Wet Scrubbers Can Help Prevent Fires and Explosions | Aerodyne

dust-admin — Tue, 30 May 2023 19:45:00 +0000

Preventing fire and explosion risks in industrial dust collection equipment

Wet scrubbers are used in industrial dust collection for a variety of reasons, one of which is to help prevent fires and explosions.

Wetting Particles Using Wet Scrubber

Since wet scrubbers use water to help with dust removal, their environments usually have a very high humidity. In this environment dust particles become wet, which helps prevent them from catching fire and/or exploding. Materials like wood have significantly different fire risks when wet versus dry.

As we see on the news, when there is a drought, there tend to be more forest fires around the country. The same logic applies to wet scrubbers. Spraying water on solids helps to prevent an explosion or fire, because wetting the particles makes it harder for them to combust. Wet scrubbers also help to inhibit any spark or fire that could cause an explosion.

Material Used vs. Wet Scrubber

If you are using a wet scrubber there are some things to keep in mind: some materials, such as alkali metals, will react with water and create potential explosion hazards. Other metals, like magnesium, can also cause fires and become combustible when they come in contact with water. Keep in mind that there should be a safeguard controls in place to monitor water in the wet scrubber system, because if it loses water, an explosive situation could quickly develop.

So when looking at an explosive application, wet scrubbing can often provide the right kind of dust removal– but not always. There are certain disadvantages of wet scrubbing that should be reviewed before determining if it is the right solution for your application.

To learn more about the right dust collection solutions for your application, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.dustcollectorhq.com.

The post Wet Scrubbers Can Help Prevent Fires and Explosions | Aerodyne first appeared on Aerodyne Environmental.

Chemical and Fume Removal is Wet Scrubbing’s Cup of Tea | Aerodyne

dust-admin — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 22:08:00 +0000

The main reason to use wet scrubbing for particulate removal is that you need wet scrubbing for chemical or fume removal. Wet scrubbers such as a packed tower are great for removing chemicals (contaminant) in the air, such as acids, bases, etc.

The Functions of Wet Scrubber

The wet scrubber sprays water droplets from nozzles which make contact with the water-soluble contaminant. Then based on the vapor pressure, the contaminant enters the water solution and leaves the air. Often times, the water has chemicals which react with the contaminant and forms a salt. This allows more of the contaminant to be collected. In packed towers, the packing is used to break up water droplets into smaller and smaller particles, thereby increasing the water’s surface area and increasing the rate of removal of the contaminant.

The falling water droplets also come in contact with particulates. That water encloses the particulate as it makes contact, increasing the size and weight of the particulate. This makes it more likely that the combined droplet will fall to the sump and leave the airstream.

What is Blowdown?

The particulate then needs to be removed from the sump or else it can settle and eventually decrease the water in the system, which could cause operational issues. Abrasive material can wear out the instrumentation, piping, nozzles, and pumps. The wastewater created from the wet scrubber is called the blowdown. This blowdown liquid is removed from the sump either by diverting some from the recycle line or an overflow line to keep salts and particulate at a safe concentration. The particulate in the blowdown stream needs to be treated by a plant or municipal wastewater treatment plant so that it can be reused or disposed of. High amounts of solids in the blowdown stream can increase the price of treatment and cause maintenance issues on the equipment used for treatment. Many municipal plants will limit the water it allows to be treated.

For more dust collection and material handling literature, including years of blogs, case studies, and test results, visit the library on our website at www.dustcollectorhq.com.

To improve efficiency and safety, there is no substitute for an on-site inspection by an experienced expert. Click here to connect with a member of our engineering team about improving your process. We’re here to help!

The post Chemical and Fume Removal is Wet Scrubbing’s Cup of Tea | Aerodyne first appeared on Aerodyne Environmental.