Gas pollutants removal in a single- and two-stage ejector-venturi scrubber

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Pollution Control

Background:

• Industrial flue gases contain pollutants like sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3).
• Ejector-venturi scrubbers are used for gaseous pollutant removal.
• Optimizing scrubber performance is crucial for environmental protection and process efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of an industrial ejector-venturi scrubber for SO2 and NH3 absorption.
• To characterize scrubber performance by analyzing factors like pollutant concentration, airflow rate, and absorbing solution flow rate.
• To evaluate the impact of different venturi tube designs, including a two-stage configuration.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an industrial-scale ejector-venturi scrubber.
• Employed a statistical methodology to assess scrubber performance.
• Varied key operational parameters: gas pollutant concentration, air flow rate, and absorbing solution flow rate.
• Assessed different venturi tube constructions, including a two-stage design.

Main Results:

• Liquid scrubbing flow rate demonstrated a strong influence on pollutant removal efficiency.
• Initial pollutant concentration and gas flow rate had a minor impact on efficiency.
• A two-stage venturi tube design significantly improved absorption efficiency.
• The enhanced efficiency of the two-stage design came with increased energy consumption.

Conclusions:

• Liquid flow rate is a critical parameter for optimizing ejector-venturi scrubber performance.
• Two-stage venturi tubes offer a viable method for enhancing absorption efficiency in gas scrubbing applications.
• Findings provide valuable insights for the optimal design of venturi-based absorbers for pollution control and chemical reactors.