Sweep Air Flow Rate Research Articles

Understanding the role of flux chamber configuration in the measurement of VOC emissions from porous media

The accurate quantification of volatile organic compound (VOC) emission rates from porous media to the air is a challenging problem, as measurements are affected by the chemical and physical characteristics of the porous media, and the operating parameters of the sampling device itself. The main objective of this study is to investigate how flux chamber (the most commonly used sampling device) configurations influence emission rate measurement from three selected porous media. Various parameters were studied, including sweep air flow rate, presence of a mixing fan, headspace volume and thickness of media. Controlled experiments focused on the behaviour of two VOCs commonly found in area sources: acetic acid and 1-butanol. Sweep gas flow rate emerged as the most influential factor, inducing turbulence and dilution over porous media surfaces and impacting emission rate measurements more significantly than headspace volume and fan installation. Variations in porous media properties also affected mass transfer, with emissions from coco coir showing higher mass transfer as its porosity and particle size facilitated gas transportation. While behaviour of acetic acid emission through the media supported the diffusion theory, emission of 1-butanol was affected by a combination of factors, highlighting the role of both diffusive and advective transport mechanisms. Understanding how flux chamber setups and porous media properties influence emission rates is crucial for accurately interpreting data. This knowledge also guides the design of studies, especially when investigating complex sources like biosolids and organic-amended soil.

Comparison of mass transfer parameters inside a USEPA flux hood for two VOCs.

Odorous emissions from area sources at wastewater treatment plants have become an environmental issue due to negative impacts on neighboring communities causing annoyance. Enclosure devices (such as dynamic flux chambers) have been used as direct methods to estimate area source emission rates from liquid-gas surfaces. Previously, model compounds have provided information about the internal mass transfer behavior of these sampling devices and the parameters estimated for certain model compounds that can be adapted for other compounds with similar liquid-gas partitioning properties. Acetic acid and butyric acid (both gas-phase-controlled compounds) were compared in order to assess the validity of adapting results from one compound to another. Mass transfer parameters for acetic acid and butyric acid were determined for a USEPA flux hood using a sweep air flow rate of 5 L/min. Mass transfer rates estimated for butyric acid, using the mass transfer parameters of acetic acid, were of the same order of magnitude as the experimental butyric acid mass transfer rates.

A model for the evaluation of organic compounds emission from aerated liquid surfaces

The purpose of this study is to deepen the knowledge of the various emission phenomena present in aerated tanks, widely used systems for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment.In order to investigate the emission mechanism, a specific model was developed. The theoretical model proposes to consider three different contributions to the emission of organic compounds from aerated wastewater tanks: the convection due to the sweep air flow rate, the rising bubbles stripping and the aerosol formation and successive evaporation. To compare the modeled results, an experimental campaign was conducted with two different solutes, acetone and butanol. The sampling was carried out with a Wind Tunnel system and the outflow gas samples were analysed with gas chromatographic technique. Moreover, this study investigates the dependence of the concentration in the gaseous phase from the speed of the air on the surface (1–5 cm/s) and from the flow of air diffused inside the liquid body (50–200 L/h). The empirical data were compared with theoretical curves. The results confirm two facts: the gas solute concentration decreases as the air velocity increases and, instead, increases with the air flow diffused through the tank.

Mass transfer inside a flux hood for the sampling of gaseous emissions from liquid surfaces – Experimental assessment and emission rate rescaling

This study assesses the mass transfer of compounds inside the US EPA flux hood, one of the enclosure devices most commonly employed for the direct measurement of atmospheric emissions from liquid surfaces in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Experiments comprised the evaporation of water and the volatilisation of a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Special attention was given to the evaluation of the mass transfer coefficients in the microenvironment created by the flux hood and the effects of concentration build up in the hood's headspace. The VOCs emission rates and the water evaporation rates generally increased with the sweep air flow rate, as did the mass transfer coefficients for all compounds. The emission of compounds whose volatilisation is significantly influenced by the gas phase was greatly affected by concentration build up, whereas this effect was not significant for liquid phase-controlled compounds. The gas-film mass transfer coefficient (kG) estimated inside the US EPA flux hood was of the same order as the respective kG reported in the literature for wind tunnel-type devices, but the emission rates measured by the flux hood can be expected to be lower, due to the concentration build-up. Compared against an emission model for the passive surfaces in WWTPs, the mass transfer of acetic acid (representing a gas phase-dominated compound) inside the US EPA flux hood was equivalent to conditions of wind speeds at 10 m height (U10) of 0.27, 0.51 and 0.99 m s−1, respectively, for sweep air flow rates of 2, 5 and 10 L min−1. On the other hand, for higher wind speeds, the emission rates of gas phase-controlled compounds obtained with the flux hood can be considerably underestimated: for instance, at U10 = 5 m s−1, the emission rates of acetic acid inside the flux hood would be approximately 23, 12 and 6 times lower than the emission rates in the field, for sweep air flow rates of 2, 5 and 10 L min−1, respectively. A procedure is presented in order to scale the emission rates of these compounds measured with the flux hood to field conditions of higher winds.

