Methods for removing odors from process airstreams

Abstract

After aerating sewage sludge in a composting process, a stream of process air is treated to remove odors therefrom by injecting into the airstream an atomized mixture of dilute sulfuric acid and dilute surfactant to remove ammonia and odorous organic compounds therefrom. The airstream is then oxidized with bleach to remove sulfides and treated with a hydrogen peroxide solution to remove chlorine introduced by the bleach while maintaining the oxidation reaction. A dilution fan is used to further dilute the scrubbed airstream as the airstream is exhausted to the atmosphere.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to methods of and apparatus for removing odors from airstreams. More particularly, this invention relates to methods of and apparatus for neutralizing odors in a relatively low temperature airstream by removing malodorous constituents from the airstream with finely divided liquid droplets of reagents with which the constituents react.

Offensive odors are characteristic of many chemical process industries and are often difficult and costly to eliminate or control. Of particular interest with respect to the instant invention is the technology of controlling odors emitted by waste water sludge composting facilities, wherein the sludge is biologically degraded into a stable end product. The end product is a sanitary, odor-free humus-like material which is used as a soil conditioner for yards, gardens, and athletic fields. By composting waste water sludge, a material which until recently was considered to be a waste, has become a valuable soil conditioning product which is generally less costly than the top soil or peat moss it replaces yet produces better results. Wide utilization of this resource has been curtailed because composting facilities typically produce undesirable odors. The problem is compounded because composting sites are most conveniently near waste water treatment plants, which themselves are located in or near urban or suburban areas. It is, therefore, necessary to minimize the odor emitted by composting facilities. This invention is directed to that end.

While the technology disclosed in the instant application is of particular significance with respect to waste water sludge compost facilities, it also is applicable to industries such as, but not restricted to, petroleum refineries, rendering plants, pet food producers, flavor and fragrance producers, and fermentation processes. While there are presently no practical federal regulations for odor control, local laws and local political pressure is often sufficient to discourage introduction of such process industries; and, if industries are already established, local laws are sufficiently stringent to enable authorities to act on complaints and level stiff fines and, in some cases, even close plants.

In view of these considerations, a number of approaches have been tried to control odors. The simplest is merely to dilute odorous gas with large quantities of air. Another approach has been to mask offensive odors with more pleasant ones, but this is not particularly successful in that, to some people, the new odor is as unpleasant as the original odor; and, downstream of the plant, the mixture is often not sustained. In any event, any odor emanating from a plant, whether pleasant or unpleasant, is suspect. Incineration has been attempted, but this is a very costly approach in that an entire odorous gas stream must be subjected to combustion temperatures In a situation where the process has no combustion stage or the airstream is saturated with moisture, such as with process air from a composting system, combustion for odor control is not at all practical.

Another common approach to odor control is by chemical neutralization of odorous compounds. The odorous gas is conventionally washed with an aqueous solution of a reactive chemical in spray towers, packed beds, and the like. Chemicals commonly used for this purpose include permanganates, dichromates, acids, hypochlorite solutions, hydrogen peroxide, and other common oxidizing agents. Exemplary processes are described in British Patent No. 1,152,705 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,955. Another approach for chemical neutralization of odors is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,589, in which odoriferous constituents are removed from essentially saturated gas streams utilizing relatively small volumes of liquid in very finely divided droplet form with relatively long gas-liquid contact times. This process was improved upon by the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,461, wherein the droplet size was further controlled. Further exemplary of the prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,225,566 and 4,416,861.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,566 utilizes two or more liquid reagents, with one being dispensed above another in a reaction vessel through which waste gas is passed, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,861 utilizes a two-stage odor control system, wherein exhaust air from fat-rendering plants is fogged with sulfuric acid.

Utilization of the foregoing technology has resulted in removal of a substantial portion of the odor in process air from a composting facility with which the instant inventors have worked. However, the remaining odor is still sufficiently pervasive to precipitate a substantial number of complaints from citizens. While this remaining odor does not present a nuisance which is sufficient to shut down the plant or result in fines, it can affect the plant's reputation and can hinder the erection of more composting facilities. In that it is to everyone's benefit to erect and utilize composting facilities for management of sewage sludge, substantially controlling all odor is of utmost importance if this concept is to gain wide acceptance.

