Workplace Ultrafine Dust Can Now Be Measured Remotely Using Sunlight

The Institute of Environmental Science Establishes Solar Tracking Infrared Measurement Method

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Jusangdon] It has become possible to measure ultrafine dust directly emitted into the atmosphere from storage facilities and valves at business sites, not just factory chimneys, using sunlight.

On the 6th, the National Institute of Environmental Research under the Ministry of Environment announced that it recently established a solar-tracking infrared (SOF) measurement method that can measure in real time and remotely the ultrafine dust causative substances scattered and emitted not only from chimneys but also from production processes using sunlight.

Scattered emission refers to the phenomenon where air pollutants are directly emitted into the atmosphere from storage facilities and valves at business sites without passing through designated emission outlets such as chimneys. Because of this, it has been difficult to accurately estimate emission amounts, and there have been limitations in identifying pollution sources and applying emission standards.

The newly established solar-tracking infrared measurement method creates a large virtual column between the sun and the measuring equipment, surrounding the entire business site like a high fortress wall to detect scattered leakage points and quantitatively calculate emission amounts. This measurement method is a proven technology used in managing large petrochemical complexes in the United States and Sweden, and in Europe, it is used as the Best Available Technique (BAT) for measuring emissions of ultrafine dust causative substances.

The Ministry of Environment introduced this solar-tracking infrared equipment with an additional supplementary budget in December 2019. Since then, the National Institute of Environmental Research established the measurement method for this equipment after trial operation last year.

By applying this measurement method, it is expected that scattered emission pollutants can be quantitatively calculated and reduced from an atmospheric environment perspective, and companies can reduce production costs by preventing leaks of raw materials or products, the National Institute of Environmental Research said. In addition, it is possible to remotely monitor pollutants emitted from chimneys higher than 100 meters without directly entering the business site, thereby preventing illegal emissions.

The National Institute of Environmental Research plans to measure the concentration of volatile organic compounds, which are precursors of ultrafine dust and ozone, through mobile-based remote spectroscopic measurements, investigate emission amounts, and develop measurement-based emission factors in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.