Particulate matter from different fuels

摘要

The present study is developed into a bilateral project between the power company, Central Termical san Nicolas (CTSN), and our work group, Environmental Studies Group which developes research activities in the San nicolas Regional Faculty of the National Technological University. The objective of this work is the evaluation of the city air quality in relation to one of the characteristic air contaminants of this kind of factory; the particulate matter (PM). Another purpos of this study is to correlate the results (PM concentration, morphology, and chenmical composition) with the of the used fuel. During the studied period the power company used different kinds of fuel like national and South African coal, fuel oil and natural gas. The analysis of this specific contaminant involves daily sampling, samples preservation and evaluation according to international standard method (high volumen gravimetric method). The particulate matter is characterized by optical and electronic microscopies, EDAX and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the PM pollution level keeps under the established level for air quality, even in the more unfavorable areas taking into account the meteorological data and the factory as emission source. The particulate matter characteristics depend on the kind of fuel burnt. It determines the PM chemical composition, morphology and particle size distribution.