Southwest
Environmental LimitedSouthwest
Environmental Limited| London |
| 02076 920 670 |
| Exeter |
| 01392 927 961 |
| Manchester |
| 01612 970 026 |
| Bristol |
| 01173 270 092 |
Abatement or Environmental Abatement is a process by which ant harmful substances are removed from an emission source such as a exhaust from a engine or ventilation duct exhaust point. The type of abatement utilized changes dependent on what is coming of of the chimney, stack or vent. Below are discussed some of the differing abatement technologies and where they might be appropriate. We can supply information on any of the below technologies on their own or working in unison to provide adequate abatement for your process. We have worked with large industrial operators to provide design and compliance advice all over the UK. We can provide an Abatement Technology Report for you process.
Scrubbers work by blowing the process air through a drizzle or bath of acid or alkaline. You would use an alkaline scrubber for an acid process, or an acid scrubber for a alkaline process. Scrubbers are also partially effective at removing particulate matter.
Granular Activate Carbon Filters (GAC) are good for removing VOPCs and volatiles from air emissions. In a domestic settings you may well find a GAC filertr on top of your chip fryer, or in you cooker extractor hood, the GAC remove odors from the emissions.
Often used in commercial kitchen of food processing areas, grease baffles collect grease from extracted air. They are a very basic form of abatement are are not often used on their own, being couple with GAC or HEPA filters.
HEPA filters are good for removing very fine particulate matter from emissions. HEPA filters come in different grades and providing they are correctly specified have very high removal rates.
Bag filters are filters in the shape of bags. Old fashioned hoovers are the closet domestic analogy. Air is blown through often a series of bag filters of differing weaves. They are particularly good when they is a lot of particulate matter to filter out, saw mills etc. often use bag filters.
Centrifuges work by using a swirling action to remove particulates and liquid droplets by centrifugal force.
The new kid of the block, these use UV light to degrade volatiles, they are very popular in inner city restaurants that offer very odorous foods such as curry or BBQ. They are very effective and require less maintenance when compared to GAC filters, although initial cost can be higher.
Environmental abatement is the technical process of removing pollutants and harmful substances from industrial emission sources before they reach the atmosphere. Whether exhausting from a combustion engine, a manufacturing process, or a kitchen ventilation duct, ensuring that emissions meet the stringent requirements of the Environmental Permitting Regulations is a core operational necessity. Effective abatement design protects the local environment and safeguards an operator's legal standing.
The choice of abatement system is dictated by the physical and chemical characteristics of the emission stream. At SWEL, we provide technical insight into technologies to ensure your facility achieves compliance with Best Available Techniques (BAT).
As mentioned above UV abatement is highly effective for removing odour and volatiles. Image: Evan Mason [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Filter papers collect remaining pollutants, determinates, and substances. These are then analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the abatement systems as trialled.
Temporary ducting is established to divert emissions exhaust to the testing array. This allows for real-world verification of performance before full-scale implementation.
Simple monitoring is carried out, such as measuring flow rates. Both flow rates for the test rig and the actual emission point are required to ensure the accuracy of H1 Risk Assessments and modeling.
Determining the necessity and required efficiency of an abatement system often begins with a site-specific risk assessment. By modeling process contributions against Environmental Assessment Levels (EALs), we can justify whether existing measures are sufficient or if an upgrade to the abatement plant is required. This data-led approach is crucial during the permit application process, particularly when dealing with air abatement design for bespoke permits.
Our consultancy provides the technical authority required to manage complex air quality challenges. By linking abatement strategies with a robust Environmental Management System (EMS) and detailed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), we provide a comprehensive route to regulatory consent. With over 15 years of industry experience and 900+ projects completed across the UK, SWEL offers the professional accreditation required to secure your project's future.
