Project Title: Clean Air, Even from Incomplete Combustion

SCERP Project Number: A98-2

Principal Investigator: Dr. Antonio S. Lara

Task Manager's affiliation: New Mexico State University

Goal: Low-technology combustion brick kilns produce pollutants that are airborne once they leave these kilns. Many of these pollutants are environmental hazards and jeopardize the health of the people in the El Paso del Norte air-shed region. The research team has a novel kiln design that captures and binds the pollutants before they leave the kiln. The preliminary kiln design (designated M-K in the proposal) has been tested and the results indicate that pollutants are being trapped.

The M-K design is in its inception and improvements need to be made so that the design can be implemented at acceptable performance levels. The fate of the pollutants needs to be investigated. In order to assess the effectiveness of the M-K designs, the gases from the existing conventional kilns need to be compared to those of the newly designed M-K kilns. The M-K design will reduce the levels of air pollutants substantially and provide health and financial incentives for the brick-makers to use the new design.

Key points of this project are:

1. These low-tech kilns serve as on-site real life laboratories.

2. The research group was established a three-year relationship with brick-makers and have earned their respect and trust.

3. The M-K design is economical and uses local and safe materials (appropriate technology), and conserves energy.

4. There is a working collaboration with Universidad Autónoma de Cd. Juárez (UACJ). They will be involved in the M-K re-design and implementation. They will have ownership of this novel technology.

The proposed project involves students from New Mexico State University (NMSU), as well as UACJ, who will be monitoring and taking air, water, and soil samples for analysis at both Universities and other laboratories. The re-design and optimization effort will be done in Cd. Juárez with the prototypes built at the brick-maker sites. Positive social and environmental impacts will be realized immediately because of the collaboration of the brick-maker at the concept design stage and the prototype stage that produces tangible benefits for them as the M-K kiln is left on-site.

Project is ongoing.

Last updated 5/6/99