Fuel Oil Combustion Research Articles

Characteristics, Sources, and Health Risk Changes of Heavy Metal Pollution Carried by PM2.5 in Beijing and Evaluation of Policy Effectiveness

To evaluate the effectiveness of air pollution prevention and control measures in Beijing, this study measured the content of 13 metal elements, including seven heavy metal elements [As, Cd, Co, Cr（Ⅵ）, Ni, Pb, and V], through daily PM2.5 sampling （n = 934） in the urban area of Beijing for four years. We analyzed the interannual changes in the concentration levels of various metals and the differences between heating and non-heating seasons, used a positive definite matrix factorization （PMF） model for quantitative source analysis, and used health risk assessment methods to evaluate the health risks of six metals. The results showed that, except for a few metal elements such as Cr（Ⅵ） and Ni, which showed an increase in concentration in individual years, the overall concentration of each element showed a downward trend. The concentrations of ten metals, including V, Co, Pb, and Mn, during the heating season were significantly higher than those during the non-heating season （P<0.05）. There were five main types of atmospheric heavy metal pollution sources in Beijing： dust sources, transportation sources, coal sources, industrial sources, and fuel oil combustion sources. Among them, the proportion of coal sources was generally decreasing. The HQ values of each metal were all less than 1, indicating no non-carcinogenic health risk. The carcinogenic risk of Ni and Cd could be ignored, while the R values of As, Co, and Cr（Ⅵ） in each year were between 10-6 and 10-4, indicating a certain carcinogenic risk. The interannual trends in atmospheric concentration, sources, and health risks indicate that the relevant measures for air pollution prevention and control in Beijing have achieved positive results.

Anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste produced by the city of Algiers using life cycle assessment

This study analyses the life cycle assessment of anaerobic digestion process of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) produced by Algiers city. Some keys parameters of the processes are then modified to analyze the "hot spots" and perform a sensitivity analysis to identify their influence on the results. Data for the inventory came from actual city facilities, and background process information came from Eco invent version 3.1 of SimaPro 8.1 software. The analyzed process contribution indicates that the global warming potential is affected by the anaerobic digestion because of the NOx and CO emissions from the thermal processes of biogas burning and fuel oil combustion for digesters heating. Furthermore, plastics recycling is environmentally beneficial because of net savings. The energy valorization of biogas produces the least amount of environmental damage, eliminating 403.06 kg CO2 eq/ton of waste, saving 18.2 E+09 MJ/ton of fossil fuels, and producing 2.8 E+08 kWhel/year, or 6% of the city's annual electricity consumption.

Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides Emissions from Fuel Oil Combustion in Industrial Steel Reheat Furnace

Many industrial heating operations still use fueloil for combustion instead of the cleaner gaseous fuels. Inthe steel industry, large furnaces referred to as reheat furnaces are used to heat steel stocks to rolling temperaturesusing normally fuel oil for combustion. The combustionproducts of flue gases consist of mainly carbon dioxide,water vapor and traced of other oxides such as nitrogen andsulfur oxides. These oxides are of a concern to theenvironment and should be minimized as much as possible.Experiments were carried out on a steel billet reheatfurnace in which air/fuel ratios are varied while the nitrogenoxide content is being monitored using furnace instruments.These variations in air/fuel ratios for combustion are foundto affect the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the flue gaswhere higher air/fuel ratios promoted the formation ofhigher nitrogen oxides during combustion. The sulfurdioxide content in the flue gas was calculated based onactual measurements of air and fuel rates to the furnace andfound to be minimal in the flue gas.