In controlling the remaining odor-causing constituents, the inventors fogged the process air with a surfactant solution. This is a unique concept, not taught in the prior art for applications such as a composting facility or other large processing operation. However, the prior art does disclose utilizing detergent to wash odors and grease from cooking stove hoods, as is exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,841,062; 4,351,652; and 4,753,218. There is no suggestion in these patents that fogging with surfactants in combination with other scrubbing reagents would result in improved removal of the remaining odor-causing constituents from a stream of relatively low temperature air which has odor-causing constituents generated by a sludge composting system or similar facility.

In view of these and other considerations, there was a need for methods of and apparatus for removing odor-causing constituents from airstreams, which constituents remain as residuals when prior processes are utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforementioned considerations, it is an object of the instant invention to deodorize process gas streams such as airstreams emitted by industrial facilities or the like as completely as possible by removing substantially all odor-causing constituents therefrom.

In view of this and other objects, the instant invention contemplates methods of and apparatus for scrubbing a stream of air which includes undesirable active organic compounds by treating the stream of air with atomized liquid surfactant-containing droplets to remove the undesirable organic compounds therefrom and removing the surfactant-containing droplets retaining the undesirable organic compounds from the stream of air.

The method and apparatus further include continuously recirculating the surfactant solution through the stream of air while performing the steps of treating the stream with the surfactant-containing droplets and then removing the surfactant solution from the airstream. The above-described methods and apparatus are particularly useful in removing odor-causing compounds such as ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, and alkyl benzenes from airstreams such as the exhaust airstreams of air utilized to aerate piles of composting wastewater sludge.

In an even more particular application of the instant invention, the stream of exhaust gas, such as air which includes undesirable odor-causing compounds, is scrubbed by treating the airstream with an atomized surfactant-containing acid solution. The airstream is then treated with a bleach solution to oxidize sulfides therein and finally treated with a hydrogen peroxide solution to remove chlorine therefrom. By treating the airstream with an atomized surfactant solution, a number of odor-causing constituents are removed from the airstream, which constituents would remain as residuals if the airstream had only been treated with acid, bleach, and hydrogen peroxide.

Again, the concept is of special significance with respect to deodorizing process air used to aerate piles of wastewater sludge in a composting operation. However, any airstream having noxious hydrocarbons therein may benefit from the teachings of this invention.

Upon further study of the specification and appended claims, further objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of the sludge composting operation with which the instant invention is used;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation generally showing how process air which has passed through compost piles is processed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a side, diagrammatical view showing an air scrubbing system utilizing the instant invention;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing removal of total organic compounds as a function of surfactant feed rate in gallons per day;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are gas chromatograms of the process without surfactant treatment taken at the inlet, after ammonia removal and oxidation with bleach, and at the outlet of the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are gas chromatographs of the process with surfactant treatment taken at the inlet, after ammonia removal and oxidation with bleach, and at the outlet of the apparatus of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatical view of a second embodiment of the invention showing a system primarily used to treat an airstream with detergent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(a) First Embodiment of the Invention

The following description is directed to utilizing the instant invention with a composting facility; however, the principles of the instant invention may be applied to odor control of other chemical process operations and industries such as petroleum cracking and refining plants, rendering plants, pet food plants, flavor and fragrance production, and fermentation processes and plants.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, showing a composting facility designated generally by the numeral 10, sewage sludge is trucked to the facility in trucks 11 and mixed at a mixing station 12 with wood chips from a wood chip storage station 13 to form a sludge/wood chip mixture 14, of which a composting pile 15 is comprised. The composting pile 15 is surrounded by a blanket of compost 16, which serves as an insulating layer and to help control odor emitted by the wood chip/sludge mixture 14. The compost pile 15 rests on a deck 17 which has a manifold, designated generally by the numeral 18, comprised of a number of air pipes 19 which are perforated. The manifold 18 is connected to a suction air blower 20, which draws air through the composting pile 15 into the perforated pipes 19 and exhausts the air through a header pipe 21.

