Abstract
Industrial emissions are technically demanding because of their chemical complexity, containing components that may differ by several orders of magnitude in water solubility, reactivity and odor threshold. This paper describes the engineering role of wet scrubbing in odor and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) abatement, with specific emphasis on multi-stage wet scrubbers developed and applied by Tecnoimpianti Water Treatment S.r.l. (TWT). Wet scrubbing is discussed as a gas-liquid mass-transfer and chemical-conversion process in which each stage can be designed for specific pollutant families through pH control, oxidation, packing selection, recirculation strategy, demisting and automation. Three field case studies are then presented. These cases show that multi-stage wet scrubbing is a robust and flexible best-available-technique-compatible option for soluble and reactive odorants, particularly when embedded in an integrated treatment train for hydrophobic VOCs and variable industrial matrices.
Keywords: odor emissions; VOCs; wet scrubber; packed tower; multi-stage deodorization; industrial air trea
