Air Pollution

Sources, Effects & Control

 Highlights
Introduction Clean air composition
Definition of Air Pollution, History & Episodes
Sources of Air pollution
Based on activity
Based on shape of entry of pollutants
Factors affecting air pollution
Classification of air pollutants
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Major effects: (a) Eyes, (b) Respiratory system
Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)
Solid form (ex. dust, smoke, fume etc.)
+
liquid form (ex. Mist, fog)
TSPM Total SPM
RSPM Respirable SPM
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Major effects: (a) Eyes, (b) Respiratory system
SPM >10 m Settle in RSPM or
PM 10

Cilia of the nose

<10 m - enters the
respiratory system
2-10 m enters trachea
<2 m enters bronchus PM 2.5
 Effects of Air Pollutants
For residential areas, max annual conc.
TSPM 140 g/m3;
RSPM - 60 g/m3

National Ambient Air Quality Standards of

India (http://moef.nic.in/modules/rules-and-
regulations/air-pollution/)
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Eye problems From gaseous & PM
When contact with internal mucous
line
Pollutant effect
Aldehyde Irritation to eyes, skin
Ammonia Corrosive to mucous membrane
Arsenic Damage to skin
Cadmium Damage to kidney and liver
Chlorine Irritation to eyes & throat
Lead Deposition in lungs
Nickel Lung cancer & respiratory system
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Carbon Monoxide:
Diffuses into blood
CO + Haemoglobin Carboxyhaemoglobin
CoHB - Absorbs CO2 200 times more than
that of O2
Ambient air quality standard - 10 ppm
Dangerous at 750 ppm
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Sulphur Dioxide:
Cause irritation (Throat ~ 8-12 ppm)
Reduction in visibility & Respiratory diseases
Dangerous to life ~ 400-500 ppm for few min
Coal induced pollution:
From burning coal smoke, flyash, sulfur
compounds
Occurs in cold climate when calm meteorological
conditions prevail
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Oxidants:
O3 cause eye irritation ~ >0.1 ppm
Photochemical smog O3, PAN, PBN, aldehyde

Photochemical Smog:
Air stagnation, abundant sunlight, high
concentrations of hydrocarbons and nitrogen
oxides in the atmosphere
By the interaction of some HCs & Oxidants
Produce Peroxy acetyl nitrate (PAN)
 Effects of Air Pollutants

Oxides of Nitrogen:
NO & NO2
Haemoglobin has 300, 000 times more affinity
towards NO2 than O2
Cause lung cancer
Dangerous level ~ 150 ppm
 Effects of Air Pollutants
Diseases:
Lung cancer destruction of lung tissues
Chronic Bronchitis reduction of
Bronchioles diameter
Bronchial Asthma Narrowing of air ways
Emphysema Diminish the ability of lungs to
exchange O2 and CO2
 Air Pollution
Control Devices
 Control by Source Correction
Change in raw materials
Low sulphur fuel in place of high sulphur
fuel
Removal of non essential ingredients
Process modification
Use of exhaust hoods and ducts
Recovery
Equipment modification/replacement
Replace old equipment by new equipment
Proper maintenance of equipment
 Selection of Air Pollution Control Devices
(1) Carrier gas characteristics
Pressure
Dew point
Density
Viscosity
Temperature etc

(2) Operational factors

Head room
Floor space
Service requirement etc
 Selection of Air Pollution Control Devices

(3) Process factors

Allowable pressure drop
Gas flow rate
Collection efficiency requirement etc

(4) Particulate characteristics

Shape & Size
Density
Stickiness
Corrosiveness & Toxicity
Electrical conductivity etc
 Particulates Collection Devices
Classified into three groups
Based on Collection /Operation mode
Internal Separators
(a) Gravity Settling Chamber, (b) Cyclone
Wet Collection Devices
Electrostatic Precipitators
 1. Gravity Settling Chamber
Enclosed chamber where the velocity of the
dust laden gas considerably reduced
Particles settle by gravity
Horizontal gas velocity - to allow stream line
flow
Gas velocities ~ 0.30 to 3 m/s
Particles coarser than 40 microns settle
Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
 Gravity Settling Chamber