The air in the header pipe 21 contains a number of malodorous compounds which are removed by the scrubbing system illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 7. These compounds may include ammonia and organic sulfides as primary offenders and a number of other odor-causing compounds, such as ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, alkyl benzenes, and the like, as secondary odor-causing constituents. While the secondary odor-causing constituents are not generally as offensive as the primary constituents, they still cause odor which is sufficiently unpleasant to raise complaints from citizens living proximate and downwind of the composting facility 10.

Generally, the composing pile 15 is aerated for 21 days and then screened at a screening station 25 to remove the wood chips from the mixture. The resultant compost 26 is then stored and cured for approximately one month before being sold as a conditioner for lawns, gardens, athletic fields, and the like. The compost 26 is a useful, highly valuable product, the production of which could be curtailed if odor problems associated with the production are not solved. The instant invention solves the odor problem and thus promotes the production of commercially valuable compost 26.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the composting pile or piles 15 of FIG. 1 are preferably contained within a large industrial building 30, which totally encloses the compost piles in order to prevent ground level discharge of offensive odors. Fresh air is introduced into the building through an inlet 31, which serves as the process air which passes through the compost pile 15. The building 30 is also provided with exhaust fans 32, which disperse building air which is not passed through the compost piles at a height of approximately 40 feet from ground level. The exhaust fans 32 have a capacity to exhaust air at one million cubic feet per minute.

The process air in exhaust line 21 is heated by the decomposing compost piles to approximately 135.degree. F. The process air is passed through an odor scrubber, designated generally by the numeral 40, which, in accordance with the principles of the instant invention, removes almost all odor-causing constituents from the process air. The process air is discharged at a height of approximately 110 feet from ground level through a half-million cubic feet per minute dilution fan 41, which mixes fresh air with the treated process air.

Referring now to FIG. 3, where the odor scrubber 40 is shown in detail, it is seen that the process airstream indicated by the arrow A enters the odor scrubber 40 through a lower inlet 45, rises in a first tower, designated generally by the numeral 46, falls through a second tower, designated generally by the numeral 47, and rises through a third tower, designated generally by the numeral 48, before exhausting through an outlet 49 where the treated outlet air is mixed with fresh air by the 500,000 cubic feet per minute dilution fan 41.

Considering now with more particularity the scrubbing process which takes place within the scrubber 40 of FIG. 3, it is seen that each tower performs a different process, the processes themselves being interrelated. In the first tower 46, a surfactant-containing solution of dilute sulfuric acid removes ammonia and organic compounds from the airstream. The second tower 47 removes organic sulfides, primarily dimethyl disulfide, from the airstream with bleach, while the third tower 48 keeps the oxidation reaction of the tower 47 going while removing chlorine produced in the second tower 47.

Considering the first tower 46, it is seen that the airstream passes first by an atomizing nozzle 50, which introduces an atomized spray comprised of a surfactant-containing solution of dilute sulfuric acid. The diameter of the droplets of the atomized spray average approximately 8 microns so that some of the mixture of sulfuric acid and surfactant is carried along with the airstream to initially react with the ammonia and active organic compounds entrained therein. The active organic compounds may include malodorous compounds, such as ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, and alkyl benzenes, and comprise a relatively small, yet readily detectable component of the exhaust air which, in the absence of ammonia and sulfides, is unmasked and can generate citizen complaints.

As the airstream ascends the tower 46, it is treated with a recycled surfactant-containing sulfuric acid solution collected from the port 51 at the bottom of the first tower, which is pumped by a pump 52 through a fine spray nozzle 53 disposed downstream of the atomizing nozzle 50 and a coarse spray nozzle 54 disposed downstream of the fine spray nozzle 53. The nozzles 53 and 54 are connected to the pump 52 by a recirculation line 56. Nozzles 53 and 54 serve several purposes. By recirculating the solution collected at port 51, any unreacted chemicals can be utilized, which increases the chemical efficiency of the system. By introducing an additional 50 gpm through two nozzles, the amount of water available for solubilization is greatly increased. The compounds are mostly rendered soluble by the acid/surfactant solution in atomizing nozzle 50 and additionally rendered soluble by the recirculated solution in nozzles 53 and 54. The droplets of the coarse and fine spray nozzles 53 and 54 are of sufficient size to fall through the rising airstream A. By introducing a fine spray from fine spray nozzle 53 above the atomized spray from the nozzle 50 and subsequently introducing a coarse spray from the coarse spray nozzle 54, most of the droplets injected into the tower 46 are agglomerated on coarser droplets and on one another so as to fall through the airstream for collection at a sump to which drainage port 51 is connected. Thereafter, the liquid collected at the sump is recirculated through fine and coarse spray nozzles 53 and 54 under pressure by the pump 52.

