A typical application for desorption plants (also: strip plants or Trickler) is the deacidification of drinking water by reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. This serves to prevent the transfer of undesirable substances from the drinking water pipes into the drinking water, to improve subsequent treatment processes or to protect plant components from increased corrosion.

Removal of dissolved hydrocarbons

Desorption plants can also be used to remove dissolved hydrocarbons that occur in the production or industrial use of e.g. solvents, hydraulic oils, adhesives or paints, refrigerants and pesticides. Some of these substances are highly toxic, carcinogenic and can change the genetic make-up of humans and animals if they are absorbed, for example, via drinking water.

Some of the substances to be mentioned here are

• volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX), e.g. benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes
• volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (LCKW), e.g. trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane
• aliphatic ether, e.g. methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)

Functionality of the system

In a desorption plant, the contaminated water is trickled onto the packing through a central nozzle or a perforated distributor plate in the upper part of the column. The packing serves to increase the mass transfer surface. Air is blown in in a countercurrent process. The dissolved hydrocarbons are transferred to the air.

The polluted air is cleaned in a downstream activated carbon filter (adsorption of the pollutants in the activated carbon). The treated water is collected at the bottom of the column and discharged for further use.

ABIONIK has more than 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of plants, tanks and the associated switchgear and control technology. Ask for references!

We would be pleased to help you to find individual solutions for your strip desorption plant.