Environmental and economic issues concerning the use of wet scrubbers coupled to bagasse-fired boilers: a case study in the Brazilian sugarcane industry

For decades, wet scrubbers have been used to control particulate matter (PM) emitted by bagasse-fired boilers in the sugarcane industry. This choice was justified by their acceptable performance in meeting environmental standards, the abundance of water resources, and the fact that their operation was simpler and less expensive than other dry cleaning operations. However, the progressive tightening of PM emission limits, as well as the need for more rational water and wastewater management in these applications, has changed this aspect of the industry. Despite the extensive technical literature on wet scrubbers, the lack of up-to-date indicators of their performance in sugarcane industries has prevented the optimization of wet scrubbing processes. This paper clearly shows that the use of wet scrubbers can result in significant water and heat losses, as well as high operating costs for wastewater treatment stations (WTSs). Mass and energy balances were determined for a typical ethanol-sugar plant operating in Brazil, which is the world's largest sugarcane producer. The key boiler and scrubber performance indicators were evaluated experimentally over the course of a crop season and were compared to the legal particulate emission and water quality requirements in Brazil. The boiler processed an average of 114.8 t/h of bagasse containing 46.8% moisture and generated 4.75 t of gas and 28.2 kg of PM for each ton of dry burned bagasse. Of the total PM (ash and soot), 68% was collected as dry material in the grate, heat exchangers, and multicyclone; 25% was collected in the wet scrubber; and 7% was emitted to the atmosphere, in compliance with the Brazilian standards. The operation of the WTS linked to the gas cleaning system was inefficient, using 70% of the water to convey the dry PM retained in the boiler, heat exchangers, and multicyclone and only 30% to operate the wet scrubber. Evaporation caused the loss of 10.5% of the scrubbing water to the atmosphere. The transportation of moist cake (7.9 t/h, 78% wb) for disposal in fields resulted in significant fuel costs and water losses. The operation of the WTS accounted for 62% of the total capital expenditure of the cleaning system, while the wet scrubber accounted for only 38%. This work provides updated performance indicators and alternatives for optimizing a gas cleaning system to promote more rational water and wastewater management and savings for the sugarcane sector. Graphic abstract Required collection efficiency for bagasse boilers based on the inlet PM concentration and emission limits imposed in Brazil, China, and most countries