nature. According to the analysis carried out in 2002, the amounts of perlite used
during the processing of corn, sunflower, olive, and soybean were reported to as
21,840 tons/year, 26,732 tons/year, 1,105 tons/year, and 1,842 tons/year, respectively. According to the analysis conducted in 2002, the fat content of perlite was
found as 25%. These results indicated that the amount of oil in the perlite was at
recoverable levels; hence, perlite has been also sold to the second-quality
oil-producing companies [80].
Sludge is produced in the WWTP of the factory during chemical and biological
wastewater treatment; hence, it has biological and chemical properties. Chemical
treatment sludge contains lime, iron(III) chloride and polyelectrolyte and lowmolecular-weight oils, esters, alcohols, and other semi-volatile organic compounds
found in oil, which are organic materials produced as a result of chemical adsorption
of long-chain fats. Sludges from biological treatment contain microbial biomass
known as activated sludge and organic matter. According to data obtained in 2002,
sludge produced from chemical and biological wastewater treatment was about
140 tons/year and 60 tons/year, respectively, which were sold to the Gubretas
Company [80].
Other plastic bottles and can scraps, paper, and cardboard along with other solid
wastes are produced at different amounts in a year and they are stored temporarily/
separately in the factory area. Then, they are sold to the recycling companies.
4.2 Factory and Gas Pollutant Emission Sources
The sources of emissions in the factory can be listed as boilers used for the
production of steam, cooling towers used to cool the equipment, and machines
used for the production of PVC. There are three steam boilers in operation. Two
of them are located in the boiler room; these boilers are in operation and produce all
the steam needed. One of the boilers works continuously while the other is a backup.
The other boiler is used in the refining section for the production of heat and highpressure steam needed for the removal of odor. In two of these four boilers, fuel oil
grade 4 is used as fuel while in the boiler diesel fuel is used. Dry flue-gas flow
measured at the chimney of the main and auxiliary boiler was 6,000 Nm
3 /h, and that
of the steam boiler was 300 Nm
3 /h [80].
On the other hand, there were cooling tower emissions due to absorption of
volatile organic compounds produced as a result of the oil deodorization process to
the water used for the cooling of the equipment during refining. The flows of tower
fan and dry flue gas were 66,350 m
3 /h and 61,400 Nm
3 /h, respectively [80].
The other emission sources of the factory are the chimneys of two machines used
in the production of PVC bottles, which emit chemicals resulting from the decomposition of the additives in PVC due to the effect of heat and pressure. Emissions
from factory chimneys include gaseous pollutants such as CO, CO 2 , SO 2 , NO 2 , dust,
oil and unsaturated fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated aldehydes, ketones (such as
acetone), phenols, total nitrogen (as NH 3 ), total sulfur (as H 2 S), and HCl [80].
8 Vegetable Oil Refining Wastes
359
during the processing of corn, sunflower, olive, and soybean were reported to as
21,840 tons/year, 26,732 tons/year, 1,105 tons/year, and 1,842 tons/year, respectively. According to the analysis conducted in 2002, the fat content of perlite was
found as 25%. These results indicated that the amount of oil in the perlite was at
recoverable levels; hence, perlite has been also sold to the second-quality
oil-producing companies [80].
Sludge is produced in the WWTP of the factory during chemical and biological
wastewater treatment; hence, it has biological and chemical properties. Chemical
treatment sludge contains lime, iron(III) chloride and polyelectrolyte and lowmolecular-weight oils, esters, alcohols, and other semi-volatile organic compounds
found in oil, which are organic materials produced as a result of chemical adsorption
of long-chain fats. Sludges from biological treatment contain microbial biomass
known as activated sludge and organic matter. According to data obtained in 2002,
sludge produced from chemical and biological wastewater treatment was about
140 tons/year and 60 tons/year, respectively, which were sold to the Gubretas
Company [80].
Other plastic bottles and can scraps, paper, and cardboard along with other solid
wastes are produced at different amounts in a year and they are stored temporarily/
separately in the factory area. Then, they are sold to the recycling companies.
4.2 Factory and Gas Pollutant Emission Sources
The sources of emissions in the factory can be listed as boilers used for the
production of steam, cooling towers used to cool the equipment, and machines
used for the production of PVC. There are three steam boilers in operation. Two
of them are located in the boiler room; these boilers are in operation and produce all
the steam needed. One of the boilers works continuously while the other is a backup.
The other boiler is used in the refining section for the production of heat and highpressure steam needed for the removal of odor. In two of these four boilers, fuel oil
grade 4 is used as fuel while in the boiler diesel fuel is used. Dry flue-gas flow
measured at the chimney of the main and auxiliary boiler was 6,000 Nm
3 /h, and that
of the steam boiler was 300 Nm
3 /h [80].
On the other hand, there were cooling tower emissions due to absorption of
volatile organic compounds produced as a result of the oil deodorization process to
the water used for the cooling of the equipment during refining. The flows of tower
fan and dry flue gas were 66,350 m
3 /h and 61,400 Nm
3 /h, respectively [80].
The other emission sources of the factory are the chimneys of two machines used
in the production of PVC bottles, which emit chemicals resulting from the decomposition of the additives in PVC due to the effect of heat and pressure. Emissions
from factory chimneys include gaseous pollutants such as CO, CO 2 , SO 2 , NO 2 , dust,
oil and unsaturated fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated aldehydes, ketones (such as
acetone), phenols, total nitrogen (as NH 3 ), total sulfur (as H 2 S), and HCl [80].
8 Vegetable Oil Refining Wastes
359