UNIVERSITI KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysian Institute of Chemical & Bioengineering

Technology

ENV 3053
Air Pollution Control Technology

Laboratory Report 6
Spray Chamber System
Date of experiment:
15th September 2006

PREPARED BY:
FITRINNAS BIN MOHAMMAD NAZRI
55100204074
NORAIN BT MOHD RAMLI
55100204079
SITI NUR BT YUSUF
55100204029
LECTURER: MR. TENGKU FAZLI TENGKU YAHYA
1.0 SUMMARY

The Spray Chamber System consists of mainly a spray (separation chamber, a

water re-circulation system, a feed container with a valve, an air blower, an outlet dust
filter and air flow meter with control valve. Five different spray nozzles have been
installed inside the chamber to produce five different droplet sizes. The experiment was
performed to determine the effect of droplet size upon separation efficiency of the spray
chamber unit by using different nozzle. The largest droplet size has less efficiency and the
smallest droplet size has better efficiency.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The spray chamber has five different spray nozzles that have been installed inside
the chamber to produce five different droplet sizes. A mist eliminator at the top section of
the chamber prevents water droplets from escaping. The water re-circulation tank consists
of a water tank, water pump, liquid flow meters, pressure gauge and regulator. The
different droplet sizes are for the separation process of dust. Spray chamber scrubbers
consist of empty cylindrical chambers in which the gas stream is contacted with liquid
droplets generated by spray nozzles.
The resulting spray droplets impact with the particle matters, which are larger
than 10m. The bulk of the liquor is separated by gravity and collects in the base of the
tower. Mist eliminator is required to prevent excessive carry over of droplets with the
clean gas. Spray chamber is a low energy scrubber and has low contacting power so it is
not intended for collection of small particulates. The droplets size from the nozzle can be
controlled to optimize particle contact. Furthermore, increasing of spray pressure will
decreased the droplet size in order to provide more surface area.

3.0 OBJECTIVES
-

To determine the effect of droplet size upon separation efficiency of the spray
chamber unit by using different nozzle
o Different nozzles were used to determine the efficiency.

4.0 METHODOLOGY
4.1 PROCEDURE
Below is the procedure to run the experiment.
1. Ensure that all valves are initially closed except valve V9 to be initially opened.
2. The Centrifugal Pump, P1 was switched on.
3. Depending on the nozzle to be tested, the isolation valve as outlined in Table 1
below was opened. Then, the appropriate control valve was adjusted so that the
nozzle pressure, PT1, was set according to Table 1.
Table 1: Operation Guide for AP03 Spray Chamber System
Nozzle

N1
N2
N3
N4
N5

Particle

Isolation

Set

Size

Valve

Pressure,

(m)
520
290
130
1000
190

V1
V2
V3
V4
V5

Flow meter

PT1
2 bar
2 bar
5 bar
2 bar
2 bar

Control
Valve

FM1
FM2
FM2
FM1
FM2

CV1
CV2
CV2
CV1
CV2

4. The nozzle water flow rate was recorded either flow meter FM1 or FM2
depending on the nozzle to be tested (Table 1)
5. Valve V9 was closed. The water level inside the spray chamber was increased
until it reached the desired level indicated by the line on the chamber. Once so,
the valve V9 was adjusted to maintain this water height.

6. The air blower speed controller was set to its minimum. The blower was switched
on. Then, the air blower speed controller was gradually adjusted so that the
blower frequency is set to 20.0Hz.
7. 1 kg of sample (300m sand) was poured into the feed vessel with the feed
control valve, V11 fully closed. Then, control valve V11 was opened slightly so
that the sample flow down steadily.
8. After all the sand had been delivered into the air stream, wait two minutes to
ensure all dust has cleared from the pipeline then the centrifugal water pump P1
and Centrifugal Air Blower was switched off.
9. Valve V9 was slowly opened to let the dust-laden water in the spray chamber flow
down by gravity to dust collecting bucket.
10. The dust was let to settle down in the bucket (approximately 5 minutes) once all
water has flowed down from the chamber.
11. The bucket was taken out carefully. The excess water was drained. Then the dust
was collected on a suitable oven tray. The wet sample was heat up in an oven at
200C for 2 hours until the sample becomes sufficiently dry.
12. The collected sample was weighted and the final weight was recorded.
13. The efficiency was calculated.

5.0 RESULTS
Experiment 1

a) Nozzle size - 130m (Nozzle 3, N3)

Flow rate: 0.07m/s
Set Pressure, PT1 (Bar)
Air blower speed (Hz)
Weight of sample loaded (g)
Weight of sample collected (g)
Collection efficiency, (%)

5
20
1000g
657g
65.7%

b) Nozzle size - 190m ( Nozzle 5, N5)

Flow rate: 0.08m/s
Set Pressure, PT1 (Bar)
Air blower speed (Hz)
Weight of sample loaded (g)
Weight of sample collected (g)
Collection efficiency, (%)

2
20
1000g
724g
72.4%

c) Nozzle size - 290m ( Nozzle 2, N2)

Flow rate: 0.06m/s
Set Pressure, PT1 (Bar)
Air blower speed (Hz)
Weight of sample loaded (g)

2
20
1000g

Weight of sample collected (g)

Collection efficiency, (%)

951g
95.1%

d) Nozzle size - 520m ( Nozzle 1, N1)

Flow rate: 5.58m/s
Set Pressure, PT1 (Bar)
Air blower speed (Hz)
Weight of sample loaded (g)
Weight of sample collected (g)
Collection efficiency, (%)

2
20
1000g
975g
97.5%

e) Nozzle size - 1000m ( Nozzle 4, N4)

Flow rate: 11.89m/s
Set Pressure, PT1 (Bar)
Air blower speed (Hz)
Weight of sample loaded (g)
Weight of sample collected (g)
Collection efficiency, (%)

2
20
1000g
987g
98.7%

The result obtained from the experiment is increasing in term of the efficiency by the size
of nozzle used. The highest efficiency of the nozzle used is obtained by nozzle 4 which
have the smallest droplets; 1000m. the lowest efficiency is obtained with nozzle 3 with
65.7% of efficiency.
6.0 DISCUSSION
The experiment is aimed to determine the effect of droplet size upon separation
efficiency of the spray chamber unit by using different nozzle. There are five types of
nozzles inside the chamber to produce five different droplet sizes.

In experiment 1, the frequency is made to constant at 20 Hz. Each and every

nozzle has different value of flowrate. From the data obtained, it shows that smaller size
droplet, resulted better efficiency and biggest size droplet which is 130 m is less
efficient. Note that, the sample use is sand with 300 microns in diameter.
The smaller size nozzle produced smaller sized droplets. The smaller droplets
have maximum surface area and increase the opportunity to pollutant to make contact
with the water. Note that the water level in the chamber need to be maintained at a secure
level by control the opening of valve V9. However, the flowrate also influence the
efficiency of the spray chamber collection. The flowrate of the water works with the size
of nozzle used, the higher, the better collection can be obtained.
However, some problems occur while running the experiment. The collected sand
from the filter is not wholly weight as some of the sand remains on the filter. In addition,
there are sand losses after the drying process which has affected the final weight reading.

7.0 CONCLUSION
From the experiment, it can be concluded that smaller droplet size, better
efficiency of the collected particle/pollutant. As mentioned in discussion section, the
smaller droplet has maximum surface area so that the particle is easily contacted with
water and be collected. The frequency of the blower is maintained at 20 Hz.
8.0 REFERENCE
1. William L Heumann, Industrial Air Pollution Control System, Mc Graw Hill,
New York. 1997.