What we eat, drink and breathe will have an impact on our health. For those people who work in industries where contact with potentially dangerous chemicals and substances is possible, they need to know that they are safe whilst on the job. In power plants, incinerators and some factories, some chemicals created can cause some damage.
Benzene and sulfur dioxide are two common byproducts of burning off coal and oil for consumers. In order to minimise the impact they have on the environment inside and outside of the processing and power plants, they need to be removed. In and around the apparatus used to turn coal and oil into energy, chemical scrubbers are used to get rid of those chemicals.
Cleaning Up
The use of chemical scrubbers is vital for ensuring power plants are as environmentally friendly as possible, but how? Working electronically, they are powered by a local electricity supply and work constantly, actively removing chemicals from the walls and surfaces of chimneys, generators and so on.
Wet scrubbers are made to be eco friendly and can save a lot of labour in cleaning. They involve the application of a solution designed to remove the buildup of chemicals on surfaces and moving parts. This is usually done through a pump, then is removed by continuous use, with the resulting sludge then being recycled for use in concrete.
The sludge is converted from something hazardous e.g. sulfur dioxide into a more innocuous solution thanks to the application of harmless chemicals such as limestone. Said solution can then be repurposed, meaning that there is no waste from the scrubbing process. This is possible when using a wet chemical scrubber.
Removing Odors
Aside from harmful chemicals entering the atmosphere, some of the associated scents can prove to be irritating for those working with them and living in their vicinity. Sulfur in particular can leave a lingering odor of rotten eggs. Using chemical scrubbers will help to combat that, meaning that workers and nearby residents of power and processing plants can breath easy.
Any industrial odors that remain in the atmosphere can do long-term damage. They become harder to remove if they are left to stay there over a period of months or years. Tackling it will enable those around the source of the odor to breathe and work as they would anywhere else.
Capturing those odors is possible because of some of the technology used in scrubbing. It uses a catalyst compound which, when activated, takes in the odor-causing chemicals, eventually cleaning the air.