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Biofiltration
a Primer
Open biofilter for odor and VOC control at a German oil refinery. Photo courtesy of Leson Environmental Consulting.
Stephen F. Adler,
Center for Waste
Reduction Technologies Use these guidelines to scale up and
design biofiltration processes for the
control of volatile organic compounds.
0.25 35
CaseA:
30 s Empty Bed Residence Time 30
.
Table 1. Typical biofilter performance data.
Application
(Reference) Contaminant(s) Loading Removal Biofilter Type
Yeast Production Ethanol, 35,000 cfm/500 yd3 Overall VOC Media filter
Facility (1) Aldehydes media, 1 g/m3 reduction of 85%
Pharmaceutical Organic carbon 1,000 m3/h, >98% first stage, Media filter
Production (2) 2,050 mg/m3 >99.9% overall (two-stage)
(5,800 mg/m3 peak)
Artificial Glass Monomer methyl 125150 m3/h, Biofilter: 100% MMA, Media filter plus
Production (3) methacrylate (MMA), 50250 mg/m3 20% DCM; biotrickling
Dichloromethane (DCM) BTF: 95% DCM filter (BTF) in series
Rendering Plant (8) Odor 1,100 m3/h (650 cfm), 99.9% Media filter
420 m2 (4,500 ft2)
materials of construction. Capital cost for large biofilters exposure to pathogens of workers on-site and individuals
(>100 m3) is driven by reactor volume and sophistication off-site. Several European studies have addressed this
of design. issue. They have found that biofilter exhaust contains both
Enclosed biofilters. Fully enclosed biofilters are gener- bacteria and fungal spores. However, particularly for raw
ally more expensive per volume of media than partially gases containing high concentrations of microorganisms
open beds. They are preferable where reliable VOC and such as from composting and rendering operations, biofil-
HAP control needs to be maintained even under very hot, ters generally reduce levels of entrained microorganisms.
cold, wet, or dry conditions. Enclosed biofilters also allow Concentrations of microorganisms in biofilter exhaust are
for better control of media moisture and for more-reliable typically only a little higher than in ambient air and consid-
single-point stack testing, as well as better dispersion of erably lower than in ambient air near composting facilities.
the treated off-gas. The potential for unhealthful exposure of off-site persons
Microbiological hazard concerns. The presence of mi- to airborne microorganisms from a biofilter is low because
croorganisms in the biofilter media has raised concern over of dispersion.
their potential release into the treated off-gas and resultant However, the high concentrations of microorganisms,