The Environmental Group Limited
Gas Cleaning System
Year 2021
20% concentration of SO₂
The Gypsum Plant
Year 2021
Location: Illawarra, NSW, Australia
THE Project
Bluescope Steel operates a Sinter Plant which was originally equipped with a Gas Cleaning System mainly composed by a large ElectroStatic Precipitator (ESP). In the first decade of 2000, the gas Cleaning System was upgraded mainly to control dioxins and furans (PCDD-F), typically emitted from iron ore sintering processes, which are internationally recognised as one of the most toxic and carcinogenic organic pollutants. PCDD-F are also defined as persistent pollutants as once they are emitted to the environment they enter the food chain and accumulate in food chains, concentrating mainly in the fatty tissue of humans and animals.
The integration of the PCDD-F control system in the existing Gas Cleaning Plant allowed Bluescope to comply with the most stringent international standards on PCDD-F emissions from Sinter Plants, which the local EPA applied for their license.
The task
This was an ambitious project developed by Bluescope and involved the installation of a large regenerable activated carbon filter to clean the gases exiting from the ESP, before they reach the stack for final discharge. In principle, the sinter gas passes through activated carbon beds where the carbon adsorbs gaseous pollutants such as PCDD-F and sulphur dioxides (SO₂). The carbon is then regenerated through a desorption process. The Environmental Group Ltd. was involved in the project to provide an important piece of the puzzle for this project, which is a wet desulphurization system to remove SO₂ from the tail gas used for regenerating the activated carbon.
Key Facts
- Installation of Jet Scrubber technology
- Maintain 24/7 operation, maintenance and monitoring
- The integration of the PCDD-F control system
- Comply with international standards on PCDD-F emissions from Sinter Plants
THE challange
The challenge presented to The Environmental Group Ltd. was to find a solution to efficiently treat a sulphur rich gas, with up to 20% concentration of SO₂: the adopted solution was developed in partnership with MECS® and based on MECS® Dynawave® reverse Jet Scrubber technology. The Dynawave® scrubber combines efficient acid gas absorption, particulate removal and hot gas quenching— all in one vessel. Additionally, the removed SO₂ reacts with a limestone based scrubbing slurry to form commercial grade Gypsum, which can then be resold for use in the construction and agricultural industry.
Due to its sellable by-product, EGL’s system is know in the area as “The Gypsum Plant”, even if its primary function is to prevent one of the most toxic environmental pollutants on earth from affecting the health of the local community and spreading in the environment by entering the food chain.
TAPC is still actively involved and was delegated by Bluescope to fully own the operation, maintenance and monitoring of the Gypsum Plant on a 24 h/day – 7 days/week basis. Our dedicated personnel work using cutting edge remote monitoring systems and are present in the plant on a daily basis, maintaining a consistent operational productivity of over 98% for the decades the plant has been in operation.