Air Stripping of VOCs

from Water
VOC removals in excess of 99.99 % are possible with air stripping when
a packed column is used. The packing provides the necessary surface
and turbulence to allow the air to strip the organics effectively down to
very low levels.
In a conventional air stripper, the contaminated water is introduced at
the top of a packed bed. The packing is usually a randomly dumped
plastic media intended to provide a very large effective surface area.
Water flows down the packed bed in opposite direction to ascending
air. The air strips the VOC and exits out the top of the stripper. Clean
water leaves the bottom of the packed section into a sump.

THE JAEGER ADVANTAGE

Jaeger Products has extensive experience in the successful design of
air stripping systems for organic removal and recovery. No other mass
transfer equipment manufacturer has the number of successful installations. Jaeger=s mass transfer products have become the standard in
air stripping installations.
Our engineering staff can provide you with a complete process design,
and with the necessary engineering, to specify the stripping column in
detail and supply you with all process specification for the peripheral
equipment. We have a complete line of packings, trays, and tower
internals that can satisfy any air stripping needs.

Superior performance by design

JAEGER PRODUCTS, iNC.

1611 Peachleaf, Houston, Texas 77039
Phone:(281) 449-9500 Fax: (281) 449-9400
(800) 678-0345
http://www.jaeger.com

Air Stripping of VOCs from Water

Jaeger Products, Inc.
Houston, Texas
A very prevalent water pollution problem pertains to contamination by organic compounds that offer
potentially very important health risks. These organic contaminants are called volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) when they have a certain propensity to evaporate away from the water into air. Many of these VOCs
are only partially miscible with water but in general they all present a certain solubility. Table 1 lists some
of the more common VOCs found in waters as well as some possible sources. The problem of reducing
VOCs in water applies to ground waters, surface waters, and waste waters alike. The origin of the water
has some important design implications that will be discussed later. This write-up will discuss the
application of air stripping (also known as packed column aeration) for the removal of VOCs from water.
TABLE 1
SOME COMMON VOCs FOUND IN WATER
VOC
benzene
toluene/xylene
trichloroethylene
tetrachloroethylene
trichloroethane
dichloroethanes
trihalomethanes
vinyl chloride
carbon tetrachloride
naphthalene
acetone
methyliso-butyl ketone
chlorobenzenes

FOUND IN
ground waters
waste waters
ground waters

SOURCE
gasoline leaks
process drains and effluents
gasoline leaks
solvent leaks into water table

source waters
waste waters
waste waters
ground waters
ground waters
waste waters
ground waters
ground waters
waste waters
source waters

chlorination/ozonation of
treated waters
plastics manufacture
solvent spills
diesel spills
solvent spills
gasoline leaks
process spills
solvent spills

AIR STRIPPING . . .WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

The contaminants shown in Table 1 are considered VOCs because of their "volatility. Volatile compounds
have a natural tendency to leave the water phase and evaporate into air or other gases that are free of the
contaminant. This high volatility makes these organic compounds easy to remove from water by putting
the contaminated water in contact with air that is free of the pollutant. This process is called air stripping
since the VOC is "stripped" out of the water with air. In essence, the VOC is removed from the water and
transferred to the air.
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