The airstream A is neutralized in the tower 46 by injection of the surfactant-containing sulfuric acid solution. In order to ensure that the airstream A is continuously neutralized, the recirculated sulfuric acid-surfactant mixture is constantly monitored by a pH monitor 60 connected to the recirculation line 56. If the pH drops below the set point, due to addition of too strong an acid solution, the acid feed rate is reduced; if the pH rises above the set point, the amount of acid flowing through nozzle 50 is increased. This is accomplished in accordance with standard technology by simply adjusting the speed of the acid feed pump. Water from a water line 64 is constantly introduced into the feed line 56 via an inlet 66 keep the recirculating sulfuric acid-surfactant mixture dilute and to waste the undesirable constituents removed from the airstream A.

The neutralized airstream A then passes down through the second tower 47, where a bleach solution of sodium hypochlorite is introduced for oxidizing organic sulfides such as dimethyl disulfide and other similar malodorous constituents. The sodium hypochlorite is introduced through a staggered pair of atomizing nozzles 71 and 72, which treat the neutralized airstream with a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite. The atomized sodium hypochlorite droplets have an average diameter of about 8 microns and are entrained with and carried along with the airstream A down to the bottom of the second tower 47. As the airstream drops in the tower 47, the oxidation reaction takes place to remove sulfides from the airstream.

During the sodium hypochlorite treatment, the further addition of surfactant, perferably mixed and dispensed with the dilute sodium hypochlorite solution, may further enhance removal of residual organic compounds.

In order to maintain the oxidation reaction as the airstream rises in the third tower 48 before exiting through exhaust 49, the airstream is then treated with a relatively weak solution of hydrogen peroxide dispensed from a reservoir 76. The hydrogen peroxide also removes chlorine from the airstream so that odor of chlorine is not present in the airstream. Even in small concentrations, chlorine can be irritating; and, in any event, it is preferable to have the exhaust from the tower 48 as odor free as possible. This process also further solubilizes and removes organic compounds. In the illustrated embodiment, hydrogen peroxide is introduced in the rising airstream A through an atomizing nozzle 77, which atomize the hydrogen peroxide to an average diameter of approximately 8 microns. The dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide is piped from the reservoir 76 to the nozzle 77 through a line 78 and is continuously recirculated from a supply which pools in a sump 80 at the bottom of the third tower 48.

During hydrogen peroxide treatment, the addition of further surfactant, preferably mixed and dispensed with the dilute hydrogen peroxide solution, may further enhance removal of residual organic compounds.

Hydrogen peroxide pooling in the sump 80 of third tower 48 is recirculated in a line 81 by pump 82 and dispensed in a relatively fine spray by nozzle 83 positioned above the atomizing nozzle 77. The relatively small atomized droplets from nozzle 77 agglomerate on the relatively large droplets from the spray nozzle 83 and precipitate out of the airstream A to pool at the sump 80 of the tower 48 so as to be recirculated through line 81 by the pump 82. The airstream A flowing from the exhaust 49 has now been scrubbed to remove odor-causing constituents and, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is mixed with a very large volume of fresh air by the air dilution fan 41.