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 2. Cyclone Separators
Separation - Transforming the inlet gas velocity into
a double vortex
Gas spirals down the inner surface & spirals up at the
central portion
Particles concentrate due to inertia
Efficiency increases with
Inlet velocity of the gas (no agglomeration)
Diameter & density of the dust particle
Dust concentration in the gas
Smoothness of the inner wall of the cyclone
Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
 Cyclone Separators

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
 Cyclone Separators

Advantages:
No moving parts
Withstand harsh conditions
Operate in a wide range of conditions

Disadvantages:
Moderately efficient
High operating cost
Pressure drop problems

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Wet Collectors

Separation - By wetting the particle with liquid

Mechanism:
Liquid droplet diffusion/condensation/impinging the
wetted or un-wetted particles on a collecting surface
Common wet collection devices
Cyclonic scrubbers
Spray chambers
Venturi scrubbers
Packed towers

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Mechanism of Wet Collectors
Water

Gas Outflow Gas Inflow

Wastewater & Particulates

Note: Direction of gas & water flow may be different based on type
Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
 1. Cyclonic Scrubbers
Also called wet cyclones
Particulates separated by centrifugal force &
impingement of water at the entrance
Moisture elimination section consists of zig-
zag plates
Water requirement ~ 2 to 50 lit / 40 lit of
gas
Gas flow rate ~ 2000 lit/min
Removal particles 5 m
Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
 Cyclonic Scrubbers

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 2.Venturi Scrubbers

Clean about 4000 lit of gas/min

Consists venturi throat through which carrier gas

pushes at a velocity of 3400 to 12600 m/min

The scrubbing liquid, usually water is added in the

direction of flow of gas at the throat at the rate
of ~ 0.3-1.5 lit/lit of gas

Efficiency can be as high as 99%

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Venturi Scrubbers

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 3. Spray Chambers
Fine water spray washes the gas

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 4. Packed Towers
For cleaning air and gases
Gas passed upward through the bed
Liquid flows down through the bed (prevents re-
entrainment of the deposited particles)
Collecting surface area should be large
Materials used in bed low density, resistant to
corrosion, and chemically inert
Pressure drop remains constant
Sludge should properly disposed off

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Packed
Towers

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Wet Collectors
Advantages:
- Handle flammable and explosive dust
- Gas absorption and dust collection
- Handle mists & Cooling of hot gases
- Handle corrosive gases and dust
Disadvantages:
- High corrosion potential
- Liquid waste stream treatment
- Freezing protection needed
- No recycling of particulate
- High energy costs
Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
 Electrostatic Precipitator
Can be applied to a great variety of problems
Efficiencies as high as 99.99%
Capacities up to 2,00,000 lit/min
Temperatures up to 6000 C
Pressure drop is very low ~ 6 to 10 mm of water
Dirty gas is allowed to pass through narrow, vertical gas
passages formed by parallel rows of grounded collecting
electrodes
Electrically insulated high voltage wires are spaced precisely
on the centre lines of each passage thereby causing dirt gas
to pass between the high voltage wires and the grounded
plates

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Operational principle

Ionization of gas

Dust charging dust particles get negatively charged

because the negatively charged ions collide with them

Precipitation of dust negatively charged dust particles are

driven by electrical forces to the positively charged
grounded plate and held to them goes on accumulating
to form a thick layer

As the thickness of the dust layer increases more than 6

mm, electrical attraction becomes weak efficiency of the
ESP comes down a sharp rap causes the dust layer to
shear away agglomerates are collected in hoppers

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Working Mechanism of ESP

Gas Outflow

Gas Inflow

Electric Plates

Particulates

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Electrostatic Precipitator

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Electrostatic Precipitator

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 Electrostatic Precipitator

Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators

 ESP Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages:
- High efficiencies for small particles
- Large gas volumes with low pressure drops
- Dry collection of valuable materials
- Wet collection of fumes or mists
- Low operating costs
Disadvantages:
- High capital costs
- No control of gaseous emissions
- Inflexible to changing operating conditions
- Large space requirements
- Resistivity problems
Internal separators Wet collectors Electrostatic precipitators
Air Pollution Control Gas & Vapor
SOX, NOX, VOCs, CO

