Packed Column and Hollow Fiber Air Stripping of a Contaminant-Surfactant Stream

Abstract

Laboratory studies and model results were utilized to design packed tower and hollow fiber air stripping units which were field tested with a contaminant-laden surfactant stream. Field units were operated at a 1.9 liter/min liquid flow rate with air/liquid ratios ranging from 20 to 50 and system temperatures ranging from 10 to 37°C. Tri- and tetrachloroethylene were analyzed as the target components. When properly operated, the field units successfully met or exceeded the targeted 90% removal efficiency. As expected, high air to liquid flow rates and higher system temperatures achieved high removal efficiencies while solutions with high surfactant and contaminant concentrations were the most difficult to treat.