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AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA OF A THERMAL POWER PLANT

M.K. Bhatnagar1* AND Prachi Bhatnaga2

1Department of Chemistry, P.T.S.N.S. Govt. P.G. College Shahdol (M.P.), India

2District Institute of Education and Training Shahdol (M.P.), India

*Corresponding Author:
M.K. Bhatnagar
Department of Chemistry, P.T.S.N.S. Govt. P.G. College Shahdol (M.P.), India
E-mail: Bhatnagar.mahendra@rediffmail.com

Received date: 10 July 2012; Accepted date: 20 August 2012

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Abstract

Energy is linked to the environment so that its production and its use can causes environmental damage. Fossil fuels are put through a burning process called combustion in order to produce energy. Combustion causes the release of various pollutants, such as Carbon monoxide, Sulfur dioxide, NOX and particulate matters, which pose health risk and may contribute to acid rain and global warming. Keeping these facts in view present work deals with air pollution due to thermal power plant situated at Birsinghpur District Umaria (M.P.). For this purpose Ambient air Quality monitoring and stack monitoring have been done.

Keywords

Monitoring, SPM, SGTPP.

Introduction

Sanjay Gandhi Thermal Power Plant (SGTPP) is located near Manthar village in Pali tehsil of Umaria district it is on the bank of river Johila

Materials and Methods

In order to access air quality of SGTPP region, two type of air monitoring have been done. Ambient air quality monitoring for SO2, NOX and total suspended particulate matter (SPM) in and around the SGTPP at different locations. Stack monitoring to assess the present level of emissions of SO2, NOX and SPM

Ambient Monitoring ?

For ambient air quality analysis Micro high volume air sampling unit has been used. In high volume air samplers, air born particulates are measured by passing air at a high flow rate of 1.0 to 1.3 m3/min. through a high efficiency filter paper which retains the particles. The instrument measure the volume of air sampled.

Selection of Sites

From the different wind rose data given in the Table 1 and with the help of wind rose diagram (Fig. 1) we can conclude that generally the direction of air at SGTPP remains south eastern. Hence, samples were chosen normally in downwind direction. However few samples were taken from the wind direction.

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Table 1

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Figure 1

Location of sites:

i. Near Silo - It is situated at 100 m distance from the plant.

ii. M ain Gate - The site is at an upward distance of approximately 150 m from the plant.

iii. G uest House - It is situated at 3 km. distance from thermal power plant.

iv. Hospital – Site is situated at 4 km. distance from thermal power plant.

v. M aliaguda Village - It is 5 km. far from the Sanjay Gandhi thermal power plant. Sampling of air and its analysis was carried out for as per the stand methodology of Central Pollution Control Board (India).

Stack Monitoring

The basic aim of stack sampling is to collect representative samples at the place of origin to determine the total emission rate of pollutants. The objectives of stack sampling are-

(a) To know the efficiency of installed control equipments.

(b) To obtain data on source emission parameters.

(c) To acquire data from an innocuous individual source so as to determine the cumulative effects of many such sources.

(d) To determine compliance with emission regulation.

The particulate matter as well as gaseous emission sampling was carried out from stack ducks after both ID fans. For sampling and analysis of particulate and gaseous matter EPA technique 5 was used with the help of stack monitoring kit.

Results and Discussion

Ambient Air Analysis

To assess the environmental pollution in the Sanjay Gandhi thermal power plant region, various sampling site for ambient air analysis were selected -

1. Near Silo - A1

2. Main Gate - A2

3. Guest House - A3

4. Hospital - A4

5. Maliaguda Village - A5

Air quality of Sanjay Gandhi thermal power project situated at Manthar, Birsinghpur region was monitored for two successive years at various sites for SPM, SO2 and NOX. The various results are given in Table 2 and 3. These parameters are regularly monitored in each season in every year. The different sampling site is given in Fig. 2.

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Table 2

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Table 3

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Figure 2

In Silo area SPM was found to be exceeding in every season throughout the year except in monsoon season in Table 2. Its range was from 480.97 to 575.30 μg/m3, while sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen were found to be within the permissible limit. The concentration of SO2 was found to be between 19.80 to 27.06 μg/m3. Similarly NOX was observed in the range between 28.40 to 65.28 μg/m3.

At main gate which is situated at 150 m distance from the thermal power plant, the SPM was found to be within the permissible limit except at summer in the year 2001. When it’s concentration was found 515.62μg/m3 otherwise the concentration range of SPM was from 349.73 μg/m3 to 515.62 μg/m3. The concentration of SO2 and NOx was found in the range of 13.32 μg/m3 to 27.08 μg/m3 and 24.62 μg/m3 to 32.0 μg/m3 respectively.

Air quality at guest house which is situated about 3 kms. from the plant was found to be within the prescribed limits. At this site SPM was assessed in the range of 121.80 μg/m3 to 348.08 μg/m3. SO2 was observed in between 12.02 μg/m3 to 20.64 μg/m3 while NOX ranges between 18.54 μg/m3 to 32.00 μg/ m3.

The concentration of SPM at hospital (3.5 Km) was found to be in the range 138.38 μg/m3 to 138.48 μg/ m3. The range of SO2 was found to be in between 11.0 μg/m3 to 19.02 μg/m3 while the range of NOX was in between 15.32 μg/m3 to 33.2 μg/m3. So, values of all these parameters fall within the permissible limit as prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board.

Similarly at Maliaguda Village (5 km) the SPM, SO2 and NOX in the ambient air was found to be within the prescribed limit. The concentration of SPM ranges from 83.54 μg/m3 to 227.08 μg/m3 while the concentration of SO2 and NOX were found to be in the range of 6.06 μg/m3 to 10.0 μg/m3 and 12.24 to 16.24 μg/m3 respectively.

The results of stack samplings are given in Table 4 and 5. The concentration of Particulate matter in unit I, II, III and IV was 187.11, 159.02, 185.4 and 168.5 μg/ Nm3 respectively which were found to be exceeding the limits of 150mg/Nm3 as prescribed by CPCB or SPCB for thermal power plants.

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Table 4

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Table 5

References

  1. Pasquill, F. 1962. Atmospheric diffusion, Von Nostrand,Princeton NJ.
  2. Saffman, P.G. 1962. The effect of wind shearon horizontalspread from an instantaneous ground source. Quart.J. Royal Met Soc. 88 : 382-393.
  3. ADB Report, 1996. Economic Evaluation of Environmental Impacts:A work book (part I & II), Environment Division office of Environment and Social Development, Asian Development Bank Manila, Phillippines.
  4. Rao, B., Padma Rao, S. and Rao Shrinivas, 1998. Economic Evaluation of Environmental Impacts: Methodology of Valuation of health impacts due to air pollution around a typical power plant. Indian J. Env. Prot. 18 (4) : 260-265.

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