CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTANTS

Module VI – Lecture 1
Particulate Emission Control
1. Scrubbers
2. Cyclones
3. Filteration
4. Electrostatic Precipitation
1. SCRUBBERS

• These devices consist of spray systems where fine water

droplets are sprayed at high velocity at right angles to the
emarging gas.

• Most of the particles in the gas stream are removed by the

water droplets, which fall and are collected along with
particles
Construction and operations
• A wet scrubber consists of a rectangular or circular chamber in which
nozzles are mounted
• The nozzles spray a stream of droplets on the incoming gas stream
• The droplets in contact with the particulate matter and the particles
gets absorbed.
• The polluted spray is collected at the bottom and clean air sent to
atmosphere.
• Particles are settled out or otherwise removd from liquid
• Wet scrubbers are also used for the removal of gases from the air
streams
Advantages of Wet Scrubbers
• Wet scrubbers can handle incoming streams at high temperature,
thus there is no need of temperature controlling eqipment

• Wet scrubeers can handle high particle loading

• Loading fluctaions do not affect the removal efficiency

• They can handle explosive gases with little risk

• Gas adsorption and dust collection are handles in one unit

Disadvantages of Wet scrubbers

• High potential for corrosive problems

• Effluent scrubbing liquid poses a water pollution problem

• Very small particles may not be captured

• High energy costs

Type of Scrubbers

I. Spray towers

II. Venturi Scrubbers

III. Packed Scrubbers

Spray Towers
• Simplest type

• Round or rectangular

• The polluted gas flows upward and the

particle collection results because of
interial impaction and interception on
the droplets

• Not highly efficient

Venturi scrubbers
• High performance collection of fine particles, usually smaller than 2- 3
microm in dia
• Particularly suitable when the PM is sticky, flammable or highly corrosive
• Particulate containing gas is directed through a venturi tube at throat
velocity of 60 to 120 m/s
• Water sprays are introduced just ahead of venturi throat
• Due to velocity difference, the particles are impacted against slow moving
droplets
• Gas liquid mixture is directed to a seperation devices such as cyclone
separator where droplets carrying PM are seperated from gas stream
Packed Scrubbers

• It can be used to scrub particulate matter from polluted gases

• The scrubbers can be with a variety of materials such as Raschig rings,

saddles, coke or broken stone

• Two types depeending on direction of liquid flow to direction of gas flow

• Counter – current type
• Cross – flow type
2. CYCLONS

• The flow stream enters the body of the seperator tangentially throught the inlet at the top and
it begins to swirl due to circular drsign of the camber until it reaches the bottom

• Materials that are denser than the carrier medium are seperated from the stream during this
downward flow and can be removed through the outlet at the bottom of the cone.

• As the mixture is circulating down the funnel it creates a whirlpool effect in the middle of the
cone. This casues a vortex in the center of the cone through which the trigger flow rises

• As the fluid or vapor reaches the top of vortex, it is passing by the difference in pressure
through a tube that sticks down into the center of the funnel. This tube is called vortex finder
Advantages
• Simple and inexpensive to manufacture, require little maintenance

• Contain no moving parts

• Has the ability to operate at high temperature and pressure

• Unlike the slow setting with in a setteling tank, the pump and
cyclone seperator system yields fast seperation and utilize less
space
Disadvantages

• Low collection efficiency for particles below 5 – 10 micron in

diameter

• Equipment subjected to abrasive deterioration

Two type of main cyclone seperator

Axial – the material enters from the

top of the cyclone and is forced to
move tangentially by a grate at the
top.
Tangential – the material enters
from an inlet on the side which is
positioned tangentially to the body.