bot) VS Log air flow rate

2.5 2

log P (topbot)
1.5 1 0.5 0 0.36 0.48 0.58 0.6 0.72

Log Air flow rate

7.0

DISCUSSION

Based on the result, it shows that there is two type of table to be determined which are the constant air flow rate and the constant water flow rate table. For the constant water flow rate table, the time that be taken for this experiment is about 8 minutes, while for the constant air flow rate table, the time that be taken for this experiment is about 5 minutes. Based on the result table, the air flow rate (SCFM) for constant water flow rate is increasing compared to the constant air flow rate which is constant. But, for the next table column, its shows that the water flow rate (LPM) for constant water flow rate table is constant, while the water flow rate (LPM) for constant air flow rate table is increasing. The reading for both tables is taken for making a graph. Based on the graph, the constant water flow rate graph shows that the line is fluctuated which is sometimes increase and decrease while for the constant air flow rate graph shows that the line is linear which is increasing from starting until to the end of the experiment.

8.0

CONCLUSIONS

The experiment was conducted in order to find out the relationship between water and air flow rate, as well as the effects on pressure drop of an absorption column. Besides that, the study also was made to observe the effect of an air flow rate on a flooding point in an absorption column. Next the effect of water flow rate on the flooding point in the absorption column also is traced to be the key objectives in the experiment.

What can be concluded is that the CO2 analyzer calibration equation was found to be consistent with a theoretical relationship called the non-overlapping line approximation, which describes infrared absorption as a function of CO2 mole fraction, pressure and temperature. This theoretical model and the concept of equivalent pressure predicted a form for the water correction that gives good accuracy over a wide range of conditions using a single physically meaningful parameter. Theory shows that all CO2 analyzers will show some response to water vapor because infrared absorption per mole CO2 changes with total pressure and diluents gas composition. The magnitude of the water effect is larger than those for most other gases.

9.0

REFERENCES

1. Bunce, J. A. and D. A. Ward. 1985. Errors in differential infrared carbon dioxide analysis resulting from water vapor. Photosynthesis Res. 6: 289 - 294. 2. Ball, J. T. 1987. Calculations related to gas exchange, Ch. 20. In:Stomatal Function, E. Zeiger, G. D. Farquhar and I. R. Cowan, Eds. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 3. Burch, D. E., E. B. Singleton and D. Williams. 1962. Absorption line broadening in the infrared. Applied Optics 1: 359 - 363. 4. Jamieson, J. A., R. H. McFee, G. N. Plass, R. H. Grube and R. G.Richards. 1963. Infrared Physics and Engineering. McGrawHill, New York, 673 pp.