Obviously air stripping by itself is not a solution since the pollution is only transferred from one phase to
another. Treatment of the VOC laden air that leaves an air stripper is necessary and several alternatives will
be discussed later.
VOC removals in excess of 99.99 % are possible with air stripping when a packed column is used. Packed
columns offer very high removal efficiencies at very low pressure drops. The packing provides the
necessary surface and turbulence to allow the air to strip the organics effectively down to very low levels.
Other high pressure drop devices have been used in air stripping service such as perforated trays, bubble
aerators and membranes, but undoubtedly packed columns are the devices of choice in air stripping since
they can achieve extremely low effluent concentrations and they are the most economical to operate. This
is especially true in applications exceeding feed flows of 50 gpm where the cost of operating the air
compression systems required for tray strippers become very large.
PACKED AIR STRIPPERS OR TRAY STRIPPERS?
The main advantages packed strippers have over tray strippers are:
a) Packed strippers are more economical and effective for larger flows (above 50 gpm).
b) Packed strippers are more economical when large fractional removals are required (in excess
of 98%), such as in the case of waste-waters and highly contaminated source waters.
c) Packed strippers operate at a fraction of the pressure drop of trayed ones. This reduces the
horsepower requirements for air movement in the stripper.
d) Packed strippers are more economical when low volatility VOCs are to be removed. These VOCs
require higher air/water ratios that are better handled with packed columns.
e) Packed strippers offer better turndown and operability range than tray strippers.
WHAT DOES A PACKED AIR STRIPPER LOOK LIKE?
In a conventional air stripper, the contaminated water is introduced to the top of a packed bed. The packing
is usually a randomly dumped plastic media that is intended to provide a very large effective surface area
per unit volume for mass transfer. Water flows down the packed bed in opposite direction to ascending air.
The air strips the VOC out and exits the top of the stripper. Clean water leaves the bottom of the packed
section into a sump.
The liquid is carefully distributed at the top of the tower by means of a specially designed liquid distributor.
The packing is supported at the bottom of the bed by a support plate that is carefully designed not to
constrain the gas flow. In cases where the required packed bed depth exceeds 25 feet, separately
supported beds are installed with a collection-redistribution stage between them.
Figure 1 depicts an air stripping system complete with off-gas treatment facilities. Materials of construction
for the packing are generally polypropylene or polyethylene. The tower vessel is generally manufactured in
FRP, aluminum, or stainless steel. Tower internals such as distributors and supports can be manufactured
out of polymeric materials, aluminum, or stainless steel. In drinking water applications, all materials should
be compatible with food service and meet FDA requirements.
Filtered air is introduced into the stripper by means of a blower. The blower can be installed in forced or
induced draft configurations depending on the site. Forced draft arrangements, such as the one shown in
Figure 1, are more common and better suited for off-gas treatment.

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

HOW IS AN AIR STRIPPER DESIGNED?

The purpose of this section is to detail some of the general criteria used in designing air strippers for VOC
removal for ground and waste water applications. These guidelines are general and can be applied without
modification to the more conventional VOCs such as trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE),
chloroform, benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX), dichloroethylene (DCE), trichloroethane, and carbon tetrachloride.
These criteria apply only when air is the stripping medium and for dilute concentrations of VOCs in water
(below 10,000 ppb).

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

HENRY'S LAW CONSTANT

The value of the Henry's law constant plays an important part in determining the required air to water ratio
in the stripper. It can also be important in the determination of the number of transfer units and the height
of a transfer unit through its effect on the stripping factor.
Reliable data on Henry's constants (H) are not easy to find, especially since these constants are dramatically
affected by temperature and other solutes present in the water. In general H increases with temperature
and concentration of inorganic salts in the water. The effect of temperature should always be considered
whereas the effect of inorganic salts is usually neglected since this represents a conservative assumption.
Henry's law is usually expressed as:
yP = H'x
where y is the mole fraction in the gas phase, x is the mole fraction in the liquid phase, P is the total
pressure and H' is Henry's constant. For the purpose of this document we will consider the Henry's constant
to be in pressure (atmospheres) units and that the total pressure is always very close to one atmosphere:
y= Hx
The numerical values of H and H' are the same since P=1.
The following table shows some estimates of values of H for some common VOCs:
Compound

Temperature deg. C

trichloroethylene
perchloroethylene
1,1,1 trichloroethane
chloroform
methylene chloride
o-dichlorobenzene
BTX

500
800
700
180
125
71
240

carbon tetrachloride
methyl-ethyl ketone
methyl-isobutyl ketone
ethylbenzene
1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethane

1183
1.7
7.1
389
20

20
20
20
20
20
20
20 (other data indicate a value of
400 for H at 20 deg. C)
20
20
20
20
20

These numbers appear to be conservative and could be used for design. Always consult Jaeger Products
for designs at different temperatures. Jaeger will assist you in the estimation of the correct value of H
based on a very extensive, field-proven data base.

