31-03-2025

Prepared by
A. Narayana Reddy
23095A0147
III – II (B – sec)

ASSIGNMENT - II

PREVIOUS GATE QUESTIONS

FROM
AIR POLLUTION

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1. A Baghouse filter has to treat 12 𝑚 /s of waste gas continuously. The baghouse

is to be divided into 5 sections of equal cloth area such that one section can be shut down for
cleaning and/or repairing, while the other 4 sections continue to operate. An air-to-cloth ratio
of 6.0 m³/min/m² cloth will provide sufficient treatment to the gas. The individual bags are of
32 cm in diameter and 5 m in length. The total number of bags (in integer) required
in the baghouse is _________.

2. A gaseous chemical has a concentration of 41.6 𝜇mol/𝑚 in air at 1 atm pressure and
temperature 293 K. The universal gas constant R is 82.05 x 10 (m³/atm)/(mol/K)
Assuming that ideal gas law is valid, the concentration of the gaseous chemical (in ppm,
round off to one decimal places), is __________.

3. A sample of air analyzed at 0℃ and 1 atm pressure is reported to contain 0.02 ppm (parts per
million) of 𝑁𝑂 . Assume the gram molecular mass of 𝑁𝑂 as 46 and its volume at 0℃ and
1 atm pressure as 22.4 liters per mole. The equivalent 𝑁𝑂 concentration (in microgram per
cubic meter, round off to 2 decimal places) would be____________.

4. Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) matter concentration in ambient air is to be measured

using a high-volume sampler. The filter used for this purpose had an initial dry weight of 9
787 g The filter was mounted in the sampler and the initial air flow rate through the filter
was set at 1.5 m³/min. Sampling continued for 24 h. The airflow after 24 h was measured to
be 1.4 m³/min The dry weight of the filter paper after 24 h sampling was 10.283 g Assuming
a linear decline in the airflow rate during sampling, what is the 24 h average TSP
concentration in the ambient air?

5. Two Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) are in series. The fractional efficiencies of the
upstream and downstream ESPs for size d are 80% and 65%, respectively. What is the
overall efficiency of the system for the same d ?

6. The mean indoor airbome chloroform (𝐶𝐻𝐶𝐿 ) conc. in a room was determined to be 0.4 𝜇g
/𝑚 .Use the following data,
T = 293 K, P = 1 atm, R = 82.05 * 10 atm – 𝑚 /mol- K.
Atomic weights : C = 12, H = 1, CL = 35.5
This concentration expressed in parts per billion (volume basis, ppbv) is equal to _________.

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ANSWERS
1. A Baghouse filter has to treat 12 𝑚 /s of waste gas continuously. The baghouse is to be divided into 5 sections of
equal cloth area such that one section can be shut down for cleaning and/or repairing, while the other 4 sections
continue to operate. An air-to-cloth ratio of 6.0 m³/min/m² cloth will provide sufficient treatment to the gas. The
individual bags are of 32 cm in diameter and 5 m in length. The total number of bags (in integer) required
in the baghouse is _________.

Ans) Air to cloth ratio =

∴ No. of bags per section = .
≈ 6 bags
Given,
gas flow rate = 12 𝑚 /s = 12*60 𝑚 /min ∴ Total number of required in the bag house =
Air cloth ratio = 6 m³/min/m² [ 4 X Bags in operation section + Bags in operative
filtering section]
Net fabric area required = = 120 𝑚
= [4 x 6 + 6] = 30 bags
Area per bag = (𝜋 × 𝐷 × 𝐻 ) = (𝜋 × 0.32 ×5)

= 5.0265 𝑚

Fabric area per operation section = = 30 𝑚

2. A gaseous chemical has a concentration of 41.6 𝜇mol/𝑚 in air at 1 atm pressure and temperature 293 K. The
universal gas constant R is 82.05 x 10 (m³/atm)/(mol/K) Assuming that ideal gas law is valid, the concentration
of the gaseous chemical (in ppm, round off to one decimal places), is __________.

