Air Pollution Control

Abstract

Petroleum and chemical processes are responsible for many emissions both into the air. Most relevant emissions into the air are nitrous oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), carbon monoxide (CO), methane, and volatile organic compounds (VOC).The major cause of all air pollution is combustion. When perfect or theoretical combustion occurs, hydrogen and carbon in the fuel combine with oxygen from the air to produce heat, light, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Impurities in the fuel, poor fuel-to-air ratio, or too high or too low combustion temperatures cause the formation of such side products as carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, fly ash, and unburned hydrocarbons. In this chapter, methods of reducing air pollution and means to decrease the pollution of the environment are discussed.