Q1. Where the iron ore are found in India and what are their types?

Ans- Iron Ore in Orissa

 The ores are rich in haematites.

 India’s richest haematite deposits are located in Barabil-Koira valley.
 Others: Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Koraput districts.

Iron Ore in Chhattisgarh

 Bailadila mine is the largest mechanised mine in Asia [Ore benefication only done here]
 A 270 km long slurry (a semi-liquid mixture) pipeline from the Bailadila to Vizag plant transports
the ore slurry.
 Smelting is done in Vizag [Vishakhapatnam] iron and steel factory.
 Bailadila’s high grade ore is exported through Vishakhapatnam to Japan [No iron ore in Japan.
But market is huge due to automobile industry] and other countries.
 The Dalli-Rajhara range is 32 km long [ferrous content 68-69 per cent] range with significant
reserves.

Iron Ore in Jharkhand

 25 per cent of reserves.

 First mine in Singhbhum district in 1904.
 Iron ore of here is of highest quality and will last for hundreds of years.
 Noamandi mines in Singhbhum are the richest.
 Magnetite ores occur near Daltenganj in Palamu district.

Iron Ore in Karnataka

 Iron ores are widely distributed.

 High grade ore deposits are those of Kemmangundi in Bababudan hills of Chikmagalur
district and Sandur and Hospet in Bellary [Lot of Mining Mafia].
 Most of the ores are high grade haematite and magnetite.

Types of Iron Ore

 Haematite, Magnetite, Limonite & Siderite.

Haematite

 Reddish; best quality; 70 per cent metallic content.

 Found in Dharwad and Cuddapah rock systems of the peninsular India.
 80 per cent of haematite reserves are in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
 In the western section, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa has this kind of ore.

Magnetite

 Black ore; 60 to 70 per cent metallic content.

 Dharward and Cuddapah systems.
  Magnetic quality.
 Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Limonite

 Inferior ores; yellowish in colour; 40 to 60 per cent iron metal.

 Damuda series in Raniganj coal field, Garhwal in Uttarakhand, Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh and
Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh.
 Advantage == open cast mines == easy and cheap mining.

Siderite

 ‘Iron carbonate’; inferior quality; less than 40 per cent iron.

 Contains many impurities {previous post}; mining is not economically variable.
 However, it is self-fluxing due to presence of lime.

Hematite and magnetite are the two most important iron ores in India

Q2. Draw a schematic diagram of any WWTP and discuss in brief about different processes in this
diagram. [10 marks]

Ans-

Pre-treatment:

Coarse bar screen: It consists of screening and grit removal. Screening removes or reduces the size of
trash and large solids that get in to sewage system. These solids are collected on screens and scraped
off for subsequent disposal.

Grit/ Sand trap: After screening, the waste water is allowed to enter a grit chamber for the removal of
inorganic grit consisting of sand, gravels and pebbles. Grit chambers are provided to protect pumps
from abrasion and to reduce the formation of heavy deposits in pipes and channels. Grit is normally
allowed to settle in a tank under conditions of low flow velocity and it is then scraped mechanically
from the bottom of the tank.

Primary settling: Primary sedimentation/settling removes both the settle able and floatable solids. Also
the flocculant particles which tend to aggregate will be allowed to settle by the addition of chemicals
(iron salts, lime and alum). The material that floats in the primary settling basin is known collectively as
grease. Normally some of the grease settles with the sludge and floats to the surface, which can be
removed by skimming. This process of flocculant settling takes place when the settling velocity of the
particles increases due to coalescence with other particles. This type of phenomenon is clearly observed
in primary clarifiers. The opportunity for coalescence increases with increase in bed depth, and as a
result the particle removal efficiency depends on both the overflow and bed depth.

Anaerobic Digestion: Anaerobic digestion is mostly useful for the stabilization of concentrated sludge’s
that are produced on the treatment of industrial sewage. A diagrammatic representation of a typical
high-rate, complete mix, and single stage digester is depicted in Fig.

