Companies in various industrial settings utilize scrubbers to lower air pollution by scrubbing away harmful gases and particulates in industrial exhausts. Wet scrubbers are the most commonly used type of scrubber, designed to use liquid to wash pollutants out of a gas stream. Any scrubber will eventually need to be replaced, especially if it’s not effectively removing pollutants. It’s crucial for companies in industrial settings to know when to replace them.
Find out more about some of the main reasons you’ll want to replace a wet scrubber and some of the benefits of doing so. You may also want to learn more about how to choose the right wet scrubber for your needs.
4 Reasons to Replace a Wet Scrubber
While wet scrubbers can last a long time, you’ll likely come to a point where you need to replace them. Knowing when to replace wet scrubbers can help you ensure your machinery always delivers exceptional performance and properly removes pollutants. Review the four main reasons why you might need to replace a wet scrubber below:
- Malfunctioning equipment: One of the biggest signs you’ll need to replace a web scrubber is when the scrubber malfunctions or starts to perform below its full capacity. While you can repair some issues, you may need a replacement if chemicals have built up too much in the scrubber or if bacteria have proliferated within the scrubber. Whenever you notice your scrubber isn’t working at its best, it’s best to have a qualified professional check your equipment and let you know if it needs replacement.
- New emissions guidelines: As various industries look to go green and reduce their emissions, they’ll often develop new guidelines and regulations. If you have an older scrubber, it’s a good idea to check its emissions ratings whenever new regulations are introduced. When an old scrubber doesn’t comply with new regulations, it’s best practice to replace it, as an older scrubber can result in fines or harm a company’s reputation among environmentally focused clients.
- Industrial process changes: Various industrial processes can change due to innovative strategies or technological advances, resulting in a process relying on new materials, techniques and equipment. These new changes can cause new types of pollutants, and an older scrubber may not have the capability to handle these pollutants. When you want to update your company to new industrial processes, you’ll often need to replace your old scrubber to ensure you can properly implement them.
- Improved technology: Companies are always looking to improve their technology, and scrubbers are no exception. If you want to access new technology, you’ll likely need to replace your older scrubber to access the latest scrubber devices and systems. By upgrading to a new scrubber system, a company can usually increase its scrubbing efficiency.
The Benefits of Replacing Your Wet Scrubber
When it’s time to replace your scrubber, you’ll be happy to know it comes with several advantages. Some of the top benefits include:
- Lower initial capital costs and maintenance costs: New wet scrubbers are very cost-effective, meaning you won’t have high initial capital costs when you purchase a new one. Since a new wet scrubber won’t have any internal moving parts, you also won’t need to devote much time or money to maintenance, leading to greater long-term savings.
- Better energy savings: Another benefit to new wet scrubbers is that they tend to use energy more efficiently than previous models. More efficient energy savings allow companies to save on their energy costs over time.
- Smaller footprint: Since new scrubbers are designed to meet new emission requirements, they typically have a smaller footprint. If you want to make your company more environmentally responsible, a replacement scrubber is a perfect choice.
- No replacement bags needed: New wet scrubbers don’t require replacement bags, saving you money over time. Not having to outfit your scrubber with replacement bags can also save you time, as you won’t have to devote staff to replace them.
- Safety: New scrubbers come with greater safety features to ensure better protection for personnel and machinery. They also reduce the chances of pollutants remaining in a gas stream, safeguarding you against the risks of leftover pollutants.
Choosing the Correct Wet Scrubber Replacement
With all of the benefits of replacing your old wet scrubber with a new one, you’ll likely want to know how to choose the right one. As you look for a wet scrubber, keep in mind there are a few different types. Before you replace your older scrubber, you’ll want to check what type of wet scrubber you’re currently using and replace it with a new one fitting that type.
Take a moment to review the primary types of wet scrubbers available today:
- Packed tower wet scrubbers: Packed tower wet scrubbers feature a large wetted surface area made from internal packing to force contaminated airflow to interact with the scrubbing liquid. This liquid then removes these pollutants from the air with an efficiency of up to 99%. While these scrubbers aren’t ideal for applications with high dust concentrations due to clogging, they excel at removing gas-phase emissions. Companies that use these scrubbers can expect them to turn harmful emissions into clean air.
- Impingement wet scrubbers: When you have an impingement wet scrubber, you can expect it to remove soluble gases and particles bigger than 5 µm. These scrubbers have perforated trays throughout their towers, with liquid flowing down onto the trays from a tower’s top. An impingement wet scrubber will also have the gas flow from the bottom of the tower. As the gas travels upward, the scrubbing liquid will mix with the gas at the trays, removing contaminants. Companies often use these scrubbers to assist with powdered products, such as food flavoring and salt.
- Venturi wet scrubbers: Venturi wet scrubbers use the differential between free-flowing water and high-velocity gases to create droplets that entrap contaminants. These droplets help the scrubber contain and suspend pollutants, allowing clean vapor to leave through the scrubber’s gas release. Due to their design, venturi wet scrubbers are perfect for applications where you need to collect liquid mists and fine particulates. They do a great job of removing particles featuring diameters bigger than 1 µm.
Choose Mach Engineering for Replacement Wet Scrubbers
At Mach Engineering, we can help you find the perfect replacement wet scrubber for your needs. Since we offer industrial wet scrubber units in various shapes and sizes, we can help you keep your pollutants to a minimum. If you need a customized solution, we excel at providing scrubber design services to ensure you receive a scrubber made specifically for your needs. When you don’t want to invest in a scrubber or only want it for a short time, we also offer complete rental wet scrubber systems.
If you need a replacement, review our wet scrubber systems today. Please free to contact us if you have any questions.
