Application of sieve‐tray air strippers to the treatment of surfactant‐containing wastewaters

Using sieve‐tray air stripping as a means of removing contaminants from surfactant solutions was studied to determine if tray air stripping can be applied successfully to treating surfactant‐containing wastewaters and, if so, to develop a quantitative approach for designing tray air‐stripping systems for treating surfactant‐containing wastewaters. High‐concentration surfactant solutions were prepared and contaminated with five different volatile organic compounds. Removal of the organic compounds was evaluated using a commercial sieve‐tray air stripper. Overall, the air stripper was able to efficiently remove the contaminants from solution, and correction of Henry's Law constants for micellar solubilization‐induced volatility reduction allowed tray air‐stripper design equations to quantitatively predict air‐stripper removal for all contaminants. Foaming within the air stripper could be controlled with low concentrations of a silicone‐polymer antifoaming agent. Although adding antifoaming agents may be undesirable for some applications, other applications can benefit from the operational and performance advantages of sieve‐tray air strippers. Issues related to air‐stripper design for low‐volatility compounds are also discussed.