Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers
<p>China is the largest cement producer and consumer in the world. Cement manufacturing is highly energy-intensive and is one of the major contributors to carbon dioxide (<span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>) and air pollutant emissions, which th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/1627/2021/acp-21-1627-2021.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818615668998668288 |
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| author | J. Liu J. Liu J. Liu D. Tong Y. Zheng J. Cheng X. Qin Q. Shi L. Yan Y. Lei Q. Zhang |
| author_facet | J. Liu J. Liu J. Liu D. Tong Y. Zheng J. Cheng X. Qin Q. Shi L. Yan Y. Lei Q. Zhang |
| author_sort | J. Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>China is the largest cement producer and consumer in the world. Cement
manufacturing is highly energy-intensive and is one of the major contributors
to carbon dioxide (<span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>) and air pollutant emissions, which threatens
climate mitigation and air quality improvement. In this study, we investigated
the decadal changes in carbon dioxide and air pollutant emissions for the
period of 1990–2015 based on intensive unit-based information on activity
rates, production capacity, operation status, and control technologies which
improved the accuracy of the cement emissions in China. We found that, from
1990 to 2015, accompanied by a 10.3-fold increase in cement production,
<span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>, <span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>, and NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> emissions from China's cement
industry increased by 627 %, 56 %, and 659 %, whereas CO,
<span class="inline-formula">PM<sub>2.5</sub></span>, and <span class="inline-formula">PM<sub>10</sub></span> emissions decreased by 9 %, 63 %,
and 59 %, respectively. In the 1990s, driven by the rapid growth of cement
production, <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span> and air pollutant emissions increased
constantly. Then, the technological innovation in production of replacing
traditional shaft kilns with the new precalciner kilns equipped with
high-efficiency control facilities in the 2000s markedly reduced
<span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>, CO, and PM emissions in the cement industry. In 2010,
nationwide, 39 % and 31 % of the nationwide <span class="inline-formula">PM<sub>2.5</sub></span> and
NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> emission were produced by 3 % and 15 % of the total capacity
of the production lines, indicating the disproportionately high emissions from a
small number of the super-polluting units. Since 2010, the growing trend of
emissions has been further curbed by a combination of measures, including
promoting large-scale precalciner production lines and phasing out small ones,
upgrading emission standards, installing low NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> burners (LNB), and
selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) to reduce NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> emissions, as well
as adopting more advanced particulate matter control technologies. Our study
highlights the effectiveness of advanced technologies on air pollutant
emission control; however, <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span> emissions from China's cement
industry kept growing throughout the period, posing challenges to future
carbon emission mitigation in China.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:37:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6f2881d898e4a678346985b8cf56077 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:37:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6f2881d898e4a678346985b8cf560772022-12-21T22:24:25ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242021-02-01211627164710.5194/acp-21-1627-2021Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and driversJ. Liu0J. Liu1J. Liu2D. Tong3Y. Zheng4J. Cheng5X. Qin6Q. Shi7L. Yan8Y. Lei9Q. Zhang10Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modelling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaDepartment of Environmental Engineering, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modelling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modelling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modelling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaState Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaState Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modelling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR ChinaChinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Beijing 100012, PR ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modelling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China<p>China is the largest cement producer and consumer in the world. Cement manufacturing is highly energy-intensive and is one of the major contributors to carbon dioxide (<span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>) and air pollutant emissions, which threatens climate mitigation and air quality improvement. In this study, we investigated the decadal changes in carbon dioxide and air pollutant emissions for the period of 1990–2015 based on intensive unit-based information on activity rates, production capacity, operation status, and control technologies which improved the accuracy of the cement emissions in China. We found that, from 1990 to 2015, accompanied by a 10.3-fold increase in cement production, <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>, <span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>, and NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> emissions from China's cement industry increased by 627 %, 56 %, and 659 %, whereas CO, <span class="inline-formula">PM<sub>2.5</sub></span>, and <span class="inline-formula">PM<sub>10</sub></span> emissions decreased by 9 %, 63 %, and 59 %, respectively. In the 1990s, driven by the rapid growth of cement production, <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span> and air pollutant emissions increased constantly. Then, the technological innovation in production of replacing traditional shaft kilns with the new precalciner kilns equipped with high-efficiency control facilities in the 2000s markedly reduced <span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>, CO, and PM emissions in the cement industry. In 2010, nationwide, 39 % and 31 % of the nationwide <span class="inline-formula">PM<sub>2.5</sub></span> and NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> emission were produced by 3 % and 15 % of the total capacity of the production lines, indicating the disproportionately high emissions from a small number of the super-polluting units. Since 2010, the growing trend of emissions has been further curbed by a combination of measures, including promoting large-scale precalciner production lines and phasing out small ones, upgrading emission standards, installing low NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> burners (LNB), and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) to reduce NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> emissions, as well as adopting more advanced particulate matter control technologies. Our study highlights the effectiveness of advanced technologies on air pollutant emission control; however, <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span> emissions from China's cement industry kept growing throughout the period, posing challenges to future carbon emission mitigation in China.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/1627/2021/acp-21-1627-2021.pdf |
| spellingShingle | J. Liu J. Liu J. Liu D. Tong Y. Zheng J. Cheng X. Qin Q. Shi L. Yan Y. Lei Q. Zhang Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers |
| title_full | Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers |
| title_fullStr | Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers |
| title_short | Carbon and air pollutant emissions from China's cement industry 1990–2015: trends, evolution of technologies, and drivers |
| title_sort | carbon and air pollutant emissions from china s cement industry 1990 2015 trends evolution of technologies and drivers |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/1627/2021/acp-21-1627-2021.pdf |
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