Department of Technical Education

Andhra Pradesh
Name : A.S.C. Bose
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Civil Engineering
Institute : Govt. Polytechnic, Warangal
Year / Semester : VI Semester
Subject : Environmental Engineering II
Subject Code : C 605
Topic : Air Pollution
Duration : 50 min
Sub Topic : Air Pollution Control Methods III
Teaching Aids : PPT, Animations, Photographs
Revised by : G.Appa Rao
9C 605.59 1
 OBJECTIVES

On completion of this period, you would be able to :

• Understand the control of Air Pollution by using Wet

collection devices

9C 605.59 2
 RECAP

On completion of the previous period you have

learnt :

• Control of air pollution by controlling devices and

equipment

• Control of air pollution by internal separators / dry

collection devices

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What is the classification of equipment used
in the control of air pollution ?

• Internal separators / Dry collection devices

• Wet collection devices

• Electrostatic precipitators

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Name different Internal Separators used in
the control of air pollution

• Gravity settling chambers

• Louver collectors

• Cyclones

• Fabric filters

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 Wet collection devices

• These devices remove the dust particles from the gas by

wetting the particles by means of

a) Liquid diffusion or

b) Condensation or

c) Impinging wetted particles in a collecting surface

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 Wet collection devices contd..

• These particles are then washed by means of a flush of

liquid

• The particles are also collected by virtue of Brownian

motion and interaction between charges of particles and

droplets

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Wet collection devices generally used are :

a. Spray chambers

b. Cyclone scrubbers

c. Venturi Scrubbers

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 SPRAY CHAMBERS

1. Particulate laden gas inlet. 2. Outlet for cleaned gas.

3. Spray water inlet. 4. Spray water pipe
5. Sprays 6. Drain for dirty water
7. Mist eliminator
Fig 1
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Spray Tower Scrubber

Fig 2
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 Spray Chambers

Principle – They work on the principle of wet scrubbing

as applied to the removal of particulate matter from a

gas system

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 Spray chambers contd..

• It consists of a container with an inlet for allowing dirty air

into the chamber

• Number of spray pipes are arranged in the chamber

• At the outlet end, a mist collector is provided

• A drain is provided at the bottom, to remove the dirty water

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 Spray chambers contd..

• The dirty air is allowed first into the chamber

• The water is sprayed into the chamber from a series of

nozzles located at the top of chamber

• The droplets of water sweep through the air to be

cleaned, collecting the particles

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 Spray chambers contd..
• After the collection of particulate matter, dirty water or

slurry is formed, which is removed at bottom by means of

a drain

• The dust free gas is them passed through a mist

eliminator, where the moisture content in the air is

removed

• Thus pollutant free air is finally let out through the outlet
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Cyclone scrubber

1. POLLUTED AIR INLET 2. CLEANED AIR OUTLET

3.SPRAY WATER INLET 4. SLURRY OUTLET
5. SPRAYS 6. VERTICAL SPRAY WATER PIPE
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 Cyclone scrubber
• This is also known as “Wet Cyclone”

• It is similar to the cyclone collector with the addition of

water sprays inside the cyclone

• Generally straight through type cyclone scrubbers are

used in which the air moves only in upward direction

• The reverse flow cyclones are not in common practice

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 Cyclone scrubber contd..

• Cyclone scrubber consists of a cylindrical vertical

container in which central spray pipe with number of spray

nozzles is arranged

• The polluted air enters through the inlet tangentially at the

bottom of cyclone

• The air, then spirals up by centrifugal motion

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 Cyclone scrubber contd..

• While spiraling up, the air is scrubbed by means of spray

water issued from the nozzles

• Thus the particulate matter is washed off from air

• The dirty water is removed at the bottom

• The cleaned air is taken out at the top through out let

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 Venturi Scrubber

Fig 5 Fig 6
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 Venturi Scrubber
• It consists of a venturi located in the duct, having

converging, diverging cones and the throat

• Water drops are injected at the throat by means of nozzles

in the direction of flow of gas at the rate of 0.3 to 1.5 lit /

litre of gas

• These water drops scrub the air of its particles as they

accelerate to the air speed

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20
 Venturi Scrubber contd..

• The collection of particles continues in the diverging cone

of the venturi also

• The throat length should be sufficiently long such that

most of the collection occurs in the throat

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21
 Venturi Scrubber contd..

• The efficiency of venturi scrubber varies with the input of

power and can be extremely high up to 99%

• Even submicron range particles are removed because of

high turbulence created at the throat

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22
 SUMMARY
• Different types of wet collection devices are :

a) Spray chambers b) Cyclone scrubbers

c) Venturi Scrubbers

• Principle of Spray chambers is Wet scrubbing as applied

to the removal of particulate matter from a gas system

• Cyclone scrubber is similar to the cyclone collector with

the addition of water sprays inside the cyclone

• The efficiency of venturi scrubber varies with the input of

power and can be extremely high up to 99%
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 QUIZ

1. Washing away of dust particles by sprays of

water is carried out in
a) Settling chamber

b) Scrubber

c) Fabric filter

d) Cyclone collector

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2. Which one of the following is true in case of Spray
chambers ?

a) Number of spray pipes are arranged in the

chamber

b) At the outlet end, a mist collector is provided

c) A drain is provided at the bottom to remove the dirty

water

d) All the above

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3. Which one of the following is not a wet
collecting device ?

a) Spray chambers

b) Cyclone scrubbers

c) Venturi Scrubbers

d) Fabric filter

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 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Explain the venturi scrubber with a sketch ?

2. What is the principle on which wet collection devices

work ?

3. Explain the working of a Cyclone scrubber with a

sketch ?

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