Inertial separator for condensed vapors (FumeCatch)

The removal of gaseous pollutants generated by industrial processes can be difficult and expensive. The inertial separator for condensed vapors (FumeCatch) is a stand-alone customized air cleaning system providing a solution for capturing condensable vapors in a more efficient way. The vapors are forced to condense in a controlled way and the droplets generated by condensation are removed by inertial devices with high efficiency and reduced maintenance.
The adoption of FumeCatch technology provides several advantages:
– Maintenance is reduced and can be automated to avoid stops in the production process
– Cleaning or regeneration of pollution control devices is reduced so that energy and water can be saved compared to traditional approaches
– Condensed vapors provide materials which can be sold on the market or reintroduced again in the production cycle

Many industrial production processes cause the emission of gaseous pollutants, sometimes flammable. These substances shall not be released in the workplace to protect the health of workers, nor can they be discharged directly into the outdoor environment to prevent the heavy pollution of the surrounding atmosphere. Consequently, the fumes generated by the production process shall be purified in specific treatment units, and then the residual contaminants that could not be captured by the fumes treatment system are discharged outdoors, usually through a chimney. The invention addresses the problem of capturing gaseous pollutants mainly with an organic base, after having induced, at least in part, their condensation. In this way, an aerosol consisting of liquid particles is generated and then can be captured by inertial devices, such as cyclones. Among the positive outcomes, we highlight the possibility of recirculating the air containing the pollutants generated during the manufacturing process. In this way, in theory it is possible to reduce to zero the environmental impact of the production process generating the gaseous pollutants. Moreover, in some production processes the generated vapors, if condensed, have a commercial value. Therefore, the dispersion of these vapors into the environment is currently a financial as well as an environmental damage.

FumeCatch technology can be used to remove condensable gaseous contaminants, primarily in flue gas. Some applications include the capture of:
– Gaseous contaminants produced by industrial processes, such as rubber vulcanization
– Commercially valuable flavors released during coffee roasting
– Condensable vapors with commercial value released from charcoal production
– Hydrocarbons released during asphalting and waterproofing operations

The induced condensation system requires less maintenance than the technologies listed above because it has no components to regenerate. Its maintenance can be largely automated because the condensed contaminant is collected at the bottom of the cyclonic separator in a continuous manner due to spontaneous gravity fall downward.
The contaminant separated from the flue gas can eventually be reused, which is important if the condensed contaminant also has a commercial value.
FumeCatch technology does not generate materials to be treated separately (wastewater, spent charcoal, etc.) or disposed of later, nor does it require the regeneration of adsorbent materials or devices with complicated and expensive processes.
The installation of the necessary components does not alter the layout of the production process and is suitable for use even on a small scale.
The flue gas treatment unit can generate a purified flow rate that allows a closed cycle of flue gas without its evacuation to the chimney and thus allows the relocation of production processes in a flexible way.
The entire unit is transportable and can therefore be placed on board of vehicles or used for moving applications.