KACST Introduces Innovative Technology to Reduce Refineries' Harmful Emissions

A researchers' team from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KASCT) has devised an innovative technology to reduce emissions of harmful sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides resulting from oil refineries to rates of up to 98 per cent and 82 per cent.
The researchers used Electron Beam Flue Gas Treatment (EBFGT) technology that showed when you examine three types of Arab liquid fuel, the use of this technology reduces emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides by a large margin, according to a KASCT bulletin.
The EBFGT technology is aimed at achieving higher rates of removal of pollutants for better economic competitiveness in the generation of useful byproducts such as ammonium nitrate and Ammonium sulfate in addition to the lower operating costs by 25 per cent of other competitive technologies.
The study showed that an increase in energy production causes increased emissions of harmful pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that resulted from crude oil combustion.
The research team pointed out that irradiation reduces the emissions of environmental pollution and reduces the amount of wastewater, and ammonium sulfate also can be utilized for use as fertilizer and also in food additives.
The prevailing alternatives of traditional processing techniques of emission in the international market only remove sulfur dioxide and result in corrosive acidic solutions.
EBFGT Technology offers many competitive advantages as the resultant emission is free of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Also it allows the elimination of all of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide at the same time reducing the amount of time treatment.
The EBFGT units installation in power plant and in oil refinery with a flow rate of 000.65 cubic meters per hour cost U.S. $13.8 million per unit and U.S.$ 558, 000 U.S. per year for operation and maintenance.