Ans) Given,

In 1 𝑚 volume,
Number of moles of given gaseous chemical (n)
= 41.6 x 10
From ideal gas law,
PV = nRT

1 x V = 41.6 x 10 x 82.02 x 10 x 293

= 1 x 10 𝑚

∴ Volume of given gaseous Chemical

= (1 x 10 ) in 1 𝑚
= 1 𝑚 in 10 𝑚
= 1 in 1 million
Hence, concentration of the givem gaseous chemical = 1 ppm

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3. A sample of air analyzed at 0℃ and 1 atm pressure is reported to contain 0.02 ppm (parts per million) of 𝑁𝑂 .
Assume the gram molecular mass of 𝑁𝑂 as 46 and its volume at 0℃ and 1 atm pressure as 22.4 liters per mole.
The equivalent 𝑁𝑂 concentration (in microgram per cubic meter, round off to 2 decimal
places) would be____________.

Ans) Given,

.
0.2 ppm of 𝑁𝑂 means =

.
.
=

.
.
=

. ×
= 𝑋
.

= 0.04107 𝜇𝑔/𝑙

Thus, 10 𝑚 of air contains 0.0113 𝑚 S𝑂 = 41.07 𝜇𝑔/𝑚

4. Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) matter concentration in ambient air is to be measured using a high-volume
sampler. The filter used for this purpose had an initial dry weight of 9 787 g The filter was mounted in the sampler
and the initial air flow rate through the filter was set at 1.5 m³/min. Sampling continued for 24 h. The airflow after
24 h was measured to be 1.4 m³/min The dry weight of the filter paper after 24 h sampling was 10.283 g Assuming
a linear decline in the airflow rate during sampling, what is the 24 h average TSP concentration in the ambient air?
Ans) Given,
TSP concentration
Initial air flow, 𝑄 = 1.5 𝑚 /min .
Final air flow, 𝑄 = 1.4 𝑚 /min = 𝑔⁄𝑚
Variation is linear,
.
Average air flow, =
Q=
. .
= = 237.5 𝜇 𝑔⁄𝑚

= 1.45
𝑚 /min

Volume of air passed through sampler in 24 hrs

v = 1.45 x 24 x 60
= 2088 𝑚
TSP trapped in filter
= 10.283 – 9.787

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5. Two Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) are in series. The fractional efficiencies of the upstream and downstream
ESPs for size d are 80% and 65%, respectively. What is the overall efficiency of the system for the same d ?

Ans)
ESP1 ESP2
x 0.2x y

𝜂 = 80 % 𝜂 = 65 %
.
= 0.65
.

1- = 0.65
.

y = 0.07X

.
𝜂 = × 100 = 93 %

6. The mean indoor airbome chloroform (𝐶𝐻𝐶𝐿 ) conc. in a room was determined to be 0.4 𝜇g /𝑚 .Use the following
data,
T = 293 K, P = 1 atm, R = 82.05 * 10 atm – 𝑚 /mol- K.
Atomic weights : C = 12, H = 1, CL = 35.5
This concentration expressed in parts per billion (volume basis, ppbv) is equal to _________.

Ans) In 1 m3 volume air, weight of chloroform = 0.4 𝜇g

V = 8.05 x 10
V = 0.08 x 10 𝑚
= 0.4 x 10 g
No. of moles =
Volume of 𝐶𝐻𝐶𝐿 = 0.08 x 10 (𝑚 ) in 1 𝑚 of air
No. of moles of 𝐶𝐻𝐶𝐿 in 0.4 x 10 g 𝐶𝐻𝐶𝐿
= 0.08𝑚 in 10 𝑚 of air
0.4 x
=( . ) = 0.08𝑚 in 1billion 𝑚 of
air
= 3.35 x 10
From Ideal Gas Law, Hence concentration = 0.08 ppb
PV = nRT
Assuming room temperature to be 20℃
T = 273 + 20 = 293 Kelvin
1(atm) x V(𝑚 ) = 3.35 x 10 (mole) x 82.05 x 10 x 293 kelvin