Phenomenology of the Composition of PM2.5 at an Urban Site in Northern France

In this work, PM2.5 was sampled at Dunkerque, a medium-sized city located in northern France. The mean concentration of PM2.5 during the sampling period was 12.6 ± 9.5 μg·m−3. Samples were analyzed for elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), humic-like substances (HULIS-C), water-soluble inorganic ions, and major and trace elements. The origin and the variations of species concentrations were examined using elemental enrichment factors, bivariate polar plot representations, and diagnostic concentration ratios. Secondary inorganic ions were the most abundant species (36% of PM2.5), followed by OC (12.5% of PM2.5). Secondary organic carbon (SOC) concentrations were estimated to account for 52% of OC. A good correlation between SOC and WSOC indicated that secondary formation processes significantly contribute to the WSOC concentrations. HULIS-C also represents almost 50% of WSOC. The determination of diagnostic ratios revealed the influence of anthropogenic emission sources such as integrated steelworks and fuel oil combustion. The clustering of 72 h air masses backward trajectories data evidenced that higher concentrations of PM2.5, OC, and secondary inorganic aerosols were recorded when air masses came from north-eastern Europe and the French continental sector, showing the considerable impact of long-range transport on the air quality in northern France.

Pollution sources affecting the oxidative potential of fine aerosols in a Portuguese urban-industrial area - an exploratory study

AbstractThis study targets to determine the oxidative potential (OP) of fine aerosols in an urban-industrial area of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Portugal) and, in addition, to identify which pollution sources may have an impact on the OP levels of fine aerosols. For this purpose, thirty samples were selected from a set of 128 samples collected over one year (Dec 2019-Nov 2020), based on the highest load for each source (both mass and %) previously assessed by source apportionment studies (using Positive Matrix Factorisation, a total of 7 different sources were identified: soil, secondary sulphate, fuel-oil combustion, sea, vehicle non-exhaust, vehicle exhaust and industry). The OP associated with the water-soluble components of PM2.5 was assessed using the dithiothreitol (DTT) method. The samples had a mean DTT activity (normalised to the mass) of 12.9 ± 6.6 pmol min− 1 µg− 1, ranging from 3.5 to 31.8 pmol min− 1 µg− 1. The DTT activity (normalised to the volume, $${\text{O}\text{P}}_{\text{V}}^{\text{D}\text{T}\text{T}}$$) showed to have a significant positive association with PM2.5 levels (R2 = 0.714). Considering that the mass contributions of the different sources to the PM2.5 levels were known, Spearman correlations were assessed and significant correlations were found between $${\text{O}\text{P}}_{\text{V}}^{\text{D}\text{T}\text{T}}$$ and three different sources: vehicle exhaust (ρ = 0.647, p-value = 0.001), fuel-oil combustion (ρ = 0.523, p-value = 0.012) and industry (ρ = 0.463, p-value = 0.018). Using a multiple linear regression analysis, these three sources were found to explain 82% of the variability in $${\text{O}\text{P}}_{\text{V}}^{\text{D}\text{T}\text{T}}$$, with vehicle exhaust being the most influential source.

Assessment of carbon dioxide emission factors from power generation in Burkina Faso

Power generation is the second largest source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), in Burkina Faso's energy sector. When preparing the National Communications on Climate Change, Burkina Faso uses the default emission factors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to estimate emissions from power generation. This study presents an assessment of CO2 emission factors from power generation for 2018 in Burkina Faso and an assessment of the contribution of renewable energy to the reduction of CO2 emissions. The national electricity company of Burkina Faso was chosen as the scope for this study. The estimation of emission factors for combustion is based on an analysis of fuels which are characterised in terms of molecular composition, density and water content. For CO2, the emission factor is 76 903 kg/TJ for the combustion of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and 73 525 kg/TJ for that of Distillate Diesel Oil (DDO). Using these emission factors, the CO2 emissions attributable to power generation in 2018 were estimated at almost 580 Gg. The CO2 emission factor for thermal power generation was estimated at 0.663 kg/kWh and that of the electricity generation mix at 0.569 kg/kWh. Finally, the use of 14.25% renewable energy in electricity generation avoided 16.7% of CO2 emissions in 2018. The emission factor of electricity production decreases with the increase in the share of renewable energy in the energy mix.

Seasonal Disparities of Human Health Risk and Particle-Bound Metal Characteristics Associated with Atmospheric Particles in a Fishery Harbor.

