FEATURE The Emilia Romagna region of Italy, roughly 30 000 km2 in area, extends across the northern end of the Italian peninsula; the region’s central city is Modena, about 40 km east of the capital city of Bologna. Piacenza and Ravenna mark its western and eastern boundaries, respectively. The entire region suffers from adverse climatic conditions. The lowlands are subject to thermal inversion, especially in winter, which generates severe smogs that often persist for several days at a time and thereby inhibit the adequate dispersion of pollutants. Industrial pollutants have also caused severe surface-water pollution. The balance of nature has been disturbed by man’s activity and has to be rectified by him. The region is predominately agricultural, but there has been steady industrial growth, particularly along the Piacenza-Bologna-Ravenna route and, currently, some 40% of the working population is engaged in the varied local industries. The region (Figure 1) now contains nine towns with populations in excess of 100 000. It is estimated that industry-particularly food industries and grape distilleries-is responsible for 80% of all water pollution. The remaining 20% is caused by domestic and agricultural sources. Tackling the pollution Industrial growth has brought a new-found affluence to the region, an affluence reflected in the ever-increasing traffic density that throngs the characteristic narrow streets of Bologna. Architecturally attractive, these streets are nevertheless veritable gas-chambers-the gas being deadly carbon monoxide. Northwest of Bologna, on the border between Reggio Emilia and Modena, lies the heart of the famous Italian ceramics industry. Waste products from this industry are mainly dust and fluoride. Directly east of Bologna, on the Adriatic, is the industrial city of Ravenna with its oil refinery and power-generating plants and attendant sulfur dioxide emissions. The region’s waters, too, are polluted. The Reno River, second in size only to the Po, is heavily polluted, both from industrial and domestic effluents. The Emilia Romagna Report requested by the Regional Department of Hygiene and Environmental Protection detailed the type and quantity of air and water pollution over the whole area. The report clearly showed that some provinces in the area were more affected than others, and that the nature of the pollutants varied from district to district within a given province. Armed with this report, the regional authorities decided to tackle the region’s pollution problem on a grand scale. Discussions among the Regional Authorities, the Italian Public Health and Meteorological Departments and Philips’ Milan representatives resulted in the formulation cf measures to combat pollution and to control further industrial expansion on environmental grounds. Additionally, and in conjunction with the public health and meteorological authorities, Philips conducted in-depth studies determining the most effective antipollution measures. These studies were both practical-laboratory analyses, monitoring at selected points in the region, and weather reports-and theoretical-industrial output levels, urban population levels, growth factors, and raw-material consumption levels. From the results of these studies it was decided to first concentrate on the most heavily polluted areas (Bologna and Ravenna) and to monitor only these pollutants that constituted the greatest threat to the local environment. At first, sulfur dioxide was measured as a tracer and, later on, carbon monoxide, dust and fluoride (using the latter as the tracer for all other pollutants), and, eventually, the Reno River was monitored on a trial basis. 1092
Environmental Science & Technology
Networks: monitoring air and water in Italy
Rapid industrialization brought affluence and pollution to the northern Italian peninsula; pollution monitoring helps clean up the environment, enhances plant efficiency and lowers operating costs Luigi Gatti Philips Monza Milan, Italy
Jon Lee-Frampton Philips Eindhoven Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Following the initial measurement and control of the most critical areas of the total Emilia Romagna region, the monitoring network will be expanded to include sub-critical areas and, later, the monitoring of normal ground levels. An eventual comprehensive grid-pattern network will enable a more detailed study of pollution diffusion, not only over the whole region but, also, over adjoining boundaries as well. Air pollution monitoring networks The Regional Authorities set aside a sum of approximately 57.5 million. This sum was raised (in early 1973) partly by the region as a whole, partly by each province in the region and partly by industry itself; the latter paying according to the amount of pollution each manufacturer produced. Since, under Italian law, industry must pay for the amount of pollution it creates, two partly government-sponsored organizations (ANIC, a petrochemical company; and ENEL, the Italian authority for power generation) in the region decided to install and operate two air pollution monitoring networks that they would operate on a private basis. The ANlC system consists of a small, computerized network of SO2 monitors linked by radio and telephone lines to a central control zone, where meteorological data are also collected. The ENEL system consists of four SO2 monitors, each incorporating local registration of data, with data handling and transmission (by telephone lines) via the ANlC . computer system. At about the time