The process of anaerobic digestion is carried out in an air tight reactor. Sludge is introduced
continuously or intermittently. In the high-rate digestion system, the contents of the digester are
heated and mixed completely. And it takes about 15 days for the process to be complete.

Activated sludge process: In this method, the sewage containing organic matter with the
microorganisms is aerated (by a mechanical aerator) in an aeration tank. The reactor contents are
referred to as mixed liquor. Under aerobic conditions, the microorganisms metabolize the soluble and
suspended organic matter. The generalized metabolic reaction is as follows.

A part of the organic matter is utilized for the synthesis of new bacterial cells while the remaining
gets oxidized to CO2 and H2O. The newly formed microorganisms are agglomerated to form floes,
technically referred to as sludge.
The separated sludge which is not in contact with organic matter becomes activated. It is separated
from the settling tank, and returned to the aeration tank, and recycled. The activated sludge
recycled in aeration tank serves as a seed or inoculum. The excess and waste sludge can be
removed. For efficient operation of activated sludge process, it is necessary to maintain a constant
supply of O2 which can be done by mechanical aeration or through the use of rotating paddles.
Growth of protozoa in a sludge is an indication of its healthy condition. The disposal of a waste
sludge is a problem. It may be used as a fertilizer in crop lands or as landfills, after drying.
 Trickling filter: Conventional trickling filters normally consist of a rock bed, 1 to 3 meters in depth,
with enough opening between the rocks to allow air to circulate easily (Fig.2). The influent is
sprinked over a bed of packing which is coated with a biological slime. As the liquid trickles over the
packing, oxygen and the dissolved organic matter diffuse into the film to be metabolised by the
microorganisms in the slime layer. End products such as CO2,NO3- , etc., diffuse back, out of the film
and appear in the filter effluent. Milk processing, paper mills and pharmaceuticals wastes are among
those treated by trickling filters. Like all biological units trickling filters are affected by temperature;
therefore cold weather slows down the biological activity in the filter.

Q3. Discuss in brief on environmental legislation in India and write down in detail about different
air pollutants and their limits in tabular form. [10 marks]
Ans- Environmental Legislations
1. General
2. Forest and wildlife
3. Water
4. Air

• 1986 - The Environment (Protection) Act authorizes the central government to protect and improve
environmental quality, control and reduce pollution from all sources, and prohibit or restrict the setting and
/or operation of any industrial facility on environmental grounds.
• 1989 - The objective of Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules is to control the generation,
collection, treatment, import, storage, and handling of hazardous waste.
• 1998 - The Biomedical waste (Management and Handling) Rules is a legal binding on the health care
institutions to streamline the process of proper handling of hospital waste such as segregation, disposal,
collection, and treatment.
• 2000 - The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 apply to every municipal
authority responsible for the collection, segregation, storage, transportation, processing, and disposal of
municipal solid wastes.
• 2002 - The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) (Amendment) Rules lay down such terms and conditions
as are necessary to reduce noise pollution, permit use of loud speakers or public address systems during night
hours on or during any cultural or religious festive occasion.

Forest and wildlife:

• 1927 - The Indian Forest Act and Amendment, 1984, is one of the many surviving colonial statutes.
It was enacted to ‘consolidate the law related to forest, the transit of forest produce, and the duty
leviable on timber and other forest produce’.
• 1972 - The Wildlife Protection Act, Rules 1973 and Amendment 1991 provides for the protection of
birds and animals and for all matters that are connected to it whether it be their habitat or the
waterhole or the forests that sustain them.
• 1980 - The Forest (Conservation) Act and Rules, 1981, provides for the protection of and the
conservation of the forests.
• 2002 - The Biological Diversity Act is an act to provide for the conservation of biological diversity,
sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the
use of biological resources and knowledge associated with it.

