DIVIDING COLLECTION

DEVICE
FILTERS & SCRUBBERS
Dividing the flow into small parts
and bring it in contact with large
surface area
SURFACE VS DEPTH FILTRATION
A true depth filter allows particles to penetrate the filter
matrix and become captured throughout the depth of the
medium.
If the width of a passageway through a filter is smaller than
that of the particle suspended in the air stream, then the
particle will be stopped and held. If the passageways located
at the filters surface are smaller than that of the particle, the
particles will be held on the outer surface of the filter.
SURFACE FILTER
It is not easy to produce filters
with 0.1 m holes. It can be done
using an expensive process.
The resulting filters are fragile.
Therefore, not suitable for high
volume industrial air pollutant
device.
Industrial air filters have holes
bigger than the smallest particle,
but it is still able to trap smaller
particles.
 Fine particles tend to get caught at the sides of the holes,
making the holes smaller.
The fine particles become a cake, that becomes the filter &
sieve. Now the original filter medium (usually cloth) only acts
as a support.
The particles are collected on the front surface of the growing
cake.
Figure 9.12 Flow through a surface filter
(de Nevers)

From 1 to 3, there is
pressure drop due to
frictional resistance.
2 resistance in series:
cake & filter media
The flow velocity in the
pores are low, the flow
is laminar.
Surface Filtration equations
For laminar flow in porous media:
: fluid viscosity
Q P k
Vs k : permeabili ty of porous medium
A x
x : thickness of porous medium

Vs is a.k.a air-to-cloth ratio, or face velocity, approach

velocity. In Fluid Mech, this is referred to superficial
velocity (indicates that is total volumetric flow rate
divided by total cross sectional area).
The velocity inside the pores is
called interstitial velocity.
Cake and cloth resistances
The flow rate in both the cake and filter media is the same.
Rearranging the eqn,
P1 P2 k P2 P3 k
Vs
x cake x media
x x
P2 P1 Vs P3 Vs
k cake k media
Solving for Vs:
P1 P3 Q
Vs A
x x A filter xcake

k cake k media
xmedia

x/k terms are called the cake resistance and cloth resistance.
Introducing and W
The resistance of the filter medium is often assumed to be a
constant that is dependent of time, so, replace with .
If the filter cake is uniform, then its resistance is proportional to its
thickness.
The thickness is related to the volume of gas the passes thru the
cake:
m m m
So, cake thickness , x
V A x A

msolidsremoved 1 Vcake
W is volume of cake per volume of gas. W
V
Vgas cake gas

So, Volumegas
x W
A
EXAMPLE 9.16

A shake-deflake baghouse has 6 compartments, each with 112 bags

that are 8 in. diameter and 22 ft long for an active area of 46 ft2 per
bag. The gas being cleaned has a flow rate of 86,240 ft3/min. The
pressure drop through a freshly cleaned baghouse is estimated to
be 0.5 in H2O and are operated until the pressure drop is 3 in H2O
(the time they are taken out to be cleaned). The cleaning frequency
is once per hour. The incoming gas has 13 grains/ft3 particle loading.
The collection efficiency is 99%, and the filter cake is estimated to
be 50% solids with the balance being voids. Estimate how thick the
cake is when the bags are taken out of service for cleaning. What is
the permeability, k of the cake?
What is a Baghouse?

Baghouse is a common
term for the collection
device thats uses fabric
bags to filter particulate
out of a gas stream

Air pollution control technology handbook by Karl B. Schnelle,Charles Arnold Brown

Baghouse Principles of Operation

1.Dust enters the

baghouse.
2.Larger particles drop
out while smaller dust
particles collect on
filter bags.
3.Clean gas out of
baghouse.
 Shake-deflate
filter
Common types of
industrial surface
filters (baghouse)

Pulse-jet filter
SHAKE-DEFLATE FILTER
Large number of cylindrical cloth
bags, closed at the top like giant
socks, toe upward. Hung from a
support.
Typically 5 baghouses for a power
plant, 4 operating while 1 is
cleaned. Therefore must design so
that 4 units is adequate for the gas
flow rate.
Operates for 2 hours, cleaned for 10
minutes.
Cleaning method for shake-deflate filter
Gas flow of one unit is switched off.
The bags are shaken by the support
to loosen the collected cake.
A weak flow of gas in reverse
direction may also be added to
dislodge the cake, thus deflating
the bags.
The cake falls into the hopper, Detail of a
collected & disposed of. shaking lever
system
Bag attachment for
shaker cleaning
baghouses

Typical Shaker Baghouse

with Motor
Sonic
Generally used along
with one of the other
cleaning techniques

A sound generator
level produced by the
generator is barely
discernible outside the
baghouse.

