YMEH0002

Removal of Gaseous Pollutants

and Fugitive Dust Control
Main themes

Absorption
Adsorption
Catalytic & thermal oxidation
Fugitive dust control

Common gaseous pollutants from

pollution sources

Odor

CO

NOx

CxHx

SO2

HCl

Removal of gaseous pollutants by

liquid absorption
a basic chem. engg. unit operation
usually carried out in a column or tower in which
the gas to be cleaned comes into contact with fresh
liquid introduced at the top;
separation is achieved because of the solubility of
the pollutants in the liquid;
In many applications the absorbing liquid is water
(water scrubbing).

Absorber types
3 types:
Plate column;
Packed column;
Spray column

Plate tower

Packed tower

Spray column

Practical applications
Removal of SO2 by water, amine, alkaline (FGD);
Removal of NOx by alkaline;
Removal of NH3 by water, acid;
Removal of odorous gases in oxidizing solutions;
Removal of CO2 and H2S in amine solutions;

Advantages
Relatively low capital cost, pressure drop and small
space requirements;
Capable of achieving relatively high mass-transfer
eff.
Increasing the height and/or type of packing or no.
of plates can improve eff. without using a new piece
of equipment;
Ability to collect particulates as well as gases;

Disadvantages
May create water (or liquid) disposal problem;
Wet product collected;
Particulates deposition may cause plugging of the
bed or plates;
Relatively high maintenance costs.

Typical example of absorptive

FGD system used in Hong Kong
FGD in Lamma Power Station
small scale FGD system in industrial plants

Calcium-based wet scrubbing

Process diagram

Chemistry:

SO 2 + H 2 O H 2 SO 3 2H
Ca

2+

+ SO 32

+ SO 32- + 1 O 2 + 2H 2 O CaSO3. 1 H 2 O
2
2

Some sulphite ion is ultimately oxidized to gypsum:-

Ca 2 + + SO 32 + 1 O 2 + 2H 2O CaSO 4.2H 2O
2
Gypsum
(gypsum)
By-product such as calcium sulphite and sulphate salts
(gypsum) are withdrawn for disposal or further processed
to produce saleable gypsum.
The clean flue gas is reheated before entering the stack to
regain buoyancy for better dispersion and to prevent acid
condensation in the stack.

Adsorption

Solid adsorbent

Adsorption of air pollutants

A process by which residual molecular
forces at the surface of solids attract Pollutants
molecules of gases and vapours;
Employed to remove low conc. gases
from exhaust by allowing the gaseous
solutes (adsorbate) to intimately contact
a porous solid (adsorbent);

 For air pollution control, these gases and vapors are

the pollutants which have to be separated from the
gas stream emitting into the ambient air;
Widely used industrially for odor control and for
the removal of volatile solvents (such as benzene,
ethanol, trichloroethylene) from effluent streams.
Activated carbon is the most widely used
adsorbents for air pollution control and is effective
in removing virtually all gas and vapors with
molecular weights > 45.

e.g. - activated carbon is used industrially to

remove flue gas SO2 by adsorption,
- the adsorbed product will be brought to
another plant (e.g. sulphuric acid plant) for
extracting the adsorbed SO2 by heating the
adsorbent.

 Adsorption can be greatly enhanced if the

adsorbent possesses a large specific surface
area.
Thus adsorbents such as charcoals, activated
alumina, silica gel, and molecular sieves
(aluminosilicates) are particularly effective as
adsorbing agents.
These substances have a very porous structure
and their large exposed surface can take up
appreciate volumes of various gases.

Shapes & structures of typical adsorbent

Types & applications of adsorbents

Application
Adsorbent Appearance
Activated
Pellet,
Organic compounds &
carbon
hydrocarbons, e.g. for solvent
granule
recovery, elimination of odour,
purification of gases
Silica gel
Granule,
Small hydrocarbon molecules,
spheroid
water, e.g. for drying and
purification of gases
Activated
Granule,
Oil vapours, water, e.g. for drying
alumina
spheroid
of gases, air and liquids
Molecular
Pellet,
Molecules up to 10A in size,
sieve
granule,
e.g. for selective removal of
spheroid
contaminants from hydrocarbons

Adsorber

Advantages of adsorption
Product recovery may be possible;
Excellent control and response to process changes;
No chemical disposal problem when pollutant
(product) recovered and return to process;
Capability of systems for fully automatic,
unattended operation;
Capability to remove gaseous/vapor contaminants
from process streams to extremely low levels.

Disadvantages
Product recovery may require an exotic,
expensive distillation (or extraction) scheme;
Adsorbent progressively deteriorates in
capacity as the number of cycles increases;
Adsorbent regeneration requires a steam or
vacuum source;

Techniques for removal of NOx

from flue gas
Combustion modification
Catalytic decomposition
Selective catalytic reduction

Flue Gas Denitrification

NOx can be controlled by modifying the
combustion conditions (post-combustion
control) or by removing it from exhaust
gases (exhaust aftertreatment);
Combustion and design modification
techniques appear to be the most
economical means of reducing NOx but it
is less efficient than the exhaust
aftertreatment;

Catalytic decomposition
Methodology:

catalyst
2NO
N 2+ O2

Applicability:
This technique is of limited use
since no catalyst was found to
provide sufficient activity at
reasonable temp.
Mostly used in automotive catalyst

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR)

Methodology:

4NO+ 4NH3 + O2 catalyst 4N2 + 6H2O

NOx is reduced by NH3 over a catalyst in the

presence of O2

Selective catalytic reduction

Applicability:
Most applicable to flue gases from
fuel-lean firing combustion systems
Widely used in utility boilers.
Optimum temperature is at about
1300 K.
TiO2 and V2O5 are the
most commonly used catalyst.

FUGITIVE DUST CONTROL

MEASURES

Sources of fugitive dust emissions

Coal yards
Construction sites
Unpaved road surfaces

Sources of fugitive dust emissions

Raw material storage
Demolition of building
Renovation of building

Methodology of reducing
fugitive dust emissions

1.

Wet suppression

- Spray of water for dust suppression;

- Only temporary & must be repeated at regular
intervals.

2.

Chemical stabilization

- Salt (CaCl, MgCl):absorb & retain moisture in

the surface layer
- Wetting agents & surfactants: lower the surface
tension of water; rapid penetration into the
surface layer
- Dust suppressants: bind fines to large particles in
the surface layer

3.

Physical stabilization

Place cover on exposed surfaces to prevent

particles from becoming airborne due to
wind or machinery action

Wind direction

A portable windscreen

4.

Vegetative stabilization

Deploy vegetation to control erosion

5.

Specialized techniques

a. Vehicle speed reduction less turbulence

b. Surface cleaning reduces re-entrainment

Manual cleaning

Automatic
cleaning system

5.

Specialized techniques

a. Vehicle speed reduction less turbulence

b. Surface cleaning reduces re-entrainment
c.

Traffic control reduces vehicle access

d. Windbreaks lessens surface wind speed

e.

Good operating practices