Studying So2 emissions in the calcination area at alumar

One of the biggest environmental challenges in Alumina Refineries is the air emissions abatement. A proposed production increasing in calcination poses an obvious concern regarding future air emissions, such as SO(2), due to the increase in heavy oil consumption. In order to comply with Brazilian regulations and to be aligned to the Alcoa 2020 Environmental Strategy a process evaluation throughout a mass balance was proposed to find out the total %S stay retained in the Alumina and the stack emissions rate. The mass balance consisted of isokinetic sampling in the calciner stack, and simultaneously continuous control and measurement of all process parameters such as heavy oil consumption, alumina production, Electro-Static Precipitator (ESP) dust production and the sulfur content in all lines. The main objective was present how much sulfur is absorbed in the alumina when in direct contact with combustion gases to provide information if some alternative gases treatment for SO(2) abatement should be chosen.