New Materials and processes for integrated industrial air-cleaning (VOCSORBs)

Proposal: n°CRAF-1999-71201 - Contract: n°G1ST-CT-2002-50224 The objective of this proposal is to find new materials and processes which can overcome the limits of current technologies. The more powerful sorbents proposed : modified APCs, ACFs (Activated Carbon Fibres) derived from different sources like plastic and agricultural wastes, hydrophobic zeolites and zeotypes, and natural products derived sorbents, and blends between them, will be capable of VOC-abatement to levels < 100mg VOC/Nm3. They will be formulated so as to lead to minimum pressure drop during operation. In addition, the recycling time will be shortened (<2h) to avoid harmful concentration in the sorbent by a new process which allows cyclic desorption. More highly sorbing materials will allow a shorter rest period to be imposed upon operating units. Current plant in use is capable of taking up 5 g VOC.m3 of air per hour, but after 10 hours the adsorber is saturated. The new process aims to increase the rate of air cleaning at least to 25 g VOC.m3 of air per hour. To this purpose, more powerful sorbents are required which must be formulated such as to lead to minimum practical pressure drop. In addition, the recycling time must be shortened (<2 h) to avoid harmful concentration in the sorbent by a new process which allows cyclic desorption.