Current and future emissions of primary pollutants from coal-fired power plants in Shaanxi, China

Yong Xu; Jianlin Hu; Qi Ying; Hongke Hao; Dexiang Wang; Hongliang Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.267

Current and future emissions of primary pollutants from coal-fired power plants in Shaanxi, China

Sci Total Environ. 2017 Oct 1:595:505-514. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.267. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Authors

Yong Xu¹, Jianlin Hu², Qi Ying³, Hongke Hao¹, Dexiang Wang⁴, Hongliang Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
² Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Cleaning Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science& Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China.
³ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Cleaning Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science& Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China; Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
⁴ College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: wangdx66@126.com.
⁵ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Cleaning Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science& Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. Electronic address: hlzhang@lsu.edu.

PMID: 28395265
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.267

Abstract

A high-resolution inventory of primary atmospheric pollutants from coal-fired power plants in Shaanxi in 2012 was built based on a detailed database compiled at unit level involving unit capacity, boiler size and type, commission time, corresponding control technologies, and average coal quality of 72 power plants. The pollutants included SO₂, NO_x, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC). Emission factors for SO₂, NO_x, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were adopted from standardized official promulgation, supplemented by those from local studies. The estimated annual emissions of SO₂, NO_x, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, EC, OC, CO and NMVOC were 152.4, 314.8, 16.6, 26.4, 0.07, 0.27, 64.9 and 2.5kt, respectively. Small units (<100MW), which accounted for ~60% of total unit numbers, had less coal consumption but higher emission rates compared to medium (≥100MW and <300MW) and large units (≥300MW). Main factors affecting SO₂, NO_x, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ emissions were decontamination efficiency, sulfur content and ash content of coal. Weinan and Xianyang were the two cities with the highest emissions, and Guanzhong Plain had the largest emission density. Despite the projected growth of coal consumption, emissions would decrease in 2030 due to improvement in emission control technologies and combustion efficiencies. SO₂ and NO_x emissions would experience significant reduction by ~81% and ~84%, respectively. PM_2.5, PM₁₀, EC and OC would be decreased by ~43% and CO and NMVOC would be reduced by ~16%.

Keywords: Coal-fired power plant; Decontamination efficiency; Emission inventory; Reduction; Shaanxi.