Unit 2: Air pollution

Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants.

6.1 Absorption.
6.2 Adsorption.
6.3 Incineration. Source:
http://www.erica.nl/Chemviron
6.4 Catalytic reduction. /adsorptionvsabsorption2.gif

Environmental Technology ‐ Unit 2: Air pollution 1

 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

Methods for removing

inorganic and organic
gaseous pollutants include:

• absorption
• adsorption
• condensation
• combustion

Source:
Peters (1991), Plant Design and
Economics for Chemical Engineers

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.1 Absorption.
• By contacting the contaminated gas with a liquid, the
contaminant in the gas is dissolved in the liquid.
• There is just one requisite: the pollutant has to be
soluble in the absorbent liquid.
• The driving force in the process is the difference in
concentration between the liquid and gaseous phases.
http://www.dorthonion.com/drcmcm/CHEMISTRY/
In most systems and operating conditions, the Lessons/Lectures/13b_ColligativeProperties.php

equilibrium values are ruled by Henry's law :

y = (H/P) ∙ x = K ∙ x
y: molar fraction of the pollutant in the gas.
x: molar fraction of the pollutant in the liquid.
P: total pressure.
H: Henry's constant.

http://www.pilotfriend.com/aeromed/medical/alt_phys.htm

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants
6.1 Absorption.
Properties of absorption liquids:
‐ High solubility of the pollutant in the liquid (absorption is accelerated and less liquid is needed).
‐ Liquid:
‐ Low volatility (losses are reduced and introducing other pollutant in the gas phase is avoided).
‐ Non corrosive.
‐ Low viscosity (transfer rate increases, fewer losses) .
‐ Non toxic, non flammable.
‐ Chemically stable

Examples:
‐ H2O and hydrocarbons (physical absorption)
‐ H2O / NaOH
(with chemical reaction)
‐ H2O / ethanolamine

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.1 Absorption.

Applications:
The following substances can be removed by absorption:
‐ Gases, fumes and inorganic vapors: chromic acid, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, chlorides,
SO2.
‐ Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) especially those soluble in water: methanol, ethanol,
isopropanol, butanol, acetone, etc.

‐ Particles and harmful contaminants from the atmosphere.

Absorption equipment:
Scrubber columns.
Packed columns: chemical, metallurgical, food industries, etc.
Plate columns: gas desulfurization, control of emissions from the combustion of coal and oil.

MORE CONFIGURATIONS:
http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/SeparationsChemical/Absorbers/Absorbers.html

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.1 Absorption.

Packed columns . Filler materials:

Selection of the filler material:
‐ They must be inert and chemically resistant materials
(glass, ceramic, plastic and steel)
‐ They should have high mechanical strength, support
the weight of the column.
‐ They should have high void volume fraction and
reduce pressure drop.
‐ High surface area per unit volume, high contact
between phases .

http://www.scilabware.com/Extraction‐&‐
Fractionation/Fractionation/Column‐packing/p‐51‐53‐213/

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.1 Absorption.

Filler types:

Raschig Rings (cheap

but not so effective)

Intalox and Berl

saddles (expensive
but effective)

Pall rings
(homogeneous flow
and low ΔP)

http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/SeparationsChemical/Absorbers/Absorbers.html

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants
6.1 Absorption.

Source: Dr. Hatem Alsyouri (U. of Jordan, 2015), http://www.slideshare.net/alsyourih/design‐of‐packed‐columns

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 6.1 Absorption.
Plates column.
The gas‐liquid contact is not continuous but by stages in each of the plates along the column.
The plates increase the residence time, increasing the efficiency.

The gas less

polluted with
LM' and G M' are the the clean liquid
molar mass velocities
(moles/(h∙m2))
for solute‐free liquid
and gas streams.

The gas most

By fixing the flows (slope), the number of plates polluted with
the most
needed to obtain a certain Y1 can be determined. saturated liquid

With the number of plates fixed, the flows (slope)

to obtain a certain Y1 can be determined
http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/SeparationsChemical/Absorbers/Absorbers.html

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.1 Absorption.
Comparison between packed columns and plate columns.
Packed columns: Plates column.
‐ Used with effluents having solids that form
‐ Lower pressure drops (P)
clusters and result in large P inside the
‐ Used with corrosive gases column.
‐ Lower amount of metal parts ‐ Better hydrodynamic behavior, the liquid does
(plastic or ceramic fillers). not follow preferential paths.
‐ They favour heat exchange when needed
‐ More suitable for treating liquids
(coils can be incorporated into the plates).
prone to forming foams.
‐ Recommended for absorption + chemical
‐ Recommended when only small reaction processes: Increased residence time
spaces are available (column ø of the absorbent on the plates.
between 0.5 and 1 m)
‐ They are recommended when large columns
are needed (column diameters > 1 m)

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.2 Adsorption.

