scholarly journals A Life Cycle Engineering Perspective on Biocomposites as a Solution for a Sustainable Recovery

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1160
Author(s):  
Amy Fitzgerald ◽  
Will Proud ◽  
Ali Kandemir ◽  
Richard J. Murphy ◽  
David A. Jesson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Life Cycle Engineering ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Sustainability Strategies ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Light Weighting ◽  
Sustainable Recovery

Composite materials, such as carbon fibre reinforced epoxies, provide more efficient structures than conventional materials through light-weighting, but the associated high energy demand during production can be extremely detrimental to the environment. Biocomposites are an emerging material class with the potential to reduce a product’s through-life environmental impact relative to wholly synthetic composites. As with most materials, there are challenges and opportunities with the adoption of biocomposites at the each stage of the life cycle. Life Cycle Engineering is a readily available tool enabling the qualification of a product’s performance, and environmental and financial impact, which can be incorporated in the conceptual development phase. Designers and engineers are beginning to actively include the environment in their workflow, allowing them to play a significant role in future sustainability strategies. This review will introduce Life Cycle Engineering and outline how the concept can offer support in the Design for the Environment, followed by a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of biocomposites throughout their life cycle.

scholarly journals Environmental impact of high-value gold scrap recycling

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1930-1941
Author(s):  
Benjamin Fritz ◽  
Carin Aichele ◽  
Mario Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Cumulative Energy ◽  
Cumulative Energy Demand ◽  
Metal Recycling ◽  
Scrap Recycling

Abstract Purpose The gold routes satisfying the global gold supply are mining (74%), recycling of high-value gold (23%), and electronic scraps (3%). Besides its applications in the investment, jewelry, and industrial sector, gold also has a bad image. The gold production in industrial as well as artisanal and small-scale mines creates negative impacts such as resource depletion, extensive chemical use, toxic emissions, high energy consumption, and social concerns that are of great importance. On the other hand, almost all gold is recycled and has historically always been. In common life cycle assessment (LCA) databases, there is no data on recycling of high-value gold available. This article attempts to answer the question what the ecological benefits of this recycling are. Method In this study, we were able to collect process data on the most commonly used high-value gold scrap recycling process, the aqua regia method, from several state-of-the-art German refineries. With this data, life cycle inventories were created and a life cycle model was produced to finally generate life cycle impacts of high-value gold scrap recycling. Results This study contains the corresponding inventories and thus enables other interested parties to use these processes for their own LCA studies. The results show that high-value gold scrap recycling has a considerably lower environmental impact than electronic gold scrap recycling and mining. For example, high-value gold scrap recycling in Germany results in a cumulative energy demand (CED) of 820 MJ and a global warming potential (GWP) of 53 kg-CO2-Eq. per kg gold. In comparison, common datasets indicate CED and GWP levels of nearly 8 GJ and 1 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for electronic scrap recycling and levels of 240 GJ and 16 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for mining. Conclusion The results show that buying gold from precious metal recycling facilities with high technological standards and a reliable origin of the recycling material is about 300 times better than primary production.

Improving the regulatory system in construction at all stages of the life cycle of an object

2019 ◽  
pp. 10-15
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Current System ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Life Cycle Engineering ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Regulatory Documents ◽  
Operational Phase ◽  
Building Life Cycle ◽  
Required Quality ◽  
Design And Construction

The system of regulatory documents in construction is designed to ensure safety, required quality, functional suitability and design durability of buildings and structures. This system should cover all stages of the building life cycle - engineering surveys and design; erection; operational phase, including, if necessary, major repairs and reconstruction; demolition and disposal; reclamation of territories. The article analyzes the current system of regulatory documents in Russia in the field of design and construction. Its advantages and disadvantages are noted, proposals for its improvement and updating are given. The authors of the article propose to review the structure of documents for all stages of the life cycle of a construction object, which makes it possible to the simplify work with regulatory documents of all levels of significance applied in our country. The authors express the hope that the proposals made here will serve as an impetus for a broad discussion of this pressing issue by the construction community.

