Odor Scrubbers: Design, Applications, and Advantages

Author: Michael Klepik, Chief Executive Officer

An odor scrubber is a device or system designed to eliminate or reduce unpleasant odors from air or gas streams. They operate by passing polluted air through a medium that captures or chemically neutralizes the molecules causing the odor.

TORNADO FB are versatile industrial liquid scrubbers with mobile packings and a vertical orientation of the mass transfer column.

ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE SCRUBBERS in the world.
Inside the column are mobile type mass transfer packings that CLEAN the air stream by creating a foam layer + self-cleans through constant bubbling.

Odor control is required in many sectors of industry and public life. Here are some of them:

• Waste Processing Industry: The treatment and disposal of solid and liquid waste can release unpleasant odors.
• Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Facilities: Treating sewage and wastewater often comes with associated smells.
• Chemical Industry: The production and processing of various chemical substances can emit odors. Chemical scrubber odor control effectively neutralizes a wide range of pungent compounds, from sulfur-based gases like hydrogen sulfide to various volatile organic compounds
• Food Industry: Certain food processing activities, such as fish processing or meat production, can produce distinct smells.
• Agriculture: Farms, especially livestock farms, can be sources of strong odors, particularly from manure and other wastes.
• Paper Industry: The paper production process, especially when sulfur is used, can give off distinctive smells.
• Petrochemical and Oil Refining Industries: The production and refining of oil can release various gases and compounds with a pungent smell.
• Textile Industry: Some stages of textile and leather processing can emit specific odors.
• Composting Industry: The composting process of organic waste can also give rise to unpleasant smells.
• Livestock: Large-scale farms, especially pig and poultry farms, can be significant sources of odors.

Many of these sectors may turn to an industrial odor scrubber to manage and mitigate these odors during their operations.

The design can vary based on specific requirements and types of contaminants.
• Contact Chamber: The gas stream is introduced into a chamber where it interacts with a scrubbing solution.
• Scrubbing Solution: This can be water or a chemical solution capable of absorbing or neutralizing unwanted molecules.
• Spray Nozzles: These spray the scrubbing solution into the air stream to increase the contact area between the gas and the solution.
• Packing or Fill Media: Increases the surface area for contact between the gas and scrubbing solution.
• Outlet Section: The cleaned gas stream exits the device.
• Recirculation System: The liquid can be recirculated to reuse the scrubbing solution.
With growing industrialization, the demand for advanced odor scrubber design has surged, reflecting the global commitment to cleaner air standards.

A wet scrubber for odor control, an effective filter against unpleasant odors, has become widely adopted for the following reasons:
1. Odor-absorbing scrubber filters clean moist environments without preliminary drying (aerosol mists, vapors, suspensions, smoke, emulsions);
2. Units can simultaneously be used as dust collectors (they purify the air from sticky, viscous, cohesive high-concentration pollutants, from ashes, and soot);
3. Filtration of high-temperature pollutants, including chemically active ones (sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon disulfide, and more);
4. An air odor filter is capable of separating valuable sludges with the right choice of reagents;
5. Scrubbers are characterized by simple construction, quick readjustment, full automation, long service life, and cost-effectiveness;
6. The odor filter is equipped with a self-cleaning function, eliminating the need to replace any components.

To purify the air from unpleasant odors, various types of scrubbers can be used. Here are some of them:
• Chemical Scrubbers (or gas washing units)
These devices use a chemical reagent that reacts with the pollutants to neutralize unpleasant odors. In industries like petrochemicals and waste treatment, chemical scrubber odor control systems are crucial.
• Implementing a bio scrubber odor control system is becoming increasingly popular, as these setups utilize microorganisms to effectively break down organic compounds responsible for the unpleasant smell. Additionally, the biological odor scrubber offers an environmentally friendly solution, harnessing natural processes to purify air and ensure cleaner emissions from industrial facilities.
• Physical Scrubbers
They work by absorbing pollutants in a liquid, typically water.
• Activated Carbon
Although not a scrubber in the strictest sense, activated carbon can be used in filtration systems to absorb and retain molecules causing the unpleasant odor.
• Combined Systems
In some cases, a combination of the above methods may be used for maximum efficiency.
The choice of a specific type of scrubber depends on the composition of the gas stream, the nature and concentration of odor compounds, as well as economic and environmental considerations.

Odor scrubber media refers to the materials used inside a scrubber system to capture and neutralize odorous compounds. Common media include activated carbon, various chemical solutions, biological agents (like microorganisms), and physical materials such as packing materials to facilitate gas-to-liquid contact.

Odor control scrubber packing refers to the materials used inside a scrubber to increase the surface area for gas-liquid contact. This enhances the removal of odorous compounds from the air. Common packing materials include plastic, metal, or ceramic structured or random fillings.

The choice of media depends on the specific odors being treated and the design of the scrubber system.

We specialize in manufacturing wet scrubbers. With years of accumulated experience, our company ensures high quality and reliability in our odor control scrubber systems. Each of our systems is designed based on precise calculations, ensuring maximum efficiency and durability. Furthermore, we offer free consultations to all our clients to provide the optimal air purification solution for your needs. Don't hesitate to reach out to Torch-Air for your air purification needs.