Emissions at Coke Plants: European Environmental Regulations and Measures for Emission Control

At coke plants several pollutants are formed during coking, which are released to ambient air. To protect human health and to avoid harmful impacts on ambient air quality effective control of coke oven emissions is most significant. At coke plants the main source of emissions of NOx, SO₂ and particulate matter is the flue gas from combustion of cleaned coke oven gas in the battery underfiring. Hence, advanced processes for coke oven gas cleaning in the by-product plant, like scrubbing processes for desulfurization of coke oven gas, are important measures at coke plants to reduce emissions to air. Effective filter equipments are available to abate emissions of dust from coke pushing and coal charging. Fugitive emissions at the batteries from leaking oven doors, lids and ascension pipes as well as fugitive emissions in the by-product plant from leaking pipes, flanges and valves can be abated by effective sealings, smooth operation and regular maintenance of all equipments. Inside the European Union emissions at coke plants are regulated in EU-directives on basis of Best Available Techniques (BAT) and monitored regularly by stipulation of national and local authorities. This paper focuses on (1) Legal EU-regulations on abatement of coke oven emissions into air, (2) Modern emission control measures available nowadays at coke plants.