Conversion of energy and power sources to gas fuel: effects on air quality

The consequences of converting a facility from brown coal fuel to gas fuel were analyzed by model simulation. Treated were a district heating plant with an output of 700 TJ/yr and minor local heating sources (stoves) at a density of 1 family house per 100 m2. Emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons before and after the conversion are given for the two types of source. Conversion of a major air pollution source to gas fuel would result in a reduction of the contribution of sulfur dioxide emissions of the order of 10-4, of particulate matter and carbon monoxide of the order of 10-3, and of hydrocarbons of the order of 10-2. The decrease will be lowest for nitrogen oxides, viz. about 40%. Analogous data for local heating sources in towns would be 10-5 for sulfur dioxide, 10-4 for particulate matter, 10-3 for carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, and roughly one order of magnitude for nitrogen oxides. (J.B.)