How to deal with the waste gas from electroplating

How to deal with the waste gas from electroplating

Author: Robby

The main methods of electroplating waste gas treatment include spray tower treatment, activated carbon adsorption, catalytic combustion, RTO regenerative incinerator, dry filter and combined process.

1. Spray tower treatment: Spray tower uses the principle of acid and alkali neutralisation, reacting with acidic or alkaline gases in the waste gas by spraying alkaline or acidic solution, suitable for treating acidic or alkaline waste gas with low concentration, with the advantages of high treatment efficiency and stable operation.
2. Activated carbon adsorption: activated carbon adsorption utilises its porous structure and strong adsorption capacity, which is suitable for the treatment of organic waste gas and has the advantages of easy operation and convenient maintenance, but the saturated activated carbon needs to be replaced regularly.
3. Catalytic combustion: under the action of catalyst, the organic matter in the waste gas is oxidised and decomposed into carbon dioxide and water at a lower temperature, and this process can also recover part of the heat, which is suitable for the treatment of high-concentration organic waste gas.
4. RTO regenerative incinerator: recovers heat generated by combustion through heat storage materials, reducing energy consumption, suitable for continuous and high concentration of organic waste gas treatment.
5. Dry filters: used as a means of pre-treatment or post-treatment to remove particles from exhaust gases and to ensure the efficiency and longevity of subsequent treatment equipment.
6. Combination process: A combination of technologies is often used, such as ‘spray tower + dry filter + activated carbon adsorption and concentration + catalytic combustion’, to ensure that all types of pollutants in the exhaust gas are effectively removed.
7. Plasma technology: For certain organic waste gas that is difficult to degrade, high temperature plasma incineration can be used, which can effectively decompose complex organic matter and is suitable for specific types of industrial waste gas.

The components of electroplating exhaust gases mainly include acidic gases (e.g. sulphuric acid mist, hydrochloric acid mist), alkaline gases, heavy metal vapours (e.g. chromium mist), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as hydrogen and oxygen. These exhaust gases are strongly irritating and corrosive, posing a threat to human health and the environment. Therefore, electroplating exhaust treatment requires not only efficient technical means, but also strict emission standards and control measures