Sonic
vibrations
Reverse Air Baghouse
Reverse Air Baghouse
PULSE-JET FILTER
Another widely used system.
Bags end open at the top.
Bags are supported by
internal wire cage.
Bags are cleaned by
intermittent jets of
compressed air that flow into
the inside of the bags to
blow the cake off.
Bags are often cleaned while
in service. Typical pulse-jet
baghouse with
pulsing air supply
 Figure 6.6 Cooper and Alley

Dust accumulates on
the outside
surfaces of the bags
Pulse-jet baghouse
Pulse-Jet Cleaning
System
Figure 6.3 Cooper and Alley
Particle capture mechanisms
Hole size in filter medium typically much larger than
particles that are efficiently collected (Fig6.1 Cooper
and Alley)
Mechanisms that contribute to particle capture:
Impaction
interception
diffusion
At high velocities the last mechanism is ineffective,
pinholes may form in the cake that correspond to the
openings in the filter medium (Fig 9.16 de Nevers)
Figure 6.1 A new clean woven filter
cloth. Cooper and Alley

A new, clean, woven

filter cloth
 Types of the filterbag

Envelope Filter
bag

Tubular Filter Multipocket

Bag Filter bag
Filterbag Material
The Pros and Cons
Pros
High collection efficiency even for small particles
Can operate on a wide variety of dust types
Modular in design
Can operate over an extremely wide range of volumetric flow rates
Require reasonably low pressure drops

Cons
Require large floor space
Fabric can be harmed by high temperatures or corrosive gases
Cant operate in moist environments
Potential for fire or explosions
Baghouse Collection Efficiency
Collection efficiency is generally not a concern in the design of a
baghouse
A well designed, well maintained fabric filter that is operated
properly generally collects particles from 0.5 to 100 um at
efficiencies of greater than 99%
The remaining design involves optimizing filtering velocity to
balance capital costs vs operating costs
Figure 2.5 Cooper and Alley

Typical cost
relationships for
fabric filters
Pinholes
When superficial velocity increases, its
efficiency falls (See Figure 9.15).
The particles escapes thru pinholes
(regions where cake did not establish
properly).
Pinholes are about 100 m in dia.
More pinholes form when Vs is high.
Bernoullis eqn applies.

Pinhole crater
Pinhole leaks in surface filters
Example 9.17
Estimate the velocity through a pinhole in a filter with a pressure
drop of 3 in of water.
DEPTH FILTERS
Another class of filters that does
not form a cake, but collects
particles through the entire filter
body. (also called Filterbed
filters)
 Figure 9.17 de Nevers
Flow of gas and particles around a cylindrical fiber
(cross section of a fiber).
Much denser particles hit the target, and adhere to it
by impaction (~ 1 m particle) or interception
(smaller particle, graze at the sides of the fiber).
Much smaller particles adheres to the target by
Brownian motion (diffusion).
Dr. Joseph Brink and Monsanto developed the first fibre bed
mist eliminator back in 1959-60. The original applications were
developed to solve air pollution issues for Monsanto's own
phosphoric and sulphuric acid plants.
Target (collection) efficiency

Figure 9.18: To find target efficiency.

It is a function of separation number, and shape.

(number of particles collected)

(number of particles that would be collected

if all particles went straight to the target)
Figure 9.18
Target (collection) efficiency
Separation number (a.k.a. impaction parameter, inertia
parameter) : x
Ns
Stokes _ stopping_ dis tan ce

Db
Db : target diameter
Stokes stopping distance:
V0 D 2
xStokes _ stopping
18
* = any unspecified particle will be assumed to have a specific
gravity of 2.00, hence a density of 2000 kg/m 3,
**at 1 atm pressure and 20C = 68F = 528R = 293.15 K, the
= 1.8 x 10-5 Pa.s = 1.8 x 10-5 kg/m.s.
***D = Diameter particle
Example 9.18
A single cylindrical fiber 10 m in diameter is placed perpendicular
to a gas stream that is moving at 1 m/s. The gas stream contains
particles that are 1 m diameter and the particle concentration is 1
mg/m3. What is the rate of collection of the particles on the fiber?
Solution: Calculate N s, then refer to Figure 9.18 to get target
efficiency, then multiply by the maximum possible rate.

VD 2
Ns
18Db

= 0.617

Max possible rate = VDbc

Rate of collection =
Max rate target
Example 9.19
A filter consists of one row of parallel fibers across a flow as
described in previous example. The center-to center spacing of the
fibers equal to five fiber diameters. What is the collection
efficiency? If the open area is 80%.

