NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

P. O. BOX AC 939 ASCOT, BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Tel: +263-(0)9-288413/282007/282078 Fax: +263-(0)9- 286803

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING

ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS ENGINEERING IB

TCE 5204 ASSIGNMENT 1

THE DIFFERENT METHODS USED TO TREAT GASEOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE

GROUP MEMBERS

NAME STUDENT NUMBER

GETRUDE NKALA N01910077K
RUVARASHE MANYANGARIRWA N0198028M
BRIAN KUWANDIRA N0198278D
PERSISTENCE MADENDEYA N0198113F
INTRODUCTION
Advancements in technology have resulted in a surge of chemical activities within various
industries, resulting in the production of gaseous waste as a by-product. Carbon is the most
commonly encountered source of gaseous industrial waste, with carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide, methanol, and ethane being the main forms. Unfortunately, human activities such
as the burning of fossil fuels, non-biodegradable plastics, and the use of machinery that emits
toxic gaseous waste have led to an increased level of pollution. Additionally, volatile
compounds present in non-biodegradable agricultural chemicals can vaporize and form
gaseous waste. Harmful chemicals are also released into the atmosphere through the use of
motor vehicles, refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays containing halons. Some of
the gaseous wastes generated as a result include carbon dioxide (CO2), chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).

METHODS USED TO TREAT CARBON DIOXIDE GASEOUS INDUSTRIAL

WASTE
1. Trees and forests
 Reforestation, or restoring forest ecosystems after they’ve been damaged by wildfire
or cleared for agricultural or commercial uses.
 Restocking, or increasing the density of forests where trees have been lost due to
disease or disturbances.
 Salvo pasture, or incorporating trees into animal agriculture systems.
 Cropland agroforestry, or incorporating trees into row crop agriculture systems.
 Urban reforestation, or increasing tree cover in urban areas.

Plants have a natural ability to remove carbon dioxide from the air, and trees are particularly
effective at storing carbon dioxide that is removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis.
By increasing, restoring, and properly managing tree cover, we can promote more carbon
uptake by harnessing the power of photosynthesis. This process converts the carbon dioxide
in the air into carbon that is stored within the wood and soil.
 Reforestation and Afforestation
Advantages Disadvantages
Slows down global warming Decrease in the amount of land for the people
Trees reduce the risk of landslides Less space for farming and housing
Local poverty may increase due to little farming
Prevention of desertification space
Natural habitat for many animals and other
organisms Wildfires spread easy
Conservation area for endangered species Litter in forests increase
Shade trees for convenience Less space for crucial public infrastructure
Leisure activities and can lead to cohesion Planting trees may be costly
Improvements in air quality as the growth of trees
can reduce nitrogen and phosphate amounts in the
air Pests may find habitat in forestry
Scarcity may increase property prices and rents
Planting trees can be fun for the general public
Assurance of wood supply Forests require proper maintenance
Employment opportunity in planting trees

2. Biomass carbon Removal and Storage

Biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS) is a process that involves using
biomass from plants or algae to remove carbon dioxide from the air. This helps to
store carbon for long periods and leverages the carbon storage capacity of plants
beyond their natural lifecycles. There are different methods for removing carbon
using biomass. For instance, bio-char is created by heating biomass in low-oxygen
environments to produce a charcoal-like soil additive that sequesters carbon. Bio-oil,
on the other hand, uses a similar process to produce a liquid that gets injected
underground. Additionally, carbon-rich biomass can be stored permanently in vaults.
Another carbon removal pathway is bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS),
which involves generating energy using biomass and then capturing and sequestering
the resulting CO2 emissions. One type of BECCS that could result in a carbon-
 negative fuel is converting biomass to hydrogen, which is prominently featured in
many economy-wide decarbonisation scenarios.

Utilises Geothermal energy

Advantages Disadvantages
Moderate net energy and high efficiency at sites High cost of tapping hydrothermal reservoirs
Lower carbon dioxide emissions than fossil
fuel-based industries Depletion geothermal reservoirs
Low cost at most sites Noise
Utilization of hydrogen as fuel
No direct carbon dioxide emissions if produced
from water Negative net energy yield
A good substitute for oil and reduces global
warming High cost required
High efficiency and Carbon dioxide levels Space needed for hydrogen storage and
decrease with hydrogen production distribution
Use of algae and bacteria to get gasoline and diesel fuel
Removes carbon dioxide and converts it to soil Algae need open ponds
Transfers carbon dioxide from power plants Scaling of algae in large production
Removes carbon dioxide from wastewater and
sewage treatment plants

3. Direct Air Capture

Direct air capture is a process that involves removing carbon dioxide from the air by
using chemical scrubbing methods. The captured carbon is then stored either
underground or in products with a long lifespan such as concrete. This technology is
similar to carbon capture and storage used in industrial facilities and power plants to
reduce emissions. The main difference is that direct air capture removes carbon that
has already been released into the atmosphere rather than capturing it at the source.

Function of carbon dioxide scrubbers

The different types of carbon dioxide scrubbers function the same and all remove carbon
dioxide from the air.
  The air from the production industry is pumped into the carbon dioxide scrubber.
 The polluted air reaches an ion exchange resin, attracting any carbon dioxide
molecules present and isolating them from other industrial gaseous waste during the
removal humidity is used to remove carbon which can be reused or discarded.
 The ion exchange resin for the carbon dioxide scrubber is periodically cleaned for the
separation process to be effective.
 Other carbon dioxide scrubbers use a liquid solvent that binds with the carbon dioxide
inside the scrubber and examples are aqueous ammonia and monoethanolamides.
 Some scrubber methods use an adsorbent to attract carbon dioxide molecules and they
will be removed.
 Selectively permeable membranes that allow gases to pass through, except carbon
dioxide molecules are used.
 Other methods include cooling gases to force carbon dioxide to condense and
separate.

