UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN KIMIA

HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER LABORATORY
(CHE504)

NAME : AMIRUL AZWAN BIN ARMEE (2019406066)

: AHMAD AKIF BIN MD GHAZALI (2019295124)
: AIZAH BINTI JAMARUDIN (2019207276)
: ALIA NATASYA BINTI MOHAMAD (2019614908)
: AYU BAIDURI BINTI HASMIZAM (2019612686)
: NUR MARYAM SHAHIDA BINTI MOHD RAHIPUDDIN (2019268736)
GROUP : EH2204F
EXPERIMENT : HYDRODYNAMICS OF A PACKED COLUMN (WET COLUMN
PRESSURE DROP)
DATE PERFORMED : 1 APRIL 2021
SEMESTER PROGRAMME / CODE : EH220
SUBMIT TO : DR. SUFFIYANA AKHBAR

No. Title Allocated Marks (%) Marks

1 Abstract/Summary 5
2 Introduction 5
3 Aims 5
4 Theory 10
5 Apparatus 5
6 Methodology/Procedure 10
7 Results 10
8 Calculations 10
9 Discussion 20
10 Conclusion 5
11 Recommendations 5
12 Reference 5
13 Appendix 5
TOTAL MARKS 100

Remarks:

Checked by:

Date:
 Hydrodynamics of a Packed Column
(Wet Column Pressure Drop)
Amirul Azwan bin Armee (2019406066), Ahmad Akif bin Md Ghazali (2019295124), Aizah binti Jamarudin (2019207276), Alia
Natasya binti Mohamad (2019614908), Ayu Baiduri binti Hasmizam (2019612686), Nur Maryam Shahida binti Mohd
Rahipuddin (2019268736)

Abstract— The aim of this experiment is to Packed columns are used for distillation, gas
examine the air pressure drop across the column absorption and liquid-liquid extraction. The gas-
as a function of air flow rate for different water liquid contact in a packed column is continuous, not
flow rates through the column. For water stage-wise, as in a plate column. The liquid flows
flowrates of 1 L/min, 2 L/min, and 3 L/min, the down in the column over a packing surface and the
pressure drop was recorded every 2 minutes at air vapor moves counter-currently, up the column. In the
flowrates of 20 L/min, 40 L/min, 60 L/min, 80 counter-current two-phase flow of gas and liquid, a
L/min, 100 L/min, 120 L/min, 140 L/min, 160 pressure drop occurs in the packed column. It is
L/min, and 180 L/min. The experiment will important to know the pressure drop in the gas phase
continue until it reaches the point of flooding, and in single- and two-phase counter-current flow
the water flow rate will be changed to 2 L/min and through random or structured packings, in order to
3 L/min respectively. From the experiment, we can assess the operating mode of packed columns.
conclude that if the air flowrate increases, the (Jerzy Maćkowiak, 2009) The towers are also known
pressure drop also increases. According to the as scrubbers.
result, the theoretical pressure drop of this
experiment is 7.083 mm H20/m while experimental A long vertical column used in industry for absorbing
value is 25.49 mm H20/m. This experiment's gases. The gas is introduced at the bottom of
percentage error for water flow rate at 1 L/min the column and the absorbing liquid, often water,
is12.5%, while there is no percentage error for passes in at the top and falls against the counter
water flow rate at 2 L/min and 3 L/min. Flooding current of gas. (Oxford) Flooding is brought about by
is high at 1 L/min water flowrate compared to 2 excessive vapour flow, causing liquid to be entrained
L/min and 3 L/min based on experimental result. in the vapour up the column. At this point the
A higher flooding point would result a large entire column is filled liquid and the gas now has to
pressure drop and packings in the column will be bubble through the liquid in the packing voids.
damaged. The experiment was successfully
completed, and objectives were achieved.
II. OBJECTIVES
Keywords—abstract, introduction, objectives, The objectives of the experiment are to examine the
theory, material and apparatus, procedures, air pressure drop across the column as a function of
results and calculations, discussion, conclusion, air flow rate for different water flow rates through the
recommendations, references, two column format, column, to plot the graph of column pressure drop
Times New Roman, size 10, APA style, packed against the air flow rate in log – log graph, to obtain
column, absorption column. the pressure drop from the generalized correlation
chart as in Appendix and to compare the experimental
value and the correlated value.
I. INTRODUCTION
Absorption, or gas absorption, is a unit operation used
in the chemical industry to separate gases by washing III. THEORY
or scrubbing a gas mixture with a suitable liquid. One Gas absorption is a mass transfer process where more
or more of the constituents of the gas mixture than one species is removed from a gaseous stream
dissolves or is absorbed in the liquid and can thus be by dissolution in a liquid. The component extracted
removed from the mixture. (Manuel Laso, Urs von from the vapour stream is known as solute of the
Stockar, 2017) solution meanwhile the component extracting the
solute is known as solvent. The carrier gas is the
insoluble component exist in the gas which is not Operating Line Equation
absorbed by the solvent. Variations in composition are constant from one end
to the other in a packed absorption column. The
Gas-Liquid Equilibrium material balances for the portion of the column above
A Gas-Liquid Equilibrium is considering the system an arbitrary segment, as shown in Figure 3, are
where a gaseous component A is in equilibrium with similar to the single stage equilibrium phase. The
both air and water at a given temperature. The subscript for component A, on the other hand, is
equilibrium relationship between the partial pressure, omitted because it is the only component that is
pA in the gas phase and the composition, xA in the moved between phases.
liquid phase can often be expressed by a straight line
Henry’s Law equation at low concentrations.

