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Life cycle assessment of ammonia synthesis in China

  • LCA FOR ENERGY SYSTEMS AND FOOD PRODUCTS
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Synthetic ammonia is not only the basis of the fertilizer industry in China but also has the highest energy consumption and pollution emissions in the chemical industry. The objective of this study was to conduct a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of ammonia production based on different raw materials to identify the crucial processes and parameters and to provide suggestions for clean and sustainable development of the ammonia industry in China.

Methods

Based on actual industrial data, this study comprehensively evaluated the resource consumption and pollution emissions caused by different raw material routes and coal-to-ammonia technologies from a life cycle perspective according to the LCA standards ISO 14040 series and using the CML 2001 method and identified the key environmental impact categories and stage contributions. In addition, the effects of various input parameters on the environmental burden were specified through sensitivity analysis. Accordingly, suggestions for improving the environmental performance of ammonia production are proposed.

Results

The environmental burdens of the coal-based and coke oven gas-based routes were 1.43 and 1.7 times higher than that of the natural gas-based route, respectively. The significant differences were mainly reflected in the greenhouse effect, acidification, and fossil energy depletion. Advanced coal-to-ammonia technology, represented by coal water slurry gasification, showed a lower environmental burden than the traditional intermittent gasification technology, especially in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption. The GHG emissions involved in producing ammonia decreased from 3.88 to 2.18 kg per 1 kg of ammonia, and energy consumption decreased by approximately 17%, from 5.69 to 4.71 MJ.

Conclusions

Coal is the main raw material used for ammonia production in China, and the results showed that the application of advanced coal gasification with energy-saving technologies can effectively improve the environmental performance of synthetic ammonia production in China.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during or analyzed in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

R1:

Coal-based ammonia production route

R2:

Coke oven gas-based ammonia production route

R3:

Natural gas-based ammonia production route

T1:

Coal-based ammonia production using coal water slurry gasification + wide temperature shift + Rectisol + liquid nitrogen washing refining

T2:

Coal-based ammonia production using intermittent gasification+phthalocyanine dinucleus sulfonation desulfurization+medium-low temperature shift+potassium alkali decarbonization+cup rammonia refining

LCA:

Life cycle assessment

GWP:

Global warming potential

AP:

Acidification potential

EP:

Eutrophication potential

POCP:

Photochemical ozone creation potential

ADP-fossil:

Abiotic depletion potential-fossil

ADP-elements:

Abiotic depletion potential-elements

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Funding

This study is funded by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (Nos. CKCEST-2021-1-15 and 2020NXZD3) and the Key Project of Heavy Air Pollution Cause and Control (No. DQGG-05-13).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental System Optimization, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

    Yueling Zhang

  2. School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology – Beijing Campus, Beijing, 100083, China

    Huan Liu, Junjie Li, Xiaopeng Miao, Deping Xu & Shuqin Liu

  3. Extended Energy Big Data and Strategy Research Center, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China

    Junjie Li & Yajun Tian

  4. Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, China

    Junjie Li & Yajun Tian

  5. Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, China

    Junjie Li & Yajun Tian

  6. School of Rail Transportation, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215301, China

    Yelin Deng

  7. State Key Laboratory of Clean and Efficient Coal Utilization, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China

    Kechang Xie

  8. Key Laboratory of Coal Science and Technology (Taiyuan University of Technology), Ministry of Education, Taiyuan, 030024, China

    Kechang Xie

Authors
  1. Yueling Zhang
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  2. Huan Liu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Junjie Li, Yelin Deng or Yajun Tian.

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Communicated by Peter Rudolf Saling

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Cite this article

Zhang, Y., Liu, H., Li, J. et al. Life cycle assessment of ammonia synthesis in China. Int J Life Cycle Assess 27, 50–61 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-021-02010-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-021-02010-z

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