• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.334-342
• /
• 2022

The stringent air environment conservation act forced to build an indoor dome for coal storage. However, it causes some problems due to accumulation of fly ash and harmful substances inside. To solve this problem, this study analyzed the pattern of internal airflow and the amount of ventilation for an indoor coal yard. Overall, the airflow inside the indoor coal yard tended to move to the southwest facing the mountain. In addition, sea-breeze was blowing from the northern louver window facing the sea, where airflow was flowing in. The total flow rate flowing into the indoor coal yard was 918,691 m³/h, and the number of natural ventilation per hour was 0.6 times. Therefore, it is proposed to install a forced ventilation device at the location where internal air flow is concentrated.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.526-532
• /
• 2000

Recent studies have been directed toward obtaining a better understanding of the application of electrostatic precipitators to collect fly ash particles produced in a coal-fired power plant. Electrical resistivity can be described as the resistance of the collected dust layer to the flow of electrical current and is an important property for the collection efficiency in the electrostatic precipitator. In this paper, fly ash resistivity as a function of temperature up to $450^{\circ}C$ has been experimentally investigated using the resistivity meter consisted of the movable electrode, dust cup, and furnace. Resistivity was found to increase with increased temperature up to $200^{\circ}C$ due to the reduction of water concentration and then gradually decrease with increased temperature due to the activation of electrons. As the resistivity of fly ash in the flue gas temperature of $150^{\circ}C$ was measured >$10^{10}$ ohm cm, the efficiency of fly ash removal in the electrostatic precipitator might be expected to be low due to back-corona phenomenon. Flue gas conditioning in the electrostatic precipitator to reduce the resistivity of fly ash as required.

• Particle and aerosol research
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.43-53
• /
• 2023

In this study, the ventilation system of the enclosed conveyor belt for coal transportation was evaluated, and the particle removal efficiency according to the ventilation conditions was identified using computational fluid dynamics and particle behavior analysis. The most effective way to remove dust generated inside the closed conveyor belt is to adjust the position of the exhaust port of the duct so that the air is exhausted around the rear of the conveyor belt. And this method seems to work for another narrow and long spaces where air enters in one direction. In addition, when the air flow rate of the each duct was less than 300 CMM, it was efficient to increase the flow rate of the duct located at the rear of the conveyor belt, and when the flow rate of the each duct was higher than 300 CMM, it was efficient to increase the flow rate of the duct located at the front of the conveyor belt.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.268-274
• /
• 2010

Emission of heavy metals as hazardous air pollutants has been focused with tightening regulatory limits due to their hazardousness. Measurements and characteristic investigations of heavy metals emitted from a commercial power plant burning anthracite coal have been carried out. The plant consists of a circulating fluidized bed combustor, a cyclone, a boiler and an electrostatic precipitator(ESP) in series. Dust and gaseous samples were collected to measure main heavy metals including gaseous mercury before ESP and at stack. Dust emissions as total particulate matter (TPM), PM-10 and PM-2.5 at inlet of ESP were very high with 23,274, 9,555 and $7,790mg/Sm^3$, respectively, as expected, which is much higher than those from pulverized coal power plants. However TPM at stack was less than $0.16mg/Sm^3$, due to high dust removal efficiency by ESP. Similarly heavy metals emission showed high collection efficiency across ESP. From particle size distribution and metal enrichment in sizes, several metal concentrations could be correlated with particle size showing more enrichment in smaller particles. Mercury unlike other solid metals behaved differently by emitting as gaseous state due to high volatility. Removal of mercury was quite less than other metals due to it's volatility, which was 68% only. Across ESP, speciation change of mercury from elemental to oxidized was clearly shown so that elemental mercury was half of total mercury at stack unlike other coal power plants which equipped wet a scrubber.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.161-172
• /
• 2023

Coal-fired power plants handle large quantities of coal, one of the most prominent NORM, and the coal ash produced after the coal is burned can be tens of times more radioactive than the coal. Workers in these industries may be exposed to internal exposure by inhalation of particles while handling NORM. This study evaluated the size, concentration, particle shape and density, and radioactivity concentrations of airborne suspended particles in the main processes of a coal-fired power plant. Finally, the internal radiation dose to workers from particle inhalation was evaluated. For this purpose, airborne particles were collected by size using a multi-stage particle collector to determine the size, shape, and concentration of particles. Samples of coal and coal ash were collected to measure the density and radioactivity of particles. The dose conversion factor and annual radionuclide inhalation amount were derived based on the characteristics of the particles. Finally, the internal radiation dose due to particle inhalation was evaluated. Overall, the internal radiation dose to workers in the main processes of coalfired power plants A and B ranged from 1.47×10^-5~1.12×10^-3 mSv y^-1. Due to the effect of dust generated during loading operations, the internal radiation dose of fly ash loading processes in both coal-fired power plants A and B was higher than that of other processes. In the case of workers in the coal storage yard at power plants A and B, the characteristic values such as particle size, airborne concentration, and working time were the same, but due to the difference in radioactivity concentration and density depending on the origin of the coal, the internal radiation dose by origin was different, and the highest was found when inhaling coal imported from Australia among the five origins. In addition, the main nuclide contributing the most to the internal radiation dose from the main processes in the coal-fired power plants was thorium due to differences in dose conversion factors. However, considering the external radiation dose of workers in coal-fired power plants presented in overseas research cases, the annual effective dose of workers in the main processes of power plants A and B does not exceed 1mSv y^-1, which is the dose limit for the general public notified by the Nuclear Safety Act. The results of this study can be utilized to identify the internal exposure levels of workers in domestic coal-fired power plants and will contribute to the establishment of a data base for a differential safety management system for NORM-handling industries in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.20 no.1 s.21
• /
• pp.158-164
• /
• 1987

