Coronado, Raniella Bianca Y.

Reyes, Noelle Ivonette Z.

Zapata, Rosette Anne Lea T.
FILTRATION is a mechanical separation of solids
from a slurry by using a medium such as a porous membrane
which screens out these solids and allows only the liquid called
the filtrate to pass through.
Determined the effect of time to the volumetric flow
rate of the filtrate during constant pressure filtration
operation.
 Filter Cloths
Containers (pails, basin)
Meter stick
Stirring stick
Stopwatch
 Plate and Frame Filter Press Apparatus

(1) Switch box

with controls
(2) Suspension
tank
(3) Filtrate tank
outlet and
overflow
(4) Filtrate tank
(5) Spindle
(6) Plate and
Frame filter
press
 Place the experimentation stand on a flat surface and secure
1 against rolling

Connect a hose to the drain fittings on the colleting tray below

the filter plates and attach it in such a way that any leaked
2 suspension is fed back into the suspension tank. Open the stop
valve

Close the stop valve at the measuring tank outlet

3

Create the suspension

4

Prepare the plate and frame filter press

5
 Slightly open the stop valve on the bypass
6

Set the filter inlet pressure to 0.2 bar by adjusting the

diaphragm valve at the filter infeed pipe
7

Measure the time it takes for the filtrate to accumulate from

to 50 L with 2 L increments
8

Repeat above procedure with different filter inlet pressures

9
 Release the filter plates and filter layers and move them
apart using the spindle
10

Switch off the pump

11

Drain all water and suspension residue from the unit

12

Rinse off filter cake from the filter layers and filter plates in
13 the suspension tank.
Volume of Filtrate (L) Time (s)
Volume of Filtrate (L) Time (s)
0 0
28 47.52
2 22.30
30 56.50
4 22.71
32 62.28
6 19.89
8 19.13 34 109.97
10 19.48 36 115.42
12 20.36 38 139.61
14 20.44 40 167.87
16 24.49 42 218.02
20 36.75 44 337.38
22 36.22 46 398.88
24 36.49
48 516.38
26 43.83
Volume of Filtrate (L) Time (s)
Volume of Filtrate (L) Time (s)
0 0
28 47.52
2 22.30
30 56.50
4 22.71
32 62.28
6 19.89
8 19.13 34 109.97
10 19.48 36 115.42
12 20.36 38 139.61
14 20.44 40 167.87
16 24.49 42 218.02
20 36.75 44 337.38
22 36.22 46 398.88
24 36.49
48 516.38
26 43.83
 0.6

0.5

0.4
dV/dt

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time (s)
Coronado, Raniella Bianca Y.
Reyes, Noelle Ivonette Z.
Zapata, Rosette Anne Lea T.
GAS ABSORPTION - a gas mixture consisting mainly of
an inert gas and a soluble gas is made in contact with a liquid
acting as a solvent to separate the gas mixture.
 Determined the void fractions of the packed beds,
the effects of liquid holdups on the pressure drop of
the column

Familiarized with the parts of the equipment

Defined the packing factor experimentally through

the use of the flooding velocity calculations.
 Packed Column/Gas Absorption Column
 Measure dimensions: Length of packed bed, diameter of
1 column and dimensions of packings

Clean the sump tank and fill with water (75% of its
2 capacity)

Make sure that the on-off switch knobs were turned off,
the flow meter and drainage valves were closed and, the
3 return line valve and pressure taps were fully opened

Turn on the main switch, the compressor, and the pump

4

Remove any water in column and direct all pressure taps

5 only on left manometer
DRY PACKING PRESSURE DROP

Reset gas rate to 60 L/min

6

Measure pressure drop across upper and lower packed beds

7
Repeat procedure for other gas flow rates (w/ increments of 10
8 L/min until 170 L/min)

ADDITIONAL PRESSURE DROP DUE TO LIQUID HOLD-UPS

9
Reset gas rate to 60 L/min

10
Open liquid control valve

11
Observe gas flow in packed beds

12
Measure pressure drop (mmH2O)
 Turn off pump
13

Drain liquid and close liquid control valve

14

Set gas rate to 170 L/min (Run for 15 min)