Absorption
Adsorption
Thermal incineration
Catalytic incineration
Condensation
 Absorption Units
Spray towers
Plate towers
Packed towers
Venturi scrubbers
Principle
Transfer of pollutants from gas phase to
the liquid phase
Diffusion and dissolution
 Adsorption Units
Pollutants adsorbed in the surface pores of
the adsorbents
Activated carbon
Activated alumina
Silica gel
Molecular sieves Ex.: Dehydrated
zeolites
 SOx Control Methods

Desulfurization (Coal cleaning)

Low sulfur fuel
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD)
- dry or wet processes
(activated carbon adsorption/Water absorption)
- Regenerative processes

FGD - flue gas react with lime and thereby removes

i.e. wet limestone-gypsum process)
 NOx Control Methods
Thermal NOx vs. fuel NOx
combustion modifications
- low NOx burners
- flue gas recirculation
- staged combustion
Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)
Selective Non-catalytic Reduction (SNCR)

* Chemical reaction (through catalyst) degrade NOx into N2

and H2O (ammonia-based selective catalytic reduction)
 Meteorology of Air Pollution
If hot air released into the atmosphere,
- Air tends to expand and rise
- Equal to surrounding air temp. &
density
No heat transfer between air parcel &
atmosphere
Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) ~ -1C/100 m
Ambient (or) Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR)
 Meteorology of Air Pollution
If ELR > DALR Super adiabatic lapse rate
ELR < DALR Sub adiabatic lapse rate
ELR = DALR Neutral lapse rate
Lapse rate if zero called Isothermal layer
Inversion Surface of earths temperature
cooler than temperature at high altitudes
Plume Behavior
 Stack Height & Mixing Depth
Dispersion of pollutant
Function of stability of atmosphere
Stack height
Stack height Determines GLC of pollutant
Effective stack height (He) = H + H
H Physical stack height; H Plume rise
Mixing Depth Ht. available for mixing
Stack Height & Mixing Depth
 Hollands Equation
h = (Vs D/u) [ 1.5+2.68 X 10-3 P D {( Ts Ta )/Ts}

h = rise of plume above the stack in m

vs = stack gas velocity m/sec
D = inside exit diameter of stack in m
u = wind in m/sec
P = atmospheric pressure in millibars
Ts = stack gas temperature in 0K
Ta = air temperature in 0K
 Briggs Equation
1

h = 0 . 84 (12 . 4 + 0 . 09 h )
QH 4

u
Q H = heat release in cal / s For hot releases
h = height of stack (m ) 106 cal/s or more
u = wind speed (m / s )
h = plume rise (m )
3 V0 d
h =
For less hot u
releases, V0 = afflux velocity (m / s )
d = stack exit diameter (m )
 Modelling of Dispersion of Pollutants
Dispersion models - Quantify transport &
dispersion in atmosphere
Gaussian Dispersion Model Follow Gaussian
curve in both directions (X & Y)
Assumptions:
Pollutants released at a steady state
Wind speed is constant
Major distribution of pollutant along x-axis
Gaussian Dispersion Model
Concentration of pollutant at ground level,

Concentration along plume centre line,

2
1 H
Q
2 Z
C x , 0 , 0 ,H = e
2 u y z

Refer: http://www.ajdesigner.com/phpdispersion/ground_level_equation.php
 Stack Height Indian Practice
Values obtained using the above equations shall be subject to
the following minimum values

Chimneys for industries in general (except TPP) -30m

For TPP up to 500 MW capacity -220m
For TPP >500 MW capacity -275m
For boilers generating steam @less than 2t/h - 9m
For boilers generating steam @ >30t/h - 30m
For boilers of intermediate capacity - 9 to 30m
For DG sets, minimum stack height shall be 1.5 to 3.5 m more than the
height of the building and shall be worked out as
H=H + 0.2 KVA
Where H= height of building
H = stack height
KVA is the capacity of generator.