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Research air quality technology jobs

Before pursuing training for a career using air pollution control equipment, you will want to know what jobs are available and what to expect in terms of requirements and compensation. You may wish to consider comparing different geographic locations.

I recommend: Check out air quality specialist jobs from Thingamajob for a sample of jobs available all over the United States. StateUniversity.com provides an overview of the job description for an air pollution controller, including information on the average salary and educational requirements. It also provides links to associations in the industry that give more information.

Learn more about technical education programs in air pollution technology

There are many training and certification programs for air pollution equipment. When looking into specific programs, be sure that they are teaching the national Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards as well as state and local standards.

I recommend: Learn more about EPA standards at The EPA Air Pollution Training Institute, offering courses all over the country and via satellite on a wide variety of air quality topics. The Rutgers University Air Pollution Training Program has been providing professional training since 1950.

Seek out higher educational opportunities in air quality technology

Environmental Science and Environmental Engineering degrees are great for careers in air quality control. There are also more specialized degree programs.

I recommend: Find out more about the masters program that Penn State offers in Environmental Pollution Control. Carnegie Mellon University has a specialized program that offers an emphasis on air quality specialty.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Environmental law is a relatively new and expanding field worth looking into. Knowledge of air quality technology is essential to lawyers who litigate cases dealing with air pollution control.
• •  Indoor air quality control focuses specifically on the air in homes and office buildings. Specialists often focus on key issues including microbe testing and mold remediation. Certification requirements vary by state, and employer-sponsored training may be available.

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Sift through carbon adsorption options in air quality equipment

Beyond just passively filtering particles from the air, carbon removes pollution when the particulates collect on its surface. Since the particulates adhere to the surface of the carbon, there's little chance they will break free and flow back into the air, compared to a passive filter system, like a surge of air blowing through, or a tear developing in the filter. You then can dispose of the carbon element, or remove the particulates and reuse the carbon.

I recommend: Thiel Air Technologies specializes in removing micron-level particulates from the air. MEGTEC Systems, Inc. offers steam regenerated carbon adsorption systems, and with three regional headquarters in the US, France and Singapore, can handle projects worldwide.

Turn up the heat on VOCs with thermal oxidation air emissions equipment

Add heat and oxygen to VOCs, and you're left with carbon dioxide and water. Depending on the VOCs involved, you need heat rather than a catalytic process to destroy the VOCs. Today's air pollution control technologies have a thermal efficiency of up to 97%, making them much more cost effective than they used to be.

I recommend: NESTEC, Inc. offers regenerative thermal oxidizers, which uses heat transfer technology for more efficient VOC conversion and lower costs. Ship & Shore offers regenerative and recuperative thermal oxidizers. Contact them for more information on installing a system.

Control emissions with air pollution control technology using condensation or precipitation

Condensation rapidly reduces heat, causing particles or VOCs to condense, making it easier to trap them. Electrostatic precipitation collects particles in an electric field. A strong, well-designed electric field can use far less energy than scrubbers, meaning you can use a smaller, less expensive unit to do the same amount of work.

I recommend: Air Process Systems, LLC produces an evaporative cooling system that you can combine with an electrostatic precipitator for better emissions control of any combustion process. Contact the sales rep nearest you for a consultation. Envitech, Inc. promotes its wet electrostatic precipitator as one of the most versatile air pollution control devices on the market as it is designed to be either a down-flow or up-flow, concentric, tube-type precipitator. Complete the project spec sheet to narrow down the right size and type of technology to control air pollution for your business.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you have the real estate, look for advances in biofiltration as a greener technology for air pollution control. Biofiltration removes VOCs using beds of compost or soil. Microorganisms convert the VOC to carbon dioxide and water. The key, however, is allowing enough space and air flow for the system to work effectively.

1. Choose air pollution control and equipment for specific applications and uses.
2. Use space-saving and energy efficient air quality equipment.
3. Keep air pollution control equipment services on standby in case you need maintenance, repair or other needs.
   

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Pick the right air pollution control equipment based on your everyday tasks

Locate additional general and technical information by working with air pollution control technology manufacturers.

I recommend: MEGTEC supplies thermal and catalytic oxidizers, as well as other air pollution control equipment, for applications ranging from automotive painting to flexible packaging to spice manufacturing. Creative System Concepts designs air pollution control technologies for the food service, automotive and commercial industries. Air pollution control equipment and technology from Catalytic Products International destroys volatile organic compounds and promotes cleaner, safer air.

Buy air quality equipment that gives top performance for your money

Choose high-quality, energy efficient air pollution control equipment and technology that integrates well with your everyday business or industrial processes.

I recommend: For dust collectors, filters, cooling towers and emission control systems, check out the GEA Bischoff website. ComEnCo Systems manufactures equipment and distributes technology for air pollution control that meets environmental standards. Cyclone dust collectors, filters, exhausters and other air pollution control equipment can be found at Aget Manufacturing.

Find services to help maintain the life of air pollution control equipment and technology

Seek maintenance and repair services so that air pollution control equipment and technology continues to be effective for your specified applications and uses.

I recommend: Air Cure offers parts replacement and services for air quality equipment. Corbett Industries also provides air pollution control equipment and technology services such as installations, renovations and repairs.

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Particulate matter

That cloud of black smoke bellowing from a diesel exhaust stack is comprised of particulate particles, one micron or smaller, that float in the air, damaging air quality and causing health problems.

I recommend: Review Air Info Now for information about particulate matter and its harmful effects on the environment.

Hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds

Also called toxic air pollutants or air toxics, hazardous air pollutants (HAP) are chemical compounds known to cause health problems including cancer. Most frequently a byproduct of paint and pharmaceutical industries, volatile organic compounds (VOC) are chemical compounds that, due to their high pressure and low water solubility, can be difficult to remove from the manufacturing process; as such, they commonly infiltrate and contaminate groundwater.

I recommend: Refer to the EPA for a definition and list of pollutants classified as HAPs. The USGS summarizes VOCs by general definition and in their most common forms.

Precipitator

A precipitator, sometimes called an electrostatic precipitator or electrostatic air cleaner, is a device that removes particulates by causing them to become heavier than the air they're floating in.

I recommend: Visit Neundorfer for basic knowledge on what a precipitator does. Envitech explains the use of ionized discs to create a highly efficient electric field that attracts the pollutants using a smaller surface area, allowing you to install a smaller, less expensive pollution control unit.

Scrubbing

Using a fine chemical mist or semi-dry slurry to remove gases or acids from your exhaust, scrubbing can be less efficient than other methods and you still have to dispose of the contaminated residual mix left over from the process. In application, scrubbers are most often used to separate a soluble gas from other gases but do work to separate liquids from a gas as well.

I recommend: Chemical Engineers Resource Page explains how various scrubbers work, depending on what you need removed from the exhaust air.

Thermal oxidation

Thermal oxidation is used to convert toxic VOCs into non-hazardous carbon dioxide and water vapor by introducing heat and oxygen into a chamber holding the VOCs.

I recommend: NESTEC walks you though an oxidation process that uses heat transfer technology for less expensive conversion of VOCs and HAPs.

Adsorption

Adsorption weakly binds pollutants to a surface, compared to absorption, which fills in the pores of a permeable surface. Adsorption is effective on materials with heavy color or odor, or with mineral content like mineral oils.

I recommend: Lenntech describes how to engineer activated carbon into effective adsorption material.