that both systems became fully operational (about January 1975), a Regional law (Law 19, dated March 1975) was passed making it obligatory for all privately operated systems to be connected to a central (provincial) computer system which, in turn, would be connected to the central Regional computer. Both air and water monitoring was to be applied to the whole region. From this relatively humble beginning there developed what, by 1978, will be a total Philips system consisting of a central computer controlling eight minicomputers, 150 air monitors, 30 water monitoring stations and 30 meteorological stations. The air and water monitoring networks of all eight provinces in the region will be connected to a centralized control in Bologna. The network will be the first reaional aDDroach to Dollution mea.. surement in Italy. Initially, two monitorinq systems were developed: an SO2 plus meteorological system for-Bologna and Ravenna; and later, a sulfur dioxide monitoring system for Ravenna also. Cooperation between ANiC and ENELledto data from the latter network being fed into the computer used to control the ANlC network. Sulfur FIGURE 1
Emilia Romagna region and the Venice area
dioxide was considered the major pollutant in the area; not only is this a fundamental product of combustion from both plants, but it is also a very good indicator of the levels of other pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere. The ANlC computer may later be linked, via the Ravenna computer, to the provincial monitoring system computer in Bologna. In the spring of 1976, two eight-station monitoring networks for the ceramics industry in Modena became operational. The main pollutants in this area are dust and fluoride. The latter pollutant is being monitored with the new Philips' fluoride monitor; a number of dust monitors have also been installed. System flexibility A prime requirement for any pollution monitoring system covering such an extensive area is flexibility: flexibility of operation and installation, and flexibility in terms of capital outlay. Such a system must be capable of gradualexpansion so as to not impose too great a financial burden all at once. The Philips data transmission system is designed for future expansion. It is flexible enough to allow additional monitors to be installed into the provincial network as required. This flexibility also enables the data provided by the provincial computer to effectively control the emissions from the area until the complete regional network is in full operation. An example of this is provided by the computer that has been installed for the province of Bologna. Currently this computer serves as a data reductor for the provincial network, and also as the central processor for the two additional provincial networks now in operation. Later, when other provincial networks go on-line, a second minicomputer will take over the role of data reductor, while the original computer will act solely as the main processor for the whole region (Figure 3). Meteorological data transmitted to the provincial control centers will be used to translate pollutantconcentrationdata into a form that enables recognition of actual pollution levels. In the Emilia Romagna network the real-time data concerned with climatic conditions will also be available to tourists and agricultural industries, as well as for compiling territorial statistics. Three Philips Automatic Water-Monitoring Stations (AWMS) -two in Bologna province and one in Ravenna province-are currently monitoring the pollution in the Reno River. Data from these stations are fed to the regional central control via their respective provincial computers. Capable of unattended operation for up to three months, these AWMS's continuously and automatically monitor water-quality Porto MargheialVeniCe Area
*Venice
Petrochemical company Italian authority for power generatio
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processor anot I" aCfYa1 mOnltoling reg,on
parameters such as pH, pCI, redox, conductivity, turbidity and temperature. In the event of an ‘alarm’ situation developing, samples of water can be automaticallytaken and stored in sealed containers for subsequent laboratory analysis. The entire region is monitored by mobile air monitors that transmit data, via radio links, to the central provincial processor. By the end of this year, it is expected that a total of 36 transportable air monitoringstations will be installed: eight at Modena, six at Ravenna, eight at Bologna, and 14 at Ferrara. ENEL power plant The Ente Nazional per I’Energia Ellettrica (ENEL) power plant, four steam-powered units having a combined capacity of 1885 MW, is located on a 272-acre site adjacent to La Spezia, a harbor almost due south of Piacenza (Emilia Romagna region). Using coal and oil, the plant produces a gross annual output of some 8000 million kW energy, 90% being derived from oil. The La Spezia power plant is one of the largest utilities in Italy. Two years ago, despite the use of modern equipment and concerted attempts at alternative solutions, the pollution from the plant made it necessary to shut down one of the four power units. The utility also had to convert from the normally used ATZ fuel oil (sulfur content 2-3%) to BTZ fuel oil (sulfur content about 0.8%).
FIGURE 2
Present and projected monitoring system for Emilia Romagna Anticipated date of connection to Bologna central control Ferrara
SO, + meteo., ........+... SO,, SO, + hydrocarbons,
Mid4976 .*.e
Leased telephone-!ine
H,O.
.......
