Anaerobic treatment of VOCs of low water solubility using the SNC-LAVALIN multiplate reactor

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:351086

Mulligan, C; Chebib, J; Safi, B ^[1]

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1. SNC Research Corp., Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

A system for the treatment of VOCs of low water solubility from the flexographic industry has been developed by SNC Research Corp. The process is as follows. The VOCs are removed from the contaminated air stream by an activated carbon column before discharging the clean air to the atmosphere. The solvent is then desorbed from the column by steam, condensed by cooling and separated into two phases by decantation. The upper insoluble fraction containing the ethyl acetate was treated in the buffer tank and then by the SNC-LAVALIN reactor. Here, the solvent is converted to biogas (containing greater than 75% methane) and the liquid effluent which is essentially solvent-free is recycled to the buffer tank. SNC Research Corp. set up a pilot unit alongside a flexographic plant and erected a duct to direct a portion of the emissions from a laminator inside the plant to the pilot unit. Ethyl acetate was the main component at a concentration of 1.6 g/m{sup 3}. A total solvent removal of 90 to 97% was achieved. Over 70% of the ethyl acetate could be recuperated and 99% conversion of aqueous ethyl was obtained. In addition, tests indicated that the recovered ethyl acetate could be reused in the lamination process. The biogas produced contained 79.2% methane without traces of any solvent. The economics compare favorably to catalytic and thermal incineration, particularly when solvent and biogas recovery are included. The next step will involve the implementation of a full scale demonstration plant.

• OSTI ID: 351086
• Report Number(s): CONF-970677--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MATERIALS RECOVERY
ORGANIC SOLVENTS