FAQ
1. Does Air8 Mask odors and Emissions or destroy them?
2. Is Air8 more effective than other chemicals at scrubbing emissions and odors?
The AiR8 product can be considered to have two separate major components of functionality. One component is its ability to greatly increase water’s natural tendency as a thinner to absorb, adsorb or create chemical reactions with the emissions the water contacts. The second component is the chemical’s ability (while in solution with the water) to release a vapor that combines with any remaining airborne gases to neutralize their perceived odor. This combination of effects allows AiR8 to perform with higher abilities than common scrubbing agents such as caustics, acids and chlorine.
3. Is it better to replace a scrubber with a new scrubber design with higher efficiencies or to update the current system?
Determining the cost effectiveness of updating a current scrubber with the cost of replacing the system with a new high efficiency design requires consideration of several factors. How old is the current scrubber? Will it need to be replaced soon anyway? What efficiency is required?
4. Why is the System REITHER™ more effective than a typical packed Scrubber System?
Invented in Germany, the patented System REITHER™ Variable Throat Venturi Scrubber achieves significantly higher scrubbing efficiencies than conventional scrubbers. Simply described, the System REITHER™ venture efficiently maximizes the probability of intimate contact between airstream contaminants and the scrubber liquid that will remove them. Contaminated air enters the scrubber and is saturated first by a spray of scrubber liquid. Immediately, the saturated airstream is forced through a venturi throat. Because the venturi throat can be adjusted (manual and automatic adjustment options) in size, the exact setting required for maximum contact can be achieved. After leaving the venturi throat, the airstream is rapidly expanded and enters a cyclonic demister designed to remove the scrubber liquid (moisture) from the air. Due to the unique System REITHER™ design, this liquid has by this time absorbed virtually all of the contaminants from the airstream, so that “clean” air is exhausted from the System. The System REITHER™ is designed to be highly effective in removing particulate matter and VOCs. Using AiR8 as the active ingredient in its scrubber liquid, it becomes highly efficient in odor removal and VOC efficiency is also improved. Use of a pre-conditioner can add to scrubber efficiency for certain contaminants.
5. What is a pre-conditioner?
A pre-conditioner can be added to old and new scrubber configurations in order to increase scrubber efficiency. Pre-conditioners are installed immediately upstream of a scrubber, to impart to the airstream an initial treatment, before it reaches the scrubber. The AiR8 pre-conditioner system utilizes a series of nozzles to create extremely small droplets (1 to 30 micron) of Air8 diluted with water. These small droplets allow for a large surface area to contact the airborne emissions, maximizing absorption by the scrubber. The liquid received by the scrubber from the pre-conditioner can be used as make-up water for the blow down of the scrubber reducing or eliminating the need for additional water to be used. In many cases, total water usage of a scrubber can be reduced to less than half by the use of a pre-conditioner unit.
6. Is the Air8 Chemical safe?
While precautions should be taken in handling and using any industrial chemical, AiR8 is regarded as safe to use, especially when compared to its competitors such as acids, caustic and chlorines. AiR8 is biodegradable and ph neutral so it can be discharged to sewer without any prior treatment. If AiR8 comes into contact with skin for extended periods of time it can dry the skin and only needs only to be rinsed off with fresh water. AiR8 is safe to breathe. These handling conditions are quite mild compared to the oxidizers that it replaces. AiR8 is water based and uses natural, food-grade ingredients so it tends to have low reactions with chemicals it comes into contact with. In the case of spills, clean up is an easy task. Please read the MSDS sheet for more specific information regarding the proper handling of AiR8 products.
7. Why does the use of the Air8 Chemical keep the packed media and demisters in the scrubber cleaner?
Acids and chlorine tend to create build up of calcium carbonates and other contaminates in the scrubbing media. When AiR8 replaces an acid or chlorine, its natural ingredients will tend to break down and remove minor build up of calcium carbonates and other contaminates, thereby cleaning the scrubbing media. If the build up prior to switching to the AiR8 product has become too severe, another cleaning method may need to be found. Once the media has been cleaned, AiR8 will not allow calcium carbonate and other contaminates to build up on the scrubbing media. Maintenance can be reduced to shocking the system by occasionally using a strong acid or caustic to eliminate any growth of algae or fungi. Algaecides and fungicides are not present in the AiR8 formula, as the Air8 product does not promote the growth of either algae or fungi. Should algaecides or fungicides be required in a specific application, these products can be added separately, or introduced occasionally as described.