..........t
To be connected
Already connected
i Spring 1976 Reggio Emilia :...........+... SO, dust, HF, rneteo.
i Spring1976
.........4.... Dust,
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i : End-1976
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f Bologna
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Accordingly ENEL, the local provincial authorities, and Philips successfully combined their respective experiences and skills in developing a comprehensiveair-pollution monitoring network, which would have a twofold purpose. First, to provide a clear picture of actual atmospheric pollution levels over the whole surrounding area under varying climatic conditions; second, to provide data from which the power-plant operators could make the best use of the available fuels without causing excessive pollution. The success of the network owes much to the mathematical model that was used to evaluate the overall situation prior to design and installation. This model was difficult to develop primarily because of the widely varying climatic conditions in the area. The geographic characteristics-the closely related coastline, mountains and valleys-often cause the same plume of smoke from a stack to separate so that half of it goes in one direction while the other half drifts in an opposite direction. Various experiments, using meteorological balloons and lengthy laboratory analyses, had to be completed. Philips even made a study of the sulfur content in local vegetation before the model was finally completed in an off-line computer. The air-monitoring system consists of eight SO2 monitors and three meteorological stations, all of which are connected via radio links or telephone lines to a central control room housing the Philips PC 2200 computer and its associated peripheral equipment. This same control room is used as the central operations center for the complete ENEL power plant. The monitoring network continuously measures and processes SO2 levels together with meterological data. It does differ in certain respects from other Philips’ installations since the actual data obtained are used to directly influence power plant operation. In fact, this combination of pollution monitoring and power production parameters virtually forms a closed-loop control network. The instantaneous pollution data are used to optimize plant efficiency coupled with minimum pollution emission. The data fed to the computer consist of: eight SO2 -monitor readings eleven groups of meteorological data, including wind direction and wind velocity measurements, and Pasquill categories fourteen groups of data relating to power plant operating characteristics. Examples of data measured include: power production, oil consumption, stack-emission temperature, and percent sulfur content of fuel oil (measured by teletypewriter printout). From these measured plant-operating characteristics, the actual amount of sulfur being emitted can be calculated. The monitoring network quickly established that the normal emission from the power plant had far less effect on pollution levels in the neighboring urban area than had at first been suspected, even when the wind was easterly with the urban area downwind of the power plant. To preserve this fortunate situation, a three-stage warning system (provisional alarm, operational alarm, and real alarm) was installed for each area (industrialand urban). Warning systems The provisionalalarm is given when wind direction is southerly and the Pasquill category indicates that the meteorological conditions are unfavorable for plant emission dispersion. If, in addition to the provisional alarm conditions, the SO2 concentration (as determined from the mean values from two of the three SOn monitors located in the industrial area) exceeds 0.1 ppm for a duration of 30 min, an operational alarm is given. If,
seven hours Jater, regardless of the prevailing Pasquill category, there is no change in wind direction or SO2 concentration, a real alarm is given. The provisional and operational warning systems for the urban area are identical in design and operation to those for the industrial area. The exception is the wind direction which, to create a pollution hazard for the urban area, must be easterly. The urban area real alarm is also similar to that for the industrialarea except that this alarm is only given when, in addition to the conditions applicable to the industrial area, the wind is still easterly, has a velocity less than 4 m/s and the power station itself is not contributing to the urban area pollution level. In effect, the urban-area real alarm instructs the local authorities to lessen the emission levels emanating from urban sources under their legislative control. The computer, on request from the teletypewriter, prints out full details of SO2 levels for the 30 min immediately following a provisional alarm. The printout is studied for evidence of upward or downward trends. Subsequent to an operational alarm the stack emission temperature is increased to accelerate stack exit velocity. In addition, the necessary fuel switching circuits are placed in a state of readiness to effect a rapid change from ATZ fuel oil to BTZ fuel oil, and thereby lessen the proportion of sulfur emitted from the power plant. In a third post-alarm category, the switch from one fuel oil to
the other (AT2 to BTZ) is effected, and this immediately reduces the emitted sulfur content by two-thirds. A close study is made to see if this reduction is producingthe desired effect. The study is maintained for an hour. If the monitored emission is still excessive, power plant production is gradually reduced, stage by stage, until the desired emission concentration is attained. If necessary, the entire power plant is shut down until SO2 concentration is restored to acceptable limits. Monitoring the Venice area In May 197 1, two leading Italian antipollution organizationsthe National Health Institute (ISS), and the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (ENlHecided to install a computerized air pollution monitoring network covering the Venice area. Pollutant concentration and meteorological data from the network was expected to form the basis of a number of objectives. First, it would establish the degree, nature and origin of air pollution; second, the nature of any trends would provide useful information concerning industrial or residential expansion: third, it would make it possible to deduce the counter-effectiveness of the network; and, finally, the network could be used as an advance warning system in forecasting the build-up of pollution levels as a result of unfavorable meteorological conditions. This government-inspired program to monitor and control
FtGURE 3.
