AIR POLLUTION BY PARTICULATE MATTER

(WOOD DUST)

NUR AIN NAZIRAH BINTI

MOHD ARSHAD
AN130213

NURUL SAZWANA BINTI

A.AZIZ
AN130002

NUR AIN BINTI

KHAIRUDDIN
AN130146

AHMAD NAJMI BIN

AHMAD
AN130226

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to investigate and identify the sources and causes of air pollution from particulate matter mainly wood dust and to make recommendations for students and suggesting a
theoretical suitable solution for industries to control particulate matter emission of factories. In the first part, this study provide the introduction of air pollution to serve better understanding for the
reader. This includes the definition, classification, and the current treatment used for controlling the emission of particulate matter. The second part is to provide the concrete solution to solve the
problem which is by using a Hurricane system combine with a Bipolar Electrostatic Agglomeration Process and the theoretical design are also provided for better understanding.

INTRODUCTION
Wood dust is considered as particulate substances that are harmful and make the air
contaminated causing dangerous disease. Based on the problem that we encounter, this paper
also includes the solution of our problem including the process involve, treatment and
technology used and design made.

OBJECTIVES
1. To study the effect of air pollution from wood dust.
2. To suggest a suitable solution in order to reduce and control the particle emission from
wood based factory.
3. To raise awareness of the manufacturer about the importance of the control of wood dust
emission in their factory

LITERATURE REVIEW

DEFINITION OF AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution refers to the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful chemicals or
biological materials and some of the contaminants are emitted by natural occurrences
such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and decaying vegetation. Air pollution occurs
when air is contaminated with natural and anthropogenic pollutants(human activity)
which include polluting residuals from consumption and production activity. Particulate
matter consist of a mixture of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air which are
highly diverse in chemical composition and size including dust, dirt, soot smoke and
liquid droplets.

TYPES OF PARTICULATE MATTER (PM)

PM is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets which can
be divided into fine and coarse particulate matter. The size of fine particle is less than
2.5m while coarse particle are in the range of 2.5m to 10m. Most of the coarse
particles greater than 2.5m are primary pollutants such as dust and carbon particles
that are released into the air from construction sites, agricultural activities and roads.
Fine particles which are less than 2.5m are mostly secondary pollutants that form in
the atmosphere from interactions of primary air pollutants.

CURRENT TREATMENT FOR WOOD BASED AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

1. Activated carbon filter - consists from all high fixed carbon content and can be
activated, equipped with a smokestack or exhaust filter.
2. Biofiltration - gases containing biodegradable volatile organic compounds (VOC)
or inorganic air toxics are vented through a biologically active material to control
odors, VOC and air toxic emissions.
3. Flue Gas Desulfurization(FGD) - used for removing sulphur dioxide() from the
exhaust combustion flue gases of power plants that burn coal or oil to produce
steam for the turbines that drive their electricity generators.

EFFECT OF AIR POLLUTION FROM PARTICULATE MATTER

1. Cause respiratory and heart problems along with cancer with among other threats to the
body.
2. Global warming - increased temperatures worldwide, increase in sea levels and melting
of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat
3. Acid rain sources from sulphur dioxide (), and nitrogen oxides () and has a pH level
of less than 5.6.
4. Eutrophication - condition of high amount of nitrogen present in some pollutants which
developed on seas surface and turns itself into algae and adversely affect fish, plants
and animal species.
5. Depleting of ozone layer - due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro
chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere.

PROPOSED SOLUTION
Our solution is by installing a bipolar electrostatic agglomerator process with a hurricane
cyclone.

Bipolar Electrostatic Agglomeration Process (BEAP)

BEAP will attaches the fine particle generally smaller than 5m to a larger particle which is
10m. A bipolar charger is used to charged half of the particle with a positive charge and a half
negative charge. These different charge of particle will attract to each other thus forming
agglomeration of particle making it easier to be collected in a dust collector in the hurricane.
Hurricane cyclone
Hurricane is a customised cyclone that depends on the type of the particulate emits because
different industrial cases have different needs resulting in very different cyclones, for which the
optimization functions may be minimizing cost, minimizing space and increase efficiencies. A
single Hurricane is more efficient usually resulting in less than half of the emissions of the
most efficient cyclones available. The Hurricane system are effective to reduce the particle
emission by encouraging particle agglomeration. This method are often captured the smaller
particle or sub-micrometre particles with much higher efficiency than predicted by standard
models.. This system can maximize the particle agglomeration and emission can be under 15%
compared to other cyclone and can be as low as 30mg/.

CONCLUSION
Air pollution is dangerous and the effects to environment is alarming. Based on this study we hope
our solution can be implemented in real industrial process to help betterment of our air quality so
that we can live in a cleaner surrounding.
REFFERENCES
1. Method and apparatus for particle agglomeration US 6872238 B1(http://
www.google.com/patents/US6872238
2. THE INDIGO AGGLOMERATOR A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY FOR REDUCING
VISIBLE EMISSION FROM ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
http://elektroenergetyka.pl/upload/file/2005/11/elektroenergetyka_nr_05_11_1.pd
f

STANDARD EMISSION FOR WOOD DUST

OSHA does not have a specific limit for wood dust. The recommended exposure
limit (REL) for wood dust, all soft and hardwoods except western red cedar, of 1
mg/m3 for up to a 10-hour workday and a 40-hour work week. Under the
legislation provided by the 1974 Environmental Quality Act, the maximum
permitted level of dust concentrations in gas emitted will be 0.5 g/Nm3 and a limit
of 0.4 g/Nm3 expressed in terms of 12%