The effects of atmospheric pollution from ship emissions have been considered for several harbors worldwide. The health risk assessment and source apportionment of particle-bound metals in a fishery harbor were investigated in this study. The most abundant metal elements in particulate matter (PM) on all sampling days in three seasons were Fe (280.94 ± 136.93 ng/m3), Al (116.40 ± 71.25 ng/m3), and Zn (110.55 ± 26.70 ng/m3). The ratios of V/Ni were 1.44 ± 0.31, 1.48 ± 0.09 and 1.87 ± 0.06 in PM10, PM2.5, and PM1, respectively. Meanwhile, the ratios higher than 1 indicated that fuel oil combustion from ship emission in fishery harbor. The highest deposits of total particle-bound metals in the human respiratory tract were in the head airway (HA), accounting for 76.77 ± 2.29% of the total particle-bound metal concentration, followed by 5.32 ± 0.13% and 2.53 ± 0.15% in the alveolar region (AR) and tracheobronchial (TB) region, respectively. The total cancer risk (CR) of inhalation exposure to local residents exceeded 10-6. Mean total CR values followed the sequence: autumn (1.24 × 10-4) > winter (8.53 × 10-5) > spring (2.77 × 10-6). Source apportionment of related metal emissions was mobile pollution emissions (vehicle/boat) (37.10-48.92%), metal fumes of arc welding exhaust (19.68-34.42%), spray-painting process (12.34-16.24%), combustion emissions (6.32-13.12%), and metal machining processes (9.04-16.31%) in Singda fishing harbor. These results suggest that proper control of heavy metals from each potential source in fishing harbor areas should be carried out to reduce the carcinogenic risk of adverse health effects.

Possibilities for Prediction And Evaluation of the Carbon Footprint in Furnace Fuel Oil Combustion in Medium- and Low-Power Boilers

Possibilities for Prediction And Evaluation of the Carbon Footprint in Furnace Fuel Oil Combustion in Medium- and Low-Power Boilers

Possibilities for Prediction And Evaluation of the Carbon Footprint in Furnace Fuel Oil Combustion in Medium- and Low-Power Boilers

Possibilities for Prediction And Evaluation of the Carbon Footprint in Furnace Fuel Oil Combustion in Medium- and Low-Power Boilers

Long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate components and leukocyte epigenome-wide DNA Methylation in older men: the Normative Aging Study

BackgroundEpigenome-wide association studies of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have been reported. However, few have examined PM2.5 components (PMCs) and sources or included repeated measures. The lack of high-resolution exposure measurements is the key limitation. We hypothesized that significant changes in DNA methylation might vary by PMCs and the sources.MethodsWe predicted the annual average of 14 PMCs using novel high-resolution exposure models across the contiguous U.S., between 2000–2018. The resolution was 50 m × 50 m in the Greater Boston Area. We also identified PM2.5 sources using positive matrix factorization. We repeatedly collected blood samples and measured leukocyte DNAm with the Illumina HumanMethylation450K BeadChip in the Normative Aging Study. We then used median regression with subject-specific intercepts to estimate the associations between long-term (one-year) exposure to PMCs / PM2.5 sources and DNA methylation at individual cytosine-phosphate-guanine CpG sites. Significant probes were identified by the number of independent degrees of freedom approach, using the number of principal components explaining > 95% of the variation of the DNA methylation data. We also performed regional and pathway analyses to identify significant regions and pathways.ResultsWe included 669 men with 1,178 visits between 2000–2013. The subjects had a mean age of 75 years. The identified probes, regions, and pathways varied by PMCs and their sources. For example, iron was associated with 6 probes and 6 regions, whereas nitrate was associated with 15 probes and 3 regions. The identified pathways from biomass burning, coal burning, and heavy fuel oil combustion sources were associated with cancer, inflammation, and cardiovascular diseases, whereas there were no pathways associated with all traffic.ConclusionsOur findings showed that the effects of PM2.5 on DNAm varied by its PMCs and sources.

