ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to alert the interested reader about the potential effects on pollutant emissions of using oxygen-enhanced combustion. As will be shown, depending on the level of OEC used in a given combustion process, pollutant emissions may either increase or decrease. Specific examples industry-wise are given in the application chapters elsewhere in the book. This chapter will provide some generalizations and discuss some of the theory that explains the tendencies. Note that oxygenenhanced combustion has been successfully used in thermal oxidation applications (see Chapter 26) to get rid of unwanted pollutants such as PCBs,1 spent potliner and electric arc furnace dust,2 and general hazardous waste.3-8
Before air quality regulations, the flue gases from combustion processes were vented directly to the atmosphere. As air quality laws tightened and the public awareness increased, industry began looking for new strategies to curb NOx emissions. The four general strategies for reducing pollution emissions are discussed next (see schematic in Figure 13.1).9 More detailed discussions of reducing pollution emissions from industrial combustion processes can be found in Ref. [10].
