The aim of this thesis was to present exhaust gases as well as measurement and cleaning devices used in thermal power plants. An overview of the laws that limit emissions and analysis of emissions throughout history are also presented. I presented the trend of discharges in the vicinity of our thermal power plants in Slovenia, as well as discharges in other European countries and elsewhere in the world. In the second chapter are described characteristics of cleaning devices for the removal of toxic substances, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and solid particles. The devices most commonly used in thermal power plants and the devices used for monitoring and measurement of the afore mentioned substances and their distribution on various locations around the country are also presented.
In the third chapter, analyses of emissions at individual measurement sites throughout history are presented, as well as official directives on limit values for flue gas discharges in Slovenia and in Europe. The chapter continues with air quality analysis at selected monitoring points throughout history. Firstly, the air in the vicinity of Šoštanj thermal power plant was analyzed and subsequently analysis included Slovenia as a whole, in the third subchapter. It turns out that the biggest decrease was seen in sulfur dioxide, while a minor decrease was registered for nitrogen oxides and solid particles. The latter is mainly due to the reduction of emissions from thermal power plants on the one side, but a significant increase of emissions from transport on the other, thus no major reductions could be observed. This can be mostly seen at monitoring stations in large cities with high density of people and traffic.
A study of emissions in other European countries with similar findings is presented in the fourth subchapter. The discharge of sulfur dioxide has decreased significantly due to efficiency of desulfurization plants. A smaller, but still quite significant decrease can also be recorded for nitrogen oxides, while the reduction of solid particles was the smallest and in some places their discharge even increased over the last decades. For all of the covered countries I calculated emissions relative to 100.000 inhabitants and an area of 10.000 km2. The thesis concludes with a short chapter on pollution in the rest of the world. It turns out that most of the more developed countries are experiencing a decline in pollution. However, less developed countries (Africa, South America, India) are still experiencing rising emissions of all three pollutants.
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