Air Pollution Control Equipment Design: An Update

Abstract Description: Two fundamental reasons for the control of gaseous emissions in industry, particularly waste gases, are profit and protection. For example, profits may result from the utilization of blast furnace gases for heating and power generation, but impurities have to be removed from the gases before they can be burned satisfactorily. On the other hand, sulfur dioxide can be extracted from flue gases and economically converted into sulfur, or solvent recovery systems can be installed to recover valuable hydrocarbon emissions. Protection of the health and welfare of the public in general, or individuals working in industry, and of property are other reasons for cleaning pollutant laden gases.

There are a number of factors to be considered prior to the engineering design of a particular piece of air pollution control hardware. In general they can be grouped into three categories: environmental, engineering, and economic. These three factors receive treatment in this paper. In addition, design procedures are provided for the control of both gaseous emissions (via absorbers, adsorbers, combustion systems, and condensers), and particulate emissions (via mechanical collectors, wet scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and baghouses). Design procedures for hybrid systems, nitrogen oxides and carbon sequestration/control will be included.

The paper also provides an update of current engineering and process design information on all of the equipment reviewed. Two design-oriented illustrative examples – one for gaseous control equipment and the other for particulate control equipment – compliments the presentation.