Unified Scientists and Engineers
Gittinger Hall, Room 308
760 Van Vleet Oval
Norman, OK 73019
14 April 1998
Amy K. Bollman, Vice President for Grants and Contracts
Universal Research and Technology
Gittinger Hall, Suite 214
760 Van Vleet Oval
Norman, OK 73019
SUBJECT:
AIR-PURIFYING PACKED TOWER EXPERIMENT: PROGRESS
REPORT
REFERENCE: GAS ABSORPTION PACKED TOWER PROPOSAL
Dear Ms. Bollman:
This progress report updates you on the status of the project. The experiment has just
completed Phase 1, and, at this point, the project is on schedule. A complete, detailed
analysis and update on the current status of the experiment follows
Purpose
As stated in the proposal, the overall purpose of this project is to compare USE's
innovative "dumped" packing to the common "structured" packing found in industry.
These packings are located within a countercurrent flow packed tower for use in the
removal of carbon dioxide from a polluted air stream. Water, enhanced with soda ash,
flows into the tower at the top, while the air-C02 stream flows from the bottom of the
tower to the top. These streams contact each other within the tower packings, and carbon
dioxide absorption into the liquid phase occurs.
In Phase 1 of the project, the flooding threshold of the tower was determined. Pure air
and water streams flowed into the tower at different velocities. Flooding occurred when
liquid "rings" visibly rose to the top of the column and overflowed from the top of the
tower. These flow rates were recorded so that flooding will be avoided in Phase 2 and 3
of the project.
Tasks/Timetable of the Project
With Phase 1 of the project successfully completed in exactly five days (as planned in the
proposal), Phase 2 will begin immediately. It is scheduled for a period of ten days.
Immediately after the completion of Phase 2, we will begin Phase 3. Phase 3 should also
last 10 days. A milestone chart, similar to the one found in the proposal, is shown in
FIGURE 1, summarizing the project’s timetable.
FIGURE 1: Milestone Chart as of April 7, 1998
As such, the project should be completed by April 27, 1998.
Work Accomplished
As stated previously, Phase 1 has been successfully completed. A wide, range of water
and air flow rates were tested in order to find the flooding threshold of the tower.
Three primary flooding points were determined for the packed tower. At a water mass
flow rate per cross-sectional area 11,537 lbm/hr ft2, flooding initially occurred at an air
mass velocitv of 301.3 lbm/hr ft2. In addition, for water mass flow rates of 15,383
lbm/hr ft2, and 19,229 lbm/hr ft2, flooding occurred at air flow rates of 225.9 lbm/hr ft2
and higher. Based upon these flooding points, a flooding threshold line has been
established for testing the packed tower. In Phases 2 and 3 of the project, the air and
liquid flow rate values will be chosen from the region below the flooding threshold line.
Work to be Accomplished
The initial stages of Phase 2 have already begun. In this phase of the project, carbon
dioxide will be added to the air stream and soda ash will be added to the water stream in
order to enhance absorption. This polluted air-C02 stream will enter the packed tower and
contact the water-soda ash stream in a manner designed to simulate the tower absorption
process found in industry today. The "dumped" packing, developed by USE., will be
located in the bottom section of the tower. The structured packing will be located in the
top portion of the tower.
After running the test and finding the C02 composition in air at different regions of the
tower, the packing coefficient and mass transfer coefficient values will be determined for
each type of packing. These results and their interpretations will be reported to URT in
the final report.
Phase 3 is similar to Phase 2 except that the liquid and air flow rates chosen in this phase
will be slightly higher than those chosen in Phase 2. This is done simply to show that the
packing results are valid for a wide range of flow rates below the flooding threshold.
Both Phase 3 is also scheduled to be completed within ten working days.
Status of the Project
The project is proceeding as planned. If we remain on schedule, the final report
will be completed by May 1, 1998 and delivered to URT on May 8, 1998.
Should any questions arise regarding this progress report or any aspect of the project,
Please feel free to contact me at either by telephone, (405) 325-USE8, or by e-mail,
bsimpson@use.com.
Sincerely,
Bart Simpson
USE Project Leader
Department of Chemical Engineering
cc:
Scott Hale
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