Absorption / Scrubbers

Chemical absorption describes the process of taking up or “dissolving” an atom, molecule, or ion in another phase. This is not an accumulation on the surface (adsorption), but an absorption into the free volume of the absorbing phase.

Nowadays, chemical absorption is widely used to clean industrial exhaust air, for example, exhaust air from electroplating plants, or to eliminate odors. It is also widely used to absorb vapors of different acids (hydrochloric, nitric etc.) or e.g. ammonia. Due to legal requirements on limit values (such as TA Luft) for certain substances, which have been repeatedly made stricter, absorption technology is becoming increasingly important.

Absorption can take place in packed columns, columns with structured packings, plate columns, bubble column reactors, via membrane technologies, or with regenerative falling film technology. No matter what the variation of the technology is, the main goal is to increase the contact surface between gas and liquid phases, to increase process efficiency.

It is also crucial to mention, that absorption process is always exothermic, which means that in many cases cooling thermostat would be required, to cool down the unit and avoid emergency situations.

Pfaudler Normag Systems offers a wide range of standardized single and dual staged gas scrubbers starting from a small lab system and up to a big one with the performance of 250 Nm3/h. We can also offer different level automation for the scrubbers – pH/conductivity/temperature sensors with controllers to track the condition of absorbent liquid. Controller will remind to change the liquid in time to avoid emergency situations.

Scrubbers are made of Borosilicate glass 3.3, as well as the other instrument like pumps and gauges have only chemically resistant material in contact with media. This guaranties long lasting operation.