TECHNOLOGY FOR AIR POLLUTION
CONTROL
COMMONLY USED METHODS FOR AIR POLLUTION
CONTROL
PARTICULATE
Cyclones
Electrostatic Precipitators
Fabric Filter
Wet Scrubbers
GASES
Adsorption Towers
Thermal Inciniration
Catalytic Combustion
TECHNIQUES WITHOUT USING EMISSIONS
CONTROL DEVICES
Process Change
Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, or Solar Unit instead of Fossil
fired Unit.
Change in Fuel
e.g. Use of Low Sulfur Fuel, instead of High Sulfur fuel.
Good Operating Practices
Good Housekeeping
Maintenance
Plant Shutdown
SOx CONTROL
GENERAL METHODS FOR CONTROL OF SO2
EMISSIONS
Change to Low Sulfur Fuel
Natural Gas
Liquefied Natural Gas
Low Sulfur Oil
Low Sulfur Coal
Use Desulfurized Coal and Oil Increase Effective Stack
Height
Build Tall Stacks
Redistribution of Stack Gas Velocity Profile
Modification of Plume Buoyancy
GENERAL METHODS FOR CONTROL OF SO2
EMISSIONS (CONTD.)
Use Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems
Use Alternative Energy Sources, such as Hydro-Power or
Nuclear-Power
FLUE GAS DESULFURIZATION
SO2 scrubbing, or Flue Gas Desulfurization processes can be
classified as:
Throwaway or Regenerative, depending upon whether the recovered sulfur
is discarded or recycled.
Wet or Dry, depending upon whether the scrubber is a liquid or a solid.
Flue Gas Desulfurization Processes
The major flue gas desulfurization ( FGD ), processes are :
Limestone Scrubbing
Lime Scrubbing
Dual Alkali Processes
Lime Spray Drying
Wellman-Lord Process
LIMESTONE SCRUBBING
Limestone slurry is sprayed on the incoming flue gas.
The sulfur dioxide gets absorbed in limestone and the
sulfur dioxide react as follows :
CaCO3 + H2O + 2SO2 ----> Ca+2 + 2HSO3-+ CO2
CaCO3 + 2HSO3-+ Ca+2 ----> 2CaSO3 + CO2 + H2O
CaSO3 = Calcium sulfite
LIME SCRUBBING
The equipment and the processes are similar to those in
limestone scrubbing, Lime Scrubbing offers better
utilization of the reagent. The operation is more flexible.
The major disadvantage is the high cost of lime
compared to limestone.
The reactions occurring during lime scrubbing are :
CaO + H2O -----> Ca(OH)2 Calcium oxide= Quick Lime
SO2 + H2O <----> H2SO3
H2SO3 + Ca(OH)2 -----> CaSO3.2 H2O H2SO3= Sulfurous acid
CaSO3.2 H2O + (1/2)O2 -----> CaSO4.2 H2O Calcium sulfate
DUAL ALKALI SYSTEM
Lime and Limestone scrubbing lead to deposits inside spray tower.
The deposits can lead to plugging of the nozzles through which the
scrubbing slurry is sprayed.
The Dual Alkali system uses two regents to remove the sulfur
dioxide.
Sodium sulfite / Sodium hydroxide are used for the absorption of
sulfur dioxide inside the spray chamber.
The resulting sodium salts are soluble in water, so no deposits are
formed.
The spray water is treated with lime or limestone, along with make-
up sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate.
The sulfite / sulfate ions are precipitated, and the sodium hydroxide
is regenerated.
LIME – SPRAY DRYING
Lime Slurry is sprayed into the chamber
The sulfur dioxide is absorbed by the slurry
The liquid-to-gas ratio is maintained such that the spray dries
before it reaches the bottom of the chamber
The dry solids are carried out with the gas, and are collected
in fabric filtration unit
This system needs lower maintenance, lower capital costs,
and lower energy usage
LIME – SPRAY DRYING
WELLMAN – LORD PROCESS
WELLMAN – LORD PROCESS
This process consists of the following sub processes:
Flue gas pre-treatment.
Sulfur dioxide absorption by sodium sulfite
Purge treatment
it is used commercially as an antioxidant and
Sodium sulfite regeneration. preservative.
The concentrated sulfur dioxide stream is processed to a
marketable product.
The flue gas is pre - treated to remove the particulate. The sodium
sulfite neutralizes the sulfur dioxide :
Na2SO3 + SO2 + H2O -----> 2NaHSO3
Sodium hydrogen sulfite
An antichlor is a substance used to decompose residual hypochlorite or chlorine
WELLMAN – LORD PROCESS (CONTD.)
Some of the Na2SO3 reacts with O2 and the SO3 present in the flue
gas to form Na2SO4 and NaHSO3.
Sodium sulfate
highly soluble in water
Sodium sulfate does not help in the removal of sulfur dioxide, and is
removed. Part of the bisulfate stream is chilled to precipitate the
remaining bisulfate. The remaining bisulfate stream is evaporated
to release the sulfur dioxide, and regenerate the bisulfite.