Many industries place a high priority on minimising environmental impact. This is true for legal, ethical, and practical reasons. A wet air scrubber can effectively remove harmful air pollutants. Wet scrubbers provide a safe and effective way to eliminate unwanted air pollutants. This makes them a great choice for controlling air pollution.
Knowing how wet scrubbers operate will allow you to choose the right system for your specific industry. Modern packed-bed air scrubbers with low pressure drops, high mass transfer efficiencies, and high efficiency will be a benefit to your business and the environment.
Continue reading to find out how wet scrubbers function, what they remove and what wet scrubbers can be used for.
What are wet scrubbers?
Industrial air scrubbers come in two types: dry and wet. Dry scrubbers use solid substances to remove pollutants, while wet scrubbers use solvents. Both remove industrial exhaust stream gas pollutants and associated odours. Wet scrubbers generally remove more pollutants than dry scrubbers.
They are essential for industrial manufacturing and wastewater treatment plants, because they prevent pollutants from entering the outside environment. Wet scrubber can be used by any industry that produces air pollutants.
What are wet scrubbers used for?
Facility managers need to consider the air pollutants generated by their processes and the dangers they pose when deciding whether to use a dry scrubber. Wet scrubbers can be used to remove a variety of air pollutants.
What Pollutants can a wet scrubber control?
Wet scrubbers can be used to control certain airborne pollutants. Wet scrubbers are recommended for industries that produce these pollutants. This will minimise the environmental impact and reduce human safety hazards. They can reduce the following air pollutants:
1. Inorganic Fumes and Vapours and Gases
Wet scrubbers are used in many industries to reduce the amount of airborne gases, vapours, and fumes. If they are present in large amounts, these inorganic pollutants can cause environmental damage and adverse health effects. Some of the most dangerous air pollutants that a wet scrubber can remove are , which have been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency. These are some of the most prevalent pollutants:
- Chromic acid.
- Hydrogen sulphide.
- Ammonia.
- Chlorides.
- Fluorides.
- Sulphur dioxide.
2. Volatile Organic Compounds
VOCs can be human-made chemicals that are produced in specific manufacturing processes. These include those used to produce paint, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants. VOC chemicals can become trapped in liquids or solids, and then release into the atmosphere. VOC chemicals can have severe health effects, both short- and long-term. VOCs are released during the manufacturing of these materials:
- Paints.
- Paint strippers
- Varnishes
- Fuels.
- Industrial cleaning supplies.
- Pest control solutions.
- Materials for building.
- Adhesives.
A wet scrubber is a tool that can reduce industrial VOCs, which makes the air cleaner and safer.
3. Particulate Matter
Particulate matter is another type of air pollutant. It includes both solid particles as well as liquid droplets . Some are visible with the naked eye but others are small enough that they are difficult to see. PMs can range in size from 10 to 2.5 micrometres, and even smaller. A strand of human hair can be approximately 50-70 micrometres wide, which is about 30 times bigger than the smallest PM particle. If the PM particle is smaller than 10 micrometres, it can contain any of these:
- Dust.
- Dirt.
- Soot.
- Smoke.
- Pollen.
Because PMs come from so many sources, the hazard levels and their sources can vary. Inhaled PMs can cause serious health problems. If they are small enough, some can even get into the bloodstream. Large quantities of PMs can lead to reduced visibility and haziness. Controlling PM quantities is crucial to air pollution mitigation. Wet scrubbers are able to remove PMs from the atmosphere.
4. Hazardous Air Pollutants
Toxic air pollutants (also known as hazardous air pollutants) have been proven to pose serious health risks. They can cause and test cancer and birth defects, as well as other problems. The following are examples of HAPs.
- Benzene: Benzene can be found in gasoline as a pollutant. It is colourless, or has a light yellow hue. It also has a sweet smell. It is highly flammable and quickly evaporates. Inhaling or ingestion of benzene can cause internal cell malfunction. Anaemia can be caused by it affecting bone marrow’s ability to produce enough red blood cells. The immune system can also be affected by changes in blood levels.
- Perchloroethylene is released into the atmosphere by some dry cleaning facilities. Perchloroethylene is used to clean and degrease metal in metalworking plants. Perchloroethylene is colourless, non-flammable and has a pleasant odour. Exposure to high levels can cause unconsciousness and even death.
- Methylene chloride: Also known as dichloromethane or solvent, Methylene chloride is a paint stripper and solvent. This chemical is used in many industries. It is colourless and has a sweet-smelling aroma, similar to perchloroethylene. Exposure can cause cancer, suffocation, or cognitive impairment.
HAPs are dangerous and must be prevented from entering the environment. These chemicals can be removed from the atmosphere by using wet scrubbers.
