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Welcome to the FM Energise Podcast by Forbes Marshall, where we explore manufacturing excellence, energy efficiency, and industrial sustainability. This show goes beyond just optimizing processes, it’s about creating smarter, more efficient operations through industrial automation, digital services, and embracing the future with Industry 4.0 and IOT.
In each episode, we dive into topics such as process control and instrumentation, steam engineering, and thermodynamics, all while keeping sustainability at the forefront. We’ll also discuss how to create a great place to work where people feel valued, nurture a culture of trust and collaboration, and inspire positive change through social initiatives & CSR efforts that align with every organization’s core values.
If you’re passionate about leading your company toward sustainable growth, improving operational efficiency, and creating a culture that empowers your team, the FM Energise Podcast is your go-to source for expert advice and inspiring conversations.
RUCHIRA
As we all know, because of the industrial growth, public health is at a risk. According to WHO, 9 out of 10 people are breathing the air that doesn't even meet the basic air quality standards. Out of which industries contribute to 35% of this toxic mix. This has led to 8 million premature deaths every single year. This is an alarming situation, especially in the regions where industries are going rapidly. In our today's discussion, we will understand more about how to monitor and control and what are the regulations that hold us accountable. For this, we have with us two experts from Forbes Marshall, Mr. Samir Bhandarkar, who has over 30 years of experience in air and water pollution monitoring equipment. And he is heading the Enviro division. Along with him is Mr. Pratap Patil with 15 years of experience in Forbes Marshall and he is handling the OEM business. Gentlemen, welcome to the show. Samir, to start with you, we would like to know what are the major industrial pollutant parameters and how are they controlled?
SAMIR
So, as you know, in industry, they burn fuels to produce heat. And so, there are mainly three types of fuel which have been used in the industry. Solid fuel, liquid fuel and the gases fuel. So, solid fuel, which mainly comprises of coal or the biomass, which contributes to close to 60%. And then the 30% is the fuel which has been used in the industry, which is oil fuel. And then we have the rest is the gases fuel. So, if we go with the coal as a largely used fuel in the industry. So, coal comprises of carbon, it comprises of sulphur, it comprises of ash content, hydrogen content in it and the moisture content as well. So, when we burn this coal with the help of oxygen, so the carbon content in the coal oxidises with the oxygen molecule and forms carbon dioxide, which is a primary greenhouse gas and contributes to climate change. Then comes the secondary combustion where we have the sulphur in the fuel, which oxidises with the sulphur oxygen and forms sulphur dioxide. So, which is again a primary cause of the respiratory issues related to our acid rains.
We have nitrogen within the air oxidises with the molecule at that high temperatures and forms oxidise of nitrogen. So, oxidise of nitrogen again, it is a highly reactive, especially for the responsible for the smoke formations as well as for the acid rains and also tropospheric ozone depletion as well. We have the dust particles, which is another challenge in the industry where the fine dust gets emitted open to atmosphere from the industrial stacks and which has a bad impact on the human lungs, it is on the heart as well as on the ear, nose and throat as well. So, SOX, NOX and CO and the dust, these are the primary pollutant, the key pollutant parameters in the industry and this can be controlled tightly by controlling the air to fuel ratio or by using the abatement techniques for that. So, like for dust abatement, we have the electrostatic precipiters, we have the mic filters which have been used for abetting or the arresting the dust emissions. We have the flue gas desulphurisation plants or the wet alkaline wet scrubbers, which have been used for absorbing the SO2 emissions. For similarly for NOX, it can be either controlled by controlling the excess air or by using the selective catalytic reductions and so on.
RUCHIRA
Okay, thanks for clarifying the key pollution parameters and their control techniques. Are these the same gases that affect the ambient air? If so, is there any difference between the stack monitoring and the ambient air monitoring?
SAMIR
Yes, Ruchira. So, there is a significant difference between the stack monitoring and the ambient air monitoring. The stack monitoring is the one which is like directly been monitored at source level that is on the stack, whereas the ambient air is in the surrounding atmosphere where the people live and work, so which is like mainly to do with the air quality. So, the stack monitoring is basically to comply to the industrial norms. So, in the stack monitoring, the concentrations are typically measured in terms of milligram per meter cube, whereas in the ambient air, the concentrations will be like typically in terms of microgram per meter cube and which is like the final measurement of the polluted air dispersed of the air in the air.
RUCHIRA
Okay, got it. Coming to you Pratap, tell us about how industries monitor these parameters. I mean, do they do it on a continuous basis or it is a periodic measurement?
