Stainless Steel Scrubbers

Among our key offerings are stainless steel marine scrubbers and industrial exhaust gas scrubbers, engineered to perform in the most demanding conditions. Our scrubber systems are built for long service life, regulatory compliance, and reliable performance in aggressive corrosive environments, from open-ocean vessels to onshore industrial plants.

Marine Scrubbers, IMO 2020 Compliant
Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS)

Since the International Maritime Organization’s IMO 2020 regulation came into force, limiting sulfur content in marine fuels to 0.5% globally and 0.1% in Emission Control Areas (ECAs), Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), commonly known as marine scrubbers, have become one of the primary compliance pathways for the global shipping fleet.

Western Technological Solutions manufactures the stainless steel pressure-bearing shells, transition pieces, inlet cones, and structural assemblies for all three main EGCS configurations:

Open-Loop Scrubbers use seawater as the washing medium to neutralise sulphur oxides (SOx) from exhaust gas. The wash water is treated and discharged back to sea in compliance with IMO MEPC.259(68) guidelines. Open-loop systems are the most widely deployed configuration for deep-sea vessels operating outside restricted port zones.

Closed-Loop Scrubbers use a recirculating freshwater-caustic soda (NaOH) solution. All wash water is retained on board and discharged at port reception facilities. Closed-loop systems are required in ports and inland waterways where open-loop discharge is prohibited, making them the preferred choice for ferry operators, river cruise vessels, and short-sea shipping.

Hybrid Scrubbers combine both modes, switching automatically between open and closed loop depending on the operating area. This configuration provides maximum operational flexibility for vessels trading across multiple regulatory zones.

Typically, WTS scrubber shells are fabricated from 316L or 254 SMO (EN 1.4547) austenitic stainless steel, selected for their proven resistance to the highly corrosive combination of sulphuric acid condensate, chloride-rich seawater, and high-temperature exhaust gas, conditions that rapidly destroy carbon steel or standard-grade alloys.

Industrial Scrubbers, Flue Gas and Process Gas
Cleaning

In industrial settings, wet scrubbers are the primary technology for removing acid gases, particulate matter (PM), heavy metals, and toxic compounds from process exhaust streams before atmospheric release. Unlike dry or semi-dry systems, wet scrubbers achieve the highest removal efficiencies for soluble acid gases, making stainless steel construction not a preference but an engineering necessity.

Western Technological Solutions fabricates large-scale industrial scrubbers for a wide range of demanding applications, including:

• Flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) for thermal power plants and fluidised-bed boilers
• Acid gas removal (HCl / HF) in chemical processing and hazardous-waste incineration facilities
• SO₂ absorption columns for sulphuric acid plants and non-ferrous smelters
• NOx reduction pre-treatment stages upstream of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems
• Quench scrubbers for rapid gas cooling in pyrolysis, gasification, and plasma-conversion processes
• Emergency scrubbers for toxic gas containment and accidental release control in chemical storage and handling facilities

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Scrubber Systems

Waste-to-energy plants present a distinct engineering challenge compared to conventional power generation. The primary concern is not SO₂ but elevated concentrations of hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) derived from chlorinated plastics, fluorinated compounds, and heterogeneous municipal and industrial waste streams.

HCl concentrations in raw WtE flue gas typically range from 500 to 2,000 mg/Nm³, an order of magnitude higher than in coal-fired applications, while HF loading varies significantly depending on feedstock composition. This combination, together with residual SO₂, creates a highly corrosive condensate environment that eliminates carbon steel and standard 304-grade alloys as viable construction materials.

WTS scrubber systems for WtE facilities are engineered specifically for:

• High chloride and fluoride loading, shell and internals fabricated in 316L (EN 1.4404) as minimum specification, with 2205 duplex (EN 1.4462) or 254 SMO (EN 1.4547) applied in the highest-risk zones
• Variable feedstock composition, hydraulic design accounts for peak acid gas concentrations, not average values, ensuring compliant outlet emissions across the full operating envelope
• Corrosion-resistant internals, spray nozzles, packing support grids, mist eliminators, and sump sections specified in grades matched to the local corrosion severity
• Stable performance under load variation, essential for plants accepting heterogeneous municipal solid waste (MSW) with unpredictable chlorine content

All WTS industrial scrubbers are designed and manufactured in full compliance with:

• EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) 2010/75/EU, the primary EU legislative framework governing emissions from large combustion plants, waste incineration, and chemical industry installations
• Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREFs), including the Waste Incineration BREF and the Large Combustion Plants BREF, which set the emission limit value benchmarks our systems are validated against
• Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU, where the scrubber vessel qualifies as pressure equipment under Category I to III classification

Why Stainless Steel Is the Only Correct Material
for High-Performance Scrubbers

The wash liquor inside a scrubber, whether seawater, caustic solution, or condensed acid, creates one of the most aggressive corrosion environments encountered in industrial equipment. Material selection is the single most critical design decision.

316L stainless steel (EN 1.4404) is the standard minimum specification for scrubber shells in moderate-severity service. Its molybdenum content (2 to 2.5%) provides significantly better chloride pitting resistance than 304/304L grades.

Duplex 2205 (EN 1.4462) is specified for high-chloride marine environments and elevated-temperature zones, offering approximately twice the yield strength of 316L and superior resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC).

Super-austenitic 254 SMO (EN 1.4547) and 6Mo alloys are applied in the most aggressive zones, inlet cones, sump sections, and nozzle areas, where concentrated acid condensate and high-velocity wash water create maximum corrosion attack.

Carbon steel with protective coatings is not a durable long-term solution for scrubber service. Coating failure in the corrosive interior environment is a matter of when, not if. Western Technological Solutions manufactures exclusively in stainless steel and corrosion-resistant alloys, ensuring decades of service life without unplanned maintenance.

Our Manufacturing Capabilities
for Scrubber Projects

Western Technological Solutions operates from a dedicated stainless steel fabrication facility
Our Capabilities located directly on the sea pier at the Western Shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania, providing unique logistical advantages for the delivery of oversized scrubber assemblies that cannot be transported by road.

Our full-scope service covers basic and detailed engineering, 3D CAD modelling, structural calculations, workshop fabrication, non-destructive testing (NDT), Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), surface treatment, and sea transportation, delivered as a single turnkey package.

Compliance and Quality
Certifications

Every scrubber system manufactured by Western Technological Solutions is produced under our certified quality management framework,
ensuring full compliance with international standards and industry-specific requirements.

Our production processes follow:

• ISO 9001, Quality Management System
• ISO 3834-2, Comprehensive welding quality requirements
• EN 1090-2 EXC3, Structural steel fabrication, Execution Class 3
• PED 2014/68/EU, Pressure Equipment Directive compliance where applicable

Additionally, our company consistently and successfully passes qualification inspections conducted by leading European engineering companies and EPC contractors, reaffirming our reliability and proven manufacturing competence.

Partner with Western Technological Solutions
for Your Scrubber Project

Whether you need a complete marine EGCS scrubber shell assembly, a bespoke industrial absorption column, or a complex multi-vessel flue gas treatment system, Western Technological Solutions has the engineering expertise, certified production capability, and sea-logistics infrastructure to deliver. Choosing WTS means working with a team that values engineering excellence, sustainability, and reliability. Our stainless steel scrubbers provide dependable, long-term emission-control performance, whether installed onboard vessels or at industrial facilities.

Contact our sales team today
to discuss your Scrubber project!