Abstract
To study the amount of arsenic emission from the coal power stations (mainly Permo-Carboniferous coal) in China in different combustion conditions, the arsenic content of the coal, the fly ash and the cinder in high-temperature power stations as well as mid-low temperature power stations have been analyzed. This note provides a rough estimate of the total amount of arsenic emission as well as emission ratio from steam coal combustion in China. The results show that by combustion of 1 t of Permo-Carboniferous coal (containing roughly 5 mg/kg arsenic), high-temperature power stations emit roughly 0.40 g arsenic into the atmosphere and the arsenic emission rate is about 7.70%; mid-low power stations emit roughly 0.15 g arsenic into the atmosphere and the arsenic emission rate is about 2.97%. A total of 600 million tons coal is burnt annually in China power stations, and the coal comes mainly from Permo-Carboniferous depositing in the North China Plate and northwest China coal mines. Taking the average arsenic content of the coal used at the value of 5 mg/kg, the total annual arsenic emission from steam coal combustion into the atmosphere is about 195.0 t. Most of the arsenic in coal can be released in the process of coal combustion, and the most of the released arsenic can be seized by the fly ash and then both of them are seized by the dust catcher of power station, so the arsenic emission ratio to the atmosphere is declined; in addition, research on the arsenic emission amount and emission rules from the coal power stations in China should go on the coal power stations with the dry-process dust catchers by the experiments results. In the wet process of dust catcher, 20% of the arsenic in the fly ash is dissolved in the water of sedimentation tank in high-temperature power station; in the mid-low temperature power station there are 70% of the arsenic in the fly ash dissolved in the water of sedimentation tank, this is an important source of arsenic pollution in environment and should not be overlooked. The arsenic emission rate in the process of coal cineration in the laboratory is higher than the actual arsenic emission rate of power station.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Swaine, D. J., Why trace elements are important, Fuel Processing Technology, 2000, 65–66: 21–23.
Ng, J. C., Wang, J. P., Shraim, A., A global health problem caused by arsenic from natural sources, Chemosphere, 2003, 52(9): 1353–1359.
Chen, Q., Lu, G. C., Trace Elements and Health (in Chinese), Bei**g: Bei**g University Press, 1989, 182–292.
Finkelman, R. B., Belkin, H. E., Zheng, B. S., Health impacts of domestic coal use in China, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 1999, 96: 3427–3431.
Finkelman, R. B., Trace elements in coal environmental and health significance, Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 1999, 67: 197–204.
Hu, S. S., Cheng, Y. Q., Taking the way of new industrialization; Realizing high-efficiency, safety, cleanness and structural optimization coal industry, Colliery Mechanical & Electrical Technology (in Chinese), 2003, (5): 1–3.
Fan, W. T., The station of coal in energy sources in China, China Coal (in Chinese), 2001, 27(8): 5–7.
Chen, P., Wang, L., The measures to controlling SO2 pollution and evaluation of cost effect in China, Eastward Boiler, 2001, (1): 18–21.
Swaine, D. J., Goodarzi, F., Environmental Aspects of Trace Elements in Coal, Kluwer: Academic Publishers, 1995, 312.
Niragu, J. Q., Pacyna, J. M., Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metals, Nature, 1998, 333: 134–139.
Davison, R., Natusch, D., Wallace, J. et al., Concentration on Particle Size, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1974, 1107–1113.
Fan, J. C., Zhang, Z. F., The dynamic of the trace elements in the coal combustion, Coal Processing & Comprehensive Utilization, 1995, (4): 12–15.
Guo, Y. T., Chang, J. L., Dissipation pattern of arsenic, fluorine, mercury, lead and cadmium in the process of coal incineration, China Coalfield Geology (in Chinese), 1994, 6(4): 54.
Han, D. X., Ren, D. Y., Wang, Y. B. et al., Coal Petrology of China (in Chinese), Xuzhou: China University of Mining and Technology Press, 1996, 251.
Zajusz-Zubek, E., Konieczyn’ski, J., Dynamics of trace elements release in a coal pyrolysis process, Fuel, 2003, 82: 1281–1290.
Zhao, F. H., Ren, D. Y., Xu, D. W. et al., Research on the phase of arsenic in coal-burning residue, Journal of China University of Mining & Technology, 1999, 28(4): 365–367.
Huang, W. H., Yang, Q., Peng, S. P. et al., Geochemistry of Permian coal and its combustion residues from Huainan coalfield, Earth Science-Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2001, 26(5): 501–507.
Zhang, J. P., Wang, Y. Q., Zhang, R. G. et al., Distribution of arsenic in coal and its residues, Research of Environmental Sciences, 1999, 12(1): 27–29, 34.
Zhao, F. H., Ren, D. Y., Peng, S. P. et al., The modes of occurrence of arsenic in coal, Advance in Earth Science, 2003, 18(2): 214–220.
Dai, S. F., Ren, D. Y., Hou, X. Q. et al., Geochemical and mineralogical anomalies of the late Permian coal in the Zhi** coalfield of southwest China and their volcanic origin, International Journal of Coal Geology, 2003, 55: 117–138.
He, B., Liang, L. N., Jiang, G. B., Distributions of arsenic and selenium in selected Chinese coal mines, The Science of the Total Environment, 2002, 296: 19–26.
Ren, D. Y., Zhao, F. H., Wang, Y. Q. et al., Distribution of minor and trace elements in Chinese coals, International Journal of Coal Geology, 1999, 40: 109–118.
Chen, P., Tang, X. Y., Arsenic in coal of China, Coal Geology of China, 2002, 14(B07): 18–24.
Zhou, Y. P., Distribution type and occurrence form of arsenic in anthracite of Laochang mining area, Coal Geology & Exploration, 1998, 26(4): 8–13.
Wang, Q. C., Shao, Q. C., Zhou, C. H., Grain size distribution of 16 trace elements in fly ash of burning coal, Environment Pollution and Prevention, 1998, 20(5): 37–41.
Yan, R., Ouyang, Z. H., Heavy metals abundant rule in the fly ash of the power stations, Environment Science, 1995, 16(6): 29–32.
Seames, W. S., Wendt, J. O. L., Partitioning of arsenic, selenium, and cadmium during the combustion of Pittsburgh and Illinois #6 coals in a self-sustained combustor, Fuel Processing Technology, 2000, 63: 179–196.
Coleman, S. L., Bragg, L. J., Distribution and mode of occurrence of arsenic in coal, in Recent Advances in Coal Geochemistry (eds. Chyi, L. L., Chou, C. L.), Geol. Soc. Am. Spec., 1990, 248: 13–256.
Chen, W. M., Zhang, Z. S., Coal Chemistry (in Chinese), Bei**g: Coal Industry Press, 1993, 13–16.
Zeng, Y., Special coal types in Western China and their exploitation and utilization, Journal of China Coal Society (in Chinese), 2001, 26(4): 337–340.
Furimsk, E., Characterization of trace element emissions from coal combustion by equilibrium calculations, Fuel Processing Technology, 2000, 63: 29–44.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Luo, K., Zhang, X., Chen, C. et al. Estimate of arsenic emission amount from the coal power stations in china. Chin.Sci.Bull. 49, 2183–2189 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03185786
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03185786