Development of radon sources with a high stability and a wide range

A solid (222)Rn (radon) source using a fibrous and porous SiC ceramic disk was developed. The emission rate of radon emanated from the disk depended on the content of (226)Ra and the sintering temperature. A (226)Ra sulfate ((226)RaSO4) solution was dropped on a fibrous SiC ceramic disk (33 mmφ) of 1 mm in thickness, and sintered at 400 °C. The radon concentration from a disk containing (226)Ra of 1.85 MBq was measured to be 38 kBq m(-3) at a carrier airflow rate of 0.5 L min(-1). By adjusting the (226)Ra content or the sweep airflow rate, the radon concentrations were easily controlled over a wide range of over three orders of magnitude. The concentration was very stable for a long term. The compactness of the source disk made is easy for handling the source container and the shielding of gamma radiation from (226)Ra and its decay products. Such advantages in a radon generation system are desirable for experiments of high-level, large-scale radon exposure.

Standardization of flux chamber and wind tunnel flux measurements for quantifying volatile organic compound and ammonia emissions from area sources at animal feeding operations

A variety of portable wind tunnels and flux chambers have been used to measure fluxes of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and ammonia (NH3) at animal feeding operations (AFO). However, there has been little regard to the extreme variation and potential inaccuracies caused by air velocity or sweep air flow rates that are either too low or too high to simulate field conditions. There is a need for correction factors to standardize flux chamber and wind tunnel measurements. In this manuscript, we present results of water evaporative flux and VOC flux measurements with the EPA flux chamber and a small wind tunnel. In the EPA flux chamber, water evaporative flux was positively correlated with sweep air flow rate (SAFR) between 1 and 20 L min−1 (r2 = 0.981–0.999) and negatively correlated with sweep air relative humidity between 0 and 80% (r2 = 0.982–0.992). Emissions of gas-film controlled compounds like NH3 and VOC at AFOs were positively correlated with evaporation rates between 0.6 and 2.8 mm d−1. We demonstrate a simple methodology for standardizing and comparing different chamber types by measuring water evaporation within the chamber using a gravimetric mass balance approach under controlled laboratory conditions. A water evaporative flux ratio correction factor (EFRCF) was used to improve the accuracy of field-measured VOC and NH3 chamber flux measurements. In a field study, both the EPA flux chamber (SAFR = 5 L min−1) and small wind tunnel (SAFR = 1 L min−1) underestimated the true field emissions of VOC, with EFRCFs of 2.42 and 3.84, respectively. EFRCFs are recommended for all but the driest of soil and manure conditions.

Effect of Wind Tunnel Air Velocity on VOC Flux from Standard Solutions and CAFO Manure/Wastewater

Researchers and practitioners have used wind tunnels and flux chambers to quantify the flux of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide and estimate emission factors from animal feeding operations (AFOs) without accounting for effects of air velocity or sweep air flow rate. Laboratory experiments were conducted using a small rectangular wind tunnel (30.5 cm length, 15.2 cm width, 5.1 cm height). The objectives of the research were to (1) quantify the effect of wind velocity on VOC flux rates, (2) compare and contrast a two-film model with different wind speed corrections, and (3) provide insight into methods for either selecting appropriate wind tunnel velocities or conducting post-sampling wind velocity corrections to simulate field emission rates. Fluxes were measured on standard solutions and on manure/wastewater from beef cattle and dairy AFOs. Volumetric air exchange rates were varied between 0.6 and 44 exchanges per minute, corresponding to calculated longitudinal air velocities of 0.003 to 0.23 m s-1. Exhaust air was sampled using stainless steel sorbent tubes and analyzed for eleven volatile organic compounds comprised of seven volatile fatty acids (VFAs: acetic, propionic, isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, valeric, and hexanoic) and four heavier molecular weight semivolatile organic compounds (sVOCs: phenol, p-cresol, indole, and skatole) using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sulfur-containing VOCs were quantified using a portable total reduced sulfur meter. Flux rates for VOCs with small dimensionless Henry's law constants (i.e., those found at AFOs) increased with increasing air velocity. The two-film model with an experimentally derived reference gas-film transfer coefficient was found to reliably predict VOC flux at velocities between 0.003 and 0.23 m s-1. However, the two-film model did not reliably predict VOC flux with other air velocity correction formulae, an indication that flux is a function of wind tunnel geometry and turbulence factors, and not just average air velocity or sweep air flow rate. These results corroborate other studies that show that air velocity is a major factor affecting VOC fluxes from AFOs, verifying that an air velocity correction factor is required for estimating accurate VOC emission factors using wind tunnels and flux chambers.