Bologna central-control room with schematic so* NO
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Volume 10, Number 12, November 1976
1095
computer, two teletypewriters, a tape reader and tape punch, a magnetic-tapeunit, and a special synoptic panel. The synoptic panel displays a topographical map of the relevant area, and, via indicator lamps, indicates the position and instantaneous operational status of all monitors.
atmospheric pollution in the Venice area is now well under way. A full system of automatic pollution monitors and meteorological instrumentation continuously provides data that are transmitted to a computerized measuring center. Here the data are processed to give a real-time, comprehensive picture of the pollution covering the area. These data are used to advise local industry, for example, on permissible pollution emissions. So successful was the initial system that its expansion was almost immediate. A comprehensive network now covers not only Venice itself, but also the adjacent industrial zone of Porto Marghera (Figure 1). Although the initial Venice network was a combined Tecneco (an Italian government-sponsoredtechnical research organization) and Philips system, the Porto Marghera extension is completely Philips. Porto Marghera system One of Italy's important industrial areas, Porto Marghera has mushroomed on the edge of the Venice lagoon. Industrial growth in the area was so rapid that no one gave a thought to its impact on the environment. By the time someone had, Porto Marghera was already a major polluter. This did not, however, deter the autonomous Porto Marghera Industrial Area Board. In their efforts to create a combined air/ water monitoring and pollution control system, this authority conducted thorough surveys in many countries. They chose the Philips system modeled after the one installed in Rotterdam. After a detailed study of local meteorological conditions and emission patterns, Philips produced the control network which today, in terms of size, sensitivity and degree of data obtained and measured, is unique in Italy. The system is fully automated, operates continuously and, via a computer center, gives a second-by-secondpicture of pollution conditions. The Porto Marghera air pollution monitoring system consists of 21 SOn monitors at strategic points in both industrial and urban areas. In addition, four meteorological stations have also been installed. Measurement data from the meteorological stations are correlated with pollution concentration values. A control center for measuring and extrapolating other meteorological parameters-in particular, for measuring temperature at various heights up to 140 rn-has also been installed. This control network performs a series of measurements,the results of which are transmittedvia leased public telephone lines to the central computer. This computer controls the overall network operation, and indicates any emergency or alarm condition in the environment or in the equipment. Because of the data storage capacity of the system, pollution trends and case histories can be developed, and an early warning can be given in the event of impending emergency pollution-emission levels. The data processing center consists of a Philips P855 mini1096
Environmental Science & Technology
Data collection and handling The SO2 data are complemented by meteorological data collected from four stations that measure wind direction and speed, temperature, humidity and rainfall, and, via a special tower, the vertical temperature gradients at lo-, 70-, and 140-m heights above ground level. All meteorological data are measured in real-time and can be easily correlated with corresponding pollution level values. The control center acquires, processes and prints data, and provides for operator-computer dialogue via one of the teletypewriters. Additionally, it repetitively initiates calibration procedures for all the monitors, and gives warning in the event of an alarm condition. The central processor provides arithmetical mean values of pollution levels at half-hourly, daily and monthly intervals, and forecasts (by analysis of all averaged data) the likely levels of SO2 concentration, together with a reference to all significant pollution values. Each measuring station generates an analog current within the range 0-20 mA for each air pollutant level measured. Status signals are also required for control purposes. To avoid the need for separate transmission links for each parameter, which would obviously be uneconomic where several pollutants were being measured, Philips provided a modular, multiplex, signal transmission system. This system permits many signals to be transmitted simultaneously over one telephone line or radio channel without loss of accuracy or identity. Future prospects The Venice and the Porto Marghera systems are fully compatible with each other, and each can be extended as circumstances dictate. The Porto Marghera system can be easily integrated into the general Venice area system, or into others planned for, or now in operation in Italy. The combined Venice/Porto Marghera air pollution monitoring networks, together with their planned extensions, reflect how the environment can be protected via a coordinated measurement and control program. Viewed in the context that this air monitoring network can share its data-processing facilities with other pollution monitoring systems-water quality monitoring, for instance-comprehensive environmental protection is a distinct possibility, and virtually within grasp.
Luigi Gatti currently works for Philips Bologna where he is involved in the technical/commercial aspects of Philips ' pollution monitoring network in Emilia Romagna. Before his move to Bologna, Gatti was with Philips Milan where he helped develop a wide range of products. Jon Lee-Framplon is currently in the Science & Industry Division Press Office of Philips Eindhoven, The Netherlands. He spent two years writing and lecturing on flight simulation before he took up scientific and technical journalism on London's Fleet Street, and before coming to Philips Coordinated by LRE
