Frequently asked questions about industrial biofilters
Industrial biofilters treat emissions through systems that integrate specialized filter media, biological activity, and living vegetation. In this section, we answer the most frequently asked questions about how they work, their efficiency, maintenance requirements, and applications across different industrial processes.
1. What Is an Industrial Biofilter?
An industrial biofilter is a system that directs contaminated air through a filtration medium capable of capturing particulate matter and treating compounds present in industrial emissions. At Filtrovivo, this process is integrated with living vegetation to create an environmental infrastructure solution that combines technical performance, adaptability to its surroundings, and landscape value.
2. How Does an Industrial Biofilter Work?
Air from the industrial process is captured and directed into the biofilter. Under positive pressure, it passes through a porous substrate where particles are physically captured and certain compounds undergo biological treatment. Each system is designed according to the airflow rate, temperature, humidity, and specific characteristics of the emissions.
3. What Pollutants Can It Treat?
Depending on the industrial process and system design, a biofilter can help control industrial odors, total particulate matter (TPM), PM10, and PM2.5. Before designing a solution, the source of emissions, pollutant concentrations, temperature, humidity, and operational variations must be carefully evaluated.
4. What Removal Efficiency Can It Achieve?
Removal efficiency depends on the specific conditions of each installation. In projects developed by Filtrovivo, measured reductions have ranged from 85% to 95% for PM2.5 and from 80% to 92% for PM10, with odor removal efficiencies reaching up to 98.45%. These figures are based on specific projects and measurements and should not be interpreted as guaranteed performance across all installations. Each project requires its own technical assessment.
5. Can It Be Used with Biomass Boilers?
Yes. Biofiltration can be used to treat particulate matter emissions generated by biomass boilers, provided that airflow rate, temperature, and particle concentrations are properly considered. COMAFRI caseIn the COMAFRI case study, Filtrovivo worked with a standardized gas flow rate of 4,141 Nm³/h and achieved a total particulate matter concentration of 13.8 mg/Nm³ under the evaluated operating conditions.
6. How do you control industrial odors?
The odorant compounds are transported to the substrate of the biofilter, where they can be retained and degraded through physical and biological processes. The composition of the substrate and the humidity conditions are fundamental for maintaining the activity of the system. In the CRAMER Cerrillos case, The odor emission rate decreased from 2.36 × 10³ UOE/s to 3.65 × 10¹ UOE/s, equivalent to a measured reduction of 98.45 %.
7. Is it necessary to cool the emissions?
Gases from certain processes can reach temperatures incompatible with a biological system. In such cases, a cooling stage is incorporated before the biofilter. In applications that receive emissions between 60 °C and 80 °C, the system can condition the flow to approximately 35 °C before it enters, depending on the project characteristics.
8. How much space does it require?
Filtrovivo uses a modular system that allows the filter surface to be adapted to the flow rate and the available conditions. As a reference, a unit can provide between 10 and 15 m² of filter surface, but the final number and dimensions are determined through a specific technical calculation.
9. How long does the substrate last and what maintenance does it require?
The estimated lifespan of the substrate can vary between five and ten years, depending on operating conditions, contaminant load, and maintenance performed. The system requires periodic monitoring of humidity, the state of the vegetation, load loss, pipes, fans, and the overall behavior of the filter medium.
10. How is a Filtrovivo system designed and priced?
The design begins with the collection of background information about the process: flow rate, temperature, humidity, pollutants, concentrations, operating hours, and available space. With this information, the filter surface, the number of modules, and the necessary auxiliary equipment are defined. You can request a technical evaluation to analyze the conditions of your installation and develop a suitable solution for the process.