Grantee Research Project Results
Controlling Cooking Effluents With a Self-Cleaning Adsorbent
EPA Contract Number: EPD08027Title: Controlling Cooking Effluents With a Self-Cleaning Adsorbent
Investigators: Benedict, Laksham
Small Business: EERGC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2008 through August 31, 2008
Project Amount: $69,999
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2008) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Air and Climate , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
In many urban areas the emission of particulate matter (PM2.5) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from commercial kitchens contribute significantly to a failure to achieve air quality goals. These emissions are chiefly secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) formed by condensation of fats, oils, and other organic materials vaporized during the cooking process.
In some instances, these emissions can be prevented at modest cost because the cooking effluents are hot enough so that the PM2.5 and VOCs can be destroyed by catalytic oxidation. The more common situation, however, is that the effluents are not hot enough. Heating them requires burning additional fuel and this is prohibitively expensive.
This project describes a new technology in which an adsorbent captures the PM2.5 and VOCs, stores them for a time, and then cleans itself by periodically oxidizing them. While the chemistry and physics of this self-cleaning adsorbent are quite different from those involved in catalytic oxidation, the hardware used is virtually identical. Thus, controlling emissions from commercial cooking by this approach will, like catalytic oxidation, enjoy modest costs. The one important practical difference between this approach and catalytic oxidation is that catalytic oxidation is not applicable in most situations, while this approach is.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, EPA, air quality, control of air pollution, commercial kitchens, particulate matter, PM2.5, volatile organic compounds, VOCs, secondary organic aerosols, SOAs, urban, emissions, organic materials, cooking effluents, catalytic oxidation, adsorbent,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Sustainable Industry/Business, Environmental Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Chemicals, Technology for Sustainable Environment, particulate emissions, emission controls, emission reduction, adsorption processes, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.