Source apportionment of PM2.5 oxidative potential in an East Mediterranean site

This study aimed to evaluate the oxidative potential (OP) of PM2.5 collected for almost a year in an urban area of the East Mediterranean. Two acellular assays, based on ascorbic acid (AA) and dithiothreitol (DTT) depletion, were used to measure the OP. The results showed that the mean volume normalized OP-AAv value was 0.64 ± 0.29 nmol·min−1·m−3 and the mean OP-DTTv was 0.49 ± 0.26 nmol·min−1·m−3. Several approaches were adopted in this work to study the relationship between the species in PM2.5 (carbonaceous matter, water-soluble ions, major and trace elements, and organic compounds) or their sources and OP values. Spearman correlations revealed strong correlations of OP-AAv with carbonaceous subfractions as well as organic compounds while OP-DTTv seemed to be more correlated with elements emitted from different anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, a multiple linear regression method was used to estimate the contribution of PM2.5 sources, determined by a source-receptor model (Positive Matrix Factorization), to the OP values. The results showed that the sources that highly contribute to the PM2.5 mass (crustal dust and ammonium sulfate) were not the major sources contributing to the values of OP. Instead, 69 % of OP-AAv and 62 % of OP-DTTv values were explained by three local anthropogenic sources: Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) combustion from a power plant, biomass burning, and road traffic emissions. As for the seasonal variations, higher OP-AAv values were observed during winter compared to summer, while OP-DTTv did not show any significant differences between the two seasons. The contribution of biomass burning during winter was 33 and 34 times higher compared to summer for OP-AAv and OP-DTTv, respectively. On the other hand, higher contributions were observed for HFO combustion during summer.

Anthropogenic Iron Invasion into the Ocean: Results from the East Sea (Japan Sea).

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton growth, and its availability limits primary production in half of the global ocean. Traditionally, atmospheric input of natural mineral dust has been considered as a main source of Fe in the surface ocean. However, here we show that about 45% of the water-soluble Fe in aerosols collected over the East Sea (Japan Sea) is anthropogenic, which originates mainly from heavy fuel oil combustion, based on the analyses of various chemical tracers (Al, K, V, Ni, Pb, and 210Pb). It is striking that a tiny quantity of oil, less than 1% of the aerosols in mass, can constitute the majority of water-soluble Fe in aerosols due to its high Fe solubility. Furthermore, we show that a quarter of dissolved Fe in the East Sea is anthropogenic using a 210Pb-based scavenging model. Since this sea is almost fully enclosed (200-3000 m) and located at the forefront of the Asian human footprint, our results provide an insight that the marine Fe cycle may be already perturbed by human activities.

First evidence of industrial fly-ash in an Antarctic ice core

Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) are a component of fly-ash, the particulate by-product of industrial high temperature combustion of fuel-oil and coal-series fuels. We provide the first evidence that these indelible markers of industrialisation have been deposited in Antarctic ice, thousands of kilometres from any potential source. The earliest observed particle was deposited in an ice layer from 1936 CE. While depositional fluxes are low, chemical analysis of individual SCPs indicates a coal combustion origin.

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in tree barks and tree cores of a national large-scale coal-fired power base of China: Sources, atmospheric toxicities, and pollution histories

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) are important hazardous air pollutants in China due to the country's coal-dominant energy structure. In order to reveal the pollution characteristics, sources, toxicity, and pollution historical trends of PACs in the atmosphere of the middle reach of the Huaihe River (MRHR), a large-scale coal-fired power base of China, tree barks and tree cores were collected and employed as passive air samplers and historical trend recorders, and 76 PACs were identified for the first time. ΣPACs in tree barks ranged from 170 to 3800 ng g−1 (mean = 700 ± 720 ng g−1), with the high concentrations observed mainly in the coal-mining and coal-bearing area. 16 priority PAHs (PriPAHs) were the predominant substances and accounted for 59 ± 8.3 % of ΣPACs. The combustion of coal and fuel oil was the most significant source of PACs, accounting for 43 % of ΣPACs, followed by the combustion of biomass (30 %) and non-combustion sources (27 %). Based on a bark-air partitioning model, volumetric air concentrations for ΣPACs were calculated to be 450–11,000 ng m−3 (mean = 1600 ± 2000 ng m−3). The BaP-toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQBaP) of ΣPACs (mean = 9.7 ± 15 ng m−3) were significantly higher than the Chinese guideline (1 ng m−3) and were mostly caused by coal & fuel oil combustion (55 ± 13 %). High molecular weight PACs were detected in lower percentages in tree cores than in tree barks, indicating that PACs in the particle phase were difficult to enter the tree core. Major PACs decreased in tree core samples between 2000 and 2020 as pollution control efforts improved, however, some PACs showed different trends when influenced by point sources.