In order to properly dilute each of the scrubbing liquids, i.e., the acid/surfactant mixture, the sodium hypochlorite bleach and the hydrogen peroxide wash, water is constantly introduced through a line 90, which has feed lines 91-95 connected to each liquid line. The line 91 is connected by a chemical feed pump 100 to the sodium hypochlorite line 73 so as to mix with sodium hypochlorite dispensed from reservoir 74. Line 92 replenishes water through the recirculation line 56 for the acid/surfactant mixture. Line 93 provides dilution water for the acid input. Line 94 provides dilution water for the hydrogen peroxide in line 78, and line 95 maintains the water content for recirculating hydrogen peroxide in line 81.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The following preferred specific embodiment is, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever.

Example of the First Embodiment

In a specific installation utilized to treat process air as the air is exhausted from a waste-water sludge composting facility such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stream of process air A moving at the rate of about 25-30,000 cubic feet per minute is processed by cylindrical towers 46, 47, and 48, each having a height of about 60 feet and supplied by Quad Environmental Technologies Corporation of Highland Park, Ill. The first tower 46 has a diameter of about 41/2 feet, with the nozzles 50, 53, and 54 positioned at heights of about 10 feet, 18 feet, and 27 feet, respectively, from the base on the tower 46. The nozzle 50 is an atomizing nozzle, available from Quad Environmental Technologies Corporation. It dispenses a dilute solution of sulfuric acid (H.sub.2 SO.sub.4) in the range of about 2.0 to 3.0 percent and is mixed with a surfactant to a solution in the range of 0.05 percent to 0.50 percent by volume, and preferably about 0.15 percent. The nozzle 50 dispenses the mixture as droplets in the range of 5 to 20 microns in diameter, in the preferable range of 6 to 10 microns in diameter, and preferably about 8 microns in diameter, at a rate in the range of 1 to 4 gallons/ minute, and preferably about 3.0 gallons/minute. The current surfactant utilized is a detergent in the form of retail TIDE detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble under U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,318,818; 4,702,857; 4,304,679; 4,597,898; 4,561,998; 4,507,219; and 4,515,705, each of which patents is hereby incorporated by reference. The fine and coarse spray nozzles 53 and 54 are nozzles available from Bete Fog Nozzle Corp., Model Nos. WL1530 and NCM1012K-30, respectively, and dispense the recirculated mixture at a total rate of about 60 gallons per minute.

From the first tower 46, the airstream expands in second tower 47, which has a diameter of about 12 feet and dispenses a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite in the range of 0.05 to 1.5 percent, and preferably about 0.80 percent, from nozzles 71 and 72, which are atomizing nozzles available from Quad Environmental Technologies Corporation and dispense the sodium hypochlorite solution at a rate of about 1.5 gallons per minute each for a preferred total of about 3 gallons per minute with an acceptable total range of 1.0 to 4.0 gallons per minute. The dilute sodium hypochlorite solution is atomized as droplets ranging from 1 to 20 microns in diameter and preferably about 8 microns in diameter.

The airstream A is then slightly compressed as it flows into tower 48, which has a diameter of 10 feet. The atomizing nozzle 77 is positioned about 7 feet from the floor of the 60-foot tower and dispenses a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) a rate in the range of 1 to 6 gallons/minute, and preferably about 3 gallons/minute, the atomizing nozzle again dispensing the solution in droplet sizes ranging from 1 to 20 microns, and preferably about 8 microns. The spray nozzle 83 is a full 60.degree. cone Model No. TF32NN, available from Bete Fog Nozzle Corp., and is positioned 15 feet above the atomizing nozzle 75. The recirculated hydrogen peroxide solution is pumped through the nozzle 83 at a rate in the range of 30 to 35 gallons/min.

As is seen in FIG. 4, the surfactant feed rate is a little over 3 gallons per day to remove more than 90% of organic compounds remaining after treatment with sulfuric acid and sodium hypochlorite, which removes about 90% of the odor-causing components of the stream, i.e., ammonia and dimethyl disulfide.

As is seen by the chromatographs of FIG. 5A-5C, the organic compounds, as exemplified by the tall spikes, remain in the airstream A from inlet to outlet if the airstream is not treated with a surfactant. As is seen in FIGS. 6A-6C, the detectable amounts of active organic compounds initially in the airstream A, as indicated by the tall spikes in FIG. 6A, have disappeared almost completely at the outlet, as is seen in the absence of tall spikes in FIG. 6C, the organic compounds having been initially diminished at the end of the oxidation stage, as is seen in FIG. 6B.

