Decreasing emission factor of pollutants in an oil refinery by renovating the furnace design

Zabihi, A.; Raazaitabari, M.R.

doi:10.7508/gjesm.2016.03.009

Document Type : CASE STUDY

Authors

A. Zabihi ¹
M.R. Raazaitabari ²

¹ Mazandaran Gas Company, Taleghani Street, Sari, Iran

² Department of Environmental Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz Branch, Ahvaz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.7508/gjesm.2016.03.009

Abstract

The significant consumption of gas in the World results in the emission of greenhouse gases into atmosphere. Abadan refinery has always been the biggest and oldest oil refinery in the Middle East and has a variety of refined products. After six months of collecting data about pollutant concentration emitted from a stack of old furnaces of units 75 and new unit 200, the emission factor of the pollutant was calculated. The result showed that the emission factor of some hazardous pollutants emitted from old unit 75 was tremendously higher than that of unit 200. This study suggests the installation of a forced fan to provide the excess air and a feed temperature controlling system to control fuel gas consumption. These would make the fuel combustion complete and decrease its consumption. Meanwhile, further results showed that the renovation of unit 75 could lead to a significant annual reduction of some pollutants such as CO, H₂S, and C_xH_x to 66 ton, 3 ton, and 800 kg, respectively; this would increase the emission rate of pollutant SO₂ up to 150 ton annually. Finally, the new data of pollution coming from unit 75 were compared to pollution standard at American refineries. Results showed that the emission factor of most pollutants were below the American standard limits. However, the emission factor of sulfur dioxide emitted from upgraded furnace of unit 75 surpassed the American standard values. Fuel gas needs to be free of hydrogen sulfide in order to decrease SO₂ emission in unit 75. It is predicted that the renovation of other 11 old furnaces belonging to Abadan refinery will result in significant decrease of pollutants CO, C_xH_x and H₂S up to 320, 94 and 76 ton annually.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

New and old furnace of vacuum units in Abadan refinery was examined
Calculated and compared emission factors of pollutants coming from furnaces
Renovation of the old furnace decreased pollutants significantly
The new emission values were compared to those of standard refineries
Refining fuel gas for omitting hydrogen sulfide would decrease SO₂emission

Keywords

References

AORED, (2015). Handbook of units 200 and 75 operation instruction, instructions, Integrated Management Systems. 2nd. Ed., Abadan Oil Refinery Engineering Department,

Ahmadi, M.; Roz Khosh, M.; Jaafarzadeh, N., (2016). Emission of CO₂ and CH₄ in Asmari gas compressor station in national Iranian south oil company using emission factor, J. Air Pollut. Health. 1: 35-42 (8 pages).

Abdul-Wahab, S.A.; Al-Alawi, S.M.; El-Zawahry, A., (2006). Patterns of SO₂ emissions: a refinery case study, Environ. Modell. Softw., 17 (6): 563–570 (8 pages).

Al-Salem, S.M., (2015). Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission sources in Kuwait from the downstream industry: Critical analysis with a current and futuristic view, Energy. 81: 575–587 (13 pages).

CCOHS, (2016). Converting occupational exposure limits. Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/convert.html.

Carugnoa, M.; Consonnib, D.; Randia, G.; Catelanc, D.; Grisottoc, L.; Bertazzia, A.; Biggeric, A.; Baccinic, M., (2016). Air pollution exposure, cause-specific deaths and hospitalizations in a highly polluted Italian region, Environ. Res., 147: 415–424 (10 pages).

Chavoshi, B.; Massodnejad, M.R.; Adibzadeh A., (2011). Evaluation the amount of emission and sulfur dioxide emission factor from Tehran oil refinery, J. Air Pollut. Health. 4:233-236 (4 pages).

Dios, m.; M., Souto, M.; Casares, J.J., (2013). Experimental development of CO₂, SO₂ and NO_x emission factors for mixed lignite and subbituminous coal-fired power plant, J. Energy. 53: 40-51 (10 pages).

Ditaranto, M.; Anantharaman, R.; Weydahl, T., (2013). Performance and NOx emissions of refinery fired heaters retrofitted to hydrogen combustion, Energy. Procedia. 37: 7214 – 7220 (7 pages).

EEA, (2009). An air pollutant emission inventory guidebook. Technical Report No 6/2009. Copenhagen. European Environment Agency. (www.eea.europa.eu/publications/emep-eea-emission-inventory-guidebook).

Gadallaa, M.; Olujićb Z.; Jobsonc, M.; Smithc, R., (2006). Estimation and reduction of CO₂ emissions from crude oil distillation units, Energy. 31(13): 2398–2408 (11 pages).

Hall, R.; Earnest, S.; Hammond, D.; Dunn, K.; Garcia, A., (2014). A summary of research and progress on carbon monoxide exposure control solutions on houseboats, J. Occup. Environ. Hyg., 11(7): 92–103 (12 pages).

Hansard, R.; Maher, B.A; Kinnersley, R., (2011). Biomagnetic monitoring of industry–derived particulate pollution, Environ. Pollut., 159: 1673–1681 (9 pages).