Source apportionment of PM2.5 before and after COVID-19 lockdown in an urban-industrial area of the Lisbon metropolitan area, Portugal

The lockdowns held due to the COVID-19 pandemic conducted to changes in air quality. This study aimed to understand the variability of PM2.5 levels and composition in an urban-industrial area of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and to identify the contribution of the different sources. The composition of PM2.5 was assessed for 24 elements (by PIXE), secondary inorganic ions and black carbon. The PM2.5 mean concentration for the period (December 2019 to November 2020) was 13 ± 11 μg.m−3. The most abundant species in PM2.5 were BC (19.9%), SO42− (15.4%), NO3− (11.6%) and NH4+ (5.3%). The impact of the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the PM levels was found by comparison with the previous six years. The concentrations of all the PM2.5 components, except Al, Ba, Ca, Si and SO42−, were significantly higher in the winter/pre-confinement than in post-confinement period. A total of seven sources were identified by Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF): soil, secondary sulphate, fuel-oil combustion, sea, vehicle non-exhaust, vehicle exhaust, and industry. Sources were greatly influenced by the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with vehicle exhaust showing the sharpest decrease. Secondary sulphate predominated in summer/post-confinement. PM2.5 levels and composition also varied with the types of air mass trajectories.

A System of Improving Energy and Ecological Efficiency, Using the Example of Fuel Oil Combustion in Power Plant Boilers

Most climatic changes are not just the result of human activity, but also of business models that harm the environment. An attempt to attain an ecological balance is an answer to the challenge posed by this situation. The combustion of liquid fuels results in the atmospheric emissions of pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide and hydrocarbons. To reduce emissions of these pollutants and at the same time attain an ecological balance, specific modifiers are applied. This paper presents an analysis of the energy efficiency and ecological efficiency of fuel oil combustion in power plant boilers based on the results of tests carried out by the present authors, in which a Fe/Mg/Ce modifier was used. The tests were carried out for system capacities ranging from 1 to 5 MW. It was found that savings on fuel, which resulted from the implementation of a system for the control and supervision of power plant operation, were in the range of 4 to 6%, and those resulting from the use of the combustion modifier were from 2 to 4%. Moreover, it was found that the system designed to improve efficiency also provided the extra result of reducing CO2 emission and equivalent emission (SO2, NO2, and particulate matter).

Increasing the efficiency of the use of oil fuel in thermal power stations and boilers

An organization can achieve good results by properly managing the supply of fuel, ensuring the desired intensity of combustion, and optimizing the volume of the combustion process to promote complete combustion. Additionally, the mixing of fuel with secondary air, provided by combustion devices, is crucial for achieving efficient combustion. Experimental studies conducted on boilers in thermal power plants have demonstrated that heating the secondary air can enhance energy efficiency. This improvement is particularly relevant for fuel oil and gas burning. To optimize the combustion of fuel oil, steam-mechanical nozzles are commonly utilized. These nozzles excel in prolonging the combustion process, leading to more efficient fuel oil burning. When burning gas and fuel oil, a two-stage arrangement of burners in the boiler is more effective than a single-stage configuration, regardless of whether the burners are positioned in opposite directions or in a one-sided frontal arrangement. To mitigate the emission of nitrogen oxides, several measures can be taken. It has been observed that recirculating flue gases from the heat is more effective than solely utilizing flue gas. Additionally, the strategic placement of boilers with furnace gases and the optimization of turning parameters can also contribute to reducing harmful nitrogen oxide emissions.

