Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Air Pollution
Sources and Impacts

VOLUNTARY TRAINING PROGRAM 2011

 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Content
 Historical Background

 Sulphur oxides

 Nitrogen oxides

 Particulate matter

 Ozone depleting substances

 MARPOL Annex VI: An overview

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Activities Pollutants Immediate effects Impacts

Transport Human health

PM
concentration

Power
Production
Acidic Environment
deposits

Residences

Εutrophication Materials
deterioration
Agriculture

Agricultural
Industry Ozone
concentration cultivation

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Historical Background

«Αs I was moving far away from

the asphyxiating air of Rome and
 Prior to the industrial revolution the soot of stacks dispersing
poisonous gases around, I felt my
mood changing»
Senekas, 61 A.C.

 After the industrial revolution

(Engraving showing a foundry in Saar,
Germany, 1876)

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Historical Background

Athens, Greece

Las Vegas, USA

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

• Properties: Gas, colorless and odorless in low concentrations, but with irritating odor in high
concentrations

• Sources: Power plants, oil refineries, chemical plants, paper industry, ships’ main and auxiliary
engines

• Sulphur content in crude oil and fuel oils

a) Safety (installation and piping corrosion, poison potential)

b) Operation (fluidized beds of catalysts may be contaminated from the presence of sulphur
compounds)

c) Environment (SOx emissions)

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

Impacts to human health

• Short term exposure in high concentrations, might cause bronchoconstriction and increased
asthma symptoms.

• Long term exposure might cause serious respiratory problems and deteriorate existing
cardiovascular illnesses

London, 1952

4.000 people were fatally exposed to

high SOx and smoke concentrations in
London (1952)

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

Environmental impacts

Acid rain

• In the 70s, more than 18,000 lakes in Sweden were found with acidity exceeding the natural
limits, and in half of them fish populations had dramatically reduced

• The same phenomenon occurred in about 3.000 lakes in US

• The transformation of the waters of a lake to acidic does not take place instantaneously but rather
in a period of many years or decades.

A forest in Jizera, Czech Republic

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

Acid rain formation mechanism

• H2SO4 and HNO3 are formed as a result of the reaction between the water and sulphur as well as
nitrogen oxides with the sun radiation and oxygen as catalysts

• Normal rain is slightly acidic (pH 5,5) due to CO2 dissolution and H2CO3 formation

• Most lakes have a pH ranging from 6 to 8. Values as low as 4.3 have been reported in several
lakes facing acid rain problems

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

Impacts of acid rain

• Destruction of sensitive soils, trees and vegetation of forests in high altitudes

• Deterioration of materials and paints. Irreversible failures to buildings and monuments that
constitute elements of cultural heritage

• Impacts to water dependent ecosystems

Forest areas (%) in Europe receiving acid rain

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen Oxides (ΝΟx)

NOx formation in ship’s engines

• Very complex mechanism of formation, hundreds of chemical reactions occur

• Main source of nitrogen is air combustion

• Higher temperatures in cylinders lead to increase NOx emissions

• 95% is ΝΟ and about 5% NO2

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen Oxides (ΝΟx)

• Impacts to human health

They react with hemoglobin producing inert compounds including methemoglobin hampering the
oxygenation of tissues causing tachycardia, high blood pressure, and arrhythmia

> 15 μg/m3, irritation of the eyes

> 25 μg/m3 dyspnea, asthma crisis

> 150 – 200 μg/m3 pulmonary edema

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen Oxides (ΝΟx)

Secondary ozone formation

ΝΟx + VOCs + sun radiation Ο3 + Photochemical pollution

Photochemical smog occurs in sunny periods with high temperatures, low moisture and relatively
high levels of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Particulate matter (PM)

Particles produced during combustion or as secondary products in the atmosphere, that might
shift for very long periods far from their point of source.

PM 10 PM 2.5
Human hair (10 μm) (2,5 μm)
(70 μm diameter)

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Particulate matter (PM)

• Their chemical composition depends on

fuel quality. They invariably consist of
soot, hydrocarbons, ash, metals
(vanadium, nickel, zinc), sulphur and
nitrate compounds

• The smaller the size of the particles,

the deeper penetrate into the human
respiratory system.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Particulate matter (PM)

• Ash significantly reduced for low

sulphur fuel oils (< 1% m/m).

