A First-year Introduction to Life Cycle Analysis Stephanie FarrellRowan University Eduardo...
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A First-year Introduction to Life Cycle AnalysisStephanie Farrell Rowan UniversityEduardo Cavanagh Glassboro, NJ USAMariano Savelski
Life Cycle Analysis
A tool used to evaluate the full range of environmental impacts a product’s life from cradle to grave
Energy and raw material consumption
Emissions
Other important considerations
Used to improve processes, support policy and provide a sound basis for informed decisions
Life Cycle Analysis
Valuable tool to engineers
Must be able to integrate LCA concepts with traditional science and mathematics skills
Increasing interest in introducing LCA into the engineering curriculum
LCA in the First Year
Developed an introduction to LCA for a first-year engineering course (Engineering Clinic)
Hands-on, project based course
Multidisciplinary – students from 4 Engineering majors
1 hr lecture plus 3 hr lab each week
24 students per section
Theme Biodiesel vs. Fossil
DieselInterest in Biodiesel
Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
Develop more environmentally friendly fuels from renewable energy sources
Increase industrial uses of agricultural products http://www.freewebs.com
Learning Objectives: Introduce the 4 Steps of
LCAStep 1: Goal Definition & Scope (ISO
14040)
Step 2: Inventory Analysis (ISO 14041)
Step 3: Impact Assessment (ISO 14042)
Step 4: Improvement Assessment / Interpretation (ISO 14043)
Learning Objectives
Source quantitative data and make best estimates when no information is given
Make logical assumptions that simplify the calculations yet maintain integrity of analysis
Develop a flow sheet to describe the process graphically
Evans et al. Education for Chemical Engineers, 3(2008), e57-e65
Step 1: Defining the goal and scope (ISO 14040)
The goal: What do you hope to achieve?
The scope: What are the boundaries of your system?
Step 1: Defining the Goal
What is the purpose of the study?To compare the overall environmental
impacts of biodiesel and dieselWhat is its application?
To change a process to reduce environmental impact
Step 1: Defining the Scope
The scope is defined by:The boundaries chosen for the process
The basis of comparison, e.g. amount produced
Is the production of useful byproducts considered?
What environmental impacts are considered and how they are calculated?
What data are needed?
Step 1: Scope
Boundaries -Cradle to Gate Raw materialsTransportationProcessingManufacturing
http://www.extension.org/pages/26614/life-cycle-analysis-
for-biofuels
Consider glycerin a useful byproductCredited to the
process
Step 2: Inventory analysis(ISO 14041)
Summary of all the inputs and outputs associated with the product or energy used (within boundaries)
Diesel (production) is in the Simapro® database
Biodiesel inventory based on student data for biodiesel production (from NVO and WVO)
Next slides show experiments
Step 2: Inventory Analysis(Production: Pre-treatment & Reaction)
Biodiesel
Glycerin
Biodiesel from New and Waste Vegetable Oil
Pretreatment
Transesterification reaction
VWO + MeOH Biodiesel + Glycerin
Alkalai catalyst (NaOH)
Step 2: Inventory Analysis
(Production: Purification)Purification
removes impurities that cause engine damage
3 water washes
1:2 volume ratio water: biodiesel
Washing Finished Product
Step 2: Inventory Assessment
(Biodiesel from WVO)Input/Output AmountInputs
Sodium hydroxide 50% (kg) 0.007
Used Vegetable Oil, pretreated (kg) 0.894
Electricity (kWh) 0.316
Methanol, at plant (kg) 0.158
Water, cooling, drinking (ml) 1500
Outputs (product)
Biodiesel (kg) 0.863
Output (avoided products)
Glycerin, from vegetable oil (kg) 0.094
Outputs (waste)
Wastewater, treatment, sewage from residence (ml)
1599
Step3: Impact Assessment(Production)
Simapro 7 – IMPACT 2002+
Scalar Impact per kg
0200400600800
100012001400160018002000
Non-renewable energy
Global warming
Land occupation
Terrestrial acid/nutri
Respiratory inorgan-ics
μP
t
Step 4: Interpretation and Improvement
Assessment How to improve process?
Target large impacts NVO – reduce land use (algae) WVO – reduce non-renewable energy
and CO2 emissions
Which process/product is better? Biodiesel outperforms fossil diesel and
NVO BD
Learning Outcomes
Gain in knowledge for ten concepts
Defi
ning
goa
l and
sco
peTh
e lif
e cy
cle
Defi
ning
the
goal
of L
CA
Choo
sing
sys
tem
bou
ndar
ies
Inve
ntor
y as
sess
men
t
Chal
leng
es to
inve
ntor
y as
sess
men
t
Impa
ct a
sses
smen
tSt
eps
of L
CA
Base
s of
com
paris
on fo
r im
pact
eva
lua.
..
Eval
uatio
n an
d in
terp
reta
tion
0
5
10
15
20
Pre-test
#
students
w/
corr
ect
answ
er
n=24
Learning Outcomes
> 60% overall gain in knowledgebetween pre-test and post-test
Pre-test Post-test0
102030405060708090
22
83.2
n = 24p < 1e-7
Summary/Conclusions
Hands-on, project-based Introduction to LCA for first-year students
Significant gain in knowledge related to LCA concepts
(Not shown) significant gain in knowledge of science and engineering (mass balances, reaction yield, phase equilibrium, etc.)
Acknowledgement
United States Department of Energy, EE0003113
Al-Farabi National Kazakh University (KazNU) students Balzhan Ashim Saltanat Kozbakarova Albina Belgibayeva
Production LCA
Simapro 7 Impact 2002+
Scalar impact per kg
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Resources
Climate Change
Ecosystem Quality
Human Health
μP
t
Step 2: Inventory Analysis
(Use) Mass emission Factor (kg emissions/kg fuel
consumed)
Comparing apples to oranges!
CO NO NO2 NOX0
0.0005
0.001
0.0015
0.002
0.0025
ME
F (
kg
/kg
fu
el)
CO20
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
Petrodiesel
Biodiesel
Step 2: Inventory Analysis
(Use) Energy emission Factor (kg emissions/MJ
produced)
Comparing apples to apples!
CO NO NO2 NOX0
0.001
0.002
0.003
0.004
0.005
0.006
0.007
0.008
0.009
0.01
EE
F (
kg
/MJ)
CO20
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Petrodiesel
Biodiesel