Life Cycle Analysis Methodology

Broadly speaking, a life cycle analysis consists of the following steps  

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The short summary of the life-cycle method preceding the actual analyses is necessary, because life-cycle analysis is not a standard calculation. In the literature, one finds various definitions ranging from restricted net energy analyses over environmental impact studies to the full consideration of both environmental and social impacts. It is the latter methodology, more fully described in Sorensen (2004a), which will be employed here. 

C. Jimenez-Gonzalez, S. Kim and M. R. Overcash, Methodology of Developing Gate-to-Gate Life Cycle Analysis Information. Int JLCA, 5(3), 153-159 (2000). 

Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) manufacture Maximization of VCM production and minimization of environmental burden, environmental impact and operating cost simultaneously. e-constraint method A design methodology consisting of 4 steps was proposed and applied to VCM plant The steps are (1) life cycle analysis of the process, (2) formulation of the design problem, (3) MOO, and (4) multi-criteria decision-making to find best compromise solutions. Khan et al. (2001)... 

Life-cycle assessment when carried ont according to the ISO rules has shown its ability to deliver data for certain more global environmental compartments like the impact potential on saving of resonrces, global warming potential, acidification, ozone depletion, and the like. It nsnally does not cover local effects such as noise or smell and hazardons snbstances. Here risk assessment or other methodologies are needed. The evalnation of effects regarding human toxicity is hampered by a lack of sufficient data and by a still undecided question of data evaluation. Thns, life-cycle analysis is a nseful tool but not the only answer to all enviromnental aspects. 

FIGURE 9.1. Green product manufacturing and usage methodology (cradle-to-grave or life-cycle analysis). 

An unpublished cradle-to-gate life cycle analysis (LCA) study subcontracted to Vito (Mol, Belgium) tried to identify environmental bottlenecks of rhamnolipid and sophorolipid production and compare them with those of market reference surfactants according to the ISO 1404x series. Experimental data for the pilot plant scale were complemented with LCA data from the Vito database as well as literature data for the upscaled production scenario. In order to compare the environmental profile of these biosurfactants with market reference surfactants data were used from Zah and Hischier [18]. The Eco-Indicator 99 methodology [19] was used to determine environmental impacts. 

Kldpffer, W., Rippen, G. (1992). Life cycle Analysis and ecological btiltmce Methodological approaches to assessment of environmenUil aspects of products. Environmental international, 18, 55-61. 

The first step of the possible methodology is to identify the physical chemical properties the solvent mnst possess for a given application. A detailed engineering analysis of the application will yield many performance constraints. Constraints are also obtained considering the solvent s entire life cycle. 

Ekvall, T., and B.P. Weidema. 2004. LCA methodology, system boundaries and input data in consequential life cycle inventory analysis. Int. J. LCA 9 161-171. 

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