A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials
The Chinese cement industry produced 2150 million metric tons of cement in 2014, accounting for 58.1% of the world’s total. This industry has a hugely destructive effect on the environment owing to its pollution. The environmental impact of cement manufacturing is a major concern for China. Although...
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/10/7/128 |
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| author | Junxue Zhang Ravi S. Srinivasan Changhai Peng |
| author_facet | Junxue Zhang Ravi S. Srinivasan Changhai Peng |
| author_sort | Junxue Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Chinese cement industry produced 2150 million metric tons of cement in 2014, accounting for 58.1% of the world’s total. This industry has a hugely destructive effect on the environment owing to its pollution. The environmental impact of cement manufacturing is a major concern for China. Although researchers have attempted to estimate impacts using life cycle assessment approaches, it lacks the ability to provide a holistic evaluation of the impacts on the environment. Emergy analysis, through ecological accounting, offers environmental decision making using elaborate book keeping. In spite of the high environmental impact of the cement industry, there has only been a handful of research work done to compute the unit emergy values (UEVs) of cement manufacturing in China. A thorough study of existing UEVs of cement manufacturing in China showed pitfalls that may lead to inaccurate estimations if used in emergy analysis. There is a strong need for a new, updated UEV for cement manufacturing in China, particularly reflecting both the dry and wet raw materials in the manufacturing process. This paper develops a methodology to calculate the nonrenewable resources used in cement manufacturing, particularly using mainstream cement production line. Our systematic approach-based UEV estimates of cement manufacturing in China using the quota method are 2.56 × 10<sup>12</sup> sej/kg (wet material) and 2.46 × 10<sup>12</sup> sej/kg (dry material). Emergy indicators such as environmental loading ratios which were calculated at 2390 (wet material) and 2300 (dry material); emergy yield ratios at 15.7 and 15.8; and emergy sustainability indices at 0.0066 and 0.0069 for dry and wet materials used in cement manufacturing, respectively; these show the immense impact on the environment in China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:31:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-138dabb838d84f93abe88d814f67bb94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:31:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
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| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-138dabb838d84f93abe88d814f67bb942023-11-20T06:34:56ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092020-07-0110712810.3390/buildings10070128A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw MaterialsJunxue Zhang0Ravi S. Srinivasan1Changhai Peng2School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, ChinaUrban Building Energy, Sensing, Controls, Big Data Analysis and Visualization (UrbSys) Laboratory, M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction, College of Design, Construction and Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USASchool of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, ChinaThe Chinese cement industry produced 2150 million metric tons of cement in 2014, accounting for 58.1% of the world’s total. This industry has a hugely destructive effect on the environment owing to its pollution. The environmental impact of cement manufacturing is a major concern for China. Although researchers have attempted to estimate impacts using life cycle assessment approaches, it lacks the ability to provide a holistic evaluation of the impacts on the environment. Emergy analysis, through ecological accounting, offers environmental decision making using elaborate book keeping. In spite of the high environmental impact of the cement industry, there has only been a handful of research work done to compute the unit emergy values (UEVs) of cement manufacturing in China. A thorough study of existing UEVs of cement manufacturing in China showed pitfalls that may lead to inaccurate estimations if used in emergy analysis. There is a strong need for a new, updated UEV for cement manufacturing in China, particularly reflecting both the dry and wet raw materials in the manufacturing process. This paper develops a methodology to calculate the nonrenewable resources used in cement manufacturing, particularly using mainstream cement production line. Our systematic approach-based UEV estimates of cement manufacturing in China using the quota method are 2.56 × 10<sup>12</sup> sej/kg (wet material) and 2.46 × 10<sup>12</sup> sej/kg (dry material). Emergy indicators such as environmental loading ratios which were calculated at 2390 (wet material) and 2300 (dry material); emergy yield ratios at 15.7 and 15.8; and emergy sustainability indices at 0.0066 and 0.0069 for dry and wet materials used in cement manufacturing, respectively; these show the immense impact on the environment in China.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/10/7/128emergy analysisunit emergy valuesquota methodcement manufacturingChina |
| spellingShingle | Junxue Zhang Ravi S. Srinivasan Changhai Peng A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials Buildings emergy analysis unit emergy values quota method cement manufacturing China |
| title | A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials |
| title_full | A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials |
| title_fullStr | A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials |
| title_short | A Systematic Approach to Calculate Unit Emergy Values of Cement Manufacturing in China Using Consumption Quota of Dry and Wet Raw Materials |
| title_sort | systematic approach to calculate unit emergy values of cement manufacturing in china using consumption quota of dry and wet raw materials |
| topic | emergy analysis unit emergy values quota method cement manufacturing China |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/10/7/128 |
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