Collection efficiency = target percentage blocked

Example 9.20
A filter consists of 100 rows of parallel fibers as described in
Example 9.18, arranged in series. They are spaced far enough apart
that the flow field becomes completely uniform between one row
and the next (i.e. the rows do not interact). What is the collection
efficiency of the entire filter?

overall 1 poverall 1 pindividualn

 The previous 3 example show ideal in idealized
form, what goes on within the filter depth.
In reality, filters do not have orderly array of
parallel fibers, but consists of jumbled up fibers.
But the examples gives good approximation for
collection by impaction.
For much smaller particles
Impaction is negligible, collection is due to
interception and diffusion.
Eqn 9.46:

6 Diffusion 2 / 3 3D 2V 1/ 2
t arg et 1/ 2 3 / 2
DbV
1/ 6 1/ 2
Db

Diffusional Interception
Example 9.21
Repeat Example 9.18 for particles with diameter 0.1
m. Take into account impaction, diffusion and
interception.

6 Diffusion 2 / 3 3D 2V 1/ 2
t arg et 1/ 2 3 / 2
DbV
1/ 6 1/ 2
Db
Let plays with the questions
1. Using fig 9.18, estimate the % target efficiency for 10 particle in air moving at 100 ft/s
againts a 1-cm diameter cylinder.

2. A single fiber 10 in diameter is placed perpendicular to a gas stream that is moving 1 m/s.
the gas stream contains particles with a diameter of 10 . The particle concentration is 1
mg/m3. what is the rate of collection of particles on the fiber in g/(m.s)?

3. A typical household furnace air filter consists of a mass of randomly oriented collecting
fibers. An idealized model of such a filter would have multiple screens in series, each
perpendicular to the flow and looking to the oncoming gas like a venetian blind. Assume
that such a filter can be represented as 10 such sets of obstructions in series, that each such
obstruction has an area that is 80 % open and 20 % blocked by the fiber, that for the
individual fibers the collection mode is entirely by impaction, and that the target efficiency
as shown on Figure 9.18 is 25 %. What is the overall collection efficiency of the this entire
filter?

4. A collector consists of a sieve made of cylindrical wire fibers with diameter 100 . These
are arranged in a parallel array, like a venetian blind, with space of 100 between the
fibers.. We are passing through them an air stream containing particles with diameters of 10
and 0.01 . The relative velocity at which the air approaches the sieve is 1 m/s. estimate
the fraction of each of the two types of particles that is collected by impaction and by
diffusion deposition.
5. We are passing a gas stream with velocity 1 m/s over a single array
of cylindrical collectors with diameter 100 . This array has 50 % open
area, 50% are blocked by the collector. What is the smallest particle
that will be collected with 40 % efficiency?

6. The long ranger is riding through a sandstorm. Does his mask (a

bandanna that covers his nose) significantly decrease the amount of
sand he breathes in? assume the bandanna is made of fibers, each
300 in diameter. They are woven in a simple weave that blocks 75 %
of the projected area; the remaining 25 % is open, with holes up to 75
in diameter. For the purpose of this problem, the bandanna may be
considered equal to a single row of parallel fibers, each 300 in
diameter, with 75 % of the flow area blocked and 25 % open. The gas
velocity approaching the cloth as he breaths is 1 m/s.
a). Estimate both the collection efficiency for 10 particles and the
cut diameter for bandanna used as a filter
b). What is the overall collection efficiency for particles 10 in
diameter for these 2 layers of cloth?
A device that collects particles by
contacting dirty gas stream with
liquid drops.

SCRUBBERS
Scrubbers
Bring the flow of gas in contact with a large number of
liquid droplets representing a large surface area
Natural occurrence: rainfall
A space with dimensions x, y, z. Concentration c.
Let one spherical water drop of diameter DD pass thru
this space. How much PM will be transferred into the
water?
 Figure 9.21 de Nevers
Rainstorm mass balance.
Volume of space swept out is the cylinder.

volume swept 2
Ddropz
by drop of rain 4
 Eqn 9.48:

particle mass
volume swept particle target
collected by
one drop of rain by drop of rain concentrat ion efficiency

2
m p Ddrop z C t
4

Target Efficiency from Fig 9.18.