Aerosol emissions from a marine diesel engine running on different fuels and effects of exhaust gas cleaning measures

The emissions of marine diesel engines have gained both global and regional attentions because of their impact on human health and climate change. To reduce ship emissions, the International Maritime Organization capped the fuel sulfur content of marine fuels. Consequently, either low-sulfur fuels or additional exhaust gas cleaning devices for the reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions became mandatory. Although a wet scrubber reduces the amount of SO2 significantly, there is still a need to consider the reduction in particle emissions directly.We present data on the particle removal efficiency of a scrubber regarding particle number and mass concentration with different marine fuel types, marine gas oil, and two heavy fuel oils (HFOs). An open-loop sulfur scrubber was installed in the exhaust line of a marine diesel test engine. Fine particulate matter was comprehensively characterized in terms of its physical and chemical properties. The wet scrubber led up to a 40% reduction in particle number, whereas a reduction in particle mass emissions was not generally determined. We observed a shift in the size distribution by the scrubber to larger particle diameters when the engine was operated on conventional HFOs.The reduction in particle number concentrations and shift in particle size were caused by the coagulation of soot particles and formation/growing of sulfur-containing particles. Combining the scrubber with a wet electrostatic precipitator as an additional abatement system showed a reduction in particle number and mass emission factors by >98%.Therefore, the application of a wet scrubber for the after-treatment of marine fuel oil combustion will reduce SO2 emissions, but it does not substantially affect the number and mass concentration of respirable particulate matters. To reduce particle emission, the scrubber should be combined with additional abatement systems.

Associations between long-term exposures to airborne PM2.5 components and mortality in Massachusetts: mixture analysis exploration

Background:Numerous studies have documented PM2.5’s links with adverse health outcomes. Comparatively fewer studies have evaluated specific PM2.5 components. The lack of exposure measurements and high correlation among different PM2.5 components are two limitations.Methods:We applied a novel exposure prediction model to obtain annual Census tract-level concentrations of 15 PM2.5 components (Zn, V, Si, Pb, Ni, K, Fe, Cu, Ca, Br, SO42−, NO3−, NH4+, OC, EC) in Massachusetts from 2000 to 2015, to which we matched geocoded deaths. All non-accidental mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and respiratory mortality were examined for the population aged 18 or over. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models were used to examine the cumulative associations between PM2.5 components mixture and outcomes and each component’s contributions to the cumulative associations. We have fit WQS models on 15 PM2.5 components and a priori identified source groups (heavy fuel oil combustion, biomass burning, crustal matter, non-tailpipe traffic source, tailpipe traffic source, secondary particles from power plants, secondary particles from agriculture, unclear source) for the 15 PM2.5 components. Total PM2.5 mass analysis and single component associations were also conducted through quasi-Poisson regression models.Results:Positive cumulative associations between the components mixture and all three outcomes were observed from the WQS models. Components with large contribution to the cumulative associations included K, OC, and Fe. Biomass burning, traffic emissions, and secondary particles from power plants were identified as important source contributing to the cumulative associations. Mortality rate ratios for cardiovascular mortality were of greater magnitude than all non-accidental mortality and respiratory mortality, which is also observed in cumulative associations estimated from WQS, total PM2.5 mass analysis, and single component associations.Conclusion:We have found positive associations between the mixture of 15 PM2.5 components and all non-accidental mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and respiratory mortality. Among these components, Fe, K, and OC have been identified as having important contribution to the cumulative associations. The WQS results also suggests potential source effects from biomass burning, traffic emissions, and secondary particles from power plants.

Study the oxidative stress parameters in serum and saliva of the workers at the heavy fuel oil combustion unite

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of the pollutants emitted from the combustion of heavy fuel oil (HFO) on the workers’ health who are working at this unit. This was done by checking the changes in serum and saliva total oxidant status ( TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the oxidative stress index (OSI).The participants of the study were male workers (N= 83) who are working at the combustion of HFO unit in the electricity Dora station. They were divided into subgroups according to: their age, smoking habit, and the service period. Age and gender matched healthy individuals, (N=53) were also included in the study as a control group. Serum and saliva total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured using Erel's methods and OSI was calculated. Serum (TOS) and (OSI) levels were found to be higher (p-value <0.000) in the workers than in controls with a reduced levels of antioxidants (p-value <0.05) in these workers.