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

AIR TO WATER RATIO

The ratio of the volumetric air flow to the volumetric water flow (CFM air/CFM water) is commonly referred
to as the air to water ratio. The recommended value of the air to water ratio varies for different VOCs in
accordance with variations of the Henry's constant and the hydraulic stability of the column. Considerations
of whether off-gas treatment will be required also affect the selection of the design air/water ratio since
larger air volumes will be significantly more expensive to handle in an off-gas treatment unit.
The air to water ratio (A/W) is related to the stripping factor S by the following equation:
S = 0.00075 H (A/W)
Normally, stripping factors of between 10 and 15 work well in cases where no off-gas treatment is required
so that as an initial guess one can use
A/W = 16, 000/H
to estimate the air to water ratio needed for the column. This guideline works well for components like
trichloroethylene and BTX. It should not be used strictly for components that have Henry's constants below
100 since it would yield unreasonably high values of A/W. In reality, values of A/W above 500 are rare in
VOC applications.
Lower stripping factors and air to water ratios are mandated when off-gas treatment is considered. Designs
using stripping factors between 3 and 7 are not uncommon. In these cases the design procedure for the air
stripper becomes more sensitive and delicate. Please consult with Jaeger when your application requires
stripping factors below 10.
MASS TRANSFER EFFICIENCY
There are several ways to predict the mass transfer performance of a given packing under the required
operating conditions. In every case, the required height of packing will be the product of HTU times NTU.
(Packed height = number of transfer units * height of a transfer unit). The values of HTU and NTU to be
used will depend on the stripping factor and the inherent efficiency of the packing. NTU is a variable that
relates exclusively to the stripping factor and the degree of removal. HTU relates to the stripping factor,
liquid load, and the packing efficiency.
The equation to determine the value of NTUol (number of transfer units) for a VOC stripper is:
NTUol = (S/S-1) ln [ (1-1/S)xin/xout + 1/S]
S = stripping factor, xin = inlet concentration, xout = outlet concentration
At values of S = 12 or above, the previous equation can be approximated by
NTUol = ln (xin/xout)
To determine HTU, one can use a correlation or experimental data adapted to the conditions of the design
and applicable to the packing being considered. Methods based on correlations can be fairly reliable if
applied carefully to systems within the proven limits of the correlations. The best method currently available
to the public is a modification of the Onda method that was developed by the Separations Research Program
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

at The University of Texas at Austin. The use of the Onda method without modification is adequate in many
cases and is also used extensively.
Experimental data is hard to come by and hard to validate but it represents the best basis for design. It is
always advisable to compare a design based on experimental data with a correlation method since this will
provide a good sense for the importance of the different variables on the design. Typical design values of
HTU derived from performance data on Jaeger Tri-Packs7 packings are shown in Table 2. The reader should
understand that the selection of the proper value of HTU for design should be done by the packing supplier.
Jaeger Products will provide guaranteed designs for VOC strippers so be sure and consult with us when
finalizing a design.
TABLE 2
HTU VALUES FOR JAEGER TRI-PACKS7 IN VOC STRIPPING
All data for trichloroethylene at 60 deg. F
PACKING

A/W ratio

Liquid load

HTU

2" Jaeger Tri-Packs7

2" Jaeger Tri-Packs7

60
90

25 gpm/ft
35

2.9 ft
3.2

60
90

25
35

3.4
3.7

3
3

" Jaeger Tri-Packs7

" Jaeger Tri-Packs7

EXAMPLE DESIGN
The accompanying chart gives quick estimation of the packed tower requirements for some of the easier
VOC removal applications. In order to use the chart:
a) Determine the necessary air/water ratio for the selected contaminant
A/W = 16 000/H (with H is the Henry's Law constant in atmospheres).
b) With the total water flow to be treated in a single stripper and the desired removal, read the
necessary packed height.
c) The packing size (Jaeger Tri-Packs7 1, 2, or 3.5 inches) is specified next to the column diameter.
NOTE: CONSULT JAEGER FOR DESIGNS REQUIRING HIGHER REMOVALS, LOWER AIR/WATER RATIOS,
LOWER TEMPERATURE, OR DIFFERENT LIQUID LOADING RATES THAN THOSE SPECIFIED IN THE CHARTS
LIQUID AND GAS DISTRIBUTION
The performance of an air stripper is in many cases wrongly related only to the packing itself. In reality, the
packing performs only as well as the initial liquid and gas distribution allows it to. Badly designed liquid
distributors and inlet air nozzles are the most common problems found in non-performing air strippers. Care
should be taken to design and install proper distribution devices in the stripper. For this reason, Jaeger
Products also offers a complete line of liquid and gas distributors to be used in air strippers.
The design and selection of a proper distributor is not simple and cannot be detailed here. For Jaeger to
supply a performance guarantee on a VOC stripper, we would have to supply the internals as well as the
packing or at least have access to review the drawings prior to installation. Contact Jaeger for complete
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

JAEGER PRODUCTS, iNC.

HIGH PERFORMANCE TOWER PACKINS

SELECTION CHART FOR AIR STRIPPERS FOR VOC REMOVAL

(for estimation purposes only)

AND COLUMN INTERNALS

(281) 449-9500
Fax (281) 449-9400
(800) 6778-0345

Number in table indicate required packed bed height in ft for a given removal, and air/water ratio. * Recommended packings
size in parenthesis. Numbers to be used only when stripping factor is above 10 and temperature above 55 deg. F.
Consult Jaeger Products for values outside the range of the table.