8. Can the use of Air8 lower odor complaints?
In every industrial case where AiR8 has been applied there has been a significant reduction in odor-based complaints. Depending on budget requirements, systems can be designed to lower complaints, maintain current levels or virtually eliminate emission based odor complaints. Systems are designed to meet each application in a custom manner to produce to desired result. Odorchem Manufacturing Corp. works with local air quality authorities to provide solutions that are acceptable to the customer and perform within governmental guidelines. (Note: Experience demonstrates that odor complaints may be directed at an industrial site on the assumption that it is the odor source, because of past problems. Where AiR8 is in use, these false attributions can be identified through site records of scrubber system operations, wind and climate data, and emission monitoring.)
9. How can the Air8 system save money?
In many applications an AiR8 system can save money through reduced overall water usage, reduced water drained to sewer, lower chemical costs, eliminating fines for odor complaints, and lower system maintenance costs. AiR8 does not corrode scrubbers the way strong acids or chlorine will have and can often extend the useful life of a packed scrubber for extra years. A trial of the product and systems is usually required to make accurate determinations as to the true value of potential cost savings.
When new solutions to old problems are implemented, a new understanding of how the problem is solved is required. Unlike acids, caustics and chlorine AiR8 does not always just oxidize the products it comes into contact with. AiR8 greatly increases the ability of water to bring emissions into solution in the scrubber water. Depending on the kind of emission substance, the AiR8 will cause oxidation in some cases chemical reactions in others. However in all cases, AiR8 has been found to provide permanent bonds that do not release the emissions as masking agents will tend to do. In lab tests, AiR8 alone has been shown to actually remove, not mask odor-causing emissions such as H2S by over 97%. This result can be increased even further when AiR8 is used in conjunction with an efficient scrubber system.
2. Is Air8 more effective than other chemicals at scrubbing emissions and odors?
The AiR8 product can be considered to have two separate major components of functionality. One component is its ability to greatly increase water’s natural tendency as a thinner to absorb, adsorb or create chemical reactions with the emissions the water contacts. The second component is the chemical’s ability (while in solution with the water) to release a vapor that combines with any remaining airborne gases to neutralize their perceived odor. This combination of effects allows AiR8 to perform with higher abilities than common scrubbing agents such as caustics, acids and chlorine.
3. Is it better to replace a scrubber with a new scrubber design with higher efficiencies or to update the current system?
Determining the cost effectiveness of updating a current scrubber with the cost of replacing the system with a new high efficiency design requires consideration of several factors. How old is the current scrubber? Will it need to be replaced soon anyway? What efficiency is required?
Typically, updating a current scrubber is more cost effective than replacing a scrubber if that scrubber has a substantial expected life left, and a performance improvement of only 20% to 30% is required. If the scrubber has less than 3 years left of effective life and efficiency improvement of more than 30% is required, replacement of the old scrubber with a new high efficiency scrubber such as the System REITHER™ should be seriously considered.
4. Why is the System REITHER™ more effective than a typical packed Scrubber System?
Invented in Germany, the patented System REITHER™ Variable Throat Venturi Scrubber achieves significantly higher scrubbing efficiencies than conventional scrubbers. Simply described, the System REITHER™ venture efficiently maximizes the probability of intimate contact between airstream contaminants and the scrubber liquid that will remove them. Contaminated air enters the scrubber and is saturated first by a spray of scrubber liquid. Immediately, the saturated airstream is forced through a venturi throat. Because the venturi throat can be adjusted (manual and automatic adjustment options) in size, the exact setting required for maximum contact can be achieved. After leaving the venturi throat, the airstream is rapidly expanded and enters a cyclonic demister designed to remove the scrubber liquid (moisture) from the air. Due to the unique System REITHER™ design, this liquid has by this time absorbed virtually all of the contaminants from the airstream, so that “clean” air is exhausted from the System. The System REITHER™ is designed to be highly effective in removing particulate matter and VOCs. Using AiR8 as the active ingredient in its scrubber liquid, it becomes highly efficient in odor removal and VOC efficiency is also improved. Use of a pre-conditioner can add to scrubber efficiency for certain contaminants.
