A Better Life with MgO: a flue gas desulphurisation process with a positive net environmental impact

LIFEPOSITIVEMgOFGD
Type of organisation or company
Country
Greece
City
Yerakini, Polygyros
Language for original content
Project elaborated in partnership
No
Submitted by
Grecian Magnesite
Start/End date
to
Ongoing
No
Description

LIFEPOSITIVEMgOFDG - a project co-financed under the EU's LIFE programme - is about designing and implementing a novel technique for air pollution abatement. The project is based at a pilot plant belonging to the mining and industrial company Grecian Magnesite (Yerakini site), and treats the flue gases generated by kilns that run on high sulphur content-fuels.

Under EU Legislation, the magnesium oxide sector must implement the Best Available Techniques (BATs) described in a special reference document (CLM BREF), in order to reduce its sulphur oxide emissions below specific limits.

The project's main objective was to investigate under which conditions magnesium oxide, a non-hazardous alkaline reagent, can be used economically and effectively as a desulphurisation reagent in the sector, in a process that minimises cross-media effects and respects circular economy principles, such as utilisation and valorisation of solid waste.

 

Main activity field
Main results
  1. The pilot plant is still in operation, even after the completion of the LIFE project.
  2. It processes 84 000 cubic metres of flue gases per hour, reducing their SO2 levels by 51%.
  3. 80% of the magnesium oxide sorbent used for desulphurisation is produced on-site from more than 20 000 tonnes of old mining waste.
  4. The pilot plant consumes 96% less water and 24% less energy than conventional wet desulphurisation plants.
  5. It produces over 12 000 tonnes of by-product per year that can be commercially exploited.
  6. The by-product was shown to be suitable for construction/cement applications and as a raw material for the production of fertilisers.
  7. 90% of the by-product will be available for commercial exploitation in the next 3 years.