Experimental Tracer Technique for Aerosol Capture in a Moving Bed

Flue gas from process plants usually contains contaminants which require scrubbing prior to discharging to atmosphere. There are various techniques used to scrub the exit gas, such as packed columns, spray scrubbers, fluidised beds, filters, etc. One of the key design parameters required in order to select and design a scrubber is the capture efficiency. This efficiency is dependent on a number of factors such as the contacting mode, feed composition and operating conditions. This paper describes an experimental technique to quantify the capture efficiency for the study of aerosol capture in a bed of moving particulates. This is carried out in order to understand the effect of the various factors on the capture efficiency, and then be able to describe the capture via a model to assist scrubber selection and design. The experimental technique provides an effective means of generating and capturing the tracer aerosol and determination of the overall aerosol capture efficiency. The results show the influence of the superficial gas and particulates velocity, bed height, as well as the aerosol concentration, on the capture efficiency.