5. What is a pre-conditioner?
A pre-conditioner can be added to old and new scrubber configurations in order to increase scrubber efficiency. Pre-conditioners are installed immediately upstream of a scrubber, to impart to the airstream an initial treatment, before it reaches the scrubber. The AiR8 pre-conditioner system utilizes a series of nozzles to create extremely small droplets (1 to 30 micron) of Air8 diluted with water. These small droplets allow for a large surface area to contact the airborne emissions, maximizing absorption by the scrubber. The liquid received by the scrubber from the pre-conditioner can be used as make-up water for the blow down of the scrubber reducing or eliminating the need for additional water to be used. In many cases, total water usage of a scrubber can be reduced to less than half by the use of a pre-conditioner unit.
6. Is the Air8 Chemical safe?
While precautions should be taken in handling and using any industrial chemical, AiR8 is regarded as safe to use, especially when compared to its competitors such as acids, caustic and chlorines. AiR8 is biodegradable and ph neutral so it can be discharged to sewer without any prior treatment. If AiR8 comes into contact with skin for extended periods of time it can dry the skin and only needs only to be rinsed off with fresh water. AiR8 is safe to breathe. These handling conditions are quite mild compared to the oxidizers that it replaces. AiR8 is water based and uses natural, food-grade ingredients so it tends to have low reactions with chemicals it comes into contact with. In the case of spills, clean up is an easy task. Please read the MSDS sheet for more specific information regarding the proper handling of AiR8 products.
7. Why does the use of the Air8 Chemical keep the packed media and demisters in the scrubber cleaner?
Acids and chlorine tend to create build up of calcium carbonates and other contaminates in the scrubbing media. When AiR8 replaces an acid or chlorine, its natural ingredients will tend to break down and remove minor build up of calcium carbonates and other contaminates, thereby cleaning the scrubbing media. If the build up prior to switching to the AiR8 product has become too severe, another cleaning method may need to be found. Once the media has been cleaned, AiR8 will not allow calcium carbonate and other contaminates to build up on the scrubbing media. Maintenance can be reduced to shocking the system by occasionally using a strong acid or caustic to eliminate any growth of algae or fungi. Algaecides and fungicides are not present in the AiR8 formula, as the Air8 product does not promote the growth of either algae or fungi. Should algaecides or fungicides be required in a specific application, these products can be added separately, or introduced occasionally as described.
8. Can the use of Air8 lower odor complaints?
In every industrial case where AiR8 has been applied there has been a significant reduction in odor-based complaints. Depending on budget requirements, systems can be designed to lower complaints, maintain current levels or virtually eliminate emission based odor complaints. Systems are designed to meet each application in a custom manner to produce to desired result. Odorchem Manufacturing Corp. works with local air quality authorities to provide solutions that are acceptable to the customer and perform within governmental guidelines. (Note: Experience demonstrates that odor complaints may be directed at an industrial site on the assumption that it is the odor source, because of past problems. Where AiR8 is in use, these false attributions can be identified through site records of scrubber system operations, wind and climate data, and emission monitoring.)
9. How can the Air8 system save money?
In many applications an AiR8 system can save money through reduced overall water usage, reduced water drained to sewer, lower chemical costs, eliminating fines for odor complaints, and lower system maintenance costs. AiR8 does not corrode scrubbers the way strong acids or chlorine will have and can often extend the useful life of a packed scrubber for extra years. A trial of the product and systems is usually required to make accurate determinations as to the true value of potential cost savings.