SULFUR AND NITROGEN EMISSION TRENDS FOR THE U.S. by Rudolph B. Husar

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SULFUR AND NITROGEN EMISSION TRENDS FOR THE
U.S.by Rudolph B. Husar

• Summary Report by Sarah Lahr
• ME 449
• Sustainable Air Quality
• 2/4/02

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Introduction

• The burning of fossil fuels is the most
  significant contributor of sulfur and nitrogen
  compounds to the air and in turn land and water
• Coal and oil products combustion and metal
  smelting cause the majority of sulfur and
  nitrogen emission to enter the atmosphere
• Various fuels have been the primary fuel used
  over the years including wood (1850-1880), coal
  (1900-1925, 1940-1945), natural gas and petroleum
  (after 1960).

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Sulfur Emissions from Coal Production

• Coal is mined in 3 regions in the U.S.
• Appalachian - varying range of sulfur (1-4)
• Midwest - high-sulfur percentage (2-4)
• West - cleaner, low-sulfur percentage (lt1)
• The use of Western coal has increased
  dramatically in the past 30 years because of its
  low-sulfur contentOver the past 40 years, the
  use of coal has been determined by the electric
  utilities

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Sulfur Emissions from Other Sources

• Oil Production
• During the process of crude oil refining, some of
  the sulfur can be recovered as sulfuric acid
• More than 50 of the sulfur is now recovered in
  this form
• Copper and Zinc Smelting
• Sulfuric acid can also be removed from smelter
  gases using converters
• 50-70 of the sulfur can be removed using tightly
  hooded converters (further removal requires
  scrubbing)
• Since 1980, more than 50 of the sulfur from
  metal smelting was recycled

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Nitrogen Oxide Emissions

• Despite nitrogens natural presence, it is a
  pollutant and hazardous to humans when in the
  following forms NO, NO2, N2O
• In 1980, the NOx emission came from the
  transportation sector (internal combustion
  engines), power plants and industrial sources
  (boilers)
• High temperature combustion of fossil fuels leads
  to nitrogen emissions (metal-processing plants
  and open-air biomass are insignificant)

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Comparing Sulfur and Nitrogen Emissions
Nitrogen
Sulfur

• Emissions have fluctuated from 8-16 million tons
  per year
• Main source Coal combustion in power plants
• Results from oxidation of sulfur impurities in
  fossil fuels and metal ores
• Removal must occur in the fuel or in the fuel
  gases

• Nitrogen oxides monotonically increased until
  1970
• Main Source Internal combustion engines
• Results primarily from fixation of atmospheric
  nitrogen at high temperature
• Removal can occur with further technological
  advances in combustion

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What I learned
This article made me think about the various
kinds of fuel that the U.S. has used since the
19th century and how history affected what was
being used. I learned a lot about coal production
and the differences between the coal in different
parts of the country. I also found the
problem-solving to limit the amount of emission
to be interesting, especially the section on
nitrogen emissions.