Life cycle costs and environmental impacts of a nearly zero-energy detached house

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-169
Author(s):  
Zs. Szalay ◽  
T. Csoknyai
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Detached House ◽  
Zero Energy Buildings

Abstract The recast of the Energy Performance Building Directive contains a new article about the need to increase the number of buildings which go beyond current national requirements, and to draw up national plans for increasing the number of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) with the final target that by 2020 all new buildings shall be nearly-zero energy. Nearly zero-energy buildings are buildings with a very high energy performance, where the remaining low energy demand can be supplied to a significant extent by renewable energy. In this paper, a detached house complying with the proposed Hungarian nZEB requirements is analysed. The life cycle cost and life cycle environmental impacts of the building are assessed for various building service systems to optimise the building design.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Processes Regarding Energy Production from the Sludge Line

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 356
Author(s):  
Paulina Szulc ◽  
Jędrzej Kasprzak ◽  
Zbysław Dymaczewski ◽  
Przemysław Kurczewski
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Main Task ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment

The efficient and timely removal of organic matter and nutrients from water used in normal municipal functions is considered to be the main task of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, these facilities are considered to be essential units that are required to avoid pollution of the water environment and decrease the possibility of triggering eutrophication. Even though these benefits are undeniable, they remain at odds with the high energy demand of wastewater treatment and sludge processes. As a consequence, WWTPs have various environmental impacts, which can be estimated and categorized using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis. In this study, a municipal WWTP based in Poznań, Poland, was examined using the method defined in ISO 14040. ReCiPe Endpoint and Midpoint (v1.11), in a hierarchical approach, were used to evaluate the environmental impacts regarding 18 different categories. All calculations were conducted using a detailed database from 2019, which describes each chosen facility. It was found that the energy component, related to the wastewater treatment process demand and electricity production, is the main determinant of the sum of the environmental impact indicators in light of the modelled energy mix. Therefore, it determines the entire process as an environmentally friendly activity.

scholarly journals Energy and Resource Efficient Production of Fluoroalkenes in High Temperature Microreactors

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Konstantin Mierdel ◽  
Andreas Jess ◽  
Thorsten Gerdes ◽  
Achim Schmidt ◽  
Klaus Hintzer
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Ecological Benefits ◽  
Free Process ◽  
Conversion Rates ◽  
High Yields

Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) are the most common monomers for the synthesis of fluoropolymers at industrial scale. Currently, TFE is produced via multistep pyrolysis of chlorodifluoromethane (R22), resulting in a high energy demand and high amounts of waste acids, mainly HCl and HF. In this study, a new chlorine-free process for producing TFE and HFP in a microreactor is presented, starting from partially fluorinated alkanes obtained from electrochemical fluorination (ECF). In the microreactor, high conversion rates of CHF3, which is used as a surrogate of partly fluorinated ECF streams, and high yields of fluoromonomers could be achieved. The energy saving and the environmental impact are shown by a life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA confirms that the developed process has economical as well as ecological benefits, and is thus an interesting option for future industrial production of fluoroalkenes.

scholarly journals Towards Rural Revitalization Strategy for Housing in Gully Regions of the Loess Plateau: Environmental Considerations

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3109
Author(s):  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Qi Ding ◽  
Qinian Hu ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Weijun Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Ecological Design ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Rural Revitalization ◽  
Whole Life Cycle

Under the background of Chinese Rural Revitalization Strategy, how to improve rural regional environment and living quality is very important and urgent. At present, residential buildings in gully regions of the Loess Plateau have poor insulation and high-energy consumption. Thus, better ecological design can largely save energy and improve living comfort. The findings of this paper provide an insight into the ecological design potentials for reducing energy demand across rural regions in China. In this paper, we select three main types of residential buildings in gully regions and build energy demand models based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The results show that the energy demand in the building use stage is extremely high in all three typical buildings, which account for around 90% of the whole life cycle. The energy demand of the traditional adobe residential building is lower than the brick-concrete structure buildings. The LCA method used in this paper can quantify the energy demand in each stage of life cycle, which helps to put forward the corresponding ecological design strategy. The research results can be used as a reference in the future development of this region and other rural regions in China.

