Use of glycols as solvent in scrubbers. Any experience?

[Bartolo]

Does anyone have experience with the use of glycols, glycol ethers or other organic solvents in packed scrubbers to remove VOCs like toluene, butanol and methylene chloride from waste vapour streams?

 

[PeterAB]

Yes, we have run pilot plant operations where we absorb VOC in glycols, glycol ethers, and other high-boiling solvents. The VOC's are thermally separated from the absorbent by stripping. But in spite of years of marketing efforts, we have not been able to bring this process to market. It all sounds very good but the economics have simply not been there.

 

[25362]

PeterAB, is this because other well-developed, efficient, proven abatement systems are more cost-competitive ?

 

[natd1010]

We did extensive research in this area in the past. We sold several solvent recovery systems commercially, but they were plagued with operational problems do to the severe conditions required to recover and subsequently strip VOC materials. In the end, we have abandoned this product line.

 

[PeterAB]

The economics for product recovery have simply not been there. For low volume high concentration streams, incineration is usually cheaper. For high volume low concentration streams, simple absorption followed by destruction (say biologically) is usually cheaper.

 

[jongwon03]

I am wondering if you still find the solution to remove VOCs. Please contact me at kdwon@skevt.com and I may be advising you.

Sincerely,
KD

 

[MortenA]

If you are generally interested in systems to remove VOC's then take a look at the company cool-sortion:

http://www.coolsorption.dk/

They sell several types of VOC removal systems.

Best regards

Morten

(Im not connected to Cool sorption in any way)

 

[Distillgasm]

Could you use a low or non volatile organic liquid, oil? as your collection material. When the oil becomes saturated, fuel blend it at relatively low prices.

 

[PeterAB]

Distillgasm:

Burning the recovered VOC's in fuel oil may be a cheap means of disposal. However, scrubbing with fuel oil has its own dangers, the most obvious being its flammability. Fuel oils generally have a significant vapor pressure, and therefore will add new VOC's to the gas being treated.

PeterAB.

 

[Distillgasm]

PeterAB;
In the south of the US, we use peanut and cotton seed oil for everything. These oils should have BTUs & ignitability should be low. There's nothin smells better than fresh hot roasted peanuts so your environmental compliance man will turn his head when it comes to this regulated processing.
If the VOC's are burned, what's the problem?