PROCESS OF SEPARATING ETHYLENEOXIDE FROM STREAMS OF WASTE AIR AND WASTE GAS

摘要

Ethylene oxide is removed from exhaust gases of sterilisation plants and/or from outgoing air from storehouses for sterilised products. A catalyst-containing adsorbent (for example active coal or silica gel) binds the ethylene oxide, forming glycol. Two or more adsorptive filters (4a, 4b) allow the outgoing air to be cleaned without interruption, as the filters are alternatively switched off and regenerated. Regeneration is carried out by extracting the adsorbent with a liquid (for example boiling water). A gas wash may be used as a pre-washing process, an ethylene oxide concentration of about 15 mg/m<3> being achieved in the washing gas and residual amounts lower than 1 mg/m<3> being then ensured in the adsorber. The glycol contained in the waste water from the pre-washing process may be decomposed into CO2 and H2O in a downstream biological trickling reactor (7). The ethylene oxide-free pure air from the installation is used for aerating the biological trickling reactor (7)