The Influence of Building Envelop Materials on its Life Cycle Performance: A Case Study of Educational Building in Thailand

2018 ◽  
Vol 780 ◽  
pp. 74-79
Author(s):  
Pipat Thaipradit ◽  
Nantamol Limphitakphong ◽  
Premrudee Kanchanapiya ◽  
Thanapol Tantisattayakul ◽  
Orathai Chavalparit
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Influence Factors ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Concrete Block ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Tropical Country ◽  
Building Envelop

The analysis of life cycle energy (LCE) and life cycle carbon (LCC) of building were performed in this study in order to identify the solutions for reducing energy-related carbon emission throughout building life time. The influence factors associated with building envelop materials (wall, insulation, window, window-to-wall ratio) were evaluated. The result showed that operation phase contributed a vast majority (>90%) of LCE and LCC. Only 4% emissions saving could be achieved if autoclaved aerated concrete block, cellulose insulation and triple glazing were implemented with WWR of 0.17. The finding suggested that reducing carbon emission should not only be prioritized through use of high energy efficient materials/technologies but should also integrate energy saving measures since energy demand in tropical country is quite high for cooling building. In addition, increasing a possibility and feasibility for supplying renewable energy should be further investigated importunately.

Changes in lipid peroxidation during pregnancy and after delivery in rats: effect of pinealectomy

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
RM Sainz ◽  
RJ Reiter ◽  
JC Mayo ◽  
J Cabrera ◽  
DX Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Lipid Peroxidation ◽  
Oxidative Damage ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Free Radical Scavengers ◽  
Radical Scavengers ◽  
Oxygen Requirement ◽  
Pregnant Rats

Pregnancy is a physiological state accompanied by a high energy demand of many bodily functions and an increased oxygen requirement. Because of the increased intake and utilization of oxygen, increased levels of oxidative stress would be expected. In the present study, the degree of lipid peroxidation was examined in different tissues from non-pregnant and pregnant rats after the delivery of their young. Melatonin and other indole metabolites are known to be direct free radical scavengers and indirect antioxidants. Thus the effect of pinealectomy at 1 month before pregnancy on the accumulation of lipid damage was investigated in non-pregnant and pregnant rats after the delivery of their young. Malonaldehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenal concentrations were measured in the lung, uterus, liver, brain, kidney, thymus and spleen from intact and pinealectomized pregnant rats soon after birth of their young and at 14 and 21 days after delivery. The same parameters were also evaluated in intact and pinealectomized non-pregnant rats. Shortly after delivery, lipid oxidative damage was increased in lung, uterus, brain, kidney and thymus of the mothers. No differences were detected in liver and spleen. Pinealectomy enhanced this effect in the uterus and lung. It is concluded that during pregnancy high levels of oxidative stress induce an increase in oxidative damage to lipids, which in some cases is inhibited by the antioxidative actions of pineal indoles.

scholarly journals Case study of a water bioengineering construction site in Austria. Ecological aspects and application of an environmental life cycle assessment model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. von der Thannen ◽  
S. Hoerbinger ◽  
C. Muellebner ◽  
H. Biber ◽  
H. P. Rauch
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soil And Water

AbstractRecently, applications of soil and water bioengineering constructions using living plants and supplementary materials have become increasingly popular. Besides technical effects, soil and water bioengineering has the advantage of additionally taking into consideration ecological values and the values of landscape aesthetics. When implementing soil and water bioengineering structures, suitable plants must be selected, and the structures must be given a dimension taking into account potential impact loads. A consideration of energy flows and the potential negative impact of construction in terms of energy and greenhouse gas balance has been neglected until now. The current study closes this gap of knowledge by introducing a method for detecting the possible negative effects of installing soil and water bioengineering measures. For this purpose, an environmental life cycle assessment model has been applied. The impact categories global warming potential and cumulative energy demand are used in this paper to describe the type of impacts which a bioengineering construction site causes. Additionally, the water bioengineering measure is contrasted with a conventional civil engineering structure. The results determine that the bioengineering alternative performs slightly better, in terms of energy demand and global warming potential, than the conventional measure. The most relevant factor is shown to be the impact of the running machines at the water bioengineering construction site. Finally, an integral ecological assessment model for applications of soil and water bioengineering structures should point out the potential negative effects caused during installation and, furthermore, integrate the assessment of potential positive effects due to the development of living plants in the use stage of the structures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document