Control and treatment of sulfur compounds specially sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions from the petroleum industry: A review

Sulfur compounds such as sulfur oxides (SOx) are generated and emitted from operations in the petroleum industry which have negative effects on the environment. This study gives a critical and detailed introduction to the control and treatment of sulfur compounds specially sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions from the petroleum industry. It begins with the sectors, main sources, and type of operations that generate SOx emissions; maximum effluent level of them from the petroleum industry; minimization, control, prevention and treatment techniques of these emissions from the petroleum industry. Among these techniques, sulfur recovery unit (SRU) which most often consists of a Claus process for bulk sulfur removal and subsequently a tail gas treatment unit (TGTU) for the remaining H2S removal (SCOT process, Beavon sulfur removal (BSR) process, and Wellman-Lord process) and flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) processes (once-through or regenerable) have been discussed in detail; and removal efficiencies and technical and economic aspects have been compared

The Intertwined Renewable Energy–Water–Environment (REWE) Nexus Challenges and Opportunities: A Case Study of California

In our built environment, societal production of energy and clean water is inextricably linked to the natural resources from which they are derived. Acknowledgement and consideration of the coupling of energy, water, and the environment (the energy–water–environment nexus) will be critical to a sustainable future. This is particularly true as we transition away from historical energy sources (e.g., coal, petroleum, natural gas) and into the widespread adaptation of renewable energy (RE) sources (e.g., solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, bioenergy) as a strategy to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and consequently slow global climate change. This transition is fraught with both challenges and opportunities at the county, state, national, and international levels, as addressing future societal needs with respect to energy and water, and the environment requires recognition of their interdependence and development of new technologies and societal practices. In this study, the focus is on the RE–water–environment (REWE) nexus. In California, the REWE nexus is becoming increasingly important in achieving 100% clean electricity from eligible RE and zero-carbon resources by 2045 and in the face of climate change and population and economic growth. In this context, California’s RE deployment and renewable electrical generation, its RE legislative information, REWE nexus, and intertwined REWE nexus challenges and opportunities in California (e.g., administrative–legal, technology development, digitalization, and end-of-life RE waste) are comprehensively discussed to identify the knowledge gaps in this nexus and solutions

Simulation for the Performance and Economic Evaluation of Conventional Activated Sludge Process Replacing by Sequencing Batch Reactor Technology in a Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment Plant

Treatment of the petroleum refinery wastewater containing complex chemicals using biological processes is usually challenging because of the inhibition and/or toxicity of these matters when they serve as microbial substrates. In addition, performance modeling and cost evaluation of processes are essential for designing, construction, and forecasting future economic requirements of the petroleum refinery wastewater treatment plants (PRWWTPs). In this study, the performance and economics of conventional activated sludge (CAS) process replacing by sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology in a two train PRWWTP were evaluated using simulation. The final treated effluent characteristics for the PRWWTPs containing CAS + CAS and SBR + CAS processes under steady state conditions were studied and evolution of the main parameters of the final effluent during the 30 days of simulation for these plants were investigated. Finally, the total project construction, operation labor, maintenance, material, chemical, energy, and amortization costs of these plants were estimated and compared. Results demonstrated that the project construction cost of PRWWTP containing CAS + CAS processes was lower than that of PRWWTP containing SBR + CAS processes and the energy and amortization costs for both plants were higher in comparison with the operation, maintenance, material, and chemical costs. Note that this study is a computer simulation and drawing general conclusions only on the basis of computer simulation may be insufficient

Simulation for the Performance and Economic Evaluation of Conventional Activated Sludge Process Replacing by Sequencing Batch Reactor Technology in a Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment Plant

Treatment of the petroleum refinery wastewater containing complex chemicals using biological processes is usually challenging because of the inhibition and/or toxicity of these matters when they serve as microbial substrates. In addition, performance modeling and cost evaluation of processes are essential for designing, construction, and forecasting future economic requirements of the petroleum refinery wastewater treatment plants (PRWWTPs). In this study, the performance and economics of conventional activated sludge (CAS) process replacing by sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology in a two train PRWWTP were evaluated using simulation. The final treated effluent characteristics for the PRWWTPs containing CAS + CAS and SBR + CAS processes under steady state conditions were studied and evolution of the main parameters of the final effluent during the 30 days of simulation for these plants were investigated. Finally, the total project construction, operation labor, maintenance, material, chemical, energy, and amortization costs of these plants were estimated and compared. Results demonstrated that the project construction cost of PRWWTP containing CAS + CAS processes was lower than that of PRWWTP containing SBR + CAS processes and the energy and amortization costs for both plants were higher in comparison with the operation, maintenance, material, and chemical costs. Note that this study is a computer simulation and drawing general conclusions only on the basis of computer simulation may be insufficient