The contaminated gas is put in contact with a solid, the contaminant is retained on
the solid surface.
Two types of adsorption processes:

‐ Physical (physisorption) Based on the attracting Van der Waals

forces between molecules of the gas and the surface of the
solid adsorbent.

‐ Chemical (chemisorption): Chemical reactions occur on the

surface of the adsorbent .
Properties of the adsorbents (solids):

• All solids can adsorb gases.

• To be effective as adsorbents for retaining contaminants,

they must have a porous structure and high surface area .

Activated carbons, alumina, silica gel, zeolites.

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.2 Adsorption.

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.2 Adsorption.

Applications:
‐ Removal of organic compounds from gaseous effluents.
‐ Removal of SO2 from gaseous effluents
‐ Removal of other sulfur compounds from gaseous streams (e.g. H2S)
‐ Removal of water vapor
‐ Elimination of solvents and odors in air
‐ Removal of CO2 from natural gas
‐ Separation of mixtures : N2/O2 , CO2/CH4 , H2/CO .
Adsorption equipments:
Three types:
• fixed bed
• fluidized bed
• rotary bed

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.3 Incineration.

Complete destruction of organic contaminants by means of combustion at very

high temperatures to form CO2 and H2O.

CxHyOz + (x + y/4 – z/2)O2 → x CO2 + y/2 H2O

The products of complete combustion: CO2 and H2O. They are not toxic.

Highly exothermic reactions: the heat generated can be utilized to preheat

the reactants, generate steam, or co‐generating electricity.

Destructive process: the organic pollutant is not recovered.

(absorption and adsorption are not destructive).

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.3 Incineration.
Simple and convenient technology, but also strongly criticized:

‐ The energy generated by the combustion is not

enough to raise the temperature to the desired levels
→fuels such as natural gas are commonly co‐fed.

‐ Incomplete combustion can create pollution problems

with the formation of new VOCs. Excess air and very high
temperatures are needed to ensure complete reaction.

‐ The presence of elements other than C, H and O, can

create problems of contamination and the need for
additional purification systems, before or after combustion, http://www.no‐
burn.org/article.php?id=276
such as absorption columns.

http://video.ramboll.com/amager‐bakke‐world‐class IS IT?

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.3 Incineration.
Combustion devices:
Torches: Direct burning of the polluntants.
Temperature is very important because the process has to be instantaneous.
http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/HeatTransfer/Flares/Flares.html

Thermal incinerator: this is the conventional procedure.

Temperatures = 700 ‐ 1200 ° C; residence times = 0.2 ‐ 2 s.
Disadvantages: high fuel consumption and possible NOx generation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b‐Ypz488sRU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3QGLH7T0F8

Catalytic incinerators: It is an alternative with significant advantages:

• increased reaction rate
• decreased temperature: 300‐600 ° C
• reduction of the reactor volume

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.3 Incineration. Source: The Dallas Morning News

(http://res.dallasnews.com/interactives/
Devices: border_energy/ )

• Torches (flares):
when pollutant gases are emitted at
concentrations above the flammability
limits and at variable flow rates.

• Incinerators:
when gases have low
contaminants concentration
and the gas mixture is below
the lower flammable limit.
Source:
http://www.pollutionissues.com/
Ho‐Li/Incineration.html

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.4 Catalytic Reduction.

It is a technology for NOx removal. Nitrogen oxides are reduced to N2 and H2O.

Depending on the mechanisms of

formation, NOx can be:
‐ Thermal: Formed from high
temperature air.
‐ Prompt: from hydrocarbon radicals
reacting with N2.
‐ Structural: from N compounds which
may be contained in the contaminants
or in the fuel.

http://vehicletransport.blogspot.com.es/2009/04/car‐diesel‐selective‐catalytic.html

Structural and thermal NOx can be controlled by tuning the operating conditions.

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants
6.4 Catalytic Reduction.

Three‐way catalyst (TWC)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e9EvrThk1Y

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 Lecture 6. Management of gaseous pollutants

6.4 Catalytic Reduction.

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR): the reducing agent reacts with NOx.
Reducing agents: NH3, alcohols and hydrocarbons. A catalyst is needed.

4 NO + 4 NH3 + O2 → 4 N2 + 6 H2O
2 NO2 + 4 NH3 + O2 → 3 N2 + 6 H2O

Non‐selective catalytic reduction (NSCR): The reducing agent reacts with NOx
and other reagents. Reducing agents such as CO and hydrocarbons.

2 NO + 4 CO + O2 → N2 + 4 CO2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjgl_1VI3xs&index=6&list=PLSBcIAAjVIouKsp4wH9zo6hQaz‐BTxZIj

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