Characterizing VOCs emissions of coal chemical enterprise in China: a case study in five coal chemical enterprises

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 30; no. 59; pp. 123983 - 123995
• Main Authors: Zhao, Shujie, Duan, Weichao, Cui, Ning, Zhao, Dongfeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alkenes; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Case studies; Chemical industry; Climate change; Coal; Coal industry; Cooling systems; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Emission analysis; Emissions; Emissions control; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle assessment; Life cycles; Liquid cooling; Methanol; Organic carbon; Organic compounds; Reduction; Research Article; Sewage treatment; Storage tanks; System effectiveness; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater treatment; Water circulation; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; China; Life cycle assessment (LCA); Coal chemical enterprises; Emission characteristics; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs); Reduction strategy
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31039-w

Coal chemical-induced climate change has become a global concern. However, the dearth of comprehensive case studies and fundamental data has obstructed the accurate quantification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions. This has failed to equip coal chemical industries with the necessary guidelines to implement effective emission reduction strategies. In response to this, the present study meticulously examined and contrasted the VOCs emissions from five distinct coal chemical enterprises in China. This was achieved through the application of life cycle assessment (LCA), a tool used to discern the primary factors influencing VOCs emissions and to identify potential avenues for VOCs emissions reduction. The analysis revealed that BT exhibited the highest emission intensity (5.58E−04 tons/ton), followed by ED (4.89E−04 tons/ton), YL (4.23E−04 tons/ton), XJ (2.94E−04 tons/ton), and SM (1.74E−04 tons/ton). Among these enterprises, coal-to-olefins enterprises predominantly discharged VOCs via sewage treatment (average 69.12%), while coal-to-methanol enterprises primarily emitted VOCs during circulating water cooling (40.02%). In coal-to-oil enterprises, storage and blending emerged as the principal source of VOCs emissions (56.83%). As a result, this study advocates that coal chemical enterprises concentrate on curbing VOCs emissions from highly concentrated wastewater, regulating the concentration of purgeable organic carbon in circulating water cooling systems, and instituting effective treatment methods for methanol storage tank emissions. These findings proffer invaluable insights for devising VOCs control measures in regions affected by intensive coal chemical production.