Removal of particles from a volume of air
during a rainstorm
For the region x, y, z we wish to know how the
concentration of the particles changes during a
rainstorm. From the material balance, we can say that:

particle mass
number of drops
collected by
one drop of rain per unit time
dC

dt volume of air
dC


/ 4 DD2 zct N D 2 ND
DD c t
dt x y z 4 x y
 Multiply top and bottom with the volume of a sphere, gives:
dC ND / 6 DD 3
DD c t
2

/ 6 D 3
dt 4 x y D

c t N D / 6 DD
3

1 . 5


DD x y

The rightmost term is QL / A,

dC c t QL
1.5
dt DD A

Rearrange & integrate gives :

c 1.5 QL
ln p ln t t
c0 DD A
Removal of particles from a volume of air
during a rainstorm
1.5t QL t
C C0 exp
D A
drop
QL
: rainfall rate per unit area, e.g. mm/hr
A
Example 9.22
Use eqn: 1.5t QL t
C C0 exp
Ddrop A

e.g. Q/A = 0.1 inches in 1 hr, Ddrop = 1 mm

dparticle = 3 m, C0 = 100 g/m3
t ~ 0.22 (Ns = 0.23)
 Rainfall collects large particles well, but poorly for smaller
particles.
If we calculate for 1 m particles, the N s would be smaller, t
becomes zero.
To get good removal efficiency of smaller particles, we must
increase Ns to get higher target efficiency.
We will consider different geometries to see the possibilities.
Several types of scrubber geometries:
Cross-flow

Counter- flow
Co-flow
Removal of particles in a crossflow scrubber
(Fig. 9.22 de Nevers)
1.5t QL z
C C0 exp
DdropQG

Make Ddrop small,

and/or z large
Both measures
would result in
some liquid droplets
being carried out of
the scrubber
Removal of particles in a counterflow scrubber
(Fig. 9.23 de Nevers)
1.5t QL z V
C C0 exp t
DdropQG (Vt VG )

As Vt VG , C 0
But, this means droplets are
nearly stationary with respect to
the container
flooding
Removal of particles in a co-flow scrubber
(Fig. 9.24 de Nevers)

We need high relative velocity between gas and

droplets without loosing the droplets or flooding the
equipment.
IDEA: Introduce the water droplets at right angles to
gas but let them go out with the gas, then separate
them in a cyclone.
This is in effect a modification of the way a cross-flow
scrubber is operated.
Figure 9.24 de Nevers

Co-flow scrubber
Removal of particles in a co-flow scrubber

dC 1.5 QL Vrel
t dx
C Ddrop QG (VG Vrel )

Integration difficult because VG, Vrel, t all change

with x (Fig. 9.25 de Nevers)
Ddrop is non-uniform, and not constant with x
Questions
1. Our crossflow scrubber is collecting 90 % of the particles passing into it. We now must
double the gas flow rate. If we hold everything else constant, what is the anticipated
collection efficiency at the new flow rate?

2. Our crossflow scrubber is collecting 90 % of the 3- particles entering. The water drops
are all of the same diameter, 400 (with Vt = 1.5 m/s). We now install new spray nozzles
that make all the drops 200 (with Vt = 0.7 m/s) in diameter. QL is not change. What is
the new collection efficiency?

3. We are collecting 90 % of the particles from a gas stream in a crossflow scrubber. We

wish to increase the collection efficiency to 95 % by increasing the water flow to the
scrubber, holding everything else constant. By what percentages must we increase the
water flow to the scrubber?

4. A co-flow wet scrubber has QG = 104 cfm, QL = 10 cfm, A= 0.6 ft 2, and an inlet liquid
velocity of zero. The gas has the same properties as air, and the liquid the same
properties as water.
(a) Estimate the pressure drop of the scrubber.
(b) Estimate the aerodynamic cut diameter.
(c) Estimate the physical cut diameter, if the particle density is 2 g/m3 and c = 1.3.
5. A 2 mm diameter raindrop falls at its terminal velocity through 1000 ft of
air that contains 80 g/m3 of 3 spherical particles. Assume Vt = 22 ft/s. = 7
m/s. how many particles does drop collect? And what is the percentage
increase in mass of the drop due to these particles.?

6. Rain is falling steadily at a rate of 1 in./h. The raindrops are all 2 mm in

diameter and are falling at their terminal velocity. What is the conc. of
raindrops in the air in drops per ft 3.

7. A rainstorm is depositing 0.1 in./h of rain over large area. The drops have
average diameter of 2 mm, for which the target efficiency for the particles
in the air is estimated to be 0.1. How long must the rainstorm continue at
the this rate to collect 90 % of the particulates in the air?

8. A rainstorm deposits 1 in. of water uniformly over a large area. Of the rain
that falls, one-half of the volume is in the form of drops with a diameter of 2
mm, for which the target efficiency for particles is 0.1, and one-half of the
volume is in the form of drops with diameter 1 mm, for which the target
efficiency for particles is 0.15. Estimate what fraction of the particles
originally present will be collected.
Figure 9.27 de Nevers

Pressure drop and

aerodynamic cut
diameter for a typical
venturi scrubber