Hydrodynamics of the Pilot Scale Wet Scrubber with Restricted Outlet Absorbent Flow Rate

Samwel Victor Manyele

Department of Chemical and Mining Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35131, Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

DOI: 10.4236/eng.2012.47044                

Abstract

This paper presents the hydrodynamics of the wet scrubber coupled to a pilot CFB incineration facility. The scrubber was operated using tap water as a scrubbing liquid. The outlet liquid flow rate, Qo, and accumulation rate, Qa, strongly depend on the inlet liquid flow rate, Qin, with different profiles. At higher Qin values, Qo stabilizes, leading to higher Qa and finally flooding. The values of Qa were higher than Qo except for Qin ranging between 0.53 and 0.72 L/s (safe operating range) in which Qa ≌ Qo and Qa = Qin/2. The outlet-to-inlet liquid flow rate ratio, Qo/Qin decreased for Qin > 0.53 L/s. The increase in the accumulation-to-inlet liquid flow rate ratio, Qa/Qin, at higher Qin indicates a change in flow regime towards flooding, accompanied by an abrupt increase in the height of accumulating liquid, Ha. The difference between Qa/Qin and Qo/Qin (denoted as, ΔQao/Qin), shows a minimum close to zero in the safe operating range. The gas flow rate towards the wet scrubber had slight effect on Qo and Qa when Qin was maintained constant. The ratio Qo/Qin decreased slightly with Ha/Ht irrespective of gas velocity. Changing the liquid-to-gas ratio, L/G and Qin strongly affects the maximum and minimum values of Qo/Qin and Qa/Qin.

Keywords

Wet Scrubber; Liquid Accumulation Rate; Liquid Accumulation Level; Outlet Liquid Flow Rate; Liquid-to-Gas Ratio; Valve Opening Position; Incineration;

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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