Life cycle analysis steps

Figure 2 Life-cycle analysis Steps in the process and applications of findings. (Adapted from Ref. 6.)...

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

One year before Ayres publications [7,8], Cornelissen [9] completed his PhD dissertation in which he had combined life cycle analysis with exergy analysis. He called this extension of LCA exergetic life cycle analysis. He explained that ELCA should be part of every LCA because the loss via dissipation of exergy is one of the most important parameters to properly assess a process and measure the depletion of natural resources. Cornelissen even went one step further and extended ELCA to what he called zero-emission ELCA. In this extension of ELCA, the exergy required for the abatement of emissions, that is, the removal and reuse of environmentally friendly storage of emissions, is accounted for. Cornelissen illustrated his ideas with examples of... 

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)... 

D) Cleaner Product Design => Materials Selection Minimising Quantity End Of Life Manufacturing Steps Manufacturing Process Life Cycle Analysis... 

A strategic framework for chemical engineers is required, as for example suggested by The Natural Step2 (a good example) or the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)3. As a structured framework, the Natural Step is about the science, life cycle analysis (see Fig. 5). 

Issues in sustainability that fall within the control of chemical engineers include the core elements of The Natural Step and GRI — Life Cycle Analysis and criteria for monitoring performance. These core elements fit well with elements that are... 

Figure 12 shows the basic framework for compiling an inventory of wastes, emissions, and energy use associated with the manufacture, use, and disposal of a product (SETAC, 1991). Compiling an inventory is just the first step in a life cycle analysis, however. After the inventory is compiled, the impacts of raw material use, waste generation, and emission generation must be assessed. Finally, after the life cycle impacts are assessed, mechanisms for reducing adverse environmental impacts can be... 

The components of a total life cycle analysis are generally agreed to consist of the following four basic steps ... 

The Framework differs from a complete life cycle analysis in that it focuses on potential environmental, health, and safety risks. It does not consider resource inputs. The Nano Risk Framework comprises six steps, as described briefly below. 

The use of RRM, however, is not by itself a guarantee of low environmental impact. Aspects such as the production processes, the technical performance and the weight of each final product, and its disposal options, have to be carefully considered along all the steps of the product s life. The engineering of biobased materials for specific applications using life cycle analysis in a cradle-to-grave approach is therefore a critical aspect. 

The first step in any life cycle analysis is to define the boundaries of the analysis. If a vessel is used in the process, are the manufacture and possible disposal of the vessel within the boundaries Is the production of the steel for the vessel included Should the environmental effects of the mining of the iron ore be... 

A key requirement is for firms (at all levels in the production chain) to undertake, as a first step, a life cycle analysis of their products, and to monitor the behaviour of their suppliers and customers. This may well occur in conjunction with an internal environmental review or audit, which will prompt the firm to scrutinise closely all aspects of its operations. There are a range of complex issues concerning the identification and measurement of environmental costs and benefits, and the impact of environmental factors on the valuation of company liabilities and productive assets, which are only now being fiiUy addressed by new environmental accounting techniques. Part of the problem is that there is no legal requirement for companies to disclose environmental expenditures separately, or to report publicly on their environmental policy and performance, although this is likely to change in the future. 

The increased use of renewable resources is an important step toward a solution. Life cycle analysis shows that bioplastics enable CO2 savings of 30 to 80% in relation to conventional plastics. This does not apply generally and inevitably it depends on the product and its application. The saving (in the case of the same appUcation) results from the use of renewable resources. 

It is most important that the whole life cycle of a process plant can be evaluated on safety. Safety and risk analyses evaluate the probability of a risk to appear, and the decisions of necessary preventative actions are made after results of an analysis. The aim of the risk estimation is to support the decision making on plant localization, alternative processes and plant layout. Suokas and Kakko (1993) have introduced steps of a safety and risk analysis in Figure 2. The safety and risk analysis can be done on several levels. The level on which the analysis is stopped depends on the complexity of the object for analysis and the risk potential. 

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. 

Another important area that needs to be considered is the entire life-cycle of a chemical process. Often, one does not simply replace one chemical with another, leaving the rest of the process intad. Replacement implies different processing steps, waste streams, and end-of-use considerations. Ideally, when one is considering moving towards a green replacement, each of the chemical components of a process would be subjeded to the type of analysis described here. 

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