(b) Second Embodiment of the Invention

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention, wherein airstream B is treated to remove organic compounds such as hydrocarbons which might be produced from chemical plants such as petrol chemical plants and other chemical plants having malodorous emissions. In the apparatus of FIG. 4, a gas stream, such as an airstream B, enters the inlet of scrubbing tower 201 and is exposed to surfactant dispensed from an atomizing nozzle 202, similar to the atomizing nozzle 50 of FIG. 3. The atomizing nozzle 202 is supplied from a reservoir 203, which is filled by recirculating solution containing surfactant.

Disposed above atomizing nozzle 202 is a fine spray nozzle 206 and a coarse spray nozzle 207, which dispenses relatively large droplets that fall through the airstream B as the airstream rises in the tower 201, causing the droplets dispensed by the fogging nozzle 202 to agglomerate thereon and pool in a sump 208 at the bottom of the tower 201. The dilute surfactant pooled at the bottom of tower 201 drains through a line 209 and is recirculated by a pump 210 through a line 211 to the spray nozzles 206 and 207.

Malodorous organic compounds are removed from the airstream B by the surfactant sprays from nozzles 206, 207, and 202 utilizing relatively dilute amounts of surfactant solution. For example, an airstream of 25,000 to 30,000 cubic feet per minute is treated with a surfactant solution of approximately 0.10 percent to remove odor-causing organic compounds such as ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, and alkyl benzenes. Since the detergent solution is recirculated, it is necessary for such a volume of air to add only 3 to 6 gallons of surfactant to the solution each day.

(c) Third Embodiment of the Invention

Referring again to FIG. 3, in situations where the airstream A contains little or no ammonia, such as certain refineries and smelters, painting facilities, and the like, it is not necessary to treat the airstream with sulfuric acid in order to reduce ammonia. Accordingly, the treatment utilizes a weak surfactant solution in the tower 46, followed by the bleach treatment and hydrogen peroxide treatment previous described in the full description of FIG. 3.

The preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described reactants and/or operating conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples. The addition of surfactants to the liquids dispensed in the aforedescribed processes enhances solubility of the organic compounds being removed from airstreams while apparently increasing the efficiency of the atomizing process by decreasing droplet size.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Claims

1. A method of scrubbing a stream of exhaust air, wherein the stream includes undesirable odor-causing compounds including ammonia, sulfides, and malodorous organic compounds, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) treating the airstream with a surfactant-containing acid solution in order to neutralize ammonia in the airstream while removing malodorous organic compounds therefrom;

(b) treating the neutralized airstream with a liquid bleach to remove sulfides therefrom; and

(c) treating the airstream with hydrogen peroxide to remove chlorine introduced therein by the bleach solution and to maintain the oxidation reaction so as to substantially remove any remaining odor-causing constituents from the airstream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the airstream with the surfactant-containing acid solution is performed by mixing the acid and surfactant solutions to prepare a mixed solution prior to exposing the air stream thereto and injecting the mixed solution into the airstream at a first location.

3. The method of claim 2, further including the steps of removing the mixed solution out of the airstream; recirculating the mixed solution, and spraying the recirculated mixed solution into the airstream at a second location downstream of the first location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the recirculated mixed solution is sprayed in a fine spray, wherein fine describes water particles which are sufficiently large enough to fall through the airstream and the mixed solution is sprayed in a coarse spray, wherein coarse describes water particles large enough for serving as an agglomeration point for other drops the coarse spray being dispensed downstream of the fine spray.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the hydrogen peroxide solution is introduced at a first location, and further including the step of recirculating the hydrogen peroxide solution and spraying the recirculated hydrogen peroxide solution into the airstream downstream of the first location so as to remove out of the airstream oxidized constituents thereof produced by oxidation with the bleach.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein solutions introduced in an atomized state have particle diameters in the range of 5 to 20 microns.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of mixing the airstream with fresh air prior to discharging the airstream into the atmosphere.

