Large-scale chemical scrubbing at Jeddah South
At Jeddah South pumping station, Ipec supplied a high-capacity odour control system for foul air from large sewage infrastructure chambers. The installation uses four parallel two-stage chemical scrubber trains with a total treatment capacity of 300,000 m³/h.
Challenge
Jeddah South pumping station is described as one of the largest pumping stations in Saudi Arabia. Its two shafts have a diameter of 32 metres and a depth of 40 metres, creating large foul-air volumes that required dedicated treatment.
The key challenge was the high H₂S concentration in the extracted air. According to the source, peak periods could reach up to 500 ppm H₂S, requiring a robust chemical treatment system.
Solution
Ipec designed a two-stage chemical scrubber system with a total capacity of 300,000 m³/h. The system consists of four trains, each treating 75,000 m³/h. Each train includes a stainless steel fan connected to a suction manifold, with flow control via pressure transmitter, flow sensor and VFD.
The first scrubber is operated with caustic solution and removes a large share of the H₂S and mercaptans by transferring them into the liquid phase. The source states that this first stage removes about 95–98% of H₂S.
The second scrubber operates with caustic and bleach as a polishing step. pH, ORP and H₂S measurements are used to monitor the process and manage chemical consumption. Chemical dosing tanks are housed in a cooled building to limit bleach decomposition in high ambient temperatures.
Result
The system enables treatment of very large foul-air volumes from the pumping station. Its multi-train design and monitored chemical dosing support controlled operation under high H₂S loads.
