Monitoring wet scrubber performance
B.R. Smith · OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) · 1995
Wet scrubbers are now a widely used operation in controlling air pollution. When properly installed and maintained, they provide reliable service at a minimal cost. When not used in an optimized fashion, however, they can be a financial drain, a safety hazard, and a cause of plant upsets. There are a number of common problems in too many wet scrubbers that have been encountered by this firm. Generally, these problems fall into the following categories: improperly sized sumps, pumps and other fluid-handling equipment; unbalanced flows between incoming vapor and scrubbing fluids; excessive heat loads; poor handling of multiple emissions; and poor planning for upset conditions. Some relatively straightforward check points are provided here to understand and monitor scrubber performance. Use them to improve the efficiency of your units, and to reduce unscheduled shutdowns.