Water:
• 1974 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act establishes an institutional structure for
preventing and abating water pollution. It establishes standards for water quality and effluent.
Polluting industries must seek permission to discharge waste into effluent bodies. The CPCB (Central
Pollution Control Board) was constituted under this act.
• 1977 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act provides for the levy and
collection of cess or fees on water consuming industries and local authorities.
• 1978 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules contains the standard
definitions and indicate the kind of and location of meters that every consumer of water is required
to affix.
• 1991 - The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification puts regulations on various activities, including
construction. It gives some protection to the backwaters and estuaries.
• 2010 – Wetland Rules

Air:
• 1982 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules defines the procedures of the meetings
of the Boards and the powers entrusted to them.
• 1987 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act empowers the central and
state pollution control boards to meet with grave emergencies of air pollution.

Environment Protection act,1986:

• "environment" includes water, air and land and the inter- relationship which exists among and
between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, microorganism and
property
• "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such
concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment;
• "environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of any environmental pollutant;
• "handling", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment, package,
storage, transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale, transfer or the like
of such substance;
• “hazardous substance" means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its chemical or
physio-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings, other living
creatures, plant, micro-organism, property or the environment;
• "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who has control over the affairs
of the factory or the premises and includes in relation to any substance, the person in possession of
the substance;
Requirements under EPA
• Sec 7- no person carrying on any industry, operation or process shall discharge or emit or permit to
be discharged or emitted any environmental pollutant in excess of such standards as may be
prescribed
• Sec 8 – no person shall handle or cause to be handled any hazardous substance except in
accordance with such procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be prescribed
Pollutant Time Weighted Average Concentration in Ambient Ecologically Sensitive Area
Air Industrial, Residential, (notified by Central
Rural and Other Areas Government)
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Annual* 24 hours** 50 80 20 80
µg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), “ 40 80 30 80
µg/m3
PM Particulate “ 60 100 60 100
Matter (size less than 10
µm) or PM10 µg/m3
Particulate Matter “ 40 60 40 60
(size less than 2.5 µm) or
PM2.5 µg/m3
 Ozone (O3) µg/m3 8 hours* 1 hour** 100 180 100 180
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 8 hours* 1 hour** 02 04 02 04
mg/m3
Lead (Pb) µg/m3 Annual* 24 hours** 0.50 0.1 0.50 0.1
Ammonia (NH3) µg/m3 “ 100 400 100 400

Table 1: National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Q4. What is ZLD and how it can be achieved?

Ans- Zero Liquid discharge refers to installation of facilities and system which will enable industrial
effluent for absolute recycling of permeate and converting solute (dissolved organic and in-organic
compounds/salts) into residue in the solid form by adopting method of concentration and thermal
evaporation. ZLD will be recognized and certified based on two broad parameters that is, water
consumption versus waste water re-used or recycled (permeate) and corresponding solids recovered
(percent total dissolved / suspended solids in effluents).

ZLD can be achieved by adopting conventional primary, secondary and tertiary effluent treatment
and polishing by filtration and using clean water back into process / or domestic use. In some case,
Reverse Osmosis, Micro/Nano Filtration and concentrating with Multiple Effect Evaporators (MEE)
can be employed. It has been quite often debated that employing ZLD route is energy intensive and
having exorbitant cost / financial burden. But, it cannot be denied that in the present circumstances
when ground water table is getting depleted and there is diminishing flow in rivers, permitting
industries to discharge even treated effluents, does not seems to be environmentally acceptable
proposition. However, industries will be at their technical wisdom and expertise to search for better
ZLD achieving practice but with a caution that there will stern actions if, on the name of ZLD,
un-acceptable practices are adopted. In some cases, if any industry feels that a given process needs
modification, stopped or substituted, they can do so but, in longer run, treated effluents cannot be
disposed. It is also to be understood that in absence of ZLD, industry has to meet compliance with
standards and the results through on-line effluent monitoring devices will be available with
regulatory authorities and also in public domain.

Q5. Discuss in brief about activated sludge process and where this process is used?

