A manufacturing facility cannot ignore the importance of odor control.

The smell from chemicals, vapors, and fumes can spread quickly in a small area. They cause discomfort to workers and pose health risks to them. In addition to that, excess vapors directly impact the efficiency of exhaust or natural ventilation systems. For example, an odor control scrubber tower is an additional layer in the ventilation system of a manufacturing plant or chemical processing facility that has issues with odors. These towers effectively remove noxious fumes and odors from ventilation exhaust streams using an activated carbon filter and an ionic air filter.

Reasons why you should consider installing an Odor Control Scrubber Tower :

Health & safety of workers.

Everyone working in an industrial environment, either directly or indirectly, is at risk of exposure to hazardous fumes and gases. At times, high concentrations of these gases may be emitted into the atmosphere in the form of unhealthy odors, putting the health and safety of the workers at risk. These gases may even be combustible in some cases, posing a significant threat to workers. The purpose of an odor control scrubber tower is to remove these gases from the contaminated air stream and help the workers stay safe. In addition, it reduces the risk of health issues such as nausea, headaches, loss of consciousness, allergy symptoms, dizziness, and many more. It also prevents workers from missing their daily performance targets due to sickness caused by toxic fumes.

Pro-environment step.

Although it is vital to protect the workers from exposure to harmful fumes, it is also essential to protect the environment. Odor control scrubbers are used in petrochemical refining, pharmaceutical, food & beverage, paper, mining, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the right type of scrubber that suits your industry’s requirements. The right choice of equipment also protects the environment as it helps reduce operational costs and maintenance supervision. It also protects the environment because it produces minimal sludge and reduces the risk of corrosion.

Water turbidity refers to how transparent or translucent the water is when examining or testing it for any given use.

Water turbidity can impact food and beverage, municipal, industrial, and aquaculture operations. Turbidity is caused by suspended or dissolved particles in the water that scatter light which causes the water to appear cloudy or even murky.

Different types of particles can cause turbidity, and they include sediments such as silts and clay, very fine inorganic or organic matter, algae or soluble colored organic compounds, and microscopic organisms. Turbidity is measured in a value referred to as NTU, which means Nephelometric Turbidity Unit. The EPA requires a turbidity level no higher than 0.3 NTU in the USA, and if a member of the partnership of safe drinking water, then the level must not exceed 0.1 NTU.

High turbidity can create habitats for other harmful elements, such as bacteria or metals, that can accumulate onto the particles. This increases the health risk for a potable water system. In aquaculture operations, increased turbidity from silts and sediments can be harmful and detrimental to marine life, so it must be removed to safe levels. For the food and beverage industry, the impact of high turbidity can be both a safety concern and a visual and noticeable quality concern because if the turbidity is high, it can alter the physical look of the final product, for example, a distillery.

Water demineralization is also called deionization and is a process known as “Ion Exchange.”

In simple terms, water demineralization is “Water Purification.” The process involves removing dissolved ionic mineral solids from a feed-water process, typically for “Industrial” water applications. Still, it can also be utilized to remove dissolved solids from a water process for “Aquaculture,” “Food and Beverage,” and the “Municipal” markets.

Why is demineralization utilized? It can remove dissolved solids to near distilled water quality at a much lower capital and operational cost than other treatment processes such as membrane softening (Reverse Osmosis). Demineralization applies the science known as “Ion Exchange,” which attracts negative and positive charged ions and allows either to attach themselves to a negative ion depending on their respective current negative or positive charge during what is known as a resin cycle. In other technical articles, we will explore and go into more specific details on the science of the ion exchange process. Water that has dissolved salts and minerals has ions, either negatively charged ions known as “Anions” or positively charged ions known as “Cations.” To treat the water and remove these contaminants, the ions in the water are attracted to counter-ions, which have a negative charge. In a demineralization treatment process, there are pressure vessels that hold resin beads which are typically made of plastic. The beads are made from a plastic material with an ionic functional group that allows them to hold and maintain an electrostatic electrical charge. Some of these resin groups are negatively charged, referred to as “Anion” resins, while others hold a positive charge and are called “Cations” resins.

