Presented here is an experimental study for the absorption and reaction between iso-butylene and sulfuric acid. A packed column was employed to establish a continuous countercurrent contact between gaseous iso-butylene and liquid sulfuric acid.
Fraction of iso-butylene absorbed was measured not only for various concentrations of sulfuric acid but also at various reaction temperatures. The optimum level of sulfuric acid concentration turned out to be 50 wt% whereas the optimum reaction temperature was found to be 30 ℃. The effect of flow rates on the fraction absorbed was examined by using various sets of flow rates of iso-butylene and sulfuric acid. The result showed that there existed an optimum set of flow rates for which the fraction of iso-butylene absorbed reached a maximum. Similar procedure was repeated with recycle stream of liquid phase to study the effect of recycle ratio on the fraction absorbed. The influence of tert-butyl alcohol contained in the liquid phase was also measured and discussed.