Chemical Scrubbers

Air quality is a concern of many citizens, scientists and policy makers. The necessities of industrial production, waste management and power generation have negative side effects in terms of atmospheric health. Odors and gases emitted from these and other economic activities threaten both public health and environmental sustainability.

Fortunately, as engineers and technicians seek new designs to avoid such emissions, technology affords a way to mitigate the stench and fumes rising from factories and public utilities, particularly sewage treatment plants. In achieving this goal, the chemical scrubber is a proven and effective technology to blunt unpleasant odors and noxious gases.

When sewage is processed through a lift station (or wet well), the water level climbs and the discharge is raised to a level from which it can flow with gravity to an outlet. From there the sewage is transported to a treatment plant. It is the lift station from which many odors emanate. With chemical scrubbing odor control, the effluvium is moved by means of fan to a chemical scrubber unit, where the fouled air is forced through a packing medium. Here, chemical reagents–via a scrubbing solution–act on the air by condensing the gases to liquids and absorbing the odors.

Atop the chemical scrubbing odor control unit is a stack from which clean air is then released. This rather simple process can be performed in multiple phases, and its results are impressive: the efficiency at which a chemical scrubber removes unhealthy gaseous vapors can approach 100 percent. One factor in its efficacy is the re-circulation of the scrubbing solution with the assistance of a pump, returning the liquid to a storage tank. A dosing pump then injects the solution back into the system at programmed intervals. Chemical scrubbers are not one size fits all and must therefore be fitted to a particular treatment facility.

The depth and density of the packing medium, for example, will vary depending on how much gas is to be apprehended. In all of its chemical scrubbers, Ship & Shore Environmental employs glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) as the material of choice to house the scrubber system. Internal and exterior surfaces are engineered for both durability against corrosive elements, as well as longevity. In addition, convenient entry portals provide for quick intervention when the system needs to be serviced. Ship & Shore Environmental takes care to select the optimal mucilage and ultraviolet curing techniques to ensure a lengthy tenure for each and every system sold.

What exactly is used for the packing medium? Ship & Shore Environmental uses K-Rosette filament that is well designed at a molecular level to filter out liquid and solid granules by catching them in the fibers while the gases flow to their intended destination. Because the cross-section of the filament is square, the angled edges give it a higher success rate than comparable strands of other shapes.

Best of all, K-Rosette is not an extended surface packing material, which actually hinders the gas stream due to pressure decline and directional changes. K-Rosette filament offers only frictional resistance and a more direct path for gas movement.

If you are interested in learning about the application of a chemical scrubber for your business contact us to begin a discussion of how we can help.

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