Assessment of Odour and VOC Depuration Efficiency of Advanced Biofilters in Rendering, Sludge Composting and Waste Water Treatment Plants

• Main Authors: D. Almarcha, M. Almarcha, S. Nadal, A. Poulssen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2014-09-01
• Series: Chemical Engineering Transactions
• Online Access: https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/5290

Stringent requirements of ambient air quality regarding odour concentration levels are being implemented worldwide. Frequently, the conventional technologies available (scrubbers, conventional biofilters, activated charcoal filters…) are unable to achieve the required emission or immission limits when these are very stringent due to the presence of vulnerable receptors in the vicinity. High Performance odour abatement technologies, such as Advanced Biofilters or Thermal Oxidation, have been developed and applied in order to overcome these limitations. The Advanced Biofiltration systems can achieve better odour removal efficiencies (besides other enhanced capabilities) than conventional ones, allowing a suitable depuration of the odoriferous emissions. In this work we have conducted an assessment of the performance of 3 Advanced Biofilters used for the treatment of odour emissions and removal of VOCs from: a) an Animal Waste Rendering Plant in Hamar, Norway (where an Advanced Biofilter was installed in 2008 that has successfully minimized important odour-related problems) b) a Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plant in Middelfart, Denmark (treating anemission of 1,500m3/h) c) a WWTP sludge Composting Plant in Mallorca, Spain. Thus, several parameters were measured at the inlet and at the outlet of such biofilters: odour concentration was measured by means of dynamic olfactometry in order to determine their odour reduction efficacy. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations were determined as well. Speciated VOC analyses were performed in order to assess the reduction efficacy regarding significant odoriferous VOCs.