Ans- Activated sludge is a mixture of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and rotifers maintained in suspension by
aeration and mixing [1]. In this process, a biomass of aerobic organisms is grown in large aerated basins.
These organisms breakdown the waste and use it as their food to grow themselves. Activated sludge
processes return settled sludge to the aeration basins in order to maintain the right amount of
organisms to handle the incoming "food". Activated sludge processes have removal efficiencies in the
range (95-98%) than trickling filters (80-85%).

Activated sludge process: In this method, the sewage containing organic matter with the
microorganisms is aerated (by a mechanical aerator) in an aeration tank. The reactor contents are
referred to as mixed liquor. Under aerobic conditions, the microorganisms metabolize the soluble and
suspended organic matter. The generalized metabolic reaction is as follows.
A part of the organic matter is utilized for the synthesis of new bacterial cells while the remaining
gets oxidized to CO2 and H2O. The newly formed microorganisms are agglomerated to form floes,
technically referred to as sludge.
The separated sludge which is not in contact with organic matter becomes activated. It is separated
from the settling tank, and returned to the aeration tank, and recycled. The activated sludge
recycled in aeration tank serves as a seed or inoculum. The excess and waste sludge can be
removed. For efficient operation of activated sludge process, it is necessary to maintain a constant
supply of O2 which can be done by mechanical aeration or through the use of rotating paddles.
Growth of protozoa in a sludge is an indication of its healthy condition. The disposal of a waste
sludge is a problem. It may be used as a fertilizer in crop lands or as landfills, after drying.
Activated sludge process is used during secondary treatment of wastewater.

Q6. Discuss in brief the three methods of treatment of effluents.

Ans- Techniques for effluent treatment

Dye effluent treatment methods :

Chlorine Dioxide Treatment

Due to high level of oxidation stage (+4), chlorine dioxide has some unique properties,
are as follows:
1. It bleaches cellulosic materials to higher brightness level than hypochlorite and
hydrogen peroxide.
2. It has substantial bactericidal properties.
3. Chlorine Dioxide, in gas form, can not be safely compressed or liquefied.
4. Chlorine Dioxide, in solution form, can be safely handled, even at its maximum
solubility in water.

Ozone Treatment
Ozone is sometimes used as disinfectant in place of chlorine.
Basically air is filtered, cooled, dried and pressurized then subjected to an electrical
discharge of approximately 20,000 volts . The Ozone produced is then pumped into a
contact chamber where it contact with water for 15 minutes.
Ozone is more destructive than chlorine.
A major concern with ozone is the rate at which it decomposes spontaneously in
water, according to the reaction:
Some chlorine must be added to maintain disinfectant character throughout the
water distribution system. For this purpose, a strong oxidisingagent, ferrate, is added
to remove heavy metals and phosphate.
Hydrogen peroxide treatment
Decolorizationof dyes belonging to various groups was carried out using novel free
radicals‐generating systems consisting of Cu(II), organic acids and hydrogen peroxide.
Among the organic acids tested, succinicacid was the most effective. A 24h incubation in the
presence of 10mMCu(II), 200mMsuccinicacid, and 100mMH2O2resulted in 85–95%
decolorizationof RemazolBrilliant Blue R (RBBR), Reactive Blue, Poly B‐411, Chicago Sky Blue,
Evans Blue and Methyl Orange.
The replacement of Cu(II) with other transition metals was less effective but 78%
decolorizationwas detected in the case of Co(III) and succinicacid. The decolorizationis due to
the formation of hydroxyl radicals, formed during the decomposition of H2O2by the metal–
ligandcomplex.
Q7. What are the major solid wastes generated by integrated steel plant in India?
0R
Q8. Name the most polluting unit of any integrated steel plant and write down the name of
pollutants generated by them.

