Scrubber Basics

In a wet scrubber process air is drawn through a mist of water

made by spray nozzles, then through separators where water
droplets with dust and particles are removed
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Air scrubbers are commonly used in process-air applications to eliminate potentially
harmful dust and pollutants. A liquid, in general water added with active chemicals
adapted to the process, is sprayed in to the air flow. Aerosol and gaseous pollutants in
the air stream are removed by either absorption or chemical reactions with the water
solution.

A schematic drawing of a typical spray nozzle scrubber configuration is shown below.

Water with chemicals are sprayed with high pressure through nozzles into the air flow.
Some of the water evaporates, especially if the process-air is hot, and disappear with
the exhaust. Water droplets are separated from the exhaust and re-circulated back to
the water reservoir. Evaporated water is replaced by fresh water and chemicals. Dust
and pollution products from the process are removed periodically through the drain.

Wet Scrubber Basic Configurations

The basic scrubber configurations are:
  Orifice scrubbers - air or gas velocity is increased through an orifice - increased
turbulence atomize the water droplets
 Venturi scrubbers - air or gas velocity is increased through a venturi shape -
increased turbulence atomize the water droplets
 Fiber-bed scrubbers - air passes through wet-laden fiber mats where mists are
collected. Not suited if solid particles are present in the air since the fiber mats
may plug
 Mechanical scrubbers - a mechanical driven rotor produces the fine water
droplets in the air
 Impingement-plate scrubber - vertical scrubber with horizontal plates, air flows
from bottom to top, water flows from top to bottom
 Spray nozzle scrubbers - water are sprayed with high pressure through nozzles
to produce the droplets in the air

Typical Scrubber Data

 Cleaning efficiency: 70% of fine dust and 80% of coarse dirt
 Air velocity through the washer: 2 - 3 m/s
 Air flow pressure drop resistance: 50 - 140 N/m2
 Water pressure before nozzles: 100 - 170 kN/m2
 Water consumption: 0.45 - 0.55 l/m3 air (depends on the temperature of the
process air)

Scrubber humidifying efficiency

Some industrial processes need more cleaning than a single scrubber can provide. In
smell polluted processes, like exhaust air from fish meal or fish feed dryers, bio beds
are commonly used. A bio bed, which is an organic organism, require process air with
as little dust as possible and temperature and humidity within certain limits.
The humidifying efficiency of the scrubber may be expressed as:

μh = (t1 - t2) / (t1 - tw) 100% (1)

where

μh = scrubber humidifying efficiency (%)

t1 = initial dry bulb temperature (oC)

t2 = final dry bulb temperature (oC)

tw = initial wet bulb temperature (oC)

Scrubber Efficiencies
Typical nozzle scrubber efficiencies

 60-70 % with one bank of nozzles downstream

 65-75 % with one bank of nozzles upstream
 85-100 % with two banks of nozzles

Note! Be aware that low temperature scrubbers can be a potential source for
the Legionella disease. Special cleaning and disinfection precautions should always be
taken when the temperature in the scrubber is in the "Legionella range".

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