AIR AND NOISE POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES

UNIT 4
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES
Control – Source correction methods – Control equipment – Particulate control methods –
Bag house filter – Settling chamber – Cyclone separators – inertial devices – Electrostatic
precipitator – Scrubbers – Control of gaseous emissions – Absorption – Absorption
equipment – adsorption and combustion devices (Theory and working of equipment only).

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL:

Air pollution control, the techniques employed to reduce or eliminate the emission into
the atmosphere of substances that can harm the environment or human health. The control
of air pollution is one of the principal areas of pollution control, along with wastewater
treatment, solid-waste management, and hazardous-waste management.
Air is polluted when it contains certain substances in concentrations high enough and for
durations long enough to cause harm or undesirable effects. These include adverse effects on
human health, property, and atmospheric visibility. The atmosphere is susceptible to pollution
from natural sources as well as from human activities. Some natural phenomena, such
as volcanic eruptions and forest fires, may have not only local and regional effects but also
long-lasting global ones. Nevertheless, only pollution caused by human activities, such
as industry and transportation, is subject to mitigation and control.
Most air contaminants originate from combustion processes. During the Middle Ages the
burning of coal for fuel caused recurrent air pollution problems in London and other large
European cities. Beginning in the 19th century, in the wake of the Industrial Revolution,
increasing use of fossil fuels intensified the severity and frequency of air pollution episodes.
The advent of mobile sources of air pollution—i.e., gasoline-powered highway vehicles—had
a tremendous impact on air quality problems in cities. It was not until the middle of the 20th
century, however, that meaningful and lasting attempts were made to regulate or limit
emissions of air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources and to control air quality on
both regional and local scales.
The primary focus of air pollution regulation in industrialized countries has been on
protecting ambient, or outdoor, air quality. This involves the control of a small number of
specific “criteria” pollutants known to contribute to urban smog and chronic public
health problems. The criteria pollutants include fine particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and lead. Since the end of the 20th century, there also has
been a recognition of the hazardous effects of trace amounts of many other air pollutants
called “air toxics.” Most air toxics are organic chemicals, comprising molecules that
contain carbon, hydrogen, and other atoms. Specific emission regulations have
been implemented against those pollutants. In addition, the long-term and far-reaching effects
of the “greenhouse gases” on atmospheric chemistry and climate have been observed, and
cooperative international efforts have been undertaken to control those pollutants. The
greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane, nitrous
oxide, and ozone. In 2009 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled that greenhouse
gases posed a threat to human health and could be subject to regulation as air pollutants.
The best way to protect air quality is to reduce the emission of pollutants by changing to
cleaner fuels and processes. Pollutants not eliminated in this way must be collected or trapped
by appropriate air-cleaning devices as they are generated and before they can escape into the
atmosphere. These devices are described below. The emphasis of this article is air pollution
control technology as it is designed to remove particulate and gaseous pollutants from the
emissions of stationary sources, including power plants and industrial facilities. (The control
of air pollution from mobile sources is described in emission-control system.)
There are many small, but critical sources of air pollution in our homes and neighborhoods.
Such sources — vehicles, construction equipment, lawn mowers, dry cleaners, backyard fires,
and auto-body shops — are located where we live and work. Total emissions from these
smaller but widespread sources are significantly greater than all the industrial sources in the
state combined.
To prevent pollution from these sources, the MPCA provides education, guidance, and
incentives for reducing air pollution. We have programs for businesses, cities, nonprofits, and
communities that address a range of environmental problems, including air quality.
 Drive your car less. Vehicle exhaust is a major source of air pollution in Minnesota.
Carpool. Bike. Bus. Telecommute. Electric vehicles. How could you burn less fuel?
 Keep your car in good repair. Fix exhaust and oxygen sensor problems ASAP. Check
your tire pressure monthly; under-inflated tires have been shown to lower gas
mileage, particularly at lower speed.
 Turn off your engine. An idling engine creates a hot spot of pollution. Buses and big
trucks produce particularly unhealthy exhaust. Parents and teachers can help their
schools and daycares develop and implement no-idling policies.
 Don't burn your garbage. Burning your household garbage is dangerous to your health
and our environment, and generally against the law in Minnesota. If you're still using
a burn barrel, wood stove, or fire-pit for your trash, contact your county about
arranging for trash hauling services.
 Limit backyards fire in the city. Smoke from backyard fires can cause unhealthy
conditions for hundreds of people, especially during stagnant weather conditions.
Since cities have elevated levels of pollution compared to rural areas, urban fires are
more of a nuisance to people with asthma and other lung conditions. If you do have a
campfire:
o Keep fires brief and small — 3 feet across or less.
o Burn only dry fire wood. In the Twin Cities it is illegal to burn any waste in a
fire, even yard waste.
o Never start campfires during an air quality alert. Sign up for texts or emails
about elevated air pollution levels.
 Plant and care for trees. Trees filter pollutants and absorb carbon dioxide. Trees also
release oxygen into the atmosphere and help cool our homes.
 Switch to electric or hand-powered lawn equipment. Gas-powered engines like those
on lawnmowers and leaf or snow blowers often lack pollution control devices. An
hour running a lawn mower can produce nearly the same amount of pollution as a
100-mile car trip! Use hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment instead.
  Use less energy. Choose efficient appliances and heating systems. Get an energy audit
and follow the advice. Turn off electrical stuff you are not using. It all adds up.
 Become a champion for clean air. Direct local businesses, city offices, and school
districts toward program that can help them reduce air pollution and become more
sustainable.
o GreenStep Cities: City and county officials governments can help by passing
local ordinances, creating incentives for beneficial behaviors, and promoting
and educating residents on best practices.
o Small business assistance: The Small Business Environmental Assistance
Program helps Minnesota businesses comply with environmental rules, reduce
wastes and emissions, and reduce regulatory obligations.
o Minnesota GreenCorps: An AmeriCorps program coordinated by the MPCA
places members with organizations around the state to address environmental
issues, including air quality. Nonprofit, government and school districts are
eligible to host members to work on qualified projects.

