DEECON-RAIN

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DEECON-RAIN PROJECT

Cattura di Particolato Fine tramite Scrubber Elettrostatico a Umido

Vessel Technical Services (VTS), in collaboration with the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Naples “Federico II,” focuses its R&D efforts on the capture of fine and ultrafine particulate using the Wet Electrostatic Scrubber technique.

This technique represents a modification of the conventional scrubber. The method provides that the liquid phase (spray) and the particulate present in the gaseous flow are electrostatically charged with opposite polarities, significantly increasing the capture efficiency of fine particulate by the charged droplets.

An “electrified” scrubber achieves a numerical abatement efficiency exceeding 90% for ultrafine particulates (≥ 0.05µm), compared to the conventional scrubber, effective only for particulates with diameters of approximately 1-2µm.

The foundations of this technology were developed in the European project DEECON, co-financed under the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme. This project, which involved three universities and five European companies, including VTS, was active from 2011 to 2014, with a total investment of approximately 3.5 million euros. The DEECON project laid the foundations for the design and performance evaluation of electrified scrubbers.

Subsequently, thanks to the national project RAIN, conducted in collaboration with the University Federico II of Naples, research activities were developed for the sizing of wet electrostatic scrubbers on a pre-industrial scale, the design of spray and gas electrostatic charging systems, and the construction and testing of semi-industrial scale prototypes. The RAIN project, active from 2015 to 2016, involved investments of approximately 800,000 euros.

Thanks to continuous self-financed investments, VTS has developed self-cleaning electrostatic charging systems, capable of operating at high temperatures. These systems are now ready for prototype applications in marine engines.