Scrubber Troubleshooting Guide

Particulate Scrubber Symptoms:

Design basis is wrong

SOLUTION

  • Check vendor calculations and design data
  • Increase scrubber pressure drop and/or liquid rate

Scrubber is not running at design pressure drop or water rate

SOLUTION

  • Adjust system operations and settings
  • Repair or replace recycle pump.
  • If possible, visbly inspect water spray pattern while scrubber is not operating

Water is not distributed fully across venturi

SOLUTION

  • Check water rate and pressure
  • Check for and replace plugged or worn nozzles

Liquid entrainment carry-over

SOLUTION

  • (see below)

Drain line(s) are not sealed

SOLUTION

  • trap or submerge liquid drain lines

Axial velocity is too high for separator

SOLUTION

  • Check design basis and actual flow rate
  • if too high, reduce flow or replace separator with larger size
  • Add secondary entrainment separation

Separator is flooded

SOLUTION

  • Clear plugged drain

Internal build-up

SOLUTION

  • Clean internal surfaces of separator

Holes or leakage into separator

SOLUTION

  • Repair holes

Solids concentration is too high in recirculation liquid

SOLUTION

  • Increase recycle bleed-off
  • Increase fresh water make-up
  • Change liquid injection system

Wrong material of construction

SOLUTION

  • Determine corrosive constituants.
  • Repair and add lining or coating that is resistant to corrosion and is abrasion resistant enough for process
  • Add PH control to neutralize corrosive constituants

Failure of PH control system

SOLUTION

  • Check PH sensor and control
  • Check caustic level
  • Check caustic metering pump

Abrasive solids

SOLUTION

  • Reduce venturi velocity if possible while still meeting emission standards
  • Increase water rate while maintaining or decreasing scrubber pressure drop
  • Add abrasion resistant lining
  • Rebuild worn parts out of more abrasion resistant material

Combined effects of abrasion accelerated by corrosion

SOLUTION

  • see “Corrosion” above

Gaseous Scrubber Symptoms:

Design basis is wrong

SOLUTION

  • Check vendor calculations and design data
  • Increase packing height , liquid rate, and/or adjust chemistry

Scrubbing liquid rate is too low

SOLUTION

  • Adjust system operations and settings
  • Repair or replace recycle pump.

Water is not distributed fully across packing

SOLUTION

  • Check water rate and pressure
  • Check for and replace plugged or worn nozzles
  • If possible, visbly inspect water spray pattern while scrubber is not operating
  • Check distribution tray if used instead of spray nozzle

Liquid entrainment carry-over

SOLUTION

  • (see below)

Packing is Flooded

SOLUTION

  • Gas or liquid flow rate is too high for packing

Packing is plugged w/solids

SOLUTION

  • Add precleaner to remove solids
  • Check chemistry to ensure salts or precipitates are not forming
  • Ensure adequate liquid flow rate and distribution to packing

Drain line(s) are not sealed

SOLUTION

  • trap or submerge liquid drain lines

Axial velocity is too high for separator

SOLUTION

  • Check design basis and actual flow rate
  • if too high, reduce flow or replace separator with larger size
  • Add secondary entrainment separation

Separator is flooded

SOLUTION

  • Clear plugged drain

Internal build-up

SOLUTION

  • Clean internal surfaces of separator

Holes or leakage into separator

SOLUTION

  • Repair holes

Wrong material of construction

SOLUTION

  • Determine corrosive constituants.
  • Repair and add lining or coating that is resistant to corrosion and is abrasion resistant enough for process
  • Add PH control to neutralize corrosive constituants

Failure of PH control system

SOLUTION

  • Check PH sensor and control
  • Check caustic level
  • Check caustic metering pump