General
 Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risk to health. By reducing air
pollution levels, countries can reduce the burden of disease from stroke, heart disease,
lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma.
 In 2019, 99% of the world’s population was living in places where the WHO air
quality guidelines levels were not met.
 The combined effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution are
associated with 6.7 million premature deaths annually.
 Ambient (outdoor) air pollution is estimated to have caused 4.2 million premature
deaths worldwide in 2019.
 Some 89% of those premature deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries,
and the greatest number in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions.
 Policies and investments supporting cleaner transport, energy efficient homes, power
generation, industry and better municipal waste management would reduce key
sources of outdoor air pollution. Access to clean household energy would also greatly
reduce ambient air pollution in some regions.

Policies reducing air pollution

Addressing air pollution, which is the second highest risk factor for noncommunicable
diseases, is key to protecting public health.
Most sources of outdoor air pollution are well beyond the control of individuals and this
demands concerted action by local, national and regional level policy-makers working in
sectors like energy, transport, waste management, urban planning and agriculture.
There are many examples of successful policies that reduce air pollution:

 for industry: clean technologies that reduce industrial smokestack emissions;

improved management of urban and agricultural waste, including capture of methane
gas emitted from waste sites as an alternative to incineration (for use as biogas);
  for energy: ensuring access to affordable clean household energy solutions for
cooking, heating and lighting;
 for transport: shifting to clean modes of power generation; prioritizing rapid urban
transit, walking and cycling networks in cities as well as rail interurban freight and
passenger travel; shifting to cleaner heavy-duty diesel vehicles and low-emissions
vehicles and fuels, including fuels with reduced sulfur content;
 for urban planning: improving the energy efficiency of buildings and making cities
more green and compact, and thus energy efficient;
 for power generation: increased use of low-emissions fuels and renewable
combustion-free power sources (like solar, wind or hydropower); co-generation of
heat and power; and distributed energy generation (e.g. mini-grids and rooftop solar
power generation);
 for municipal and agricultural waste management: strategies for waste reduction,
waste separation, recycling and reuse or waste reprocessing, as well as improved
methods of biological waste management such as anaerobic waste digestion to
produce biogas, are feasible, low-cost alternatives to the open incineration of solid
waste – where incineration is unavoidable, then combustion technologies with strict
emission controls are critical; and
 for health-care activities: putting health services on a low-carbon development path
can support more resilient and cost-efficient service delivery, along with reduced
environmental health risks for patients, health workers and the community. In
supporting climate friendly policies, the health sector can display public leadership
while also improving health service delivery.

METHODS OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL – SOURCE CORRECTION

To effectively tackle the problem of air pollution, it is essential to prevent or minimize the
formation of pollutants at the source. In case of industrial pollution, this can be achieved by
analysing the process design and selecting those methods that do not contribute to air
pollution or have minimum impact due to air pollution. This technique is known as 'source
correction methods'. The application of these methods is difficult, however some of these
methods can be applied without having a major impact on economy of operation.
Below described are a few methods for control of pollution at source.

1. Raw material change – When raw material causes air pollution, a purer grade of raw
material may reduce generation of undesirable substances. 
1. An example in this regard is the use of low sulphur diesel in place of regular diesel
which contains a higher sulphur content leading to effluents with a high concentration
of sulphur particulates. 
2. Another example would be usage of natural gas in place of coal to reduce the
generation of particulates (both suspended and respirable).
3. Desulphurization of fuel is an alternative, however it is expensive and poses technical
problems. Another problem is lack of availability of better alternatives and the cost
involved. 
4. Coal combustion can be carried out with least air pollution by coal gasification. Coal
gasification can be carried out by destructive distillation of coal or gasification of
coke residues of carbonization with steam. 
2.  Operational change
1. By causing all dust creating activities that are generated in a process to be effectively
controlled and separated by effecting an operational change in the manufacturing
industry.
2. Moistening the dust thereby binding the dust is a time old method to prevent dust
from spreading.