• Soot and sulfates are directly

depended on the sulfur content.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

• Lifetime of gases in atmosphere from several years (HCFCs)

until a century (Freon 12).

• The ozone layer is going to be back to the level it was before

1980 until 2050.

• If ozone was compressed in normal conditions of

temperature and pressure, it would have been less than 5
mm thick.

• In September 2007, the extent of ozone hole was 24

million km2 (almost as North America), 18% smaller in
relation to 2006.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Ships’ engines emissions

Exhaust gases
Air (> 99,7%)
8.5 kgr/KWh 75,8% Ν2
79% Ν2 13,0% Ο2
21% Ο2 5,2% CO2
5,3% H2O
Fuel Oil
180 gr/KWh
Air pollutants
(3,6% S)
(< 0,3%)
Lube Oil
ΝΟx 0,17% (1500 ppm)
1 gr/KWh
SOx 0,15% (800 ppm)
97.5% HC
HC 0,02% (180 ppm)
2% Ca
CO 0,07% (80 ppm)
0,5% S

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

An overview to MARPOL, Annex VI

ΜΑRPOL
73/78

Annex Ι Annex ΙΙ Annex III Annex IV Annex V Annex VI

Packaged Sewage Garbage
Oil Noxious Bulk Air Emissions
Harmful
Liquid Substances
Substances

IBC Code IMDG NOx

Code Technical Code

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

Prevention Measures

Μaximum sulphur content (% m/m)

• 4,5% before 1 January 2012

• 3,5% after 1 January 2012

• 0,5% after 1 January 2020

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur Oxides (SOx)

Prevention Measures

Maximum sulfur content in (S) ECA (North Sea, Baltic Sea, North American)

- 1.0% until 31 December 2014

- 0.1% after 1 January 2015

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur oxides (SOx)

Prevention Measures

Bunker Delivery Note (ΒDN)

• Retention for at least 3 years

• Must contain information:

 Name - Ship ΙΜΟ number

 Bunkering port
 Date of bunkering
 Supplier’s contacts
 Name of product
 Quantity (in metric tones)
 Density at 15° C
 Sulphur content (% per weight)
 Supplier’s statement about the sulfur content in fuel, that do not contain inorganic acids and
other substances which might put at risk the safety of the ship.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Sulphur oxides (SOx)

Prevention Measures – Treatment systems

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen oxides (ΝΟx)

Prevention measures

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen oxides (ΝΟx)

Prevention measures

Tier 3

Engines fitted in ships constructed after 1 January 2016 and operate within an Emission
Control Area (N) (ΕCA).

Emissions must not exceed the following values:

• 3,44 g/kWh with n < 130 rpm

• 9,0 x n -0,2 g/kWh 130 ≤ n < 2000 rpm

• 2,0 g/kWh n ≥ 2000 rpm

If the ship operates outside ECA then the requirements emissions of Tier II are applicable.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen oxides (ΝΟx)

Prevention measures

NOx emissions by engines of ships constructed from 1/1/1990 –1/1/2020

Every engine above 5.000 kW, and of displacement per cylinder equal to or greater than 90
liters, must comply to Tier I, under the condition that an Approved Method for this engine
has been certified by the Administration of a member state.

1. Its implementation must not cause power reduction above 1.0%, and increase of specific
fuel consumption above 2.0%.

2.No effect to the reliability or life cycle of the engine and the implementation cost should
not be excessive.

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen oxides (ΝΟx)

Prevention measures

NOx Technical Code

Every engine must:

– be pre-certified (manufacturer – Class)

– Technical File
– Installation as approved – Initial Inspection
– Annual inspections

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Nitrogen oxides (ΝΟx)

Emissions reduction methods

Fuels
treatment

Engine
Technologies

Fuel Quality

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

Firefighting systems

Ηalon 1211

Halon 1301

Halon 2402

Air conditioning – Cooling systems

CFC-11

CFC-12

CFC – 113

CFC – 114, CFC- 115

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

Prevention measures

• Refrigerants Management Plan

• Record Book

• Periodical control of leaks

• Use of ODS of low warming potential (greenhouse

gases)

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 Air Pollution: Sources and impacts

Thank you for your attention!

Questions

VOLUNTARY TRAINING PROGRAM 2011