TECHNICAL ENGINEERING IN INDUSTRIAL IPPC AS A KEY TOOL FOR AMBIENT AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

Ambient air pollution of an industrial region in Bulgaria for the period 2003-2013 has been researched before and after the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control IPPC Directive. The aim of the research is to estimate the effect of applying measures and techniques required by the IPPC permits in order to improve ambient air quality. In the industrial area of Devnya there are plants for production of synthetic soda ash (Solvay Sodi), cement (Devnya Cement), mineral fertilizers (Agropolychim) and thermal power (Deven). Monitoring results indicate that concentrations of NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3 and C6H6 in the ambient air have decreased significantly (Р < 0.001) after the enforcement of the IPPC permits. It is also indicated that harmful emissions from separate industrial sources in the area have been reduced due to applying best available techniques BAT and environment friendly industrial practices. Pursuant to IPPC requirements major investments have been made for modernisation of the existing installations and for building new ones: a new circulating fluidized-bed steam generator with low NOx, SOx and DUST emission potential, a new line for the production of soda ash dense, an emission free distillation column, a new installation for the production of ammonium nitrate solution, a carbonizing column and a limestone blast furnace along with highly efficient tail gas treatment facilities etc. The present study proves that the implementation of the IPPC Directive by technical engineering at industrial and combustion plants is a key tool for the improvement of ambient air quality.