3.  Modification or replacement of process equipment – This involves use  of new or

modified techniques to lower emission of atmospheric pollutants.
1. An effective method to control dust in industries is by casing all dust creating
activities and the dust generated can be effectively controlled and separated.
2. Moistening the powder in order to bind the dust is an old method prevent dust from
spreading.

Examples are listed below:

 Unburnt carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HCs) from cylinders of an
automobile engine can be burnt by injecting air into the hot exhaust manifold of the engine.
 Hydrocarbons (HCs) released into the atmosphere from petroleum storage tanks due
to temperature changes, direct vapourization and displacement due to filling can be reduced
by designing tanks with floating roof covers or pressurising the tanks.
 Replacing the open hearth furnace by oxygen furnace in steel industries helps in
reducing air pollution
 Alternate power for automobiles (Ex: Hydrogen power, Solar power) in place of
internal combustion engines that use fossil fuels will help in significant reduction of air
pollution.
 Air pollution due to industries can be reduced by proper maintenance of equipment,
housekeeping and cleanliness of facilities helps reduce air pollution.
 Ore handling operations result in emission of large quantities of dust. In steel
industries, raw ore is replaced with sintered pelletized ore to reduce dust emissions and blast
furnace “slips”

4.   Effective operation of existing equipment

 Preventing leakage around ducts, piping and valves by checking seals and gaskets
regularly air pollution from industries can be minimized.
                                  
METHODS OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL – ZONING

Air pollution control by zoning:

 The CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) has developed a tool for environmental
planning for proper siting of industries thereby reducing the risks due to pollution and protect
the environment. The CPCB in consultation with the SPCBs (State Pollution Control Boards)
has developed a zoning atlas for siting of industries based on environmental considerations,
district-wise, through-out the country. The zoning atlas for siting of industrial zones,
classifies the environment in a region and presents the pollution receiving potential of various
locations along with possible alternate sites through easy-to-read maps. The objectives for
preparing the zoning atlas are:
1. To zone and classify regions
2. To identify locations for siting of industries and
3. To identify industries suitable for identified sites

The zoning atlas considers only environmental aspects. The zoning atlas helps in stream-
lining the decision-making process along with the following benefits:

 It provides a ready-reckoner for best suitable site and relevant environmental

information
 It helps to make decisions that are simple, faster, realistic, transparent and reliable
 It provides a basis for incorporating environmental aspects into land use planning
 It helps to plan for cost effective pollution control measures and programs
 It helps an entrepreneur save money, time, efforts and risk
 Helps develop infrastructural facilities
 It helps check additional pollution in areas already stressed with pollution
 It ensures that pollution potential of an industry is compatible with local
conditions
 It ensures that industries with high pollution potential that are desirous to locate
an industry in a high risk area adopts clean technologies so that generation of
wastes is prevented or made compatible with the receiving environment.
 Helps in creating awareness among people regarding type of industries and nature
of pollution anticipated in their neighbourhood
 In view of all the above mentioned issues, an EIA helps achieve sustainable
development.

By carefully investigating the early stages of design and development in industrial processes
e.g., those methods which have minimum air pollution potential can be selected to
accomplish air-pollution control at source itself.
These source correction methods are:
(i) Substitution of raw materials:
If the use of a particular raw material results in air pollution, then it should be substituted by
another purer grade raw material which reduces the formation of pollutants. Thus,
(a) Low sulphur fuel which has less pollution potential can be used as an alternative to high
Sulphur fuels, and,
(b) Comparatively more refined liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG)
can be used instead of traditional high contaminant fuels such as coal.
(ii) Process Modification:
The existing process may be changed by using modified techniques to control emission at
source. For example,
(a) If coal is washed before pulverization, then fly-ash emissions are considerably reduced.
(b) If air intake of boiler furnace is adjusted, then excess Fly-ash emissions at power plants
can be reduced.
 (iii) Modification of Existing Equipment:
Air pollution can be considerably minimised by making suitable modifications in the
existing equipment:
(a) For example, smoke, carbon-monoxide and fumes can be reduced if open hearth
furnaces are replaced with controlled basic oxygen furnaces or electric furnaces.
(b) In petroleum refineries, loss of hydrocarbon vapours from storage tanks due to
evaporation, temperature changes or displacement during filling etc. can be reduced by
designing the storage tanks with floating roof covers.
(c) Pressurising the storage tanks in the above case can also give similar results.
(iv) Maintenance of Equipment:
An appreciable amount of pollution is caused due to poor maintenance of the equipment
which includes the leakage around ducts, pipes, valves, and pumps etc. Emission of
pollutants due to negligence can be minimised by a routine checkup of the seals and gaskets.

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT