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Regulations & compliance in 2016 for emissions

What is the current state in terms of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions anno 2016?

Last December, the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) of the United Nations climate program (UNFCCC) was held in Paris, France. As a result, nearly 200 nations signed an accord to battle climate change. The main goal within the accord is to limit the rise in global average temperature to below 2 °C by the year 2100 and slow further warming to 1.5 °C. Greenhouse gases and in particular carbon dioxide, are identified as the main culprits.

In addition to carbon dioxide, reduction of for example sulfur dioxide emissions have always been a priority of regulating bodies worldwide. The news on sulfur dioxide has become somewhat reduced. Therefore the following question arises:

“What is the current state in terms of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions anno 2016?”

As probably many of you know, refineries and other oil processing companies monitor the amount of sulfur in organic fuels. This is not only done in order to optimize their production processes, but also in order to protect the environment. Regulating bodies from all over the world set maximum allowed amounts of sulfur in organic fuels. These maximum amounts change from time to time.

Sulfur dioxides (SO2) are formed during the combustion of sulfur containing fossil fuels, for example in the engines of cars and airplanes. The following exothermic reaction takes place:

S + O2 → SO2

Some facts about sulfur dioxide:

• Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas which is dangerous to human health and harmful to the environment

• Sulfur dioxide emissions are a precursor to atmospheric particulates

• Sulfur dioxide causes acid rain (H2SO4)

• Sulfur dioxide causes industrial smog

Multi-annual programs

Most countries in the world establish multi-annual programs to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide emissions in their specific region. During the COP 21 in Paris, China announced it had reached its target for reducing sulfur dioxide emissions in their eastern main cities, six months earlier than scheduled. China formed a five-year plan called ‘China IV’ to cut pollutants in 2010, which involved shrinking levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the air. Other multi-annual programs that have been created to reduce emissions are the ‘Tier program’ by the United States, the ‘Euro program’ by Europe and the ‘Bharat program’ by India. These multi-annual programs are demonstrated in the following timeline.

Part of these international multi-annual programs are the maximum allowed amounts of sulfur dioxide in organic fuels, like gasoline and diesel. The following timelines show the desulfurization in several regions for nationwide sulfur limits in diesel and gasoline.

International Methods Sulfur Content in Automotive Fuels

As you may have noticed in the timelines above, maximum allowed amounts of sulfur in organic fuels are getting lower and lower throughout the world. Over time, international methods have been created to monitor sulfur content in organic fuels. The following international methods focus on the measurement of total sulfur in petroleum products, for example diesel and gasoline:

ASTM D5453

• Standard Test Method for Determination of Total Sulfur in Light Hydrocarbons, Spark Ignition Engine Fuel, Diesel Engine Fuel, and Engine Oil by Ultraviolet Fluorescence

• Measuring range: 1 – 8000 ppm

ISO 20846:2011

• Petroleum products -- Determination of sulfur content of automotive fuels -- Ultraviolet fluorescence method

• Measuring range: 3 – 500 ppm

SH/T 0689

• Standard test method for determination of total sulfur in light hydrocarbons motor fuels and oils by ultraviolet fluorescence

• Measuring range: 1 – 8000 ppm

To measure these small amounts of sulfur in diesel and gasoline an elemental combustion analyzer is needed. This analyzer must be able to measure the elements on trace level by UV-Fluorescence detection technique.

TE Instruments developed a solution which fully complies with the above mentioned international methods to monitor the amount of sulfur dioxide in petroleum products. Multi-annual emission programs are becoming more stringent over time. This shows the importance of correctly measuring sulfur dioxide in petroleum products, on a very low level. Eventually all for a good cause: a better environment.

Details

  • Voltaweg 22, 2627 BC Delft, Netherlands
  • TE Instruments