Determination of some important emissions of sunflower oil production industrial wastes incineration

Abstract

Seeds of sunflower (Helianthus anniuus L) yield oil (38-42%), which constitutes the largest vegetable oil produced in Turkey. In 2001(1), from 595,000 ha in Turkey, 950,000 t of sunflower seeds were produced. Seed hull is composed of: cellulose, 50-60; furfural, 9-15; water, 9-10; wax and waxy materials, 1-8; silica, 1-2; ash, 6.90; and oil, I %. The calorific value of hull (2500-2700 kcal/kg) is close to that of wood (3000-3500 kcal/kg). Utilization of sunflower hull as an energy source in facility incineration furnaces during the production of sunflower oil might be a noteworthy method. However, this situation leads to some problems in the legal procedures. Although the fuel types are classified in the article Appendix-7 of the Air Quality Protection Legislation (AQPL) of Turkey, the use of sunflower seed hull as an energy source is not classified. In this study, environmental effects of removal of the process wastes by incineration in a typical sunflower oil production plant (also the reduction of these effects) are analyzed. In addition, the possible negative environmental effects of the combustion gases and the energy that is obtained as a result of the incineration are compared. The stack gas emissions that might be produced because of the incineration of about 285,000 t/y process wastes produced in Turkey are discussed in accordance with AQPL of Turkey.