CONTACT JAEGER PRODUCTS FOR A GUARANTEED DESIGN

Air to water ratio ----------------------------------------------------------Water flow (GPM)
Tower ID (in.) Removal (%)
10
14
90
*(1" TTRIPACKS)
95
99
50

20

40

60

80

8' BED
8
8
10
10' BED
10
16
16
16' BED

100

150

8
10
16

7
9
15

200

16

90
95
99

8
10
16

8
10
16

8
10
16

8
10
16

7
9
15

100 *(2" TTRIPACKS)

24

90
95
99

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

200 *(2" TTRIPACKS)

36

90
95
99

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

9
11
17

300 *(3 1/2" TTRIPACKS)

48

90
95
99

10
12
18

10
12
18

10
12
18

10
12
18

9
11
18

9
11
18

9
11
18

500 *(3 1/2" TTRIPACKS)

60

90
95
99

10
12
18

10
12
18

10
12
18

10
12
18

9
11
18

9
11
18

9
11
18

750 *(3 1/2" TTRIPACKS)

72

90
95
99

10
12
18

10
12
18

10
12
18

10
12
18

9
11
18

9
11
18

9
11
18

1000 *(3 1/2" TTRIPACKS)

94

*(1" TTRIPACKS)

90
10
10
10
10
9
9
9
95
12
12
12
12
11
11
11
99
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
HOW TO USE THIS TABLE: 1) Calculate the required air/water ratio for the component of choice: A/W = 16,000/H where H is the Henry's constant
in atmospheres. 2) At the design flow rate and rewuried percent removal, read the required packed bed height under the specified A/W RATIO.

designs on the optimum internals for your VOC stripper.

AIR POST-TREATMENT
The air emitted from an air stripper frequently needs to be treated to remove the VOC before the air is
exhausted to the atmosphere. This is commonly accomplished by gas phase carbon adsorption or by direct
combustion. The size and cost of the post-treatment equipment is highly dependent on the air rate so that
there is a great incentive to design air stripping systems with as little air flow as possible. This makes the
design of the stripper very critical since all safety factors tend to be removed. Careful evaluation of the
proposed air stripping system at low air flows is required and Jaeger can be of assistance here.
HOW CAN JAEGER HELP YOU IN AIR STRIPPING APPLICATIONS?
Jaeger Products has extensive experience in the successful design of air stripping systems for organic
removal and recovery. No other mass transfer equipment manufacturer has the number of successful
installations. Jaeger s mass transfer products have become the standard in air stripping installations.
Our engineering staff can provide you with a complete process design, with the necessary engineering to
specify the stripping column in detail, and supply you with all process specifications for the peripheral
equipment as illustrated in Figure 1. Our data base is very extensive and chances are there are very few
organics we have not tackled. We can simulate and optimize a complete air stripping and off-gas treatment
unit using the most advanced and comprehensive models. Our calculations will account for unusual
vapor/liquid equilibria and will incorporate the best mass transfer efficiency rating methods available.
We have a complete line of packings, trays, and tower internals that can satisfy any air stripping needs. The
performance of the system depends heavily on the correct internals selection as well as on a good process
design; Jaeger can assist you with both so that total responsibility is easily identified. Although we normally
do not provide turn-key systems, we can direct and/or assist you in such a project. We can also put you
in contact with a systems manufacturer that would provide a turn-key project with Jaeger engineering and
hardware.