The purpose of this study is to analyze occupational history of coal miners with pneumoconiosis. In this study, occupational characteristics of 49 coal miners with pneumoconiosis were compared with those of 45 coal miners without pneumoconiosis but in similar age category($43{\sim}52$ years of age) based on interview survey. Various indices on occupational characteristics were developed for the following areas: duration of employment, perception of working condition, working density, dust concentration, temperature, humidity, and experience of respirator wearings. Perception of working condition were measured in 5 points scales but experiences of respirator wearing was measured in 3 points scale. Each index was multiplied by duration of employment. From the analysis, only the experience of respirator wearing showed statistically significant difference between the two groups. Therefore, respirator wearing seemed to be effective in reducing occurrence of pneumoconiosis.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.337-344
• /
• 1994

Two coals which have a quite different properties were selected to compare the combustion characteristics in a cyclone combustor. The capacity of the combustion test rig is about 75kW and total volume is 5.7 liters. The pulverized sample coals are well burned from fuel rich(air ratio 0.4) to fuel lean(airs ratio 1.6). Two different property coals show quite different patterns of ash collection in slag pot, dust separator and combustion chamber. Combustion temperature of subbituminous coal is about $100^{\circ}C$ lower than bituminous coal at the entire region, and in case of bituminous coal, hot spot appeared at the lower part and axial line of the combustion chamber.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.22 no.4 s.28
• /
• pp.486-494
• /
• 1989

Lead, iron, and zinc concentrations in whole blood were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, using a simple one-step dilution procedure, which were measured in 3 groups, 98 officers unexposed to dust or to metal, 58 coal miners without pneumoconiosis, and 113 coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients. The results were as follows : 1. The precisions (C. V.%) of lead, iron, and zinc in blood were $12.65{\pm}6.95%,\;1.47{\pm}1.25%\;and\;6.35{\pm}3.34%$, respectively. 2. Lead and zinc in blood showed the log-normal distribution unlike iron in blood which showed normal distribution. 3. Lead, iron, and zinc concentrations in blood of 3 groups were follows : There was significant difference of concentration for zinc in blood by groups statistically. 4. The difference of lead, iron, and zinc concentrations in blood was not significant (p>0.05) by profusion on chest radiographs.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 2014

The capital city of Himalayan Country Nepal, Kathmandu Valley is surrounded by consecutive high mountains, which limits the air distribution and mixing effects significantly. It in turn generates steady air flow pattern over a year except in monsoon season. The air shed in the Valley is easily trapped by the surrounded mountains and the inversion layer formulated as the cap. The $PM_{10}$ concentration was noticeably higher than the standard level (120 ${\mu}g/m^3$) in urban and suburban area of Kathmandu valley for all seasons except monsoon period. The Valley area experiences similar wind patterns (W, WWS, and S) for a year but the Easterly wind prevails only during the monsoon period. There was low and calm wind blows during the winter season. Because of this air flow structure, the air emission from various sources is accumulated within the valley air, high level of air pollution is frequently recorded with other air polluted cities over the world. In this Valley area, brick kilns are recognized as the major air pollution source followed by vehicles. Mostly Bull Trench Kiln (BKT), Hoffman Kiln and Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) are in operation for brick firing in Kathmandu valley where the fuels such as crushed coal, saw dust, and natural gas are used for processing bricks in this study. Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) was used for screening and quantifying the potential impacts of air emission from firing fuels. The total Environmental Performance Score (EPS) was estimated and the EPS of coal was approximately 2.5 times higher than those of natural gas and saw dust. It is concluded that the crushed coal has more negative impact to the environment and human health than other fuel sources. Concerning the human health and environment point of view, alternative environment friendly firing fuel need to be used for brick industry in the kiln and the air pollution control devices also need to be applied for minimizing the air emissions from the kilns.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.615-623
• /
• 2001

Background : Pneumoconiosis is a parenchymal lung disease that results from the accumulation of coal dust in the lungs and the consequent tissue reaction. To evaluate the role of various personal factors in pneumoconiosis and the significance of some serologic markers for assessing the disease activity related to pneumoconiosis, the Rheumatoid Factor(RF), ${\alpha}_1$-AT, C-Reactive Protein(CRP), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen levels were measured. Method : All the patients were males, 45-76 years old, and the mean duration of coal dust exposure was 23.2 years. 51 patients were classified as having Simple Pneumoconiosis (SP), 59 had Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF). Fifty eight men with ages ranging from 26-70 years were used as normal controls. The serum RF and CRP were titrated using an Autochemistry analyzer (HITACHI 7150 : Japan) and the ${\alpha}_1$-AT and ceruloplasmin levels were measured using a Nephelometer (Behring Nephelometer : Germany) and the fibrinogen levels were estimated by using an Autoanalyzer for hematologic coagulation. Result : There was a higher RF level in the SP, and PMF groups than in the control groups but there was no statistical difference. The CRP, ${\alpha}_1$-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels were also higher in the SP, and PMF groups. However, the fibrinogen concentration was within the normal ranges in both the SP and PMF groups. Conclusion : The CWP (Ed note : Define CWP) patients had significantly higher CRP, ${\alpha}_1$-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels compared to the control group. It is believed that these serologic changes could be used as a marker of the disease activity.