Wetted wall column: The effect of reynold’s number on mass transfer

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NOVEMBER 12, 2023

Summary
The wetted wall column is an equipment which mainly used to investigate the relation and
Behaviour of mass transfer and heat transfer coefficients between the two fluid phases. The
experiment was conducted in the lab with the aim to find the correlation between variation in
mass transfer coefficients by change in the Reynolds number. The initial observations were
obtained by performing the practical in the laboratory followed by the experimental
procedure and using the apparatus. The data was further processed to calculate different
required parameters to draw a conclusion. The findings of the experiment have been
displayed in the respective section of the experiment.
Objective
The main goals of the experiment include:

a) The formation of variation in mass transfer coefficient by the air humidification using
air flow rate.
b) The observation of relation between mass transfer coefficient and Reynolds Number
in laminar and turbulent flow.

Introduction
The experiment was to establish the correlation between mass transfer coefficients and the
Reynolds number. To do so, the wall column was used. The thin film was circulated with
water and made sure that it was completely wet. A low flowrate of air was moderated on each
column and the steady temperature was maintained. At last, the obtained data was used to
calculate the Reynold number to determine the type of flow which is either laminar or
turbulent flow.

Theory
As the experiment is based on the wet wall column, mass transfer coefficient and Reynolds
Number, therefore the main background of the theoretical content is based on these
mentioned terms. The interpretation of each is given below:

Wet Wall Column

A wet wall column with the other name a falling-filling column, is a specific chemical
equipment which is utilized to determine the mass and heat transfer in two fluid phases.
Usually, one phase of the fluid is a gas and the other is a liquid. Falling-film columns are
typically employed as laboratory equipment because of how simple they are to model; for
instance, they may be used to determine transport coefficient values experimentally (Dutta,
2007). Edwin R. Gilliland and Thomas Kilgore Sherwood conducted a noteworthy
experiment in 1934 wherein they employed a falling-film column to investigate the mass
transfer phenomenon between a liquid phase and a gas phase. The outcome of the experiment
was an experimental correlation between the Reynolds number, Schmidt number, and
Sherwood number. (Robert S. Brodkey, 2003)
Due to its lower surface area and liquid hold-up when compared to other gas-liquid
contactors (such as a packed column or a plate column), it is not utilized on an industrial
scale.

Mass transfer coefficient

The mass transfer coefficient, used as a driving factor in engineering, is a diffusion rate
constant that connects the mass transfer rate, mass transfer area, and concentration change.
The units of mass transfer coefficient are m/s.

Reynolds Number
Reynolds number was discovered by Osborne Reynolds. It is dimensionless quantity which
discloses the nature of a flow. By calculating the value of Reynolds number for a fluid we can
take estimate of its flow type. There are two types of flow. The first one is laminar flow
which is also known as regular flow while the second one is turbulent flow. If the value of
Reynolds number is less than 2000 then the flow is called laminar flow while a value of
greater than 2000 is called turbulent or irregular flow pattern. Reynolds Number can be
calculated by using following equation:

Experimental Methods
The experimental equipment and procedure followed to conduct the experiment are given
below:

Apparatus
Three vertical glass tubes measuring:

i. 4.1 cm internal diameter, 74 cm high.

ii. 2.1 cm internal diameter, 64.5 cm high.

iii. 1.4 cm internal diameter, 64 cm high.

2. Rotameters for air flow.

3. Wet and dry bulb thermometers.

Procedure
The steps followed to perform the experiment are listed below:

1. Choose a column and apply a small layer of water to it, making sure the entire surface
is moistened. If needed, a long brush can be used to clean the tube, and a drop of
Teepol can be added to help with wetting. Take note of the temperatures of the water
entering the test and the water leaving it. The water rotameter should only be used as a
guide.
2. Make that the air hygrometers at the entrance and outflow are always wet.
3. Choose a low air flowrate on the air rotameter for each column. After allowing the
temperatures to stabilize for approximately fifteen minutes, record the wet and dry
bulb temperatures for the input and outlet air. To convert these measurements to air
humidity at the intake and outflow, use the psychometric chart.
4. Repeat with four increased air flow rates.
5. Calculate the Reynolds number and determine the type of flow.
6. Plot graph of the data.
7. Discuss the results obtained to draw a conclusion.