A Comprehensive Study on the Application of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Technology for the Petroleum Industry Wastewater Treatment

Large quantities of oily wastewaters can be generated from the activities and processes in the petroleum industry which draining of these effluents not only pollutes the environment but also reduces the yield of oil and water. Therefore, development of treatment processes for petroleum industry wastewaters is vital in order to prevent serious environmental damage and provide a source of water for beneficial use. Reverse osmosis (RO) can be the most common membrane process used for desalination from oily wastewater and can produce water suitable for reuse at the petroleum industry. In this study, the application of RO technology for the petroleum industry wastewater treatment in different laboratory, pilot, field, and industrial scales have been reviewed. In addition, membrane fouling control, performance efficiency, treatment system configurations, pretreatment methods, quality of treated water, and economic issues have been investigated. With mixtures as complex as petroleum industry wastewaters, membrane fouling becomes a significant hurdle to implement the RO-based purification system. Operating the system within the critical flux range or adding chemicals, and/or pretreatment can usually control membrane fouling. Salt rejection of RO membranes can be 99% or higher

A Review on the Nanofiltration Process for Treating Wastewaters from the Petroleum Industry

Activities and/or processes in different segments of the petroleum industry, including upstream and downstream, generate aqueous waste streams containing oil and various contaminants that require treatment/purification before release/reuse. Nanofiltration (NF) technology has been approved as an efficient technology for treating wastewater streams from the petroleum industry. The primary critical issues in an NF treatment process can be listed as mitigation of membrane fouling; selection of appropriate pre-treatment process; and selection of a suitable, cost-effective, non-hazardous cleaning strategy. In this study, NF separation mechanisms, membrane fabrication/modification, effective factors on NF performance, and fouling are briefly reviewed. Then, a summary of recent NF treatment studies on various petroleum wastewaters and performance evaluation is presented. Finally, based on the gaps identified in the field, the conclusions and future perspectives are discussed

The Renewable Energy (RE) Industry Workforce Needs: RE Simulation and Analysis Tools Teaching as an Effective Way to Enhance Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Learning

The share of renewables in the U.S. electricity generation mix is increasing and one of the major obstacles to enhancing employment in the renewable energy (RE) sector is finding skilled/qualified labor to fill positions. RE systems engineer jobs mostly need bachelor’s degrees but there are few RE engineering-focused degree programs. Therefore, there are needs to accurately train undergraduate engineering students at universities and match the education system offerings to meet RE industry demands. This study reviews RE employment by technology, RE industry workforce needs, and engineering programs accreditation, and then suggests possible means, along with theoretical RE concepts, to enhance undergraduate engineering students’ RE learning at universities. In particular, RE industries require technology skills, including analytical, scientific, and simulation software programs or tools. These RE simulation and analysis tools can be used for teaching, training, techno-economic analysis, planning, designing, optimization, etc., and are the focus of this review

Application of Sulfur-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles for Cadmium Removal from Aqueous Solutions

Even at low levels, heavy metals are toxic and can damage living things. They do not break down or decompose and tend to build up in plants, animals, and people causing health concerns. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can be considered as potential adsorbents for the removal of cadmium (Cd2+) from aqueous solutions because of their high surface area and the combined effect of adsorption and separation under external magnetic fields. In this study, a novel sulfur-modified magnetic nanoparticle was applied as an adsorbent for the removal of Cd2+ ions from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of pH, contact time, and initial concentration of Cd2+ on the removal efficiency of it were investigated in batch adsorption experiments. The equilibrium data fitted the Langmuir isotherm model better than the Freundlich isotherm model, and they were well explained in terms of pseudo-second-order kinetics. The maximum monolayer capacity qm and KL the Langmuir constant were calculated from the Langmuir as 5.1867 mg/g and 0.1562 L/mg, respectively