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

SOME PITFALLS IN THE DESIGN OF AIR STRIPPERS

Reliability of Henry's constant data
The design of an air stripper depends heavily on the value of the Henry's constant for the target VOC. The
literature abounds with experimental values of Henry's constants but unfortunately they do not always agree
with other published values or with values apparent from field trials and installations.
The Henry's constant is a thermodynamic variable that depends only on temperature and composition. Many
misguided efforts have tried to link the value of Henry's constant to mass transfer performance by regressing
values of H from actual stripping data. This is wrong and dangerous since a fundamental thermodynamic
value is held dependent on totally unrelated things such as liquid distribution, packing shape and size,
column levelness, gas distribution, instrument accuracy, etc.
Values of H derived in such manner should never be used for design since they will prove unreliable in
scale-up and will undoubtedly supply wrongful answers.
The correct procedure is to determine values of H from good experimental data of volatility and solubility
and to determine column efficiency separately using the proper value of H. Consult with Jaeger for proper
and rigorous experimental data interpretation. No other mass transfer company has the level of experience
Jaeger has in using field data to come up with reliable design. There is no magic involved, only the use of
good engineering concepts and thermodynamic principles.
Designs at very low air/water ratios
The necessity of off-gas treatment in air stripping installations has created a very strong incentive for
designing air strippers at very low air flows. Very often the cost of the treatment of the exhaust air
dominates the total treatment cost and is roughly proportional to the air flow.
When the air/water ratio is very low (i.e., stripping factors below 3), the design of the air stripper becomes
very sensitive to the value of the Henry's constant and the packing efficiency. Inaccuracies in the estimation
of these variables of less than 20% can result in calculated packed bed depths that are inadequate by 80
to 120%. It is in these cases where Jaeger Products, Inc., can help you determine the exact tower
dimensions and requirements for reliable results. Crude Henry's constant extrapolations and mistaken mass
transfer data interpretation can lead to grossly under-designed strippers. Consult with Jaeger Products, Inc.
when there is a need to minimize air flows. We have more and better experience than anyone in the
business when it comes to tough designs.
Designs at very low concentrations in the effluent
A pervasive problem in the application of air strippers is the fact that removal of VOCs to very low levels,
say below 0.5 ppb, becomes very difficult if attention is not paid to the detailed design and layout of the air
stripper. Very slight defects in the gas and liquid distribution can lead to strippers not performing properly.
Many designers add extra safety factors to the packed bed depth to compensate for perceived problems
at very low concentrations. The fact is that the best way to ensure proper performance at such low levels
is to ensure that the gas is distributed properly at the bottom of the tower. Guidelines on the layout of the
bottom section of the stripper that set the minimum distances between the gas inlet and the bottom of the
packed bed are very important as is the use of proper feed pipes and spargers. The air entering the tower
from outside needs to be totally free of VOCs for these applications to be successful and measures must
be taken to ensure that the air entering the tower is never contaminated with any of the exhaust air.
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

Cooling of the effluent water

Contact between the air and the water in an air stripper leads to cooling of the water by evaporation. The
amount of cooling depends largely on the water temperature, the air temperature and humidity, and the
air/water ratio. Very efficient packings for VOC removal will also be very efficient cooling devices leading
to potential problems, especially in cold environments. These problems can range from lack of the desired
removal caused by low water effluent temperatures to actual freezing of the water in the stripper. It is
always advisable to check the heat balance of the system for the cold conditions to ensure that freezing has
been properly addressed.
Misuse of safety factors in design
Many performance specifications for air strippers include health safety factors in the inlet and outlet
concentration requirements. Typically the effluent concentration is set at the detection limit of the VOC in
question and the inlet concentration is an absolute maximum that will very rarely (if ever) present itself.
Unfortunately, some mass transfer device suppliers take advantage of this fact when presenting a design
in a competitive situation. Their designs will be based on removals that are below the specified ones with
the "hope" that the specified levels will never present themselves and the performance of the stripper
challenged. Under-designs, such as these, give the false and dangerous impression that a packing is far
better in performance than others. In reality, these suppliers are cutting corners at the expense of
performance reliability of the stripper and are providing designs that do not meet the specified removal but
only meet the effluent characteristic.
The user must be aware of this practice and protect himself or herself against it by strongly requiring and
verifying that all calculations and designs be based on meeting the specified outlet concentration, and the
specified inlet concentration. Jaeger Products, Inc. will always offer you a sound, safe, and economical
design without second-guessing the meaning of the specification. This is why we will always guarantee
our air stripper designs.
Fouling and plugging of packings
Paradoxically, the high mass transfer efficiency provided by the packing in a stripper promotes the
deposition of insoluble metal oxides and bacterial growth. Packings with high surfaces will be more efficient
but will promote fouling as well. There is no magic cure for fouling. The composition of the water, the
irrigation and aeration rates, and the operating temperature have much more to do with how rapidly a tower
will foul than the type of packing used.
If the contaminated water contains free iron or other minerals, the action of the stripping air could cause
some of these compounds to precipitate out and foul the packing media. Organic contaminants promote
biological growth that accentuates the fouling problem. The degree of fouling is usually a function of several
factors beyond the actual inlet conditions. Among them:
1)

If the packings or any of the other internals are exposed to ultra violet light, then algae growth
will be accelerated. Algae formation creates an excellent base for mineral deposits, such as
iron, manganese, and calcium.

2)

A packing that stays completely and continually wet, thereby constantly washing itself of the
participate, seems to resist fouling and plugging. Fouling and plugging can also be
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

accelerated by poor initial liquid distribution.

