Activated carbon odour control for Doha pumping stations
For project CP725 in Doha, Ipec odour control systems were installed across seven pumping stations. The systems use duty-standby trains with prefiltration, droplet separation, ventilation and activated carbon treatment.
Challenge
Several pumping stations in Doha were upgraded as part of ongoing urban expansion. Besides odour control, the source highlights the need to maintain an acceptable indoor climate for people entering screening areas and wet wells.
To support man-entry conditions, the ventilation rate could be increased to 33 air changes. The system therefore had to combine air extraction, odour treatment and operational redundancy.
Solution
Each pumping station was provided with a full duty-standby odour control system consisting of two independent trains. Each train includes a prefilter, demister, centrifugal fan and activated carbon system.
The prefilter removes dust and solids and includes delta pressure control and automated in situ cleaning. The demister removes droplets before the air reaches the fan and carbon vessel.
Depending on the required flow, the carbon vessels were executed as vertical single-bed or double-bed vessels. The catalytic activated carbon adsorbs H₂S and converts it into sulphuric acid, which can be washed from the carbon in situ to restore adsorption capacity.
Result
The systems provide odour treatment and ventilation support for multiple pumping stations in Doha. The duty-standby configuration improves operational reliability, while the regenerable carbon concept reduces the need for frequent carbon replacement compared with non-regenerable systems.
