THE COKE OVEN MANAGERS’ YEAR-BOOK
93.
COKE OVEN CHAMBER PRESSURE CONTROL – A NEW EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM By J. Giertz and A S Jessup Read before the Midland Section on 15 April 1999 at Corus Conference Centre, Scunthorpe Background Coke works in Britain are regulated by the Environmental Protection Act, under the watchful eye of the environmental inspector. The EPA does give the inspector some flexibility in determining the requirements for each site. This is because the Act recognises that pollution control comes at a financial cost and there is a balance to be struck in achieving the best possible environmental improvements without jeopardising the economic viability of the works. These compromises are summarised by the terms “Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost” and “Best Practice Environmental Option”: BATNEEC & BPEO. Coke works are being subjected to evertightening constraints on emissions, whether they be liquid effluents or emissions to atmosphere. The guidance for inspectors is regularly revised to incorporate new “best” technology, and applicants for authorisations are expected to keep abreast of such developments. This applies to existing, as well as new plant. The incorporation of new techniques into existing plant must of course give achievable levels of improvement. It is no good incorporating new equipment to solve a problem if there is a more fundamental problem which will prevent any benefits from the supposed “improvement” being realised. Any new development for use in the coking industry must meet the BATNEEC requirements and above all be robust. It is also desirable that someone else has proven it to work first!
Mr Giertz is a Project Engineer with Deutsche Montan Technologie, Essen, Germany. Mr Jessup is a Senior Process Engineer for OSC Process Engineering Limited, Stockport England.