A development project to replace depleting municipal water with treated wastewater in Tehran Oil Refining Company has made 53% progress, the head of the refining company said.
“The huge refinery in southern Tehran is committed to reducing consumption of piped water for green spaces and industrial purposes, and it is doing its best to harness unconventional sources,” Hamed Armanfar was also quoted as saying by the Oil Ministry’s news portal.
The refinery has increased the capacity of its wastewater treatment unit to 11,000 cubic meters per day to use reclaimed sewage instead of municipal water, he added, noting that the expansion project will double output.
Located in southern Tehran, the refining facility has been hailed by the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company as the top refiner to have taken most measures to help preserve the environment.
The ranking came after surveys by NIORDC were based on criteria such as green space, wastewater, air pollutants and energy management.
“According to environmental laws, industries and production units should allocate 10% of their total area to green space. In addition to complying with regulations, Tehran Oil Refinery Company has 293 hectares of green space, most of which is irrigated with reclaimed sewage transferred to the company via a 3.5-km pipeline from Tehran Water and Wastewater Company,” Armanfar said.
To reduce air pollutants, the refinery uses natural gas as feedstock in furnaces and boilers. In the past, it used liquid fuels like mazut, which is a major source of pollution. It has also installed oxygen analyzers on furnaces and boilers to control the combustion process and reduce gas consumption.
Nitrogen Production Unit
Tehran Oil Refining Company has also launched a nitrogen production unit to improve health and environmental standards.
With a production capacity of 1,200 cubic meters of nitrogen per hour, the unit will help replace natural gas with nitrogen in storage tanks to prevent possible hazards from flammable liquids.
A carbon dioxide recycling facility near the refinery has reduced its CO2 emissions. The refinery annually converts 40,000 tons of CO2 emissions into industrial and food-grade CO2, meeting 15% of the domestic demand for the product.
Prior to the construction of the recycling unit, carbon dioxide — the most dangerous and prevalent greenhouse gas — was released into the atmosphere, which worsened Tehran’s air pollution.
CO2 is a natural and essential component of life, accounting for 0.03% of the atmosphere. Plants require CO2 to grow (photosynthesis) and in the process, release oxygen into the atmosphere. CO2 is produced naturally by the decay of all organic materials.
It is also a byproduct of many industrial processes, emitted whenever fossil fuels are burned. But in environmental terms, CO2 is a cause for concern.
Nevertheless, in industrial gas trade, CO2 is an important element with several useful applications, including environmentally-friendly processes in which the gas replaces much more damaging products.
In the food industry, CO2 is used throughout the cold chain to ensure quality, freshness and food safety.
