Life cycle assessment processes

Sugiyama, H., Hirao, M., Mendivil, R., Fischer, U., Hungerbiihler, K. (2006) A Hierarchical Activity Model of Chemical Process Design Based on Life Cycle Assessment. Process Safety and... 

The key element of life-cycle design is Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is generally envisioned as a process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with the cradle-to-grave life cycle of a produc t, process, or ac tivity. A produc t s life cycle can be roughly described in terms of the following stages ... 

Adhesives and resins are one of the most important raw materials in wood-based panels. Thus, each question concerning the life cycle assessment and the recycling of bonded wood panels does bring into question the adhesive resins used. This includes, for example, the impact of the resin on various environmental aspects such as waste water and effluents, emission of noxious volatile chemicals during production and from the finished boards, or the reuse for energy generation of wood panels. The type of resin has also a crucial influence on feasibility and efficiency for several material recycling processes. 

The need for the implementation of target levels for air quality in industrial work rooms stems from different concerns. In addition to technological factors, the systematic design methodology, life cycle assessment, advances in air distribution methods, and increased integration with the process and... 

Advisory Group are considering different facets of LCA. In 1993, they developed the Code of Practice ,the first worldwide accepted technical framework for LCA. This was an important step towards the harmonisation of the method and has initiated and supported the standardisation process by ISO. Between 1997 and 2000, ISO produced the international series of standard defining the different stages of the LCA methodology (ISO 14040 1997, ISO 14041 1998, ISO 14042 2000 ° as well as ISO 14043 2000° ). As mentioned above, these standards were replaced by two improved editions of life cycle assessment standards in 2006 (ISO 14040 2006 and ISO 14044 2006°). 

Azapagic, A. Clift, R. (1999) The Application of Life Cycle Assessment to Process Optimisation. Computers and Chemical Engineering, 23(10), 1509-1526. 

Herrchen, M. Klein, W. (2000) Use of the Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) Toolbox for an Environmental Evaluation of Production Processes. Pure Applied Chemistry, 72(7), 1247-1252. 

Burgess, A.A. Brennan, D.J. (2001) Application of Life Cycle Assessment to Chemical Processes. Chemical Engineering Science, 56(8), 2589-2604. 

Gasafi, E., Meyer, L., Schebek, L. (2004) Using Life-Cycle Assessment in Process Design Supercritical Water Gasification of Organic Feedstocks. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 7(3M), 75-91. 

Peregrina, C.A., Lecomte, D., Arlabosse, R, Rudolph, V. (2006) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Applied to the Design of an Innovative Drying Process for Sewage Sludge. Process Safety and Environment Protection, 84(B4), 270-179. 

Azapagic, A. (1999) Life Cycle Assessment and Its Application to Process Selection, Design and Optimisation. Chemical Engineering Journal, 73(1), 1-21. 

Kniel, G.E., Delmarco, K., Petrie, J.G. (1996) Life Cycle Assessment Applied to Process Design Environmental and Economic Analysis and Optimisation of a Nitric Acid Plant. Environment Progress, 15(4), 221-228. 

A life cycle assessment (LCA), also known as life cycle analysis, of a product or process begins with an inventory of the energy and environmental flows associated with a product from "cradle to grave" and provides information on the raw materials used from the environment, energy resources consumed, and air, water, and solid waste emissions generated. GHGs and other wastes, sinks, and emissions may then be assessed (Sheehan et ah, 1998). The net GHG emissions calculated from an LCA are usually reported per imit of product or as the carbon footprint. 

Eide, M. H., Homleid, J. P., and Mattsson, B. (2003). Life cycle assessment (LCA) of cleaning-in-place processes in dairies. Lebensm. Wiss. U. Technol. 36, 303-314. 

During the life cycle assessment, the study authors are very often confronted with the fact that the product system has at its end more than one output. In these cases, we use the allocation. Allocation means the assignment of the share of total environmental burden to particular outputs [32]. The Standard recommends to avoid the allocation whenever possible, e.g. by extending systems or sub-division processes [36]. 

Carbon footprint is most appropriately calculated using life-cycle assessment or input-output analysis [3,4]- In this sense it is based on the ISO 14040 [4] and ISO 14043 [5] norms, on life cycle assessment (LCA). Specific norms for carbon footprint of enterprises and products are ISO 14064 (part 1,2, and 3) [6-8], ISO 14067 [9], and PAS 2500 [10]. Carbon footprint calculation process is shown in Figure 1. 

The EPS system was initially developed to be used within the product development process as a tool to help assess the environmental performance of products. The system is based on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology and uses inventory data (kg of substance A), characterization factors (impact/kg of substance X) and weighting factors (cost/impacts) to calculate the external costs or values of a product. By multiplying the characterization factor with the weighting factor, an impact index is obtained (cost/kg of substance X) which describe the cost/values related to the emission per use of a kg of a certain substance. 

Haas G, Wetterich F, Koepke U (2001) Comparing intensive, extensified and organic grassland farming in southern Germany by process life cycle assessment. Agric Ecosyst Environ 83 43-53... 

Biotechnological processes, life-cycle assessments for, 24 183 Biotechnology, 3 816 advances in, 13 330 application to agriculture, 13 283 in chemical transformations,... 

Multifunctional fibers, 13 391 Multifunctional initiators, 24 706 Multifunctional processes, in life cycle assessment, 14 813-814 Multifunctional teams, in the development process, 24 348... 

Process control documents (PCDs), 26 745 Process control languages (PCL), 20 672 Process control system, 20 730-731 Process cut-offs, in life cycle assessment, 24 813... 

Unit processes, dye chemistry, 9 269-283 Unit process, in life cycle assessment, 14 809 Unit square... 

Product performance as well as issues related to supply chain, marketing, etc., need to be addressed. It may also be necessary to evaluate not only the product but also the process in terms of environmental impact, life cycle assessment and/or sustainability, before it can be launched. 

We start with a definition of the problem and based on this, we identify the candidates (such as, molecules, mixtures and formulations) through expert knowledge, database search, model-based search, or a combination of all. The next step is to perform experiments and/or model-based simulations (of product behavior) to identify a feasible set of candidates. At this stage, issues related to process design are introduced and a process-product match is obtained. The final test is related to product quality and performance verification. Other features, such as life cycle assessment could also be introduced at this stage. 

An important issue, not discussed in the present chapter, is the need to assess by life cycle analysis the sustainability of processes employing biomass instead of fossil fuels. Moreover, socio-economic life cycle assessment rather than simple... 

Life cycle assessment (analysis) involves the determination of the total enviromnental impact of the nse of the material from when the raw materials are extracted, through the processing and utilization of the material, possible recycling and ultimate disposal. 

---