[Equation 1]
[Equation 2]
[Equation 3]

H is used frequently as it is independent of the total

system pressure. Equilibrium data for most systems Figure 3 Material balance diagram for packed
obey Henry’s Law up to a concentration of 1 mol% in absorption column
the liquid phase.
The operating line can be drawn on a graph along
with the equilibrium curve, as shown in Figure 4
below. It must be above the equilibrium line for
absorption to occur, since this provides a positive
driving force for solute transfer from the gas phase to
the liquid phase.

Figure 1 Equilibrium data and Henry’s Law

Single Stage Equilibrium Process

Before evaluating the design calculations of an
absorption column, it is important to understand the
principles of a single stage equilibrium process. It is
known as a process in which two different phases are
brought into close proximity and then separated.
After considerable mixing, various components move
between the two phases and are basically at Figure 4 Operating line for absorption process
equilibrium with each other. Figure 2 below shows
the process. [Equation 5]

Mass Transfer in Absorption Process

Two immiscible phases (gas and liquid) are present in
an absorption process, and the solute diffuses from
one phase to the other through an interface between
the two phases. A solute A must pass through phase
V, the interface, and then phase L in order to diffuse
Figure 2 Single Stage Equilibrium Process from the gas phase V to the liquid phase L. Since
mass transfer across the interface is normally
The solute A is normally in the gas phase V with inert
negligible, xi and yi are in equilibrium with one
gas and in the liquid phase L with inert liquid in a
another and are linked in an equilibrium relationship.
gas-liquid system. Both the L and V phases contain
only binary components if the gas is insoluble in the
liquid phase and the liquid does not vaporize to the
gas phase.

[Equation 4]

Figure 5 Concentration profile for diffusion across

the gas-liquid interface
Generally, the rates of mass transfer in a packed
absorption column can be quantified by four different
equations:

Gas Film: [Equation 6a]

Liquid Film: [Equation 6b]
Overall gas: [Equation 6c]
Overall liquid: [Equation 6d]

A line drawn with the slope of (–kxa / kya) from the Figure 7 Limiting liquid to gas ratio
operating line will intersect the equilibrium line at the
Since the driving forces for mass transfer become
interface composition (xi, yi). This is shown in Figure
zero at point B1 at the bottom of the column, an
4.
infinitely high packed absorption column is required
at this limiting condition. To achieve the required
change in the outlet gas composition in a specific
column, the liquid flow rate must be higher than this
minimum.

Height of Absorption Column

Any of the rate equations in [12a-d] can be used to
design the height of an absorption column, but the
overall gas film coefficient, Kya, is often used.