PRATAP
Yeah, well, actually, basically pollution monitoring can be done in both ways, in most of the industries. So, one is a periodic monitoring and another one is a continuous monitoring. In periodic monitoring, pollutant gases samples collect physically from the stacks, bring it to the lab for further analysis and generate the report. This is a short term measurement process or methodical qualities. Of course, it is a bit cost effective, but which measures the, which is most of the information is missing in the periodic generation because it is periodic. Let's say one industry perform the periodic monitoring once in a week. So they will have the emission level data available only on that particular day. Rest of the days, they will not have the data available with them. So that is the disadvantage in the periodic monitoring. Whereas in continuous monitoring, we install the continuous emission monitoring SAMS analyser on the stack, get the sample continuously to the analyser. It measures continuously, that is 24 by 7. It is more accurate, gives the real time data of the pollutant emission levels. One you get accurate real time and then it is indirectly benefits like process optimisation reduced on the fuel cost as well as cost on the operations. So having this continuous monitoring system installed at the right place, industry get the benefit over the periodic monitoring as well as this SAMS's latest technology has provision to predict of the analyser health well in advance. So those analysers required what the maintenance required, that can be information getting well in advance. So the continuous emission is very powerful tool, well accepted by industry, well proven. And that's the reason it has a more advantage compared to the periodic monitoring.
RUCHIRA
Okay, got it. Coming to you Samir, help us understand the mandate here. What makes an industry decide? Now it's the time to control and monitor their emissions.
SAMIR
So earlier, you know the industries, there were few types of industries where doing this monitoring continuous monitoring and submitting the periodic reports to the central pollution control board or through the authorities. But later the central pollution control board somewhere in the year 2014-15, they identified some many industries like there were like 17 types of industries were coming under this red category. So they identified these industries as a red category because they were using the boilers, they were using the furnaces or they are having the process which emits the pollutant gases from the industrial stacks. So for these industries, they mandated to go for online monitoring. And so these industries were like typically power plant, cement plants, refineries, petrochemical, fertiliser industries, the food and bravery, or textile industries. So all these like industries falling under the red category. So the central pollution control board first mandated them to go for online monitoring. And along with the installation of the abetment techniques, if it is not there. So the pollutant parameter as I clarified before, it was like carbon monoxide, oxides of sulphur, then dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, where these are the main pollutant parameter along with the dust. So the industry has to install all these online equipments. And then the real time monitoring has to be done and the data has to be transported to the central pollution control board server as well as to the state pollution control board server.
The main part here is all these pollutant parameters needs to be normalised with respect to standard temperature, pressure, moisture, and carbon dioxide or oxygen. Now this is basically required because as you know, the industry, every industry has a different gas composition, the stack has a different gas composition. So the stack temperature could be different, the stack pressure could be different, the moisture content in the stack can vary. And that's why the reading has to be brought down to a standard platform. And that standard platform is get the readings in terms of normalisation. So normalised with respect to temperature, pressure, moisture, CO2 or oxygen. Apart from these, again, it is mandatory to have the especially for the gas analysis, it is necessary to have the remote calibration and remote diagnostics facilities. So that the authenticity of the readings can be cross-checked. Like sitting in the control room or in the central pollution control board server, they can perform the remote check and check the accuracy of the analysis. Then again, we have the online uptime of the equipment, which is like challenging, used to be challenging earlier. So the 85 percent is the minimum uptime required. And then 99 percent, the data transmission uptime has to be there, compulsorily. Currently all these pollutant parameters to many industries, the limits are in concentration base where like we are measuring these pollutant parameter as a milligram per normal meter cube. But then few industries now, it is coming as on a load basis. And very soon it will be mandatory for all other industries as well. Because when once you get the readings in terms of load, like how many kg per hour or tons per year you are emitting. So then only you will know exactly what is the total pollution happening and how it can be controlled. So any industries coming under this red category, for them the real time emission monitoring as well as the online data transmission to the respective state pollution control board as well as the central pollution control board it is mandatory.
RUCHIRA
Okay, thank you Samir for sharing the information and explaining us the need with reference to the CPCB norms. So Pratap as mentioned by Samir, a pollution control board has set some limits on the pollutions. So can you explain us what are these limits for industries?