Advantages Disadvantages
Direct air capture reduces carbon dioxide in Direct air capture requires a large amount of
the air energy
It can be employed in a wide variety of
locations The process is very expensive
The land required for direct air capture is Environmental risks of leaking pipelines
small during transportation and
The process can be used to remove and
recycle carbon Limited scale
Direct air capture can achieve net-zero or
negative emissions
Direct air capture of carbon dioxide can
enable enhanced oil recovery
 4. Carbon Mineralization

Advantages Disadvantages
It’s an expensive method of carbon dioxide
Carbon mineralization offsets are permanent removal

Carbon mineralization offsets are effective Limited scale

Carbon mineralization offsets reduce carbon Negative environmental effects as the
dioxide emissions quickly reactions may form toxic compounds
Carbon mineralization offsets protect the This can lead to greenwashing with a failure
biosphere to reduce carbon
Certain minerals have the natural ability to react with CO2, causing the gas to
transform into a solid and effectively preventing its release into the atmosphere. In
addition, carbon mineralization can be utilized to sequester captured CO2 by injecting
it into appropriate types of rock, where it undergoes a reaction that produces a solid
carbonate, resulting in permanent storage. There are two types of carbon
mineralization which are injecting carbon dioxide into underground rock formation
and exposing carbon dioxide to broken pieces of rock at the earth’s surface.
Figure 1: shows a process flow diagram for the treatment of carbon dioxide from various
industrial sectors produced as a result of human activities.

METHODS USED TO TREAT CFCs GASEOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE

Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs for short, are synthetic compounds made up of carbon,
chlorine, and fluorine atoms. CFCs are a group of stable, harmless, non-combustible,
and easily produced liquid chemicals that have primarily been used in refrigeration,
air conditioning, packaging, and insulation, as well as in solvents and aerosol
propellants for medical and other devices. CFCs create various plastic insulators, such
as polyurethanes, phenolic, polyisocyanurates, and extruded polystyrenes. One
specific CFC has been identified as CFC-113. Several methods have been proposed to
eliminate the issues caused by CFCs. (Reynolds, et al., 2002)
 1. Reaction with alcohol to yield carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methyl chloride
and hydrogen fluoride

CFC compound+ alcohol → carbon monoxide +carbon dioxide +methyl chloride +hydrogen flouride
CF 2 CICFC I 2 +3 CH 3 OH → CO+CO 2 +3 CH 3 CI + 3 HF

Advantages Disadvantages
Alcohol is less corrosive Large quantities of alcohol required
Reduced incidence of human respiratory
disorders Limited to small-scale
Increased plant and animal protection from Reaction forms greenhouse gases such as
excessive UV carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide

2. Catalytic Incineration
Destruction or dissociation of CFCs or halogens by exposure to lower temperatures in
the presence of a solid catalyst and excess oxygen. Waste CFCs are converted into
high-value product CH 2 F 2 (HF−32) in the presence of lead (Pb) catalyst.

Advantages Disadvantages
Requires low temperatures High cost of installation
Potential savings in the fuel cost Requires skilled operation
Processes waste quickly some materials are non-combustible
Public disapproval imposes risks of
decreasing property value and government
Generates energy distrust
 3. Adsorption method
 Industrial waste containing CFCs is to be collected and fed into a dry rotary
cement kiln.
 Temperatures are to be raised to about 1 450̊ C.
 CFCs at this temperature decompose into hydrogen chloride (HCI), and
hydrogen fluoride (HF) in the kiln in the presence of water vapor.
 These gases are then absorbed by the alkaline cement materials. (Theodore,
2008)

Equations for the decomposition of CFCs by hydrolysis

CF 2 CI 2 +2 H 2 O → 2 HCI +2 HF +CO 2

C 2 F 3 CI 3+ 3 H 2 O→ 3 HCI +3 HF +CO 2+CO

Advantages Disadvantages
Forms secondary pollution such as carbon
Destroys CFCs dioxide and carbon monoxide
No significant difference in the quality of
cement High energy required
Difficulties in balancing high adsorption
The process is economic capacity and modification are complex
Eliminates the need to treat HCI and HF
gases Reacts chemically with acidic compounds
Lower cost since no treatment of HCI and Causes rearrangement and ring expansion of
HF is required unsaturated compounds
Allows for storage and possible
regeneration of carbon-based material
Sorbents are cost-effective and efficient Loss of product quality
High selectivity
Can handle dilute concentrations
 4. Scrubbing of halogen acid and free halogens from stack gas
 Halogen acid scrubbers use acid species and free halogens are scrubbed using
an alkaline scrubbing liquor
 Active metals such as sodium, zinc, and aluminum suspended in an inert liquid
medium chemically de-halogenate the CFCs or halogens producing a metal
salt such as sodium chloride (NaCI).
 Highly alkaline, non-aqueous scrubbing liquor absorbs and destroys CFCs and
halogens.

Advantages Disadvantages
Can handle explosive and flammable Effluent liquid can create water disposal
compounds problems
Gas adsorption and collection take place in
one unit Requires protection against freezing
Can handle mists Disposal of waste sludge may be expensive
Provides cooling of hot gases
Corrosive gases can be neutralized

5. Wet Air Oxidation

Advantages Disadvantages
Oxidise most of the waste Very high operating cost
High explosion risks
Requires special handling hydrogen peroxide
is highly corrosive
Moderate-temperature aqueous streams with oxygen destroy organic materials by
oxidation and possibly by hydrolysis for CFCs and halogens.
Figure 2: shows a simplified flow diagram of the destruction of industrial gaseous waste in
flue gas (Dickerman, et al., 1989)