There are different applications to apply Ion exchange technologies, which is why you will often hear the different terminology interchanged like deionization and demineralization. The raw water quality and the specific application will dictate the type of ion exchange process needed. For example, if the water contains a high level of hardness, the water will most likely contain Ca2+ or Mg2+ dissolved solids possessing a positive charge. To replace these hard ions, it is typical to utilize a resin bed with a salt ion like Na+. As the water passes over the resin bead material within the pressure vessel. The hard ions are replaced with the salt ion; therefore, all the hardness within the water is removed. However, the water will now contain a higher concentration of sodium ions, and this must be considered during the evaluation and selection process of the type of resin material to utilize for the specific application. If the water application requires high purity and the removal of as many solids as possible, then the term or process selected is referred to as demineralization.

In the production and purification of water for industry

there are many types of different processes available to remove harmful minerals and gases from the water stream but the most effective process and most cost effective from both a capital investment and operational cost is a “Forced Draft Degasification System” (Degasifier).

Degasification is used in a wide range of water processes for industrial and municipal applications which extend from the production of chemicals to the production of semiconductors and in all applications the need to remove contaminants from the water and dissolved gases is key to achieving the end results needed in the industrial water process. Water from the ground often contains elements such as calcium carbonate, manganese, iron, salts, hydrogen sulfide, and sulfur just to name a few of the basic contaminants and these naturally occurring elements can cause serious damage and consequences to process equipment such as boiler systems, piping, membranes, and cation and anion exchange resins used in the demineralization process.

Calcium carbonate can dissolve in water under certain pH ranges forming carbonic acid and releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) gases. These gases are not only very corrosive to equipment like boiler feed systems and boiler tubes but also attack the actual resin beds found in cation and anion softening and demineralization system causing an increase in regeneration and chemical consumption and resin bed replacement.

By incorporating a Force Draft Degasification system you can remove dissolved gasses

like CO2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to as low as 99.999% and improve the cation and anion system performance, extend the resin bed life, and lower the operating cost of the water treatment process.

Quite often Forced Draft Degasification is utilized “post” treatment to also remove newly formed dissolved gases prior to entering the boiler feed system to prevent corrosion damage within the tubes and feed system and pumps. These gases are easily removed with the forced draft degasifier at a much lower cost than chemical additives or liquid cell degasification that requires higher capital cost and much higher operating cost.

Would it be possible for our odor control scrubbers to communicate with us and tell us when there are problems? Or when they need service? With the new technological revolution, we are now into this is quickly becoming a reality. DeLoach Industries is rapidly changing how water treatment and odor control and air emissions are treated with new advancements in artificial intelligence and integration into proven technologies.

Most operators will tell you that to keep and maintain an odor control system whether its Biological Vs. chemical can be quite challenging depending on the type and source of the off gas to be treated and depending on the type of chemical reagents being utilized such as acid or caustic solutions. When odor control systems such as a biological scrubber are met with a varying flow rates, corrosive gases, or spiking concentrations an odor control system can be daunting to keep in balance and operating efficiency. But what if they could think or communicate with other devices or even operators for themselves? What if they could make corrections in caustic feed rates because of ammonia (NH₃) concentration spikes, order chemicals like caustic or acid for pH control, and even inform us when they anticipate a problem for either the odor control scrubber or another critical component that it depends upon? That time has now arrived that’s to DeLoach Industries new advancements to their equipment systems.

Industrial Boiler feed water in water treatment.

In the USA market alone it is estimated the manufacturing industry consumes over 400 millions of gallons per day (MGD) of water to produce steam. Approximately 60 millions of gallons per day (MGD) of water is sent to the blow down drains in manufacturing. Another approximate 300 millions of gallons per day (MGD) of steam is consumed for direct injection. All this steam required in manufacturing shares the same common need, “water”. But not only water but “purified and treated” water is needed. For without the treatment process US manufacturers would face constant shut downs and increased capital spending driving their cost of goods through the roof. One form of water treatment to protect boilers is degasification and deaeration.