8. A method of scrubbing a stream of process air from a sludge composting facility, wherein the process air has been used to aerate compost for passage therethrough, the process air including ammonia, sulfides, and malodorous organic compounds, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) treating the process air with an atomized mixture of sulfuric acid and surfactant mixed with water and dispensed as atomizing droplets of a selected size at a first atomizing station as the air rises in a first tower;

(b) removing the sulfuric acid and surfactant mixture from the rising airstream by collecting the mixture at the bottom of the first tower; recirculating the collected mixture, and spraying the collected mixture into the airstream upstream of the first atomizing station, the mixture being sprayed having droplets of a size substantially larger than the droplets dispensed at the first atomizing station;

(c) oxidizing the organic sulfides in the airstream subsequent to removing ammonia and organic compounds therefrom by treating the airstream with an atomized solution of sodium hypochlorite prior to descent of the airstream in a second tower;

(d) treating the airstream with an atomized hydrogen peroxide solution having atomized droplets of a selected size dispensed at an atomizing station in a third tower as the airstream rises in the third tower to maintain the oxidation reaction while removing chlorine from the airstream;

(e) collecting the hydrogen peroxide solution at the bottom of the third tower, recirculating the hydrogen peroxide solution, and spraying the hydrogen peroxide solution into the airstream in a droplet size substantially larger than the atomized droplet size at a location downstream of the atomizing station in the third tower; and

(f) exhausting the airstream to the atmosphere through a dilution fan which mixes the air stream with fresh air.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the atomized droplets of sulfuric acid, surfactant, sodium hypochlorite, and hydrogen peroxide have diameters in the range of 5 to 20 microns.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in step (b) claim 8 the mixture is sprayed first in a relatively fine spray, wherein fine describes water particles which are sufficiently large enough to fall through the airstream upstream of treating the airstream with an atomized mixture and then with a relatively coarse spray, wherein coarse describes water particles large enough for serving as an agglomeration point for other drops of the relatively fine spray.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the sulfuric acid is approximately a 3 percent solution by volume, the surfactant is approximately a 0.10 percent solution by volume, the sodium hypochlorite is approximately an 0.80 percent solution by volume, and the hydrogen peroxide is approximately a 0.3 percent solution by volume.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the amounts of solutions introduced to treat an airstream of about 25,000 to 30,000 cubic feet per minute are as follows:

atomized mixture of sulfuric acid, surfactant, and water--about 3 gallons/minute;

recirculated mixture of sulfuric acid, surfactant, and water sprayed upstream of atomized mixture--about 60 gallons/minute;

atomized solution of sodium hypochlorite--about 3 gallons/minute;

atomized solution of hydrogen peroxide--about 3 gallons/minute;

recirculated solution of hydrogen peroxide--about 30 gallons/minute; and

fresh air mixed with scrubbed process air--about 450,000 cubic feet of fresh air/minute.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the surfactant is a detergent.

14. A method of scrubbing a stream of exhaust air, wherein the stream includes undesirable odor-causing compounds including sulfides and malodorous organic compounds, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) treating the airstream with an atomized surfactant solution in order to remove malodorous organic compounds therefrom;

(b) treating the airstream treated in step (a) with liquid bleach to remove sulfides therefrom; and

(c) treating the airstream treated in step (b) with hydrogen peroxide to remove chlorine introduced therein by the bleach solution and to maintain the oxidation reaction so as to substantially remove any remaining odor-causing constituents from the airstream.

15. The method of claim 14, further including the step of removing the surfactant solution from the airstream by recirculating the surfactant solution and spraying the surfactant solution as relatively large droplets into the airstream at a location downstream of treating the airstream with the atomized surfactant solution.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of condensing the atomized surfactant solution out of the airstream further includes the steps of dispensing the recirculated surfactant solution in a fine spray and in a coarse spray, are sufficiently large enough to fall through the airstream the coarse spray wherein coarse describes water particles large enough for serving as an agglomeration point for other drops being dispensed downstream of the fine spray.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising the step of recirculating the hydrogen peroxide solution and spraying the hydrogen peroxide solution into the airstream downstream of the location where initially introduced so as to remove from the airstream oxidized constituents thereof produced by oxidation with the bleach.