Institute of Southern Punjab

Control of Air pollution

and Control devices
Lecture 5
By
Sajjad Ahmad

Contents
• Automobile Emissions Controls
• Stationary Emissions Control
• Cost of Emissions Controls
• Thermal Pollution from Energy Generation
• Ecological Effects of Thermal Pollution
• Cooling Towers
• Using Waste Heat

1
Introduction
• Air quality control needs vary from correction of air pollution
problems originating from relatively small areas, such as an
industrial park impacted by one or more emission sources, to
those from large areas, such as an urban area impacted by a
number of sources and a variety of contaminants
• Air pollution is used to describe the presence in the atmosphere
of one or more contaminants in quantities and/or characteristics
that will, over a period of time be injurious to or unreasonably
interfere with public health and welfare or natural environmental
processes
• Contaminants are categorized as particulate matter and gases and
their associated forms, including dust, smoke, fumes, mist, and
vapor
• The primary gaseous air contaminants are carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides

Overview

• Generally, sources of air contaminants may be classified as stationary,

mobile, or fugitive (short). Respectively, they are attributed to point
sources, such as industrial stack emissions; transportation activities,
such as automobile emissions; and uncontrolled (fugitive) sources,
such as wind-blown dusts from stockpiles
• The environmental engineer is involved in controlling particulate and
gas sources of air contaminants
• Source control is the first reduction method considered in air
pollution control
• For particulates, settling chambers, inertial separators, wet
scrubbers, and fabric filters are used. Gas controls include
absorption, adsorption, condensation, flaring, and incineration

2
Review

• Sources of air contaminants

• Effects of air contaminants

Automobile Emissions Controls

Emissions can be controlled in several ways

Change the fuel used by the car

Change the way that the engine burns the fuel

Decrease the use of cars by subsidizing mass transit

3
 Changing the Fuel

What are other names for methanol, ethanol and compressed gas?
How are they made? Other drawbacks of these fuels?

Changing the Burning Process

More efficient cars emit less CO2 per mile traveled. (In the
1970s, estimated that could run
All cars on ethanol and methanol derived from
Fermented biomass if all cars averaged 60 miles
Per gallon.)
Number is out of date, but at some gas mileage
It is possible to run all cars on renewable sources
Of hydrocarbons.

Amory Lovins: using the best technology:

Could potentially build cars
That get 150 miles per gallon.

4
Positive Crankcase Ventilation

At the edges of the combustion

Chamber of the engine
(above the piston tops), there is a
thin layer of gasoline that does
Not burn up. This gasoline
Constitutes an air pollutant
(what is its classification?)

To keep gasoline from returning to

The air, this gasoline is recirculated
Back into the combustion chamber.

Exhaust Gas Recirculation

Exhaust gases are

Removed from the
Crankcase and then
Recirculated back into
The carburetor.

5
 Other Pollution Controls
Minimize CO and hydrocarbons by improving burning
Of the fuel.
To improve burning: use leaner fuels and increase
Temperatures in the combustion chamber.

Leaner fuels: means mixture of air plus fuel has more

Air and less fuel.

But leaner fuels increase Nox formation because

Burning is at higher temperatures and more oxygen is
Available to form Nox.

Catalytic converters: help to get around these problems.

They require unleaded gasoline.

Automobile Emissions Standards

Standards met by using catalytic converters, engine

Redesign and additives MBTE (Methyl tert-butyl ether), other oxidants).

6
 Mass Transit
Bullet Train, TGV (Train Grande Vitesse)
Both are MAGLEV (magnetic levitation) trains
Travel at up to 300 km/hr (180 mph)

Buses like subways (pay fare before getting on in enclosed area)

Most efficient form of public transport

Biggest problem: Load factor

If not used enough, mass transit is LESS energy efficient than cars

True Energy Use by Transportation

In theory, a train
Is 15 times more
Energy efficient than
A car.

Considering load
Factors, what is
The more typical
Ratio of efficiency?

What is the most

Energy efficient
Transportation?

7
Reducing Pollution from Stationary Sources

How pollution is reduced;

1) Change the fuel

2) Change how the fuels burns

3) Remove pollutants after burning

Other methods don’t really reduce overall pollution, they

Shift it in time or in space

Shifting the Pollution in Space

8
Removing the Pollution

Mary Walton invented an early pollution control device

For factories.

Power Plant Pollution Control

What is being
Removed by
The electrostatic
Precipitator?

By the wet
Scrubber?

9
 Fluidized Bed Combustion

Key Reaction:

CaO (lime) + 1/2O2 +SO2

= CaSO4 (calcium sulfate)

Limestone = CaCO3

FBC reduces NOx by lowering

Temperature of burning

Cleaning the Coal by Crushing

and Settling

FeS2 or pyrite (fools gold):

Very dense.
Can separate from coal using
Settling techniques.

This cleans the coal of part

Of its sulfur.
Remaining sulfur: chemically
Bonded with the coal.

10
Cost of Pollution Controls

Cost of pollution controls

Left: normalized to 100%
Cost for all pollution
Controls
Right: as a percentage of
Total power plant cost
(only one line is relevant)
Actual cost: typically
About 1/3 of plant cost

Physics of Waste Heat

Q = m* c* deltaT

Q is heat added, m is mass, c is specific heat

Delta T is the temperature change

What is waste heat?

Why do you get always get waste heat when
You generate power using a heat engine?

11
Natural Draft Cooling Tower

Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower

Why does this tower

Need a fan?

(Active vs Passive
Cooling Tower)

12
Uses of Waste Heat
Cogeneration
Aquaculture
Greenhouse heating
Desalination of seawater
Increase crop growth in cold season
Preheat air

13