Aerosol separation efficiency of a venturi scrubber working in self-priming mode

This study deals with the operating behavior, the liquid disintegration, and the aerosol collection efficiency of a venturi scrubber working in self-priming mode. In the case of a forced feed venturi scrubber, the scrubbing liquid is injected into the throat by means of a pump. The liquid load is adjustable independently from the gas how rate. In contrast, the venturi scrubber analyzed in the present investigation works in a self-priming mode. The washing liquid is introduced due to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the venturi throat. This pressure difference is composed of the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid and the static pressure of the flowing gas. The atomization process of the injected liquid is equivalent to the observations made with forced feed venturi scrubbers. However, the jet penetration is most sensitive to the operating conditions of the scrubber. The cleaning efficiency of a venturi scrubber as well as the overall pressure loss grow with an increasing liquid load and with an increasing gas velocity in the throat. The separation efficiency and energy consumption of the scrubber have to be optimized. It is shown that the separation efficiency can be improved by a multistage injection of the scrubbing liquid. Due to the self-priming operation mode, the separation efficiency remains on a high level even if the gas velocity decreases. This does not require any regulation from the outside. Finally, a short prospect is given on the industrial application of the described self-priming venturi scrubber. (C) 1998 American Association for Aerosol Research.