0161 799 2200
0161 799 2200
APMG Plastics’ expert team of engineers has designed and delivered an impressive fume scrubber system for an international refining company. The global organisation now has an impressive new counter current packed bed fume scrubber for its Derbyshire site. The system included the fume scrubber, fan, ductwork, chemical dosing system and, as a bonus, added capacity for future expansion.
The same experienced team also assembled, installed and commissioned the giant, 12-metre-tall system. We’re a one-stop fume scrubber system shop!
Our client works hard to minimise its environmental impact. ISO 14001 accredited in the UK, it has a strong track record of investment to meet and exceed environmental legislation.
APMG Plastics’ new fume scrubber system forms part of this strategy. It will neutralise acid fumes from the metal recovery processes undertaken on its site. Here, a variety of materials arising from the industrial sector are treated, including the chemical, pharmaceutical, electronics, and aerospace industries.
The APMG Plastics design engineers worked closely with our client to ascertain their requirements from the system. The company has an aggressive growth plan and anticipates expansion. Therefore, to future-proof the system, extra capacity was engineered into the design.
The fan and scrubber are designed and sized to handle a maximum flow rate of 30,000m³/hr, although they will not operate to this capacity immediately.
Our team of engineers is available to advise on your fume scrubber requirements, just give us a call.
APMG Plastics manufactures a range of wet scrubbers. On this occasion we recommended a counter current packed bed fume scrubber because it is ideal for removing noxious chemicals and corrosive fumes from process systems.
The principle of this type of scrubber unit is that the contaminated air passes through a packed bed of random polypropylene sections. These sections provide a large, wetted surface area. As such, they encourage intimate contact promoting ‘Mass Transfer’ between the laden air and the scrubbing liquor. This efficiently removes contaminants.
The wet scrubber tower itself is manufactured from GRP coated polypropylene. This corrosion resistant material can provide long-lasting resistance to highly aggressive chemicals.
The scrubber has been designed with an integral recirculation tank incorporated within the base of the unit. This provides a pumped recirculation system, offering adequate wetting over the total surface of the packed section.
The wet scrubber system features an automated pH dosing system to keep the scrubbing liquor at optimum potency.
The system will measure, adjust and monitor the scrubbing liquor, ensuring an excess concentration of caustic (NaOH) solution to remove or neutralise the acidic gas entering the scrubber.
Any carry over of droplets from the scrubber column to the discharge stack could allow noxious fumes to escape to atmosphere. We have prevented this potential hazard by including a polypropylene mist vane eliminator.
With the scrubber tower standing at eight metres tall, the polypropylene/GRP reinforced discharge stack provides an additional four metres. The total height of the system is 12 metres.
We designed sampling points into the discharge stack. These provide easy access for emission monitoring. In this way, our client can check that the emission levels are in line with their local environmental permits.
A powerful APMG Plastics’ heavy-duty H-Series 910 fan supplies the exhaust power for this system.
The impeller is constructed from polypropylene to resist corrosive fumes. Again, the casing is GRP reinforced to handle the system resistance.
The fan unit operates on an inverter. This regulates its speed, and it currently runs at less than its full capability. As site expansion calls for more processing capacity its speed can be increased to handle the extra activity.
APMG Plastics manufactures its own range of Durafan fans in-house. As a result, they can be designed to neatly connect into our ductwork systems. This fan’s discharge angle was expertly fabricated to allow direct entry into the scrubber tower.
The fan was fitted with inlet and outlet flexible connections to mitigate vibration. These flexible connections can also mitigate any potential misalignment within the ductwork configuration.
The ductwork had to be designed to flow around existing plant and planned structures yet to be built.
The inlet duct work supplied for this phase of the systems’ lifecycle is manufactured from standard uPVC duct and fittings. It has been connected to the existing duct run. However, it is designed to be easily replaced.
When the time comes for the additional capacity to be introduced, APMG Plastics will install compatible new ductwork.
Due to its size, the fume scrubber system was assembled on site. It was carefully lowered into position by crane, overseen by APMG Plastics’ experienced installation team.
We commenced the work early on a Saturday to minimise the disruption and downtime to the plant. Unfortunately, there were delays due to high winds. However, eight days later our team had successfully installed, commissioned and completed hand-over of the fume scrubber system to the client.
The scrubber is soon to have a suitable steel platform installed around it to provide easy access to the key areas of the unit.
‘A complex fume scrubber system of this size is often a concern for our clients,’ says Peter Royse, APMG Plastics Division Manager.
‘When they come to us, not only do they need assurance that we have the experience and technical ability to deliver to their specification. They’re also looking for guidance and recommendations for the best way to configure their scrubber system.
‘We have decades of experience designing systems such as this, and smaller and much larger ones too. We enjoy the challenges each one presents.
‘In this case, discovering our client’s expansion plans gave us an opportunity to engineer in a stepped plan for the extra capacity they’ll require. In this way we’ve ensured this fume scrubber will meet their needs for many years to come.
‘It’s very satisfying to fulfil and exceed the brief and our client is very happy too.’
To discuss your application, contact our friendly team.