The reality is that all air strippers will eventually lose some of their efficiency and capacity due to fouling
if the water is not pre-treated before entering the tower. The degree of fouling as well as the amount of time
for the fouling to affect the performance of a stripper is a function of all of the above factors plus other
unique characteristics of a particular site. It must also be noted that in many cases the fouling process is
so slow that a contaminated site is essentially cleaned before fouling is a problem.
The best answer to the problem is a combination of good design and pre-treatment. Jaeger Products, Inc.
can assist you in both activities to provide an effective solution to the problem of fouled packing. Our
engineers will properly select the right internals for your tower to assure good liquid distribution and will also
detail the recommended pre-treatment and maintenance options. Pre-treatment involves the continuous
addition of a chemical or compound to the water to keep the minerals from precipitating and to prevent
algae build-up during the stripping process.
All packings foul and, we assure you, the solution to your fouling problem can be found in good maintenance
practices, good monitoring of your process conditions, and good overall process design. A fouling problem
will not be resolved by trying a different packing unless important compromises are made in mass transfer
efficiency. Severely fouled packed beds are inefficient and cause high pressure drop. They can also be very
dangerous since support plates are generally not designed to handle the weight of packing heavily laden
with inorganic salts. In some extremes, the weight of the packed bed can increase by a factor of 10 or more
as the packing fouls.
What can you do to minimize your risk of fouling?
Operate at higher water loads to eliminate dead spots in the packing
Manipulate your water chemistry by pH adjustment
Optimize liquid distribution in the bed
Pre-treat your feed
Clean and maintain packing frequently (at least every year)
There are some fairly effective "in-situ" cleaning techniques that can be very helpful as long as the bed is
not fouled too severely and it has remained wet. One method is to clean while continuing to operate the
tower by pre-treating the feed water with a slight overdosing of our chelating agent. This excess chemical
will break the structure of the oxidized minerals into colloidal suspension and wash them away with the
tower discharge. The rate of clean-up is a function of water chemistry, amount of fouling and percent of
clean-up dosage. Rates of 110% typically clean moderately fouled towers in 90-120 days.
Do not let anyone tell you that there is such a thing as a "perfectly anti-plugging" packing. Such a thing is
called something else, maybe a tray or a spray column, or maybe just wishful thinking. Jaeger Products,
Inc. can assist you in analyzing an existing or potential fouling problem and can provide you with a viable
solution. Jaeger is the only mass transfer equipment supplier that has the in-house capability and expertise
to tackle a tough fouling problem.

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

GUIDELINES FOR EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES AND HARDWARE SET-UP FOR AIR STRIPPING
TESTS OF VOCs FROM WATER
The set-up of a test column to perform air stripping experiments to evaluate the removal of VOCs from water
under different conditions has to be looked at carefully if repeatable and reliable results are to be obtained.
When the objective is to measure commercial packing performance and to make comparisons in efficiency,
the proper column set-up becomes critical.
Of equal importance are the experimental and analysis procedures that need to be followed in order to
obtain reliable data. Care has to be taken in how the feed and effluent samples are handled between
collection and actual analysis. Plastic packings are very susceptible to the effects of aging and
contamination by inorganic depositions; the researcher must be careful to assure that all the packings
evaluated have undergone the same conditioning.
This report will address some of the most important hardware and experimental technique considerations
that are relevant when evaluating plastic packings in VOC stripping applications.
Hardware Considerations
Stripping Column - Material. Stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic (preferably fiberglass reinforced polyester)
should be used in test columns to prevent the effects of water-induced- corrosion. If a plastic column is
selected, then care should be taken so that the packed bed section of the column is not exposed to sunlight
since this will harm plastic packings and will promote biological activity. All other internals should be either
stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic.
Stripping Column - Size. The column diameter should be at least nine times the nominal diameter of the
packing under study. A design with ratio of less than 9 to 1 could be subject to severe maldistribution,
channeling and wall flow effects that would translate into poor performance. Furthermore, below this ratio,
different packings would exhibit different degrees of performance deterioration so that comparisons made
under these circumstances cannot be extrapolated to larger columns. Some packings with nominal
diameters of 3 or 3.5 inches exhibit performances similar to 2 inch packings. In these cases, it is probably
adequate (but not preferable) to test such packings in columns as small as 18" in diameter.
The packed height selected for the experiments should be the same for all the packings tested, since
different packings have different abilities to maintain liquid distribution so that their local mass transfer
efficiency is depth dependent. For commercial size packings, a packed bed should be at least 5' deep and
should not exceed 25'. A 10' bed is considered standard. Care has to be taken to ensure that the column
is not so deep that the outlet concentrations go below the minimum reliable detection and quantification
point.
Liquid Distribution. The quality of liquid distribution in an experimental set-up is of critical importance to the
reliability of the data for scale-up or for performance comparison. Different packings react differently to initial
maldistribution and these effects are almost impossible to quantify. This means that the use of an inferior
distributor will have different effects on different packings. Usually, the more modern, high efficiency and
low pressure drop random and structured packings, are affected more severely by initial maldistribution than
the older random packings.
Drip pan or ladder type (perforated pipe) distributors are probably the best type for experimental work since
they can offer substantial turn-down, if enough head is provided. A third choice would be the spray cone,
as long as extreme care is taken to ensure that the nozzles deliver solid and homogeneous cones (which
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

