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Huaxia Chemical’s shift in raw material sourcing sparks significant reaction in the industry. Author/Source: Huaxia Chemical. Date: 2021-04-25. Clicks: 9. Taking proactive actions to drive industry change. In chemical enterprises in China that use the fixed-bed batch gasification process for gas production, the raw coal is generally processed into briquettes or pellets by grinding it into powder. As environmental regulations become increasingly stringent under the new circumstances, the uncontrolled emission of dust particles from traditional coal stick and coal ball production lines makes it difficult to meet environmental emission standards, even with significant investment. To address this issue, the company’s management decisively decided to change the raw material used, replacing pulverized coal with lump coal. However, using small-lump coal from Shanxi for gas production is a first in the industry. Innovation comes with risks, and the biggest risk lies in cost control. Yet, for the sake of clean environments and the company’s social responsibilities, Wan Jianhua, the Party secretary and chairman of the company, along with Xu Hualin, the general manager, chose to take on this responsibility for environmental protection. The company invested over 20 million yuan and overcame numerous difficulties to successfully carry out the transformation of the raw material processing route from powder to lumps for its first set of units on July 10, 2019. By September 6, it had achieved the goal of converting all briquetted coal into lump coal. Unexpectedly, this success had a significant impact within the industry; Huaqiang Chemical’s successful transformation of the raw material processing route sparked widespread imitation by other manufacturers, and this trend spread throughout the entire coal chemical industry that uses fixed-bed batch gasification technology. Unintentionally, Huaqiang Chemical led a transformation in the industry, bringing about substantial environmental, social, and economic benefits! The environmental benefits are significant: firstly, it effectively reduces the impact of dust and unorganized emissions on the environment. “After the conversion from powder to lumps, the original drying, crushing, and coal blending equipment was removed, reducing dust emissions on site by over 95%. In addition, the company invested tens of thousands of yuan in purchasing dust-proof nets, thereby achieving full enclosure of the lump coal storage areas, coal sheds, and belt conveyors; this has led to a significant improvement in the environment both within the factory premises and in their surrounding area. Secondly, after the change from powder to lumps, erosion of the equipment was significantly reduced, the operating cycle of the gas generation furnace was **extended, and leaks were minimized ； Third, the site is neater, and the workload for employees has **decreased** ； Fourth, it increases the carbon conversion rate and reduces steam consumption, thereby significantly cutting production costs and pollutant emissions. Fifth, it reduces the amount of wastewater at the end of the process, which in turn decreases the volume of sludge in wastewater treatment tanks; this is beneficial for the environment and also saves labor and resources. It brings significant social benefits. This technology uses the smokeless small lumpy coal produced by Jinneng Holding Group as raw material, representing a new approach to the gasification of such coal in Jincheng. It is in line with Jinneng Equipment Manufacturing Group’s development strategy of integrating coal processing and manufacturing activities. Not only does it promote technological advancement and growth for the enterprise, but it also provides technical support for the cleaner utilization of smokeless small lumpy coal by Jinneng Equipment Manufacturing Group, as well as for the transformation and development of the coal chemical industry. Significant economic benefits: After the conversion from powder to lump form, the company made concerted efforts to improve efficiency; as a result, the actual coal consumption has decreased by 400 Kg per ton of ammonia alcohol compared to before the transformation, reaching a level that is ahead of that of similar facilities in the industry – making the company a leader in terms of energy efficiency! The reduction in production costs not only brings good economic benefits to enterprises, but also reduces the total amount of coal used and carbon emissions, further promoting energy conservation and emission reduction. In recent years, the company has invested hundreds of millions of yuan to introduce advanced technologies and equipment from the industry at a high standard, as well as the latest scientific and technological achievements from across the country. It has carried out a total of 78 environmental improvement projects, including those related to wastewater treatment, exhaust gas management, dust control, solid waste handling, noise reduction, separation of rainwater and sewage, and separation of clean water and wastewater. Additionally, 229 environmental protection facilities are regularly maintained and upgraded; the company invests over 60 million yuan each year in environmental protection initiatives. To ensure the proper operation of these facilities, it also spends more than 80 million yuan annually on maintenance costs. Through these upgrades, wastewater and exhaust gas emissions are brought to levels well below the specified standards. The company regards **the prescribed environmental emission standards as the minimum baseline, and implements stricter evaluation criteria within the organization. The company has obtained certifications for the ISO14001 environmental management system and the ISO50001 energy management system. For all new, renovated, and expanded projects, the company strictly adheres to the environmental impact assessment system, as well as the \"three simultaneities\" principle regarding environmental protection and soil and water conservation in construction projects; the compliance rate with these systems is 100%. Through proactive actions, increased investment in environmental protection, meticulous daily management, and involving all employees in environmental management efforts, Huahua Chemical has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable development through practical actions, making positive contributions to building a beautiful Dangyang and improving the local ecological environment.