Removal of 1,2 Dibromo‐3‐Chloropropane by Countercurrent Cascade Air Stripping

Abstract

A simple modification of the conventional countercurrent air‐stripping process is proposed as “cascade air stripping” for cost‐effective removal of volatile organic contaminants from water. The feasibility of cascade air stripping in removing organic contaminants of very low volatility (e.g., 1,2 dibromo‐3‐chloropropane, or DBCP) from water was investigated in a prototype scale study. The results of this study snowed that the cascade system could remove more than 95% of DBCP by allowing more air flow than the conventional air‐stripping system at lower pressure drops and equal power input. This study also enabled the process model to be verified under three different packing configurations and several air‐to‐water ratios. From the results, it can be seen that the proposed system extends the viability of air stripping to contaminants of low volatility. These prototype scale results were found to be in agreement with the findings of a previous pilot‐scale study done on common volatile and semivolatile contaminants.