Smart Wet Scrubber (SwEtO) for ethylene oxide abatement

Trevi's Smart Wet Scrubber for Ethylene Oxide

Trevi’s Ethylene Oxide (EtO) water scrubber revolutionises EtO abatement by replacing sulfuric acid with water as the scrubbing liquid.

This game-changing innovation eliminates safety concerns, reduces operational costs, and simplifies waste disposal with non-acidic, biodegradable by-products. The compact design saves space while the smart design prevents any catalyst loss.

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High performance

High performance

Achieve 99.9999% EtO removal efficiency

Low OPEX

Low OPEX

Reduce operational costs by up to 75%

Safety first

Safety first

No need for hazardous acid storage and disposal

Trevi’s Smart Wet Scrubber - SwEtO

Principle

Smart scrubbing transfers EtO from the gas phase to the water liquid phase with a subsequent hydrolysis of EtO into ethylene glycol on a solid catalyst. Water is used instead of sulfuric acid as a scrubbing liquid.

Application

  • Waste gases with low to very high
    concentrations of EtO.
  • Waste gases with low to very high gas flows.
Costs Trevi's SwEtO Catalytic Oxidizer
Investment cost Moderate High
Electricity cost Low Moderate
Fuel cost None Moderate-High
Water consumption Low None-Low
Catalyst/Acid replacement None Low
Operation & Maintenance Low Low
Waste disposal Low None
Total monthly cost Low Moderate
Acid Wet Scrubber converted to Smart Wet Scrubber technology at a sterilisation site in Thailand

Already running an Acid Wet Scrubber? Convert it.

Existing Acid Wet Scrubbers can be converted to Smart Wet Scrubber technology with limited changes: modified piping and external reactor vessels. At a sterilisation site in Thailand, Trevi converted a three-stage acid scrubber in 2023/2024. The scrubber now runs on water only.

  • 3 stages converted
  • Water instead of sulphuric acid
  • Outlet EtO below 10 ppb

Want to know more?

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Smart scrubber 3 stage dre

Key Benefits

Flexible / Robust

  • Operates at ambient temperature without fuel heating
  • Can handle very high EtO concentrations
  • Tolerates variable gas flows
  • Low risk of instrumentation failure

Efficient / Reliable

  • No warm-up time — immediate availability
  • Automated liquid management
  • Less than 4 hours of operator time per month
  • Option to rework existing acid scrubber to Trevi’s Smart wet scrubber

Safety

  • No need for acid handling, storage and disposal
  • Designed for use in hazardous areas

From EtO to glycol in three steps

Inside the Smart Wet Scrubber, water and a solid catalyst turn Ethylene Oxide into a harmless glycol solution.

Gaseous EtO enters the scrubber

Exhaust gas from the steriliser enters the scrubber.

Absorption of EtO into water phase and conversion to glycol

EtO transfers from the gas into the water, where a solid catalyst hydrolyses it into ethylene glycol.

Clean gas out, liquid to storage

The treated gas leaves the column at the top. The glycol, a by-product of the process, is collected in a storage tank.
EtO-laden exhaust gas enters the Smart Wet Scrubber
EtO is absorbed in water and converted to glycol on a solid catalyst
Treated gas leaves the column; glycol goes to storage

Speak to an EtO expert

Tell us about your EtO challenge, and we’ll help you find the right solution.

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Environmental expert at Trevi