Dehumidification and humidification of air by surface-soaked liquid membrane module with triethylene glycol

A novel liquid membrane system, a surface-soaked liquid membrane, with triethylene glycol (TEG) on the hydrophilic-treated surface of the hydrophobic microporous membrane was developed and used for the dehumidification and humidification of air. The selectivity of the TEG liquid membrane for water vapor with respect to air was over 2000, which was derived from the selective absorption of the TEG liquid. A flat-type liquid membrane module with a dual membrane surface was designed, of which the TEG liquid membrane thickness was 18 μm and the permeation area was 0.13 m 2. The liquid membrane humidifier and dehumidifier consisted of the membrane module and a vacuum pump. As a dehumidifier, the membrane system recovered water vapor at 4.1 g/h from 70%RH room air at 298 K. For use as a humidifier, the air flow was effectively humidified by the permeated water vapor through the membrane module. The effects of the air humidity and sweep air flow rate were studied and discussed. Simple model calculations based on the permeability of the water vapor well predicted the experimental results.

Experimental and modeling study of the O2‐enrichment by perovskite fibers

AbstractThe production of O2‐enriched air (OEA) using dense mixed conducting perovskite hollow fiber membranes was studied experimentally and theoretically. The fibers were prepared by phase inversion spinning followed by sintering. A mathematical model was developed based on the mass balances for the OEA side, the O2‐depleted air side and the hollow fiber itself to simulate the O2‐enrichment. Based on the experiments and the model, the mass transport in the mixed conducting material was quantified using Wagner's theory. Furthermore, 3‐D plots of broad parameter fields were calculated to estimate optimal operation conditions for a maximum O2‐enrichment. The results elucidate that a required O2 concentration in the OEA, and the production rate can be adjusted by controlling the operation parameters, such as temperature, air pressure differences and sweep air flow rates. The long term operation (800 h) indicates that the perovskite hollow fiber membranes offer a promising potential for the industrial OEA production. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006

Mathematical modeling of fed-batch butanol fermentation with simultaneous pervaporation

A mathematical model was developed to describe a fed-batch acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation with simultaneous pervaporation. The model predicted satisfactorily batch or fed-batch fermentation with or without pervaporalion by introducing a parameter reflecting cell activity loss during fed-batch fermentation with pervaporation. The model also predicted the effect of membrane area, membrane thickness, and sweep air flow rate on glucose consumption rate and residual butanol concentration in the fermentation broth. Glucose consumption rate increased by 30% by either doubling the membrane area or decreasing membrane thickness by half.

Pervaporative butanol fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum B18

Extractive acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation was carried out successfully using pervaporation and a low-acid-producing Clostridium acetobutylicum B18. A pervaporation module with 0.17 m(2) of surface area was made of silicone membrane of 240 mum thickness. Pervaporation experiments using make-up solutions showed that butanol and acetone fluxes increased linearly with their concentrations in the aqueous phase. Fickian diffusion coefficients were constants for fixed air flow rates, and increased at higher sweep air flow rates. During batch and fed-batch fermentations, pervaporation at an air flow rate of 8 L/min removed butanol and acetone efficiently. Butanol concentration was maintained below 4.5 g/L even though Clostridium acetobutylicum B18 produced butanol steadily. Pervaporation could not remove organic acids efficiently, but organic acids did not accumulate because strain B18 produced little organic acid and recycled added organic acids efficiently. With pervaporation, glucose consumption rate increased compared to without pervaporation, and up to 160 g/L of glucose was consumed during 80 h. Cell growth was not inhibited by possible salt accumulation or oxygen diffusion through the silicone tubing. The culture volume was maintained relatively constant during fed-batch operation because of an offsetting effect of water and product removal by pervaporation and addition of nutrient supplements. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Flux Chamber Design and Operation for the Measurement of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Gas Emission Rates

This paper describes a hybrid Flux Chamber-Soil Gas Probe methodology for measuring municipal solid waste (MSW) gas emission rates. Following the design of the flux chamber, the chamber was laboratory tested to define its mixing characteristics and optimum operating parameter values. Flux chamber operating parameters included: chamber pressure, sweep air flow rate, landfill surface insertion depth, and sweep air velocity. Optimum operating parameter values were determined by operating the flux chamber on a simulated subsurface emission source and varying the operating parameters. The laboratory tests indicated that the flux chamber could be operated to provide zero biasing of gas emission rates, resulting in accurate measurement of gas emission rates.