13 Wet scrubbing

A. ARROWSMITH and N. F. ASHTON

The effective solution to any problem concerning the cleaning of a gas stream
prior to discharge into the environment involves recognition of the nature
of the offending gases and then the selection of the most appropriate
equipment to remove them. The range of chemicals which are removed is
very extensive, varying from simple inorganic gases to complex organic
compounds. There may be a single component in low concentration or a
variety of compounds at elevated temperature with a particulate present. The
wrong choice of scrubber design may not only result in ineffective operation
but may lead to more serious problems than if there were no unit at all.
A correspondingly wide range of scrubbers has been developed to cover
the range of applications. Designs vary in order to accommodate different
operating requirements, for example specific gaseous properties, pressure
drop, temperature or the presence of particulates, or to provide high efficiency;
these variations usually attract a commensurate increase in cost. In some
instances, efficiency may be extremely important, while in others, typically
where the concentration of pollutants is very low, it may be possible to use
a low-efficiency, low-cost unit. In some designs, it may be possible to increase
the efficiency of the unit by increasing the size of the mass-transfer system,
while in others the efficiency is an inherent feature which cannot be improved
significantly and multistage units must be used.
The intention in this chapter is to draw attention to some newer
developments in gas-scrubbing technology, with particular emphasis on
aggressive or otherwise difficult environments. In each case, examples of
equipment design and, where appropriate, test data are given.

13.1 Theoretical aspects

The theory of gas absorption and design of scrubbing equipment has been
well documented (Whitman, 1923; Higbie, 1935; Danckwerts, 1957). A simple
concept of the process of absorption is the 'two film' theory, which
characterises the process by resistance at the interface ofthe phases. According
to this model, the material is transferred in the bulk of the phases by overall

J. P. K. Seville (ed.), Gas Cleaning in Demanding Applications

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1997
 WET SCRUBBING 273
turbulence so that the bulk concentration is constant and a concentration
gradient exists only near the interface, as illustrated in Figure 13.1. On either
side of the interface there exist stagnant films through which transfer occurs
only by molecular diffusion.
For component A, a partial pressure gradient exists from PAin the bulk
gas to Pi at the interface and a concentration gradient in the liquid from ci
at the interface to cAin the bulk. Equilibrium is established at the interface
between Pi and ci.
The gradients on either side of the interface are impossible to determine
as the thickness of the 'films' is unknown.
It is convenient to define the transfer of material across the interface in
terms of overall mass-transfer coefficients, based on the overall driving force
between PA and cA, the bulk properties:

K - NA (13.1)
G- PA-p*

(13.2)

where N A is the rate of mass-transfer per unit contact area, p* is the

equilibrium partial pressure with concentration cA and c* is the concentration
in equilibrium with partial pressure p A" If the equilibrium line is straight,
obeying Henry's law:

p* =He (13.3)

c
0
Gas ___ Interface
~
c
(I)
0
c
8
<(
Liquid
.l!!
::I
0(/)
Cl
c
"iii
::I
;;:
0

Distance

Figure 13.1 The two-film concept, y and x are mole fractions.