Key elements of fume scrubber design and maintenance

Packed tower fume scrubbers are used for the abatement of gaseous emissions from various sources such as chemical process equipment and other industrial exhaust airstreams. Many wet scrubbers achieve less-than-expected emission results and require frequent shut down because of problems that can be eliminated or reduced with changes to their design and operation. In this article, the following topics are discussed: causes of poor scrubber operation, design considerations for ease of maintenance and optimum efficiency, and methods for reducing biological growth.

Causes of poor scrubber operation When a scrubber’s pump is on and the fan is drawing air, this does not necessarily mean that the scrubber is working properly. Various items within the scrubber unit and supporting equipment must be checked and consistently maintained after installation and start-up. Even with proper operation and a good checklist, a poor design can lead to less-than-desirable operating conditions and downtime.

The following items are common causes of reduced scrubber efficiency.