Absorption Tower Experiment

1. Procedure

A. Acetone Boiler calibration

1. The tank was charged with a known volume of acetone.

2. The air and water were set to a determined level for the saturation and absorption
tower.
3. The boiler was turned on to its maximum wattage until the substance reached its
boiling point and left at that sate for 15 minutes.
4. The boiler was set to a desired wattage and the system was allowed to reach steady
state, approximately 15-20 mins.
5. The initial high was recorded using the level in front of the tank and the final height 15
minutes after. 7. Steps 5 and 6 were repeated for different wattages.

B. Air Rotameter Calibration:

1. All valves were opened for both saturation and absorption towers
2. The rotameter was fixed at a desired level to take the velocity measurements using an
anemometer.
3. The step 2 was repeated for at least four different readings of the rotameter.
4. A plot of the mass flow rate of gas versus the rotameter’s readings was generated.

C. Water Rotameter Calibration:

1. The rotameter was adjusted to a desired value and the measurements were taken of
the water volume collected in a determined interval.
2. The step 1 was repeated four different times.

D. Spectrophotometer calibration:

1. Diluted solutions of acetone were prepared. These solutions were such that the
concentration lead to absorbance readings of lower tan 0.7
2. The absorbance for the solutions were measured.
3. A plot was constructed of the absorbance versus mole fraction acetone in the solution.

2. Experimental Procedure

1. The tower was wetted at least 20 minutes.

2. The acetone was poured in the boiler tank. The heater was set to maximum power at
600 W.
3. The acetone boiler was held at the boiling point for 15 minutes.
4. The power was reduced, as indicated by the calibration curve, when the thermometer
indicated the acetone was boiling (to obtained about 2% concentration of acetone in
the inlet gas to the tower).
5. The water level was watched to be below the gas inlet in the absorption tower.
6. The liquor samples (Acetone-water) were taken in the effluent liquid line at the bottom
of the tower and analyzed as soon as possible.
7. Steps 4 to 6 were repeated for different air and water flow rates.
8. With the obtained data a graph was generated showing the variation the overall mass
transfer coefficient with gas and liquid flow rate.