Control of

Gaseous
Pollutants

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Processes/technology/eq
uipment used to control
particulates
Wet Scrubbers
Adsorption
Incineration or Flaring
Control of Sulfur Dioxides
OTHERS

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Wet
scrubbers

It is an effective air pollution control devices for

removing particles and/or gases from industrial
exhaust streams. A wet scrubber operates by
introducing the dirty gas stream with a scrubbing liquid
typically water.
Particulate or gases are collected in the scrubbing
liquid. Wet scrubbers are generally the most
appropriate air pollution control device for collecting
both particulate and gas in a single system.
Pollution Systems offers a variety of wet scrubber
systems specifically designed for your process
application. Many important operating variables are
considered when evaluating the size and type of
scrubber for any specific application. We will work with
you and use our experience and knowledge to provide
the proper solution for your process.
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Types of Wet Scrubbers

Chemical Scrubbers / Gas Scrubbers
it works by dissolving or absorbing the
pollutant into the scrubbing liquid. The
scrubbing liquid used will depend on the
properties of the targeted pollutant.

Venturi Scrubbers
-are effective at removing particulate from
exhaust with high efficiency.
-Venturi scrubber systems incorporate a
scrubbing vessel with a system fan, recycle
pump, instrumentation and controls, mist
eliminator, and exhaust stack.
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Ammonia Scrubbers
-dilute sulfuric acid is typically used to
neutralize the ammonia. The resulting
byproduct, a form of salt, is collected and
removed through the wastewater
blowdown, as the treated air stream is
exhausted through the stack.

Chlorine Scrubbers
-Efficiency is critical for chlorine
scrubbers. Chlorine gas is both
highly toxic.
-Wet chlorine scrubbers may utilize a
multi-stage removal approach
depending on the initial pollutant
loading.
-Some form of alkaline liquid solution,
such as soda ash or caustic, is
generally used as a neutralizing
agent.

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Sulfuric Acid Scrubbers

-efficiency is critical. Sulfuric acid gas is
highly toxic. Many wet sulfuric acid
scrubbers utilize a multi-stage approach,
first using a bed of packed media with
recirculated liquid caustic (sodium
hydroxide solution) which acts as a base
to neutralize the acid, and finally uses a
mist eliminator to remove water vapor.

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Adsorption
Adsorption usually refers to the increase in
concentration of the target compound on the solid
surface of a porous material, selected as adsorbent,
since the latter found most practical applications.
Adsorption is used for separation, cleaning or
drying of both liquid and gaseous effluents in such
different fields as industry, medicine,
environmental protection, etc.

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Some examples of
technical
applications
are:
Drying of gases, e.g. to obtain a low
moisture content as required for
instrumentation or in cryogenic
applications (see cryo-condensation
Condensation, Control of Carbon
Monoxide and Volatile Organic
Compounds)
Catalytic processes, where adsorption is
one first step of a complex phenomenon
leading to chemical conversion.
Chemical reaction is facilitated while
molecules are adsorbed or more
precisely chemisorbed onto a surface.
After a molecular rearrangement, the
converted molecule should be desorbed
and enabled to leave the catalyst;

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 Gas/Solid chromatography, an analytical

technique, in which compounds are
separated by their specific rate of migration
through a partition column, filled with
suitable adsorbent
Separation of linear and branched or cyclic
hydrocarbons, present in oil mixtures;
Food discoloring, e.g. in sugar production;
Purification of pharmaceutical products

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Flaring and Incineration

Flaring and incineration are two technologies used to
combust
waste gases that are unable to be processed or sold.