Heinrich, J.; Thiering, E.; Rzehak, P.; Krämer, U.; Hochadel, M.; Rauchfuss, KM.; Gehring, U.; Wichmann, HE., (2013). Long-term exposure to NO₂ and PM₁₀ and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a prospective cohort of women, Occup. Environ. Med., 70 (3):179-186 (8 pages).

Jafarigol, F.; Atabi, F.; Moatar, F.; Nouri, J., (2015). Estimating emission factors of pollutant gases in a gas refinery in south of Iran, Adv. Biores., 6: 72-77 (6 pages).

Jaramillo, P.; Muller, N., (2016). Air pollution emissions and damages from energy production in the U.S.: 2002–2011. Energ. Policy. 90: 202–211 (10 pages).

Kilgallon, R.; Gilfillan, S.M.V.; Haszeldine, R.S.; McDermott, C.I., (2015). Odourisation of CO₂ pipelines in the UK: Historical and current impacts of smell during gas transport, Int. J. Greenh. Gas. Con., 37: 504–512 (9 pages).

Khodabandeh, E.; Pourramezan, M.; Pakravan, M., (2016). Effects of excess air and preheating on the flow pattern and efficiency of the radiative section of a fired heater in a petroleum refinery, Appl. Therm. Eng., doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.03.038.

Liu, C.; Li Z.; Kong, W.; Zhao, Y.; Chen, Z., (2010). Bituminous coal combustion in a full-scale start-up ignition burner: influence of the excess air ratio, Energy. 35(10): 4102-4106 (7 pages).

Lohe, R.N.; Tyagi, B.; Singh, V.; Kumar, P.; Tyagi, P.; Khanna, D.R.; Bhutiani, R., (2015). A comparative study for air pollution tolerance index of some terrestrial plant species, Global J. Environ. Sci. Manage., 1(4): 315-324 (10 pages).

Ma, J.; Yi, H.; Tang, X.; Zhang, X.; Xiang, Y.; Pu, L., (2013). Application of AERMOD on near future air quality simulation under the latest national emission control policy of China: A case study on an industrial city, J. Environ. Sci., 25: 1608–1617 (10 pages).

Nakomcic-Smargdgkis, B.; Cepic, Z.; Cepi, M.; Stajic, T., (2014). Data analysis of the flue gas emissions in the thermal -power plant firing fuel oil, J. Environ. Sci. Technol., 11 (2): 269-280 (12 pages).

Nguyen, H.T.; Kim, K.H.; Kim, M.Y., (2009). Volatile organic compounds at an urban monitoring station in Korea, J. Hazard. Mater., 161:163–174 (12 pages).

Ruei-Hao, S.; Chana, C., (2013). Tracking hazardous air pollutants from a refinery fire by applying on-line and off-line air monitoring and back trajectory modelling, J. Hazard. Mater., 261: 72– 82 (11 pages).

Shtripling, L.O.; Bazhenov, V.V., (2015). Emission process system organization of pollutants into the atmosphere for refinery enterprises, J. Procedia Eng., 113: 349 – 356 (8 pages).

Tang, Y.; Ma, X.; Lai, Z.; Zhou, D.; Lin, H.; Chen, Y., (2012). NOx and SO₂ emissions from municipal solid waste combustion in CO₂/O₂ atmosphere, Energy. 40(1):300-306 (7 pages).

US Environmental Agency, (2015). Technology transfer network clearinghouse for inventories and emissions factors, stationary internal combustion sources, AP 42, 5th Edition, 1(3): 1-18 (18 pages).

Willers, S.; Jonker M.; Klok, L.; Keuken, M.; Odink, J.; Elshout, S.; Sabel, C.; Mackenbach, J.; Burdorf, A., (2016). High resolution exposure modelling of heat and air pollution and the impact on mortality, Environ. Int., 89: 102–109 (8 pages).

Yaseen, S.; Skinder, B.; Ahmad, S.; Khoiyangbam R.S., (2014). Temporal variation of SO₂ and NO₂ cocentration around Parichha thermal power plant, India, J. Environ. Chem. Tox., 6 (2): 6-12 (7 pages).

Zhao, Y.; Wang, S.; Nielsen, CS.; Li, X.; Hao, J., (2010). Establishment of a database of emission factors for atmospheric pollutants from Chinese coal-fired power plants, Atmos. Environ., 44: 15-23 (9 pages).

Letters to Editor

GJESM Journal welcomes letters to the editor for the post-publication discussions and corrections which allows debate post publication on its site, through the Letters to Editor. Letters pertaining to manuscript published in GJESM should be sent to the editorial office of GJESM within three months of either online publication or before printed publication, except for critiques of original research. Following points are to be considering before sending the letters (comments) to the editor.

[1] Letters that include statements of statistics, facts, research, or theories should include appropriate references, although more than three are discouraged.
[2] Letters that are personal attacks on an author rather than thoughtful criticism of the author’s ideas will not be considered for publication.
[3] Letters can be no more than 300 words in length.
[4] Letter writers should include a statement at the beginning of the letter stating that it is being submitted either for publication or not.
[5] Anonymous letters will not be considered.
[6] Letter writers must include their city and state of residence or work.
[7] Letters will be edited for clarity and length.