Figure 6 Interface and Equilibrium Compositions

The overall driving forces for absorption are

represented by the vertical or horizontal line distances
on the x-y diagram. The overall coefficients Kya and
Kxa can be related to the gas or liquid film
coefficients kya and kxa by the local slope of the
equilibrium curve, m as follows: Figure 8 Diagram for packed absorption column

[Equation 8a]
[Equation7a]
[Equation 8b]
[Equation 7b]
Where is the logarithmic mean of
The mass transfer is said to be liquid film regulating
when these two coefficients are approximately the
same magnitude and m is much greater than 1.0. For In general, there are four kinds of transfer units based
CO2 in water at 20°C and 1 atm, Henry's Law on individual or overall driving forces:
coefficient is 1430, which equals the value of m. On
the other hand, when a gas's solubility in a liquid is Gas film: and [Equation 9a]
very high, the value of m is very small, and the mass
transfer is said to be gas film regulating. Liquid film: and [Equation 9b]
Overall gas: and [Equation 9c]
Limiting Gas to Liquid Ratio Overall liquid: and [Equation 9d]
The inlet gas flow, VB, and its composition, yB, are
usually known in an absorption phase. The absorption
column's outlet gas concentration, yT, is also fixed as Pressure Drop in Packed Columns
a criterion, and the inlet liquid concentration, xT, is Fluid friction between the packings causes the
also determined by the process specifications. The pressure drop in a packed column. Figure 9 shows the
amount of liquid flow entering the system, LT, must pressure drop per unit packing depth against the gas
be calculated. flow rate, Gy (mass per hour per unit empty column
cross sectional area), in logarithmic coordinates.
 Absorption Column

Figure 9 Pressure drop in a packed column in

logarithmic coordinates

The line is straight when the packaging is dry,

resulting in a power relationship between pressure
drop and gas flow rate. If the packing is irrigated with
a continuous flow of liquid, however, the relationship
between pressure drop and gas flow rate initially
follows a line parallel to the dry packing relationship.
Since liquid in the column decreases the space
available for gas flow, the pressure drop is greater
than for the same gas flow rate in dry packing. Since
the gas now obstructs the down flowing liquid, the
line for the irrigated packing becomes steeper at
higher gas flow rates. At a point in which liquid
holdup starts to increase, the slope of the pressure
drop changes. This is called the loading point. Figure 10 - The Packed Column Used in The
Experiment
A widely used correlation for estimating pressure
drops in packed column is shown in Figure 10, with V. PROCEDURES
the following parameters:
General Start-Up Procedures
Ensure all valves were closed except the ventilation
[Equation 10] value V13. Checked that all gas connections were
[Equation 11] properly fitted. Opened the valve on the compressed
air supply line. Set the supply pressure to between 2
to 3 bar by turning the regulator knob clockwise.
Opened the shut-off valve on the CO2 gas cylinder.
Checked that the CO2 cylinder pressure was
sufficient. Replace the cylinder if necessary. Turn on
the power for the controlled panel.

Procedures
Filled the receiving vessel B2 through the charge port
with 50L of water by opening valve V3 and V5.
Closed valve V3. Opened valve V10 and valve V9
slightly. Observe the flowed of water from vessel B1
through pump P1. Switch on pump P1, then slowly
opened and adjust valve V11 to give a water flow rate
of around 1 L/min. Allowed the water to entered the
top of column K1, flowed down the column and
Figure 10 Generalized correlation for pressure drop accumulate at the bottom until it overflows backed
in packed columns (1 in.H2O/ft = 817 Pa/m) into vessel B1. Opened and adjust valve V11 to give
a water flow rate of 1.0 L/min into column K1.
Opened and adjust valve V1 to give an air flowed rate
IV. MATERIAL & APPARATUS of 20 L/min into column K1. Observe the liquid and
gas flowed in the column K1, and record the pressure
Material dropped across the column at dPT-201. Repeated
Water steps 6 to 7 with different values of air flow rate, each
time increasing by 20 L/min after 2 minutes while
Apparatus maintaining the same water flow rate. Repeated steps
5 to 8 with different values of water flowed rate, each Table 5: Log Pressure Drop and Log Air Flowrate
time increasing by 1.0 L/min by adjusting valve V11. Value (Experimental).

General Shut-Down Procedures

Switch off pump P1. Closed valves V1, V2 and V12.
Closed the valve on the compressed air supply line
and exhaust the supply pressure by turning the
regulator knob counterclockwise all the way. Closed
the shut-off valve on the CO2 gas cylinder. Drain all
liquid in the column K1 by opening valve V4 and V5.
Drain all liquid from the receiving vessels B1 and B2
by opening valves V7 and V8. Drain all liquid from
the pump P1 by opening valve V10. Turn off the F*=Flooding
power for the controlled panel.
Table 6: Log Pressure Drop and Log Air Flowrate
Value (Theoretical)
VI. RESULT

Table 1: Pressure Drop at Different Water Flow

Rate and Air Flow Rate.

F*=Flooding Table 7: Data from Calculation to Determine

Theoretical Pressure Drop.
Table 2: Pressure Drop at Different Water Flow
Rate and Air Flow Rate.

F*=Flooding

Table 3: Theoretical Pressure Drop at Different

Water Flow Rate and Air Flow Rate.

Table 8: Percentage Error of The Experiment.

F*=Flooding

Table 4: Theoretical Pressure Drop at Different

Water Flow Rate and Air Flow Rate.

F*=Flooding
 Sample Calculation for Cross Sectional Area of
Packed Column

Cross-sectional Area, Ac
=
=
= 0.005 m2

Sample Calculation for Gas Mass Velocity, 𝐆𝐲

Gas mass velocity, Gy,

=

=
Figure 11 : Graph Log Pressure Drop vs Log Air
Flow Rate = 0.0779 kg/m2s
From the graph, it shows the log pressure drop
increases as the log air flowrate increases. Also Sample Calculation for Liquid Mass Velocity, 𝐆𝐱
indicates as air flowrate increases, the pressure drop Liquid mass velocity, Gx
increases. For the 1 LPM water flowrate, the data of
=
the experimental shows a huge pressure drop
comparing to the theoretical data. This is also
happened on the 2 LPM water Flowrate but for 3 =
LPM water flowrate, the pressure drop of the
experimental data shows a slightly drop comparing = 3.32 kg/m2s
with the theoretical data.
Sample Calculation for Capacity Parameter, y-
VII. CALCULATION axis
Given,
y-axis =
Data for Theoretical Pressure Drop Calculations:

Density of air, ρy = 1.175 kg/m3 =

Density of water, ρx = 996 kg/m3 = 0.0011
Viscosity of water, µx = 0.0008 kg/m.s
Heigh of column, H = 0.8 m Sample Calculation for Flow Parameter, x-axis
Diameter of column, D = 80 mm
Packing factor, Fp = 990 m3
Gravitational constant, gc = 1 x-axis =

Changing the unit Viscosity of water, µx

=
0.0008 kg/m.s = 0.8 cP
= 1.4661
Sample Calculation for Kinematic Viscosity of
Sample Calculation for Theoretical Pressure Drop
Water, vx
Units, in H2O/ft to mm H2O/m
Kinematic viscosity of water, vx ,
Theoretical Pressure Drop Unit, ΔPTheory
=
=

=
ΔPTheory = 7.083 mm H20/m
= 0.8032 x 10-6 m2/s
Sample Calculation for Pressure Drop Units, liquid. The pressure drop is higher, but still
mBar to mm H2O/m proportional to the square of the gas velocity (Kiefer,
2021). Hence, flooding occurs faster than the lower
: water flow rates.

= ) For the theoretical pressure drop, it is collected from

ΔPExp = 25.49 mm H20/m the intersection between flow parameter and capacity
*1 mm Bar = 10.19716212779 mm H20 parameter in the Generalized Correlation for Pressure
(ConvertsUnits.com, n.d.) Drop in Packed Column (Figure 13).
Sample Calculation for Percentage Error

Percentage Error (%) :

Percentage Error (%) =

Percentage Error (%) = 12.5 %

VIII. DISCUSSION
The purpose 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. This experiment results are shown in the log-
log graph. In the first experiment by using 1 L /min of
water flow rate, the air flow rate is regulated to 20 L
Figure 13
/min with an addition of 20 L/min for the next results
until 180 L/min for each 2 min. The data of the
It is proven that the experimental data is valid as it
pressure drop is collected until flooding occurs. Then,
shows the same pattern of data.
the experiment is proceed with the next water flow
rate which are 2 L /min and 3 L /min. Although the relationship of pressure drop and the air
flow rate is proportional in each theoretical and
experimental data, there is a slight error occurred. For
1 L / min of water flow rate, the theoretical flooding
air flow rate occur at 160 L/min. Meanwhile, the
experimental flooding air flow rate occur at 140 L
/min. Hence, the percentage error is around 12.5%.
This happens due to error occur during controlling the
water from exceeding the entrance of the gas flow
rate at the bottom of the column. For the 2 L/min and
3 L/min of water flow rate, the theoretical and
experimental flooding air flow rate both at the same
rate. For 2 L /min and 3L/min, The flooding air flow
rate is 120 L/min and 80 L/min respectively.

An error also maybe occurs due to parallax error

during the regulation for the next flow rate. The flow
rate maybe exceeded from the desired scale which
affects the flooding flow rate and resulting different
Figure 12
value of pressure drop. Secondly, an error also occurs
due to the condition of the packing within the tower.
Contingent on Figure 12, it clearly shows that the log Whether the packing is not the same as in theory or
pressure drop increases when the log air flow rate maybe some damage could occur in the packings.
increases. This also express that pressure drop is However, it is still valid even with some slight error
increases when the air flow rate increases. Based on and it is proven that high water flow rate resulting
the graph, we can see that when the water flow rate flooding to happen faster.
increases, the log air flow rate decreases. This is
because at higher water flow rates, the effective open
cross section is smaller because of the presence of
 IX. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the experiment were conducted to
examine the air pressure drop across the column as a
function of air flow rate for different water flow rates.
From the experiment, the flooding point were
determined for respective 1 LPM, 2 LPM and 3 LPM.
As for 1 LPM, of water flow rate, the theoretical
flooding air flow rate is 160L/min while the
experimental value is 140 L/min. This results in
experimental error value of 12.5%. For the water
flowrate at 2 LPM and 3 LPM, the theoretical and
experimental value are both at same rate which are 120
L/min and 80 L/min respectively. The air flowrate
increases as the pressure drop increases. Therefore, we
can conclude that the objectives of the experiment had
been successfully reached.

X. RECOMMENDATION
There are a few recommendations that can be made to
enhance the experiment in order to come up with a
better results. First of all, it is advisable to constantly
check the valve controlling the level of water flowing
back to the water reservoir to get more accurate
reading. We can also change the air with other inert
gases to observe the behavior of pressure drop. Next,
avoid trapped air by ensuring the level of water is
higher than the bottom of reservoir. Besides that,
check all the valves are closed before using the
column.
XI. REFERENCES

[1] Kiefer, D. (2021, March 27). Packedcolumn Flood

And Pressure Drop - Pressure Drop. Buffalo
Brewing Blog.
https://www.buffalobrewingstl.com/pressure-
drop/packedcolumn-flood-and-pressure-drop.html

[2] Maćkowiak, J. (2009, June 26). Pressure Drop of

Dry Packed Columns. Retrieved from Springer
Link:
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/b9839
7_3#:~:text=In%20the%20counter%2Dcurrent%
20two,operating%20mode%20of%20packed%20
columns

[3] Unknown. (n.d.). Absorption Column. Retrieved

from Oxford Reference:
https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/
oi/authority.20110803095345651

[4] Unknown. (n.d.). Column Diameter and Pressure

Drop. Retrieved from Separation Process:
http://www.separationprocesses.com/Absorption/
GA_Chp04a.htm#:~:text=At%20this%20point%
20the%20entire,flooding%20velocity%20(limiti
ng%20velocity).