15

Close gas control valve

16

Turn off compressor, then, equipment

17
 Table 1 Difference between the manometer fluid heights at varying gas and liquid flow rate
Liquid Flow 0 L/min 1 2 3 4 5 6 6.5 7
Rate
Air Flow Rate R (in cm)
20 L/min 0.2 0.2 2 2.2 0.4 2.6 2 2 1.2
30 0.4 0.4 2.2 2 0.8 2.8 2.6 2.8 2.6
40 0.6 0.6 2 2.4 1.4 3.4 3 3.8 6.4
50 0.8 0.8 1.6 2.6 2 4 4.6 6.8 11.8
60 1 1 2 3 3.2 5.4 6.2 15.6 19.8 F
70 1.2 1.2 2.4 3.6 4.8 6.6 15.6 27.4 F F
80 1.4 2 3.2 4.4 6.4 11.6 30.0 F F F
90 1.6 2.2 3.4 5 8.4 18.4 F F F
100 1.8 2.4 4.6 5.6 15 30.6 F F F F
110 2 3.2 5.4 6.2 16.2 F F F F
120 2.6 3.8 6 7.6 21 F F F F
130 2.8 4.6 7.2 8.8 24.2 F F F F F
140 3 5.4 8 10.2 F F F F F
150 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
160 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
170 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Plot of pressure drop across the gas absorption column with dry packings
vs. the Reynolds number for packed beds
Table 2 The calculated void fraction using the chosen flow rates
Flow rate -P Void Fraction
30 39.088 0.36
110 195.4402 0.4075
70 117.2641 0.3833
Average 0.3836
The logarithmic plot of pressure drop per unit of the column (P/Z)
versus the superficial gas mass velocity (G)
The plot of the pressure drop, P, versus the gas loading factor, Gf=Utg0.5;
wherein Ut is the superficial gas velocity and g is the gas density
Table 3 Comparison of pressure drop in dry packed column
Air Flow Rate -P (mm H2O)
L/min Experimental Ergun Equation Robbins Equation
20 1.9544 1.6091 0.4469
30 3.9088 2.9521 1.0055
40 5.8632 4.6539 1.7875
50 7.8176 6.7146 2.7929
60 9.7720 9.1342 4.0218
70 11.7264 11.9127 5.4742
80 13.6808 15.0501 7.1499
90 15.6352 18.5464 9.0491
100 17.5896 22.4016 11.1718
110 19.5440 26.6158 13.5179
120 25.4072 31.1888 16.0874
130 27.3616 36.1207 18.8803
140 29.3160 41.4115 21.8967
The comparison between the values of pressure drop at a given flow rate obtained
by experimentation, Ergun Equation, and Robbins Equation
The black line intersects the loading point for each given liquid flow rate
What are the characteristics that a packing should have for it to be
employed in mass transfer operation?

Packing materials should have large interfacial area of contact

for a larger pressure drop and high void of volume to maintain
a low pressure drop, high fouling resistance, good mechanical
strength and uniform void spaces for uniform flow of streams.
Explain the mechanism of gas flow through a packed bed with liquid
flowing countercurrently.

When there is a liquid flowing countercurrently with a gas in a

packed column, irrigation of the packings occurs and the cross-
sectional area available for the gas is reduced - void volume in
the packings is filled with liquid.
Differentiate between static and dynamic or operating holdup. How
does this affect the pressure drop through a packed column?

Operating or dynamic holdup appears as the volume of liquid

per volume of packing that gushes out of the bed right after the
flow of gas and liquid in the column is stopped. Contrarily, static
liquid holdup is known to be the volume of liquid per volume of
packing that is retained in the packed bed after all the flows
are stopped and the bed is drained.
Define loading and channeling. Give the relevance of these two
factors in packed column operation.

Loading is the condition when the liquid starts to accumulate in

the packed column and generates pressure drop. On the other
hand, channeling is observed when the liquid or gas flow at
some points are greater than other points. This is not an ideal
condition for packed columns and is usually avoided by
choosing the right packing material.
How does the packing factor obtained from the flooding velocity
differ from the one estimated empirically with the use of the
correlation of Lobo et al?

The correlation of Lobo et al for packing factor showed only a

lone curve predicting packing flooding points which is based
solely from bed porosity. On the other hand, the packing factor
procured using the flooding velocity considers the flooding of
the packed bed thereby giving a more accurate result .
 It was found that the void fraction is around 0.36 to 0.4075. Getting
the average, the experimental void fraction of the packed column
was calculated to be 0.3836.
The computed packing factor, Fp, using the graph for flooding velocity
is 689.35 ft-1.
By comparing the experimental values for an irrigated column and
the calculated values using the Robbins equation, a general trend was
observed wherein the accumulation of liquid within the voids and
spaces resulted into sudden and drastic increase in pressure drop.
As the gas velocity at a given liquid flow rate is further increased, the
occurrence of flooding advances which is a result of the reduction of
the cross-sectional area available for the gas.
 In order to minimize, if not prevent, the effect of surface tension
on the reading of the height of fluid in the manometer, throttle
the gas control valve periodically.

To further understand the concept of flooding and pressure

drop, the experiment can further be extended by utilizing the
separate parts of the packed column.

To appreciate the concept of gas absorption, other experiments

involving different process fluids, such as carbon dioxide and
water, may be performed.