Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD)

Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems are no longer merely an option but an essential component for environmental compliance in industries that generate substantial exhaust flue gases, most notably coal-fired power generation. These systems are specifically engineered to capture and remove sulphur dioxide (SO₂) from the exhaust streams before they are released into the atmosphere. The necessity of this process stems from the grave environmental and public health consequences associated with SO₂ emissions.

The implementation of FGD systems has been accelerated by increasingly stringent governmental regulations. In India, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has periodically tightened the norms governing  emissions from industrial sources. The revised CPCB standards mandate a substantial and often challenging reduction in the allowable limits of SO₂ released.

Despite their fundamental importance, FGD systems present significant operational and engineering challenges. The most commonly deployed FGD technology, Wet Limestone-Gypsum Scrubbing, involves the continuous handling of a slurry—a mixture of water and finely ground limestone.