Results
The Results of the experiment are given in the following tables:

Table 1 column 3. 4.1 cm internal diameter and 74 cm height

Air Water Water Air inlet Air inlet Air outlet Air outlet Reynol
Flowrate inlet outlet ds
(rotamet temperat temperat dry bulb wet bulb dry bulb wet bulb Numbe
er) ure ure temperat temperat temperat temperat r
ure ure ure ure
(L/m) c c c c c c
20 21 21 23 22.5 21.9 21.2 735.89
3
40 21 21.05 23 22.5 21.9 21.3 1470.1
65
70 21 20 23 22.5 21.5 19.1 258.44
 43.33 21.00 20.68 23.00 22.50 21.77 20.53 821.50

Table 2 column 2. 2.1 internal diameter, height 64.5 cm

Air Water Water Air inlet Air inlet Air outlet Air outlet Reynol
Flowrate inlet outlet ds
(rotamet temperat temperat dry bulb dry bulb dry bulb dry bulb Numbe
er) ure ure temperat temperat temperat temperat r
ure ure ure ure
(L/m) c c c c c c
20 21 22.5 23 22.5 22.9 22 1432.7
98
40 21 23 23 22.5 23.2 22.9 2857.7
55
70 21 23 23 22.5 23.3 22.8 5003.2
17
43.33 21.00 22.83 23.00 22.50 23.13 22.57 3097.9
2

Table 3 A: laminar flow Re<2000

Column Air Reynold H1 H2 H3 H4 Hm Mass Kg.d

diamete Flowrat s transfer
r, d (m) e (m3s- Number coeff., kg
1) R
0.041 0.00033 735.893 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.3914263 0.01604
3 3 9 1 1 5 6 8

0.041 0.00066 1470.16 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.7828527 0.03209
6 5 3 9 1 1 5 3 7
0.041 0.00116 258.44 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 1.37058 0.05619
 6 3 9 1 1 5 4
0.021 0.00033 1432.79 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.3914263 0.00822
3 8 3 9 1 1 5 6

Table 4 B: Turbulent flow

Column Air Reynold H1 H2 H3 H4 Hm Mass Kg.d

diamete Flowrat s transfer
r, d (m) e (m3s- Number coeff., kg
1) R
0.021 0.00033 2857.75 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.3914263 0.0082
3 5 3 9 1 1 5 6 2

0.021 0.00066 5003.21 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.7828527 0.0164
6 7 3 9 1 1 5 3 4

Kg.d vs Re
0.06 0.05619378

0.05

0.04 0.032096961818
1818
0.03
Kg.d

Kg.d
0.016048480909
0.02 0909
0.008219953636
36363
0.01

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Re

Figure 1 graph b/w kg.d vs Re for laminar flow

 Kg.d Vs Re
0.018
0.016
0.014
0.012
0.01
Kg,d

Kg.d
0.008
0.006
0.004
0.002
0
2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500
Re

Figure 2 Graph b/w kg,d vs Re for turbulent flow

Discussion and Conclusion

The experiment was conducted to meet the goals. The experimental data was recorded while
performing the experiment. The data was further processed for calculating the values of Re
and the mass transfer coefficient. Out of the observations, a few were found on a turbulent
flow type. The data was plotted graphically as well. The graph for laminar flow shows a
random trend against the Re which means that the heat transfer changes in irregular order
while the turbulent flow is directly proportional to the Re.

It is hereby concluded that the variation in the mass transfer coefficient occurs by changing
the flow type. As the values of Re change, the mass transfer coefficient also changes, which
proves the experiment valid.

References
Dutta, B. K., 2007. Principles of Mass Transfer and Separation Processes. Prentice-Hall of
India Private Limited, pp. 91-92.

Robert S. Brodkey, H. C. H., 2003. Transport Phenomena: A Unified Approach,.