How do bioreactors for air purification work?

Bioreactors make it possible to purify the air coming out of production halls, paint chambers, ventilation stacks or mines. In addition to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), they allow the elimination of odours or hydrogen sulphide. Of the large number of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere, VOCs are one of the most dangerous groups of air pollutants. They are attributed with adverse effects on climate change and carcinogenic potential. The use of biological VOC treatment methods based on proprietary know-how is at the heart of biotechnology bioreactors.

What monitoring and automation system is key to the efficient operation of the bioscrubbers?

The KBT plant is fully automated, allowing the process to be monitored and controlled remotely. The measurement automation system used consists of:

How to monitor recirculation in a bioscrubber using a flow meter?

To ensure that the liquid in the bioscrubber system is flowing optimally, it is necessary to monitor the flow rate precisely. A flow rate that is too slow can lead to ineffective treatment, while a flow rate that is too fast can lead to unnecessary energy consumption and stress on the system. Ecoinverica has used flowmeters such as:

- ATEX intrinsically safe air flow meter at the reactor inlet: for optimising the remaining process parameters and adjusting them to the potential amount of incoming contamination.

- liquid phase flowmeter: to control the amount of water returned and adjust its level to the amount of incoming air. A decrease in contaminant removal rate can result from a shortage of water. At the same time, an excess of water can limit the availability of oxygen in the deeper layers of the biofilter, leading to the formation of anaerobic areas that slow down the biodegradation of VOCs.

How to control the amount of microorganisms in the bioscrubber with turbidity probes?

- Turbidity probes: to control the amount of biomass, the multiplication level of micro-organisms and to detect possible ‘breakthrough’ of the filters and unwanted suspended solids entering the bioreactor with the air;

Eco-inventory decided to automate the monitoring of the amount of microorganisms using the JUMO ecoLine NTU turbidity probes. This advanced optical probe monitors the turbidity level in the water that flows through the bioscrubber, using the phenomenon of light scattering. With a wide measuring range and fault-tolerant communication via RS485 interface and Modbus protocol, the JUMO ecoLine NTU provides precise and reliable real-time readings.

How to prevent bio-washer clogging with differential pressure measurement?

Bio-washer clogging is one of the challenges that can lead to a reduction in the efficiency of the air purification process. In order to prevent this, it is important to monitor the differential pressure in the system, which allows early detection of gas flow problems. Ecoinvent decided to use a JUMO multi-band differential pressure transmitter, specifically designed to work with non-aggressive gases.

How to use temperature sensors to improve microorganism operating conditions in a bioscrubber?

• Temperature sensor for air and water: Recording any possible exceedances and optimizing microorganism operating conditions. Most industrial gas purification processes occur in the range of 15-40°C. From a microbiological perspective, the optimum temperature is around 37°C. Interestingly, within the 20-40°C range, the biological activity of specially selected microorganisms doubles with every 10°C increase in temperature.

How to automate the acid and base dosing system in a bioscrubber using pH probes?

• pH measurement: Integrated with dosing pumps for nutrient supply to microorganisms and pumps for dosing acid and base to maintain optimal pH. The acceptable conditions for microorganisms are a pH range from 5 to 9, but their highest activity occurs at a pH between 7 and 8. For ensuring optimal air purification efficiency, pH stability and avoiding fluctuations of 2-3 pH units are crucial.

The key step towards automation was the introduction of the JUMO ecoTRANS pH 03 transmitter and pH controller.

How do you ensure a continuous supply of nutrient solution, acid and alkali with level sensors?

- Level sensor in palletopojeminers: an alarm in the event of low values allowing medium, acid and alkaline to be replenished in good time.

What nutrients are crucial for the effective work of microorganisms in a bioscrubber?

Colonies of micro-organisms treat organic pollutants as a type of food, which is a source of the carbon they need for life. Additional nutrients are provided in dissolved form in the water. The most commonly used mineral salts include: KH2PO4, KNO3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4Cl, CaCl2, MgSO4, MnSO4, or FeSO4.

Why invest in advanced monitoring solutions for air purification systems? Customer benefits

The use of bioreactors makes it possible to comply with current European Union regulations in the area of environmental protection. For businesses, this means lower emission charges and eliminating the risk of penalties for exceeding them. The process is carried out at low temperature (30°C) and at atmospheric pressure, so the operating costs of running the process are low. In addition, the plant does not require the use of expensive catalysts and the automation used has low operating costs.

The high degree of automation and the possibility of online monitoring via a SCADA system also provides confidence that the process is running correctly and efficiently, which translates into service quality and customer satisfaction.

The estimated service life of the installation is 20 years.

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