PRATAP
Every industry, different industry has different emission limits imposed by the authority in India. Okay. And nice to know the all industries, permission limits, emission limits. So let's take example of the power industry as well as process boilers. Now power industries, those power plant built in year 2003, before 2003, those have the particulate emission limits is 100 milligram per Nmq for the dust particles. And then sulphur oxides as well as nitrogen oxides, these are the pollutant gases. For that emission limit is 600 milligram per Nmq. Now the power plant which is built in between 2004 to 2016 in that span, particulate emission limits is 50 milligram per Nmq. Whereas the pollutant gases like sulphur oxides, we call it as a SOX and nitrogen oxides, we call it as a NOX. For that sulphur oxide has reduced to keep it as it is 600 milligram per Nmq. Whereas NOX has reduced to 600 to 300 milligram per Nmq. So those power plant from 2003 to 2016. Later on the power plants which builds after 2000 year, 2017 onwards has the particulate emission limits 30 milligram per Nmq. So it is drastically top-down and about the pollutant gases like SOX NOX has bring it to the 100 milligram per Nmq. Now if you look at this, SOX NOX has further reduced from 600 to 100 milligrams. So definitely industry has to implement more techniques to meet these lower limits of the emission levels. So for that industry have to adapt the different techniques like flue gas desulphurisation unit technique for the SOX reductions as well as selective catalytic reduction for the NOX reductions. Now take an example of process boilers. For the process boilers, particulate emission limit is 150 milligram per Nmq. Whereas the pollutant gases emission limit is 600 milligram per Nmq. So those are the different industries has a different emission limit imposed by the authority in India.
RUCHIRA
Okay, thank you Pratap. That was quite informative to understand the emission limits.
RUCHIRA
So Samir, enlighten us more on the different technologies that are used in the emission monitoring.
SAMIR
Yeah, so Ruchira earlier there used to be like only a manual sampling. So where we need to go and collect the sample, bring it to the laboratory for the lab analysis, like for knowing the dust emissions, then there was a gravimetric measurement technique was been followed. And for gases measurement, it was like the titration method used to be followed. Later on, then we also had this electrochemical sensors coming into the market where it was widely used for a spot measurement of the especially for the gas measurement purpose. But now then we had moved to very precise and reliable real time emission monitoring devices now, which is mainly on the optical methods, which works on optical methods. For example, for the measurement of dust concentration, now we have opacity monitors. Now opacity monitors vary works on the light absorption technology. Similarly, we have the scattering devices, which works on a light scattering technology. Then we have this turboelectric dust monitors. So again, it works on a frictional charge transfer principle. Similarly for pollutant gas measurement, then various again, the different types of source are available. So the non dispersive infrared is the one which can be used for the measurement of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, moisture and HCL as well. Whereas we have the ultraviolet source, the UV source, which has been widely known as, so which is used for the measurement of SO2 and NOx gases. Similarly, again, we have this Fourier transformer infrared spectroscopic is the one. Measurement method can be different. It can be in situ or it can be extractive. So it again depends on the stack conditions, the stack conditions like the stack inner diameters. Then it could be stack temperatures or it could be the moisture content in the stack. So different techniques are used. But mostly industries, they prefer to go for when it comes to gas analysis, I mean to say, so they prefer to go for in situ technology because the in situ is the one which eliminates the need of sampling and conditioning of the gases. It's a field mounted, it provides higher uptime and demands very negligible maintenance as well. But then there are some applications where the in situ analysis are not suitable, maybe due to the smaller stack size or if the temperature is more than 300 degree centigrade or for the gases which in situ analysis cannot measure. So in that case, the industry has to go for extractive. Now within the extractive again, we have the colder extractive analysis, we have the hot wet extractive analysis and we have the dilution probe type. But then again today the industry prefer to go for hot wet extractive because in the hot wet extractive analysis, you don't need to cool and clean the sample. So just draw the sample, heat the sample and do the measurement. So you don't need to clean or cool the samples. And then again, it's a field mounted. So you don't need any AC rooms and shelters.
RUCHIRA
Okay, so Pratap, having understood this, if an industry install emission monitoring equipment, are they doing it only to meet the statutory requirements or do they also see some benefit out of it?
