Scrubbers or wet collectors

o Particulate matters are incorporated into liquid droplets

and removed from the gas stream.
o Flue gas made to push up against a down falling water
current.
o Particulate matter mix up with water thus falls down
and gets removed.
 Wet Scrubbers
 Principle
• Wet scrubbers are used for removal of particles which have a
diameter of the order of 0.2 mm or higher.
• Wet scrubbers work by spraying a stream of fine liquid droplets on
the incoming stream.
• The droplets capture the particles
• The liquid is subsequently removed for treatment.

 Construction and Operation

• 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 contact the particulate matter, and the particles get
sorbed.
• The droplet size has to be optimized.
Wet Scrubbers (contd.)
o Construction and Operation (contd.)
• Smaller droplets provide better cleaning, but are more difficult to
remove from the cleaned stream.
• The polluted spray is collected.
• Particles are settled out or otherwise removed from the liquid.
• The liquid is recycled.
• Wet scrubbers are also used for the removal of gases from the air
streams.
Scrubber
 Efficiency

where,
k = Scrubber coefficient (m3 of gas/ m3 of liquid)
R = Liquid-to-gas flow rate (QL/QG)
ψ = internal impaction parameter

 Internal impaction parameter

where,
c = cunningham correction factor
ρp = particle density (kg/m3)
Vg = speed of gas at throat (m/sec)
dp = diameter of particle (m)
dd = diameter of droplet (m)
μ = dynamic viscosity of gas, (Pa-S)
Collection mechanism
o Impingement
o Interception
o Diffusion
o Condensation
Types of scrubbers

o Spray towers
o Venturi scrubbers
o Cyclone scrubbers
o Packed scrubbers
o Mechanical scrubbers
Spray towers
Venturi scrubber
Venturi Scrubbers
• The dirty gas is led in to the chamber at high inlet
velocities.
• At the inlet throat, liquid at low pressure is added
to the gas stream
• This increases the relative velocity between the gas
and the droplets, thus increasing the efficiency of
removal.
• Efficiencies of the range of 95% for particles larger
than 0.2 mm have been obtained.
Venturi Scrubber
Absolute Pressure Drop

Δp = pressure drop ( cm of water)

ug = gas velocity (cm/s)
Qt = liquid volume flow rate
Qg = gas volume flow rate
Cyclone scrubber
Cyclone Spray Chambers
• These scrubbers combine a cyclone with a spray
nozzle.

• The added centrifugal force permits good

separation of the droplets, hence a smaller droplet
size can be used.

• Cyclone spray chambers provide up to 95% removal

of particles > 5 micron.
Packed scrubbers
Mechanical scrubbers
Orifice Scrubbers
• The gas is impacted onto a layer of the scrubbing
liquid.

• The gas passes through the liquid, thus removing

almost all the particulate matter, and a large
portion of the probable gases.
• After coming out of the liquid, the gas is passed
through baffles to remove the liquid droplets.
Impingement Scrubbers
• In Impingement scrubbers, the gas impacts a layer
of liquid/froth through a perforated tray.

• Passing through this layer removes the particulate

matter.

• The wet gas stream is then passed through a mist

collector.
Advantages
o Simultaneously remove particulates and gaseous
pollutants.
o Hot gases can be cooled down.
o Corrosive gases can be recovered and neutralize.

Disadvantages
o Lot of waste waters produced.
o Poses freezing problem in cold countries.
o Maintenance cost is high when corrosive materials are
collected.