HCombined Process for Cleaning hydrocarbons (VOCs) in Shredder Plants
Shredder plants are used for crushing scrap metal and its separation. Depending on the inputmaterial, a variety of substances escape from the input material during the shredding process.
The pollutants released include volatile organic carbons (VOCs) in the exhaust air extracted from the shredder. At present there is no proven process for separating these VOCs from the exhaust air stream. Now Loacker Recycling GmbH in Austria and SRP GmbH in Germany have landed a worldwide "first" by deploying a new technology that removes these air pollutants. This uses a two-stage combined process.
ï‚· The exhaust air (raw gas) from the shredder after the dust separation (wet scrubbing device) is drawn off into a filter unit mixing chamber. Simultaneously preionised fresh air (equal to approx. 15 % of the raw exhaust gas by volume) is fed into the mixing chamber. The microoxidation process in the mixing chamber is capable of oxidising the solvent gas molecules (VOCs). The exhaust air is then conducted across an activated carbon filter.
 Due to the short contact time some of the VOCs in the raw gas are not oxidised, and must be temporarily adsorbed on the activated carbon units. At the end of a production run or during breaks the exhaust gas flaps are closed and the activated carbon is regenerated. During this ‘purification’ process only ionised fresh air is run across the activated carbon. This allows the micro-oxidation process to oxidise the VOCs adsorbed by the filter.
Combining the two processes - ionisation and active carbon adsorption - permits efficient oxidation of the VOCs, resulting in a massive reduction in hydrocarbon emissions (Acontec AG 2012). Regeneration of the active carbon is aimed at maximising its durability.
During an initial trial phase the combined process was used to purify some of the exhaust air from the shredders. The results to date indicate that the process is suitable for this application. Loacker Recycling GmbH has already applied for a permit to operate the equipment under the Waste Management Act. At the SRP GmbH a full-scale test is carried out with involvement of the manufacturer and the local authorities.
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