Waste reduction algorithm - WAR is a tool helping process engineers for
environmental impact assessment. WAR algorithm is a methodology for
determining the potential environmental impact (PEI) of a chemical process.
In particular, the bitumen production process was analyzed following three
stages: a) atmospheric distillation unit, b) vacuum distillation unit, and c)
bitumen production unit. Study was developed for the middle sized oil
refinery with capacity of 5000000 tones of crude oil per year. Results
highlight the most vulnerable aspects of the environmental pollution that
arise during the manufacturing process of bitumen. The overall rates of PEI
leaving the system (PEI/h) - Iout PEI/h are: a) 2.14105, b) 7.17104 and c)
2.36103, respectively. The overall rates of PEI generated within the system -
Igen PEI/h are: a) 7.75104, b) -4.31104 and c) -4.32102, respectively.
Atmospheric distillation unit have the highest overall rate of PEI while the
bitumen production unit have the lowest overall rate of PEI. Comparison of
Iout PEI/h and Igen PEI/h values for the atmospheric distillation unit, shows
that the overall rate of PEI generated in the system is 36.21% of the overall
rate of PEI leaving the system. In the cases of vacuum distillation and
bitumen production units, the overall rate of PEI generated in system have
negative values, i.e. the overall rate of PEI leaving the system is reduced
at 60.11% (in the vacuum distillation unit) and at 18.30% (in the bitumen
production unit). Analysis of the obtained results for the overall rate of
PEI, expressed by weight of the product, confirms conclusions.