Previously, most vessels utilized inexpensive high-sulfur heavy fuel oil, which is regarded as extremely toxic when combusted and challenging to remediate when leaked. Consequently, increasing evidence of ship emissions highlighted the need for air pollution management in the sector.

Nevertheless, this type of fuel continues to be still used leading to acid rains and ship emissions but now there are some exceptions. According to MARPOL regulations, it is possible to use HFO if a ship applies an air treatment technology (for instance, the application of scrubber systems) to provide smokestack emissions that are equivalent to emissions produced by a compliant fuel like marine gas oil.

Some studies show that vessels with scrubbers installed on them burning HFO can not reach equivalent emissions as ships that simply apply cleaner fuels without a wet air scrubber. Scrubbers are regarded as air treatment systems that enable shipowners to continue employing this low-cost fuel.

Some of the wet scrubbers can also lead to acidification and pollution in the marine environment. The operating principle of wet air scrubbers is based on directing exhaust gases into a chamber with a liquid solution/water (wash water) to take away sulfur oxides and other particulate pollutants before venting into the atmosphere.

There are three types of scrubber systems. For instance, open-loop scrubbers discharge the used water right into the ocean, while closed-loop wet air scrubbers can store the used water and discharge it only in special places if required. Also, there is a hybrid type of wet scrubber that can interchange between open- and closed-loop mode.

Some scientists claim that scrubbers do not perform air pollution control, “they just transform it into water pollution.” HFO gases include sulfur and nitrogen oxides that result in strong acids when they are put into water (more than 100.000 times more acidic than seawater).

The possible solution to the problem includes compliance with scrubber system regulations, according to which it is forbidden to discharge the wash water from open-loop scrubbers at one or more ports (24 countries adopted these regulations), for example, Brazil, China, and the U.S. However, some countries do not have such bans.

If you are looking for the best air treatment device to improve air quality, Redwood Technology offers a cutting-edge type of wet scrubber – a Multi-Vortex wet air scrubber.

Redwood technology is a fast-growing vendor of wet air scrubbers. The multi-vortex scrubber can remove gas emissions, dust, vapors, and other pollutants from a gas stream. It is an innovative technology created to save water that makes it more cost-efficient and differs from other types of scrubbers.  If you have any questions or would like to purchase a multi-vortex wet air scrubber, please contact us at info@rdwd.tech