by the way, is rarely the case).

The geometric coverage provided by the distributor should always be in excess of 80%. This means that
at least 80% of the cross section of the column receives the average liquid load. Manufacturers of liquid
distributors can quantify this and should be consulted when procuring a distributor. The pour point density
should be at least of 5 points/square foot and ideally around 10 points/square foot. It seems that there is
little effect of the pour point density beyond 10 points/square foot.
The liquid distributor should be installed so that mass transfer above the packed bed is minimized so that
one sees the performance of the bed without the end effect caused by the distributor. This is a clear
disadvantage of the spray nozzle configuration since the angle of the spray cone has to be minimized and
still provide homogeneous coverage. The distributor should not be located more than three feet from the bed
and ideally, this distance should be on the order of 12" or less.
Gas Distribution. This particular issue is often disregarded in the design of experimental strippers and can
be of extreme importance. Unfortunately, few guidelines exist for the design of effective gas distributors.
A good gas distributor will have a pressure drop on the order of 1/2 to 2 inches of water but can detract
from the capacity of the packing. The best way to ensure adequate gas distribution is to measure the gas
velocity profiles in the empty column, equipped only with the support plate, and if the profiles are
symmetrical, proper gas distribution can be assumed.
The location of the gas inlet nozzle should be perpendicular to the column axis and not tangential. It should
be located at least one column diameter or 20" below the support plate (whichever is less).
Bed Sampling. Intermediate bed samplers, when obtained properly, can be very valuable since they can
provide insight into liquid distribution issues and into how the performance of the packings change with bed
depth. Unfortunately, the insertion of a bed sampler into the column has to, by necessity, disturb the liquid
distribution characteristics of the bed. The design of the intermediate bed samplers has to be done very
carefully, particularly in small (36" and less) diameter columns where high efficiency packing is to be used.
Intermediate samplers should not be used at distances of less than 5' and the diameter of the sampler
inserted into the bed should never exceed 1/2". The length of the sampler should be the same as the
diameter of the column so that a representative sample can be obtained. Any other arrangement will only
introduce a maldistribution.
The sample to represent the bottom of the bed should always be taken at the bottom of the bed itself and
not in the sump below the air inlet if there is the opportunity for mass transfer to occur below the bed. If
proper care has been taken in the placement and design of the distributor, the top sample can be taken from
the distributor itself or from the feed line to it.
Wall Flow. The only important considerations to prevent the effects of wall flow are the proper selection
of the column to packing diameter ratio and the vertical alignment of the column. Trivial as it may sound,
checking the vertical alignment of the column is usually disregarded. Misalignment can have an important
effect on liquid distribution. The use of wall wipers is not necessary and can even be damaging to the
performance of high efficiency packings since they can introduce maldistributions the same way badly
designed samplers can.
Experimental Procedure
Packing Installation. Always follow the recommendations of the packing manufacturer with respect to
installation and storage. Plastic and ceramic packings are delicate and should be handled with care.
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

