Pollution prevention and control in metallurgical furnace -current status and strategies for cleaner environment

It is well known that metallurgical furnaces are major polluters of the environment. The main reason are use of poorly designed furnaces, improper operating practices, use of inferior quaility of raw materials and absence of pollution control devices. The authors, over the last five years, have executed a major research programme in the metallurgical industries in West Bengal, India which has provided a clear picture about the level of pollution caused by the metallurgical furnace. It has been found that the emissions are often 3-10 times higher thant the permissible limits. This paper attempts to summarise these results and also discusses the approach taken for the design of a cost effective control system for metallugical furnaces. Critical issues concerning pollution prevention and strategies for achieving a cleaner environment have also been discussed.