PRATAP
Very interesting question once again, because the normally industry never prefers to invest where returns are not seen. But first of all, all 17 categories industries has to be installed this continuous emission monitoring systems to meet the statutory norms imposed by the central pollution control board. Okay, so first and most they have to install the CEMS. Secondly by installing this continuous online system, industry express the gratitude towards environment, create a brand image or send a message in the society that industry also equally responsible to take care of the environment. As well as it is giving the advantage to the industry, it builds a trust of the stakeholders, it attracts the investment for the industries, those are the indirect benefits get by the industry by implementing the continuous emission monitoring system. Thirdly, accurate measurement, keeping transparent in the reporting, that gives again to the trust or stakeholders trust to win back to the industry. Okay, these are the reliable industry take care of the environment. And last on top of that, the investigative benefit as a process optimisation. So any inefficiency in the process, they can find it using these tools of the CEMS. For example, NOx gas emission level goes high in the stack at the emission level. So NOx going NOx that is pollutant gas, that particular NOx level going high, that data is important for the operator as there is excess air in the combustion. So combustion is taking place with the excess air that leads to the fuel cost, losing the fuel more and then energy. That is the reason these are the inputs indirectly helping to the industry to optimise the process as well. Third thing, it gives a proper systematic tracking of the necessary data required for greenhouse effects as well as the toxic pollutants. And that tracking will help to industry reduce their carbon footprint and definitely leads to the net scraper. And these are the indirect benefits get by the industry with meeting the norms as well.
RUCHIRA
Sure, thank you Pratap. Surely our industries must have understood what are the benefits out of it. So coming back to you Sameer, with your wide experience in this field, what do you think are the challenges that are faced by the industries and what should they check before buying any SEMS equipment?
SAMIR
So needless to say, the stack gases are very aggressive. They are hot, they are dusty, they are corrosive as well. Ambient conditions are harsh. We have analysis which are installed at much higher elevations. So the skilled manpower or a technician to provide maintenance and all that regular day to day routine activity of the analysis is always challenging. So many times the end users, means the user of these products are purely dependent on the vendors who supply this type of equipments. And I had seen that even after giving the annual maintenance contract, the system does not work to the satisfaction. So my suggestion would be don't just choose SEMS based on the cost basis. So go for a reliable one, look for a system which is more robust, more reliable, can provide higher up time and demands negligible maintenance. Forbes Marshall today, how analysis which comply to all these requirements, apart from that, again, we have the two way communication devices now, where remotely we can get access to the annual debt by using the digital services. So we can check the healthiness of the equipment and can predict the failures and predict as well as the prevent maintenance activities as well. So this is like I would suggest that any user before buying any equipment should think of all these things and apart from that, go with the established vendors. The established vendors, I mean to say the vendor who has a complete setup to provide you after sale service support, the spare supports and at least for the period of 8 to 10 years from the date of installation of this.
RUCHIRA
Okay, so continuing with this, how do you see the future of emission monitoring and any challenges in your view?
SAMIR
So Ruchira, as you know, the reliable monitoring, verification and reporting is going to be a backbone of the carbon trading scheme. Yes. Like in India, the carbon trading market is going to launch very soon in the year 2026, where the polluters pay instead of penalties. So the polluting industries has to pay to the non-polluting industry. That is the way it is going to work. And very soon we will have this emission trading scheme for sulphur dioxide and particulate matters as well. So coming to the challenge to the industries. So there are industries, they might see this as a challenge because if they do not have the abatement technologies in place or they could not install it, it could be because of the place constraint or it could be the financial investment point of view. But the industries who already are equipped with such effective abatement technologies are going to see the large benefit out of it.
RUCHIRA
Okay, thank you Samir. Coming to the end of this discussion, any final message to our audience Pratap?
PRATAP
Yeah, sure. I mean the content estimation monitoring system, industry should not feel as a burden. They should choose as Samir said, they should appropriate CEMS to have the right measurement by doing so. It will be helpful for the people as well as society because efficiency is monitoring on the air quality matrix. So every person has to get good quality air. That is the reason industry has to go for the right choice of the CEMS.
PRATAP
Definitely.
RUCHIRA
Samir, you are concluding the remarks?
SAMIR
So emission monitoring isn't just compliance anymore. It's about public health, plant efficiency, business resilience and sustainability. With carbon market coming in and norms tightening, real time SAMS is both your compliance shield as well as your efficiency tool. So choose reliable system, use live data daily and control at source. Measure right, control better and pollute less. I would say that.
RUCHIRA
It's a sad reality that 90% of us are breathing the air that is really unsafe and industrial growth plays a massive role in tourists. But there are tools which are proven and to fix this problem. From driving efficiency to preparing for the future of carbon trading, monitoring is going to play a key role. Thank you, Samir and Pratap for these insights. If you found today's episode helpful, please do like, share and subscribe to our channel Forbes Marshall and the podcast FM Energise. Operate safe and breathe safe. Thank you.