Flaring
- is the igniting of natural gas at the end of a flare
stacka long metal tube up which the gas is sent. This
causes the characteristic flame associated with flaring.
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Incineration
- is the mixing and combusting of waste gas
streams, air, and fuel in an enclosed chamber.
Air and gas are mixed at a controlled rate and
ignited. No flame is visible from an incinerator
that is operating properly.
- it comes with a number of benefits in specific
areas like medical wastes and other life risking
waste. In this process, toxins are destroyed
when waste is treated with high temperature.
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Sulphur Dioxide
(SO2) is a colourless gas. It reacts on the surface
of a variety of airborne solid particles, it is soluble
in water and can be oxidised within airborne water
droplets to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4), which falls
as acid precipitation or "acid rain".
SO2 emissions arise from the oxidation, during
combustion, of the sulphur contained within fossil
fuels. Fossil fuels, including coal, oil and to a
lesser extent gas, contain sulphur in both organic
and inorganic form.

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Removal of Sulphur Dioxide:

A reduction in the atmospheric emissions of
SO2 produced by fossil fuel combustion
processes can be achieved at one of three
stages, as follows.
Reducing the sulphur content of the fuel
before combustion:
-Emissions of SO2 are proportional to the sulphur
content of the fuel, although with regard to coal a
proportion, usually less than 10%, is retained in
the ash.
-Therefore, one of the simplest ways to reduce the
amount of SO2 released from the combustion
process can be achieved by switching to a fuel
that has a lower sulphur content, i.e. burning low
sulphur coal or gas instead of high sulphur coal.
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Sulphur Removal During Combustion

-The most developed are the Fluidised Bed
Combustion (FBC) process and the integrated
Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) system.
-The FBC can achieve in the region of 80 - 90% SO2
removal. Two main disadvantages of this system are
firstly the large quantities of sorbent required
(approximately twice that of an FGD system (see
later) to achieve the same SO2 removal), and
secondly the large quantities of strongly alkaline
waste produced, which is generally disposed of in
landfill.
Removal of Sulphur after Combustion
-Emissions of SO2 generated during the combustion
of fossil fuels can be reduced by treating the flue
gases before they are emitted into the atmosphere
via the stack; this is termed Flue Gas
Desulphurisation (FGD). Flue gas desulphurisation
systems can be classified as either Regenerable or
Non-regenerable.
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OTHERS

Condensation
-Is the process of
converting a gas or
vapour to liquid.

- It generally occurs
in the atmosphere
when warm air rises,
cools and looses its
capacity to hold water
vapor. As a result,
excess water vapor
condenses to form
cloud droplets.

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In a Surface condenser, the gas contacts a

cooled surface in which cooled liquid or gas is
circulated, such as the outside of the tube.
Removal efficiencies of condensers typically
range from 50 percent to more than 95
percent, depending on design and applications

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Spray
towers
-Is a gas-liquid
contactor used to
achieve the mass and
heat transfer between
a continuous gas
phase (that can
-It consists of empty
contain dispersed
cylindrical vessel made
solid particles) and a
of steel or plastic and
dispersed liquid
nozzles that spray liquid
phase.
into the vessel.
-It can be very
effective in removing
pollutants if the
pollutants are highly
soluble or if a
chemical reagent is
added to the liquid

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Catalytic
converter
is a vehicle emissions

control device that

converts toxic pollutants in
exhaust gas to less toxic
pollutants by catalyzing a
redox reaction (oxidation
or reduction).

Catalytic converters are used

with internal combustion engines
fueled by either petrol (gasoline)
or dieselincluding lean-burn
engines.

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REFERENCES:
http://www.aer.ca/docum
ents/enerfaqs/AER_EnerF
AQs06_FlaringIncineratio
n-Web.pdf
http://www.aer.ca/aboutaer/enerfaqs/enerfaqsflaring
http://www.airquality.org.uk/27.php
http://www.epa.gov/airquPage 19

 http://www.slideshare.net
/s181185/control-ofgaseous-pollutants3625400
http://www.pollutionsyste
ms.com/wetscrubbers.html
http://www.eolss.net/sam
ple-chapters/c09/e4-1402-02.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Catalytic_converter
http://www.ecologydictio

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