Year: 2021

Across the globe, governments and communities are focused on reducing pollutants that have adverse environmental and health effects. Particulate, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are of specific concern. Carbon black production has been recognized as an industry that needs to address stack emissions by many countries, communities and operators. By the nature of the feedstocks used, which are derivatives of coal, natural gas and oil, sulfur dioxide (SO2) is present in the off gas. The formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) is also expected in the reactor
based on process temperatures. To curb emissions of SOx and NOx, many carbon black producers have incorporated low sulfur fuels, low NOx burners and heat recovery into their process. However, there is a direct relationship between carbon black production plant size and exhaust gas volume. Thus, with recent industry consolidation and construction of larger plants, exhaust gas volumes have increased. With environmental regulations continually tightening, producers may need to consider new, more robust exhaust gas emissions control options to further drive down emissions.