Ans- The following are the major solid wastes/co products/byproducts in various production
processes of steel industry.
Coke making
The main solid wastes generated in the production of metallurgical coke are coal dust, coke dust, tar
sludge and acid sludge.
Sinter making
Solid wastes generated in the sinter making are dusts and sludges. Dusts are generated at sinter
machine building floors, cyclones and ESP (Electrostatic precipitator). Sludge is generated at the
clarifier of the water treatment plant. These dusts and sludges are rich in iron (Fe) and contain good
amount of lime (CaO), magnesia (MgO) and carbon (C). These materials are very good materials for
recycling back in sinter making. These materials are either blended with iron ore fines or briquetted
for recycling.
Pellet plant
The major solid wastes generated in pellet plant are dusts and undersized green pellets. Both of
these are recycled back in the pellet feed material.
Blast furnace iron making
Solid wastes generated during the blast furnace (BF) iron making process are dusts, burden
screenings at the stock house, cast house runner jam, cast house muck, blast furnace slag, flue dust,
GCP dust or sludge, refractory waste, and hot metal (HM) ladle skull.
Iron making by direct reduction
During the iron making process by direct reduction the main solid wastes are char (in case of plants
using coal based technology), dusts (both coal and iron), under sized DRI (direct reduced iron) and
DRI rejects.
Pig casting
During pig casting of hot metal, waste materials like plate jam, runner jam and lime sludge get
generated.
Basic oxygen steel making
The main waste materials in the BOF steel making are converter slag, scrap, waste refractories,
converter muck, and gas cleaning plant (GCP) sludge. Except GCP sludge all other waste materials
are usually generated in mixed condition which means that during generation one waste material
gets contaminated with other waste material. Hence sorting is a very important step for recycling of
the waste materials in steel making.
Electric steel making
Main waste material in the electric steel making is EAF (electric arc furnace) GCP dust, slag, scrap
and waste refractories. Magnesia carbon waste refractories are used as slag conditioner in the EAF.
Continuous casting
Major waste materials generated in the continuous casting process is continuous casting scale,
refractory waste, scrap, slag and muck. Here also waste materials are generated in the mixed
condition and sorting is needed as the first step for separating different types of wastes.
Rolling mills
Major solid waste materials generated in rolling mills are mill scale, refractory waste from reheating
furnace, and scrap.
Lime calcining
Solid wastes generated at the calcining plant are limestone and dolomite screenings, lime dust and
lime fines.

Q9. What are the major iron making processes in India?

Blast furnace
Corex
midrex

Q10. Discuss in brief the main air pollution control equipments used in integrated steel plants and
what are the criteria for using these equipments?[10 marks]

Ans- Settling Chambers

• Settling chambers use the force of gravity to remove solid particles.
• The gas stream enters a chamber where the velocity of the gas is reduced. Large particles drop out
of the gas and are recollected in hoppers. Because settling chambers are effective in removing only
larger particles, they are used in conjunction with a more efficient control device.

Cyclones
• The general principle of inertia separation is that the particulate-laden gas is forced to change
direction. As gas changes direction, the inertia of the particles causes them to continue in the
original direction and be separated from the gas stream.
• The walls of the cyclone narrow toward the bottom of the unit, allowing the particles to be
collected in a hopper.
• The cleaner air leaves the cyclone through the top of the chamber, flowing upward in a spiral
vortex, formed within a downward moving spiral.
• Cyclones are efficient in removing large particles but are not as efficient with smaller particles. For
this reason, they are used with other particulate control devices.

Venturi scrubber
In the venturi scrubber, gas laden with particulate matter passes through a short tube with flared
ends and a constricted middle.
• This constriction causes the gas stream to speed up when the pressure is increased.
The difference in velocity and pressure resulting from the constriction causes the particles and water
to mix and combine.
• The reduced velocity at the expanded section of the throat allows the droplets of water containing
the particles to drop out of the gas stream.

Fabric Filters
• Fabric filters, or bag houses, remove dust from a gas stream by passing the stream through a
porous fabric. The fabric filter is efficient at removing fine particles.
• The fiber material from which the fabric is made must have adequate strength characteristics at
the maximum gas temperature expected and adequate chemical compatibility with both the gas and
the collected dust.

Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs)

• An ESP is a particle control device that uses electrical forces to move the particles out of the
flowing gas stream and onto collector plates.
• The ESP places electrical charges on the particles, causing them to be attracted to oppositely
charged metal plates located in the precipitator.