Section III - Emission Sources and Control of Fine Particulate Air Pollution

Abstract

This chapter presents an account of the emission sources and the ways to control fine particulate air pollution. The sources of primary emissions are combustion, metallurgical processes, cement works, pulp mills, and transportation. The sources of fine particle emissions—other than those emitted from smokestacks—are unpaved roads, agriculture, aggregate storage piles, construction sites, quarries, and forest fires. In Great Britain, industrial particulate control programs address the emissions from smokestacks and other emissions from industrial operations. The importance of a particulate emission source depends on toxicity of the emission, the particle size distribution and the actual mass of the emission. The task force countries are directing their attention toward controlling primary emissions, especially those having toxic properties. The fine particle collection technology that is available to the task force countries is adequate for the particles that are larger than 5 μm; however, removal technologies require significant improvement for the particles that are smaller than 5 μm. The devices available for collecting the particles that are larger than 5 μm include cyclones, electrostatic precipitators, fabric bag filters, and scrubbers, as well as various device combinations. Fabric filters and high-efficiency electrostatic precipitators are the best collection devices for the particles that are smaller than 5 μm.