FOSSIL FUEL POWER GENERATION: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Mustafa Mustafa, Fatemeh Mostofi, Bachar Al-Jendi,xxxx School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus Mustafa Mustafa : mm507@hw.ac.uk : registration number : 091608563 Fatemeh Mostofi : fm137@hw.ac.uk : registration number : 091617071 Bachar Al Jendi : ba149@hw.ac.uk : registration number : 091611736

Abstract this paper aims to discuss the environmental impact of fossil fuel burning on the environment, the different pollutants released in the process, as well as mentioning different ways to mitigate the emissions that result from fossil fuel burning.

Keywords: Fossil fuels, Carbon emissions, Non-renewable energy, Green energy

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 2 2. Fossil fuel.................................................................................................................................................... 2 Coal ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 Natural gas ................................................................................................................................................. 2 Oil................................................................................................................................................................... 3 3. Impact on the environment ................................................................................................................ 3 PRIMARY Impacts: ...................................................................................................................................... 3 3.1 Carbon dioxide .................................................................................................................................. 3 3.2 Carbon monoxide (CO) :................................................................................................................ 4 3.3 Sulphur Oxides .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.4 Nitrogen oxides ................................................................................................................................ 5 3.5 particulate matter............................................................................................................................ 5 Secondery Impacts: ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Greenhouse effect ................................................................................................................................... 6 Acid rain ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Photochemical smog .............................................................................................................................. 6 Green energy.................................................................................................................................................. 6 Page 1 of 6

Case Study : Fujairah Power Plant ........................................................................................................ 6 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................................... 6 references ....................................................................................................................................................... 6

1. INTRODUCTION

2. FOSSIL FUEL
Fossil fuels constitute a significant repository of carbon buried deep underground. Burning them results in the conversion of this carbon to carbon dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere.

COAL
Using coal-fired plants to generate electricity produces more greenhouse gases for each resulting watt than using oil or natural gas, but coaloften referred to as a dirty fuelis attractive because it is relatively inexpensive. In countries where there are no emission controls (such as China and India)
http://www.worldcoal.org/coal-the-environment/coal-use-the-environment/

NATURAL GAS
Of all the fossil fuels, natural gas is considered the cleanest. Composed primarily of methane, the principal products of its combustion are CO 2 and water vapor. During combustion, very small amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released, but virtually no ash or particulate matter is involved. Because CO2 makes up such a high proportion of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing CO2 emissions would be significant in combating the greenhouse effect and global warming. The combustion of natural gas emits almost 30 percent less CO2 than oil and just under 45 percent less CO2 than coal. One issue concerning the use of natural gas is whether the presence of methanethe principal component of natural gas and a very potent
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greenhouse gasmakes global warming significantly worse.

OIL
There are also serious environmental effects that result from the burning of oil, such as acid rain. When oil is burned, sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides are created in the atmosphere, and, when they combine with moisture, acid rain is created. When acid rain falls back to Earth, it enters rivers, lakes, and streams and can kill plants, fish, and wildlife. Buildings, statues, and other man-made structures can also be damaged as a result of the chemical reaction that occurs when acid hits them. Many historical buildings worldwide are being eroded by acid rain. As oil and gasoline are burned, CO2 is also a by-product that enters the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

3. IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT PRIMARY IMPACTS: 3.1 CARBON DIOXIDE

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Due to human activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation, and the increased release of CO2 from the oceans due to the increase in the Earth's temperature, the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by about 35% since the beginning of the age of industrialization. The burning of fossil fuels is considered to be the largest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Sadly, their use is steadily increasing. There is about 50 times as much carbon dissolved in the oceans in the form of CO 2 and CO2 hydration products as exists in the atmosphere. The oceans act as an enormous carbon sink, having "absorbed about one-third of all human-generated CO2 emissions to date. Most of the CO2 taken up by the ocean forms carbonic acid. Some is consumed in photosynthesis by organisms in the water, and a small proportion of that sinks and leaves the carbon cycle. There is considerable concern that as a result of increased CO2 in the atmosphere the acidity of seawater will increase and may adversely affect organisms living in the water. In particular, with increasing acidity, the availability of carbonates for forming shells decreases. Page 3 of 6

