Donald BemanNew City, NY

4153432, May 8, 1979

Mar 31, 1977

5/783224

Donald K. Beman - New York NY
Edward A. Faccioli - Grandview NY
David B. Rimberg - Congers NY

Certain-teed Corporation - Valley Forge PA

B01D 4710

55 90

An apparatus and method are provided for controlling airborne contaminants, odors and plume opacities. The apparatus and method of the present invention controls airborne contaminants which are submicron in size or greater and which are contained in a gas stream in high number concentrations. Submicron aerosol emissions, odors, and plume opacities are controlled by subjecting the gas stream in which they are contained to staged pollution control system. The first stage or inline convergence tube module, nucleates micron and submicron airborne contaminants contained in the gas stream which is being moved through the first stage at about 2,500 feet per minute or greater by contacting the contaminants with countercurrent aerosol-liquor screens having a minimum generation velocity of at least 5,000 feet per minute. The second stage or modified venturi sump module collects some of the larger nucleated contaminant droplets from the first stage. The third stage or sump mist eliminator module collects remaining nucleated contaminant droplets and extraneous liquor droplet carryover by subjecting the gas stream to first and second filter media, wherein the underside of the first filter media is irrigated by cocurrent type spray and the top portion thereof is washed by countercurrent type spray, and thereafter, the gas stream as thusly treated is passed to the second filter media which collects entrained liquor carryover, all while maintaining the velocity of the gas stream through the third stage in the range of about from 480 to 630 feet per minute.