Post By Joshua S A
More than three-quarters of the world’s industry is running on Fossil fuels (Coal, Oil, Gas) and an equal if not higher proportion is using the electricity being produced by combustion of the same source. The Combustion of Fossil Fuels gives readily available energy to the Industry and Power Generation companies but this combustion results in the emission of many Hazardous compounds included in the resultant Effluent Gases. The most notorious ones are Nitrogenous compounds and Sulphur Compounds. As in most cases they are Oxides of these two elements they are commonly and for the sake of ease termed as NOx and Sox.
Both of them and others like these compounds are a serious threat to Human and animal health. As the Fossil Fuel Fired Power plants and industry are increasing due to the increased demand for Energy, the emission of NOx and SOx are polluting the Air badly in most industrial cities of the world.
NOx and SOx are not a small issue and they are the cause of several health issues in humans (and not to ignore the animals as well).
Some of the diseases and illnesses of Humans are:
- Those related to Lungs,
- Respiratory Track like Asthma and Bronchitis,
- Cancer,
- Many skin diseases plus many types of allergies,
- Some eye diseases
- They also affect Senses. Smell sense decreases and Skin becomes more sensitive.
Effect on Animals and Wildlife:
- NOx and SOx are the cause of many similar diseases in animals and wildlife.
- They are the cause of death of fish by acidifying surface water.
Effect on Urban Atmosphere:
Cities near to the Fuel Fired Power Plants areas and Industrial estates are affected most by NOx and SOx. The above-listed diseases were reported the most in such areas.
Effluent Gases of the Fuel-Fired Vehicles:
Most of Cars, buses, Trucks, and Industrial Vehicles (earthmoving and Lifting machines) are all fuel-powered and their gaseous emission is a major portion of the World’s Pollution.
They all collectively make Smog which is these days a big threat to many big cities. Many Cities are promoting more and more Electric Vehicles as a solution, but even EVs are not a complete solution to this issue as their batteries are still being charged with Electricity which is mainly produced with Fossil Fuel combustion.
EVs can only be the solution to this problem if they are all solar which is a test case technology and not still very reliable due to the dependency of Solar radiation on the weather even in very sunny areas and on very sunny days, at night they are powerless.
Effect on Global Environment:
Not only these gaseous pollutions are directly affecting humans and wildlife, but they are also causing damage to the planet’s atmosphere on a larger scale. These pollutant gases are damaging the Earth’s ozone layer which is resulting in global environmental changes and giving way to harmful radiations to reach us.
Many cities every year experience acidic rain due to the reaction of these gasses with atmospheric moisture and has harmed thousands if not more.
As these effects are increasing, the world’s environmental organizations are making strict regulations (and are continuously making them even more stringent) on controlled combustion of Hydro Carbon Fuels and forcing industries to use all the countermeasures to reduce the emissions. Many Power Projects while getting their design approvals have to ensure these mandatory Control measures to their emissions.
As a result, more research and development have introduced new technologies to control the emission of these harmful compounds in effluent gases.
One such Technologies is the introduction of Catalytic agents in the Industrial processes which convert the NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen) to Nitrogen Gas and Water.
Recirculation of the Exhaust gas mixed with Air into the Combustion Chamber also reduces the NOx.
To deal with SOx, Environment Authorities are imposing more restrictions on the use of high Sulphur Content Fuels.
In Gas Processing Plants, the Acid Gas Removal Process is used to separate Sulphur from the Gas, and Gas is sent to Power Plants with minimum Sulphur contents.
At the Power Plant, a chemical reaction method De-Sulphuration process is used to separate SOx from Effluent gases.
Combating NOx and SOx emissions needs more research and development of new technologies to make Fossil Fuel Combustion safer.