UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CHNG 2009 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
LABORATORY 2 2010
NAME OF EXPERIMENT: ABSORPTION IN
A PACKED COLUMN (MT4)
INFORMAL
DATE CONDUCTED: 27TH SEPTEMBER,
2010
DATE SUBMITTED: 11TH OCTOBER, 2010
NAME OF STUDENT: TERRANCE ALI
STUDENT ID: 809000670
LAB GROUP: B

ABSTRACT
The objective of this experiment was to calculate the rate of
absorption of Carbon Dioxide into water from analysis of liquid
solutions flowing down the absorption tower. In order to do this, an
absorption column was used and water was allowed to flow down with
column with Carbon Dioxide in air flowing up the column. Sample of
the water were collected at a point below the column and from the
Sump Tank and these were titrated with Sodium Hydroxide to
determine the amount of free CO2 in the water. It was seen that the
results from the titrations varied throughout the course of the
experiment. The rate of absorption at both points analyzed reached a
maximum and then decreased during the time for which the
experiment was conducted. Graphs were plotted which demonstrate
these relationships. The rate of absorption for the Sump Tank and
Sample Point after twenty minutes were 1.948x10 -5 mols-1 and
8.656x10-7 mols-1 respectively.

EXPERIMENTAL
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

Armfield Gas/ Liquid Absorption Column consisting of the

following:
- Absorption column
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) flow meter
- Water (H2O) flow meter
- Air flow meter
- Pump
- Compressor
- Sump tank
- Air and water valves
- Delivery tubes
Beakers
Conical flasks
Burettes
Funnel
Stopwatch
Measuring cylinders
Phenolphthalein indicator
0.0227 M Sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH)

Please refer to the Appendix for a Sketch of the Apparatus used.

PROCEDURE
1. The

sump

tank

was

filled

with

water

until

it

was

approximately three-quarters full, and the volume recorded

as VT.
2. The gas flow valves for air and carbon dioxide were then
checked to ensure that they were closed.
3. The liquid pump was started and the flow through the
column was set to six (6) litres per minute on the water flow
meter. This value was also recorded.
4. The compressor was subsequently started and the air flow
valve was adjusted to produce a flow rate of approximately
10% of the full scale on the air flow meter.
5. The pressure regulating valve on the carbon dioxide cylinder
was slowly opened and the value on the carbon dioxide flow
meter was set to approximately one half of the air flow rate.
6. The system was allowed to operate for fifteen (15) minutes,
following which six samples of volume 120-150ml were taken
from the sump tank (S5) and sampling point (S4) at intervals
of ten (10) minutes.
7. Using a measuring cylinder, 100ml of each sample were
measured and placed in separate conical flasks.
8. With the use of a funnel, the burette was filled with sodium
hydroxide solution and the initial reading recorded.
9. A dropper was then used to add five (5) to ten (10) drops of
phenolphthalein indicator to each sample.
10. Providing that the solution remained colourless, each
sample was titrated against the standard 0.0277M sodium

hydroxide solution (NaOH) until a definite pink colour

remained. The final burette reading was then recorded.

RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

Volume of water in Sump Tank, VT = 37.5 L

Table 1: Titration Results

Volume NaOH (Vb)
/ ml
S4
S5
(Sample
(Sump
Point)
Tank)

Sampl
e
Numb
er

Tim
e/
min
s

27.6

23.3

10

28.7

25.2

20

27.8

27.8

30

33.2

28.9

40

31.7

28.2

50

30.7

25.2

Amount of Free CO2 Present in the Water Sample

Reaction between Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Sodium Hydroxide

(NaOH):
CO2 + 2NaOH Na2CO3 + H2O
From the stoichiometric equation above, it can be seen that one (1)
mole of Carbon Dioxide reacts with two (2) moles of Sodium
Hydroxide.

Therefore, concentration of free CO2 (mol/L) in water sample is given

by:

Free CO2=
Using sample 1 from the Sump Tank (S5), we get:

Free CO2=
CD=3.227x10-3mol/L

Average Rate of Absorption of CO2

Average Rate=

Using Sample 2 from the Sump Tank:

Average Rate=

= 1.645 x 10-5 mols-1

CO2 Absorbed Across the Column

Absorption Rate = Outlet flow of dissolved CO2 - Inlet flow of
dissolved CO2
= (F1 x CDo)-(F1 x CDi)
= F1 (CDo-CDi)
For the first thirty (30) minutes after readings were taken:
CDo=4.598x10-3mol/L
CDi=4.003x10-3mol/L
Also, the volumetric flow rate of CO2 was set at 6L/min.
Converting to Litres per second, we get:

=0.100Ls-1

F1=
Therefore,

Absorption rate= (0.100L/s) [(4.598x10-3-4.003x10-3)mol/L]

= 5.95x10-5mols-1
Thus for the first thirty (30) minutes after we began to take readings,
the absorption rate across the column was 5.95 x10-5 mols-1.

Table 2: All Calculated Values

Sampl
e
Numbe
r

Tim
e/
min
s

Volume NaOH
(Vb) / ml
S4
(Sampl
e
Point)

S5
(Sump
Tank)

Free CO2 in
Sample
(x 10-3)/molL

S4
(Sampl
e
Point)

S5
(Sump
Tank)

Average Rate of
Absorption / mol/s
S4
(Sample
Point)

S5
(Sump
Tank)

CO2
Absorb
ed
(x10-5) /
mol/s

27.6

23.3

3.823

3.227

10

28.7

25.2

3.975

3.490

20

27.8

27.8

3.850

3.850

30

33.2

28.9

4.598

4.003

40

31.7

28.2

4.390

3.906

50

30.7

25.2

4.252

3.490

5.955
9.522E06
8.656E07
1.616E05
8.873E06
5.367E06

1.645E05
1.948E05
1.616E05
1.060E05
3.289E06

All Graphs can be viewed in the Appendix.

DISCUSSION
This

experiment

investigated

the

phenomenon

of

Absorption.

Absorptions is a mass transfer operation in which a gas and liquid

flow (usually) counter currently in a column to facilitate changes in
the concentration of a specific solute in both of the liquid and gas
phase. In the process of Absorption, the solute is transferred from the
gas phase to the liquid phase. If the opposite was happening (i.e. the

4.84
0.000
5.956
4.848
7.618

solute was being transferred from the liquid phase to the gas phase)
then the process is termed Desorption or Stripping. The liquid enters
through the top of the column and the gas enters from the base of the
column. In this way the natural forces which exist between these
different phases allow for a counter current flow.
The objective of this experiment was to determine the rate of
absorption of carbon dioxide into water from analysis of liquid
solutions flowing down the column. There are two types of columns
which can be used for Absorption namely a packed column and a
plate column. In this experiment the choice of column which was used
was a packed column with Raschig rings being used as the packing
material. Raschig rings allow for the interfacial area to be maximized
which would improve the mass transfer potential of the column.
Furthermore, Raschig rings are inexpensive and because of their
channeling ability they do not obstruct the flow of the phases which
would increase the contact between the different phases hence their
use as packing within the column is justified.
It is seen from the titration results obtained that the water from the
Sump Tank required less Sodium Hydroxide than that from the Sample
Point. This indicated that the water at the Sample Point which was
located at the base of the tower contained more Carbon Dioxide than
the water within the Sump Tank. This trend is expected since the
Sump Tank initially contained a bulk of solute free water and thus
when the water from the base of the column is allowed to re-enter the
Sump

Tank

the

process

of

diffusion

would

occur

since

the

concentration of the solute within the Sump Tank would be less than
that of the incoming water providing a concentration gradient. The
solute would now be diluted causing the amount of CO 2 in the sample

taken from the Sump Tank to be less than that of the sample taken
from the Sample Point. Moreover, it was seen that the Titration results
varied greatly with respect to time. This could be explained through
the many sources of errors which are provided at the end of this
Discussion.
The first graph illustrates the relationship between the free CO 2 in the
water sample and the time intervals. it was seen that both graphs
share a similar trend in that they both increases initially, then leveled
off and slightly decreased. There was one inconsistency in that both
titrations of the water from the Sump Tank and the water from the
Sample Point yielded the same titre value which meant that the
concentration of CO2 did not change during that period. This may not
have been the case but due to the Sump Tank not being allowed to
reach a state of equilibrium with respect to the distribution of CO 2
within the water, the water tested could have yielded such a result.
This result is expected since the amount of free CO 2 in the water is
expected to increase with time as water is allowed to absorb it from
the gas. One must keep in mind that the water in this experiment is
being recycled and as such CO 2 would already be in the water when it
flows through the column again thus causing the amount of free CO 2
in the water to increase. the graph levels off and this is expected
since there would, at some point, exist a state of equilibrium between
the CO2 absorbed and the CO2 in the gas. At this point it can be said
that the water becomes saturated and as such it cannot absorb any
more CO2.
The second graph illustrates that as time increases the average rate
of absorption of CO2 generally decreases after an initial increase. This

pattern is extremely evident in the case of the Sump Tank. In the case
of the water titrated from the Sample Point, there existed one
inconsistency in that the value corresponding to a time of 20 minutes
after starting to take readings where the average rate was very low.
this could have been attributed to an error in the titration conducted
on that specific sample. There is an initial increase in the rate of
absorption since there would be very little CO 2 in the incoming water
and as such the system would be far away from equilibrium meaning
that the water would have a greater desire to absorb CO 2 from the
gas. As the amount of CO2 in the water increases this desire of the
water to absorb CO2 is gradually hindered meaning that the average
rate of absorption would decrease as represented in the graph.
The last graph which was plotted shows the relationship between the
CO2 absorbed across the column and time. It is seen that with the
exception of the value for a time of 20 minutes the amount of CO 2
absorbed increased. This discrepancy at a time of 20 minutes has
been explained previously. The gradient of this curve would give at
idea of the rate of absorption of CO 2 throughout the column which is
the same data acquired from Graph 2. It is seen that the gradient is
initially steep and then it becomes calmer which follows the pattern
explained in the analysis of Graph 2.
It is worth mentioning that Absorption has many uses in Industry.
Some of these are:

It may be used in the recovery and re-use of carbon dioxide

from flue gases.

Absorption can also be used to recover and re-use carbon

dioxide from biogas and off-gases in the horticultural industry.

It is employed in the production of beverages.

It can be used for the removal of carbon dioxide from, and the
desulphurization

of

biogas

from

anaerobic

digesters

and

landfills.
In certain reactions, absorption can be used in order to
eliminate impurities from the feed since these can hinder the
reaction catalyst.

Safety Analysis

When pouring the water from the bucket into the Sump Tank
great care should be adopted so as to not spill any water on the
floor which can lead to someone falling in the laboratory, if such
a scenario does indeed take place then mops should be readily

available to take care of any spillage.

The collection of samples should be conducted in a careful
manner so as to avoid any spillage when filling the measuring

cylinder.
A sink should have been used for the dumping of chemicals
instead of a bucket since a bucket could be accidently knocked
over very easily.

Sources of Errors

The water which was used to fill the Sump Tank was tap water
and as such the water could have contained chemicals which

could have had an impact on the absorption of CO2.

As mentioned before Raschig Rings were used as the packing
for the column which allows for the phenomenon of channelling
to take place. The phases would choose the path of least
resistance to travel and as such contact with each other would
not be constant throughout the length of the experiment. This

would have yielded inconsistencies in the amount of CO2

absorbed during the time intervals as noticed in the results

attained.
The flow rates of the three feed streams namely air, water and
Carbon Dioxide varied during the experiment and there was no
method of making them remain constant. If the flow rates are
varied then the amount of each phase which is in contact with
each other will also be varied leading to differences in
absorption.

The experiment was conducted in an open air room meaning

that the temperature of the environment was not constant.
Since an increase in temperature would cause a decrease in
solubility of the solute within the phases, the results would be
affected by the changes in temperature. Heat generated from

the pump would add to this error.

Whilst performing the titration, the end result which was sought
after was a definite pink colour. This is not a specific end point
and as such, the titration values could have had errors within
them since all titrations were not stopped at the same pink
colour concentration.

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

It was concluded that:

For the duration of the experiment, the amount of Carbon

Dioxide absorbed increased initially and then remained fairly

constant which is consistent with theory on the subject matter.

The rate of absorption across the column initially increased with
time until a maximum was reached. At this point the rate of
absorption reduced.

It is recommended that:

The water used for the experiment should be distilled water so

as to eliminate the presence of any chemicals which could have

an impact on the absorption process.

The experiment should be conducted in an environment in
which the temperature can be maintained at a constant value

since temperature affects solubility of gases.

The Sump Tank should contain within it a mixer so that the
Carbon Dioxide absorbed into the liquid could be evenly
distributed. This would yield more accurate results since the
water

collected

for

titrating

would

represent

the

actual

concentration of CO2 in the tank. This would eliminate some of

the fluctuations in the results attained.

A sieve plate should be introduced within the column to ensure
the effective distribution of the phases throughout the cross
sectional area of the column. This would improve the contact
between the phases and as such yield better results.

REFERENCES
Coulson, J.M. and J.F. Richardson (1991). Chemical Engineering,
Volume II(4th Edition). Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.
Treybal, R.E. (1980). Mass Transfer Operations (3rd Edition). McGrawHill, New York.
www.gasairconditioning.org/absorption_advantages_applications.htm
Farabi, H. Lecture Notes.

APPENDIX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract
1
Experimental
Results and Calculations
4
Discussion
8

Conclusions

& Recommendations

12
References
13
Appendix

14