One of the biggest dilemmas we face today is developing countries, in their race to modernize and industrialize, are building hundreds of coal-fired power plants and increasing CO2 emissions. According to John Christy and Roy Spencer (University of Alabama in Huntsville) the world has been warming up at 0.21OC/decade 1 This might look like a small amount but studies have shown that even a slight change of (60C) in temperature might give catastrophic results: massive die-offs of vegetation a dramatic decrease in food production increased soil erosion increased desertification temperature increases release of methane hydrate from the oceans bottoms gas that is eight times stronger than carbon dioxide)2

(a greenhouse

3.2 CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) :

The product of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels due to insufficient oxygen supply to enable complete oxidation to carbon dioxide (CO2) Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, tasteless, odourless, toxic gas, it inhibits the blood's ability to carry oxygen to vital organs such as the heart and brain. Continuous exposure to carbon monoxide can cause permanent damage to the body and/or death. Table#1 shows the health effects associated with human exposure to carbon monoxide3:

Exposure Hours 0.5 1 2 4 6 8

CO concentration Perceptible 600 200 100 50 25 25 Sickness 1000 600 300 150 120 100 deadly 2000 1600 1000 400 200 150

1http://www.reportingclimatescience.com/news-stories/article/global-warming-rate-is-014c-

per-decade-says-uah-team.html
2 3

Global warming, fossil fuels and pollution, the future of air quality - Julie kerr casper, page 18 Table from http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/carbon-monoxide-d_893.html

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3.3 SULPHUR OXIDES

Sulphur oxides arise during combustion from oxidation of sulphur in sulphur containing fuels, sulphur oxides can have different impacts on the environment, for instance, when sulphur in fossile fuel reacts with oxygen to form sulphur dioxide as shown in the following equation4 : S + O2 = SO2 Sulphur dioxide mainly affects humans, and is not highly dangerous, it has an annoying odour, and it irritates the eyes, however, when its released to the atmosphere it can react with oxygen to form sulphur trioxide 2 SO2 + O2 = 2 SO3 Sulphur trioxide is considered to be more dangerous to humans than sulphur dioxide as it irritates the respiratory tract, a concentration of 1 part per million or 1ppm of sulphur trioxide can cause coughing and choking. Sulphur trioxide can also dissolve in water to form sulphuric acid that is capable of corroding many materials and can also dissolve readily in rain drops and fall on the earth as acid rain which causes serious damages to agriculture, forests, lakes, ponds, rivers, and ground water.

3.4 NITROGEN OXIDES

Nitrogen oxides produced when nitrogen atoms within the molecules of fuel are oxidised during the combustion process to form nitric oxide (NO). When nitric oxide is emitted to the atmosphere, it reacts with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide that can cause serious damage to humans, such as inflammation of the lungs, and possible death. Nitrogen oxides will react with water and oxygen to form nitric acid, like sulphuric acid, nitric acid is capable of corroding many materials, nitric acid is also a component of acid rain

3.5 PARTICULATE MATTER

Sulphur oxide Sulphur dioxide SO2 Sulphur trioxide SO3

4

Impact on humans Odour, irritation Coughing, choking

Impact on the environment Form SO3 Sulphuric acid

Global warming, fossil fuels and pollution, the future of air quality - Julie kerr casper, page 11

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Nitrogen dioxide NO2

Lung inflammation Death

Acid rain Nitric acid Acid rain

SECONDERY IMPACTS: GREENHOUSE EFFECT

ACID RAIN

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG

GREEN ENERGY
http://www.treehugger.com/clean-water/renewable-energy-key-to-makingdesalination-work-for-water-crunched-countries.html

CASE STUDY : FUJAIRAH POWER PLANT

CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES Sulphur
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/enviro.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/p_ppah_SulfurOxides/$FILE /HandbookSulfurOxides.pdf

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