Determination of the Packing Factor of Geopolymerized Perlite from Lamba, Albay, Bicol in the Philippines, Its Development and Characterization and the Design of a Packed Column for the Absorption of Ammonia Gas

Gas-liquid absorption involves the transfer of one or more volatile organic compound species from gas phase into a liquid absorbent in a packed-bed column that contains one or more sections of packing materials. In this study, perlite from Lamba, Albay, Bicol was used in the production of packing material. The objectives of the study are to develop and characterize a packing material using a geopolymer derived from perlite and to design a packed column for the absorption of ammonia gas. The study determines the ideal perlite-Na2SiO3 concentration, packing factor, and L/D ratio. Three perlite-Na2SiO3 concentrations (45%, 60%, 75% wt. Na2SiO3) were subjected to various tests such as: thermal stability, chemical resistance, and compressive strength. The 45% wt. Na2SiO3 exhibited the least weight loss and the highest compressive strength making this geopolymerized perlite a potential packing material for gas absorption with a packing factor of 0.00175 ft-1. Based on the results, a packed column was designed for the absorption of ammonia gas with an L/D ratio of 2.5.