Wet Scrubbers: Pros and Cons

Table 1. Relative advantages and disadvantages of wet scrubbers compared to other control devices
Advantages	Disadvantages
Small space requirements Scrubbers reduce the temperature and volume of the unsaturated exhaust stream. Therefore, vessel sizes, including fans and ducts downstream, are smaller than those of other control devices. Smaller sizes result in lower capital costs and more flexibility in site location of the scrubber. No secondary dust sources Once particulate matter is collected, it cannot escape from hoppers or during transport. Handles high-temperature, high-humidity gas streams No temperature limits or condensation problems can occur as in baghouses or ESPs. Minimal fire and explosion hazards Various dry dusts are flammable. Using water eliminates the possibility of explosions. Ability to collect both gases and particulate matter	Corrosion problems Water and dissolved pollutants can form highly corrosive acid solutions. Proper construction materials are very important. Also, wet-dry interface areas can result in corrosion. High power requirements High collection efficiencies for particulate matter are attainable only at high pressure drops, resulting in high operating costs. Water-disposal problems Settling ponds or sludge clarifiers may be needed to meet waste-water regulations. Difficult product recovery Dewatering and drying of scrubber sludge make recovery of any dust for reuse very expensive and difficult.

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