Degasification towers remove

hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and quite often dissolved oxygen (DO). Removing dissolved corrosive gases is critical to the life and efficiency of the boiler and if the gases remain in the boiler feed water such as carbon dioxide (CO2) it will create a recipe for disaster, higher operating cost, and a reduced life for the boiler system. The carbon dioxide (CO2) will convert into carbonic acid and form a corrosive condition for the boiler and other critical components. If a boiler system is operating an ion exchange process prior to the boiler the regeneration cost will increase dramatically because the resins will be consumed by the carbon dioxide (CO2). In addition to preserving and increasing the life of the resin the removal of the carbon dioxide (CO2) will elevate the pH of the water without the addition of other chemicals again lowering the operating cost of the system.

One of the largest consumers of energy in the US are the water and wastewater treatment plants.

Because of the need for large horsepower pumps and blowers a municipal water and wastewater treatment plant consumes a tremendous amount of kilowatt hours of electricity. The cost of the energy is factored into the “cost of production” of the treatment of water or wastewater and the “rate base” charge is increase accordingly to the consumer.

Does Renewable Power Work in a Water Treatment Plant?

Because solar energy is “space intensive” you do not see a lot of solar power being deployed across the USA at water treatment plants. This is in our opinion a mistake and most likely the decision was made back when solar power output was much lower. Now with increased efficiency of the solar panels and a decrease in production cost it makes tremendous sense to revisit the use of Solar energy for offsetting the operational cost of a water treatment plant or wastewater treatment plant operation.

Providing solar energy for specific pieces of process equipment is also a viable option when you consider deploying solar energy. As an example, to operate a Degasification tower or Decarbonator utilizing 10 350 watt solar panels will generate 3500 watts during peak day light hours and enough to offset the cost of smaller horsepower blower motors. If the solar panels are configured as a canopy they can also provide a nice shade or protection barrier above the piece of equipment if installed outdoors as most packed column towers are located outside.

What about other forms of renewable energy do they work?

At water treatment or wastewater treatment facilities? The use of Co-generation has been around for many years at Wastewater plant facilities waste water treatment plant. A cogeneration unit is a combination “Generator” to produce power and a “Thermal” energy source to produce heated water. The water can be used domestically or can be used to produce chilled water with the help of a Chiller system. The waste water treatment plant  provides a critical component by producing gases such as “Methane” which can be utilized as a fuel source for the cogeneration unit. Water treatment plants do not produce methane gases or other combustible forms of gases so you normally do not see Co-generation units deployed at a Water treatment facility.

The terms alkalinity and pH are commonly interchanged within the water industry by design professionals and operators. The term “alkalinity” means the ability to neutralize an acid in a water. The waters ability to neutralize the acid and to what extent is based upon what minerals are dissolved within the water to react to an acidic condition. The term pH is a reference expression used to express the levels or intensity of the water to change from “base” to “neutral”, to “acidic”. The ability to change or be a base or an acid is the result of the water’s alkalinity. For more information or to learn more contact the professionals at DeLoach Industries Inc. at (941) 371-4995.

Different types of electric pumps, blowers, compressors,

and even material conveying equipment utilized to operate a water treatment process facility whether it is municipal, industrial, aquaculture, or a pisciculture facility.  All of these applications share a common requirement which is the need to have an electric motor provide the torque and energy necessary to operate the equipment and perform the required function. 

One of the most common questions asked or considered during the design phase of the water treatment process is what type of motor enclosure should be selected.  There are 7 

types of motor enclosures that are available and defined by NEMA standards MG1-1.25 through MG 1.27.  The final decision should be driving by the all of demands that the application will have placed upon it.

The selection of the type of motor enclosure can be a difficult choice? 

If the application is for a process like Reverse Osmosis, Degasification or Decarbonation, it is important to consider the efficiency of the motor and what the motor will be exposed to during its operating life cycle.    We will briefly review each of the 7 different types that NEMA defines for motor enclosure types. 

The ODP (open drip proof) is one of the most common types of enclosures. 

The enclosure is open and vented at the back end of the motor and allows air to circulate in and around the motor windings carrying off heat.  The ODP motor is design to prevent liquid from entering the motor at a 15 degree angle based off of the vertical alignment.  ODP motors are normally utilized at water treatment facilities or aquaculture facilities where they will not be exposed to corrosive conditions such as HVAC systems.

When operating a forced or induced draft water treatment tower system it is important to properly maintain your distribution system. Regardless if the unit is an Aerator, Degasifier, Scrubber, or Air Stripper the distribution system is a critical component that must be designed properly and maintained during the life of the equipment.