Packing Aging. It has been amply demonstrated by various researchers that the performance of plastic
packings changes with time due to changing surface characteristics and the slow loss of molding
compounds used in the fabrication of the packing. The surface of a plastic packing suffers some changes
when first put in service. It has been noted that the mass transfer performance of a plastic packing improves
as much as 20 to 30% over a period of about 150 hours of operation. Beyond that, there is little
improvement in mass transfer efficiency and some loss of capacity and increased pressure drops can be
found due to biological growth and inorganic salt deposition. At a minimum, plastic packings should be
tested after about one week of being "aged" in water since it appears that the changes in the surface
characteristics are due to the effects of water swelling and roughing the polymer.
When trying to make performance comparisons among different packings, it is very important that all
packings considered are "aged", or for that matter, "not aged" similarly.
Variables to be Measured and Peripheral Instrumentation. Air and water flowrates, inlet and outlet
compositions, water and air temperatures, and pressure drops are the most important process variables
to be measured. The importance of properly measuring inlet and outlet water temperatures cannot be
underscored enough since the effects on the equilibrium constants can be very great.
The water chemistry can also be of great importance since it affects the equilibrium and can have an effect
on packing performance through the deposition of salts or the existence of dissolved gases. The best way
to evaluate packing performance, particularly for comparison purposes, is by using synthetic, controlled feed
streams. As always, the calibration and accuracy of all instrumentation should be checked frequently since
many instruments, especially flow, composition and pressure drop meters, can drift appreciably.
Sample Taking. All samples should be taken in such a way that the exposure to air is minimized. Sealed
sample bombs should be used and filled to the limit to reduce the potential for exposure to air. The samples
should be chilled immediately before transferring to the analysis vials. Once again, care has to be taken so
the contact with air is minimized in this step. The materials of construction of all sample handling equipment
should be stainless steel or glass. The amount of polymeric materials used in things such as gaskets, lids,
septa, syringes, etc. should be kept to an absolute minimum since VOCs absorb easily into them. Samples
should always be treated to prevent bio-degradation and the formation of other products after they have
been taken.
The useful life of VOC samples has been found to be 48 hours at best. After that time, variations are
observed that can be attributed to biological activity, absorption into the components of sample vials, and
volatilization. It is not recommendable to keep samples longer than 48 hours before analysis, and ideally,
one would perform the analysis immediately after the sample is taken. Samples should never be frozen.
Analytical Techniques. Gas chromatography is the best method for VOC analysis in water. The sample
concentration techniques that can be used vary and are usually the greatest source of error. EPA considers
trap and purge and extraction techniques as the ones of choice but they involve a great deal of sample
handling and offer numerous opportunities for introducing errors. We believe that a technique that reduces
sample handling by humans, such as head space analysis, can be more reliable and repeatable.

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

Calibration curves for the analytical instrument set-up should be run as frequently as possible, and actual
experimental sample analysis should always be mixed with analysis of known standard samples to ensure
accuracy. One should always be aware of the detection and reliable quantification limits of the technique.
This limit is not the same as the detection limit in many cases.

The following pages are provided to help expediate any technical or sales information which you may
require. Please copy, fill out and fax any pertinent information and we will be glad to assist you with a
design.

JPI\1996ARST.DOC

To:

JAEGER PRODUCTS, INC.

1611 PEACHLEAF
HOUSTON, TX 77039
(800) 678-0345
Fax
(713) 449-9400

Date:

GENERAL INQUIRY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR

1.

My name is
First Name

M.I.

Last Name

I am with:
Company Name:
Department:
Address:
Phone Number:
Fax Number:
2.

We need:
Quotation
Design Information
For Packed Column Internal Products:

3.

Column Packing

Materials of Construction

Mist Eliminator

Materials of Construction

Liquid Distributor

Materials of Construction

Packing Support Plate

Materials of Construction

Other

Materials of Construction

Our inquiry is for:

Purchasing purposes
Planning
Study
Other

The Column Internals for:

Retrofitting existing column(s)

New Packed Column(s)
Other

4.

The dimensions of our existing Packed Columns are:

Column Diameter:

Column Height:

Packing Height:

Type and Size of

Existing Packing:

4a.

This inquiry is for a new Packed Column.

Please determine packing height and diameter for us.
We have determined the packing height and diameter to be
and

, respectively.
JPI\1996ARST.DOC

The Packed Column is for the following application(s):

Absorption,

Desorption/Stripping,

Odor Control,

Fume Control

Biological Treatment
Other
6.

The design column operating conditions are as follows:

Gas
(In)

Liquid
(Out)

Vol. Flow rate, ACFM or SCFM

(In)

(Out)

GPM

Temperature, F
Pressure, Psia
Density, Lbs./Cu. Ft.
Flowrate, Lbs./Hr.
Viscosity, cp
Gas Composition (% by Vol.)

Liquid Composition (% by Wt.)

Allowable pressure drop (psi or H2O )

7.

We need demister(s) for the column. The mist droplet size distribution and required demisting efficiency are:
Size ()

8.

Distribution (%)

Demisting Eff. (%)

Remarks

JPI\1996ARST.DOC