Functional-unit-based Life Cycle Optimization for Design of Sustainable Product Systems with Application on Biofuel Supply Chains

Author(s):  
Dajun Yue ◽  
Fengqi You
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jungmok Ma

Abstract Proper modeling of the usage phase in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is not only critical due to its high impact among life cycle phases but also challenging due to high variations and uncertainty. Furthermore, when multiple products can be utilized, the optimal product usage should be considered together. The robust optimal usage modeling is proposed in this paper as the framework of usage modeling for LCA with consideration of the uncertainty and optimal usage. The proposed method seeks to optimal product usage in order to minimize the environmental impact of the usage phase under uncertainty. Numerical examples demonstrate the application of the robust optimal usage modeling and the difference from the previous approaches. Highlights The robust optimal usage modeling is proposed for the usage modeling of LCA. The proposed model seeks to sustainable product usage under uncertainty. Numerical examples demonstrate the difference from the previous approaches.


Author(s):  
Mariane Scheffer Nazaro ◽  
Guilherme Marcelo Zanghelini ◽  
Edivan Cherubini ◽  
Karlan Rau ◽  
Sebastião Roberto Soares

As lâmpadas foram desenvolvidas da tecnologia incandescente, para a fluorescente e para o diodo emissor de luz (LED), o que aumentou a eficiência na conversão da iluminação e estendeu a vida útil do produto, consequentemente ocasionando na diminuição dos impactos ambientais. No entanto, a melhoria da fase de uso das lâmpadas, exige um sistema de produção mais complexo, incluindo (por vezes) materiais perigosos, o que piorou também sua disposição final. Estudos de Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV) são desenvolvidos desde 1996 envolvendo lâmpadas, e agora, com a evolução da tecnologia, as comparações estão ficando mais comuns. Esses estudos geram resultados variados, em que a unidade funcional (UF) desempenha um papel fundamental para gerar essas diferenças, mesmo quando os sistemas de produto são semelhantes, dificultando a compreensão das comparações. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a produção científica de ACVs de lâmpadas, desenvolvendo um panorama dos sistemas de produto e suas definições de UF, bem como dos resultados, para indicar tendências e padrões da aplicação neste tema. A metodologia proposta foi de uma revisão integrativa da literatura aplicada a bases de dados científicos e outros documentos. A pesquisa identificou 16 artigos, onde ficou evidente o recente aumento dos estudos de ACVs comparativos. Nesta amostragem foram encontradas quatro diferentes definições de UF. Contudo, uma descrição complementar do desempenho do produto permite equalizar a UF numa base comum, em que os valores para a mudança climática têm mostrado que as lâmpadas LED são preferíveis às lâmpadas fluorescentes, que são preferíveis às incandescentes. Embora a comparação tenha sido possível, a UF deve ser claramente indicada para representar a função dos produtos, neste caso: a quantidade de lúmen.horas. Resumen Las lámparas se han desarrollado a partir de la tecnología incandescente, fluorescente, y un diodo emisor de luz (LED), lo que significa un aumento de la eficiencia de conversión de luz, que extiende la vida útil del producto y reduce así el impacto ambiental. Sin embargo, mejorar la fase de uso de las lámparas requiere un sistema de producción más complejo, incluyendo (a veces) materiales peligrosos, lo que empeora la disposición final. La Análisis del Ciclo de Vida (ACV) se ha dirigido a las lámparas desde 1996, y ahora con su evolución, las comparaciones son cada vez más comunes. Estos estudios llevan a resultados diferentes, donde la unidad funcional (UF) tiene un papel clave para la generación de estas diferencias, mismo cuando los sistemas de productos son similares, lo que dificultaría la comprensión general de las comparaciones. El objetivo fue analizar la producción científica de ACV de lámparas, el desarrollo de un marco de sistemas de productos, la definición de UF y los resultados para indicar tendencias y normas de aplicación de la metodología del ACV, incluyendo las posibilidades de comparabilidad. La metodología propuesta fue una revisión integrativa de la literatura aplicada a bases de datos científicas y análisis de contenido de documentos adicionales. La investigación identificó 16 artículos, donde está claro el reciente aumento en los estudios comparativos de ACV dirigidos a las tecnologías de iluminación. Había 4 diferentes definiciones de UF en los documentos. Sin embargo, la descripción adicional del rendimiento del producto permite equiparar el UF a una base común, donde los valores para el cambio climático han demostrado que las lámparas LED son mejores que las fluorescentes, que a su vez son preferibles que las incandescentes. Aunque esto podría ser posible, UF debe estar siempre claramente indicado y representar la función de los productos, en este caso la cantidad lúmen.hora de una lámpara Abstract Lamps have been developed since incandescent technology, to fluorescent and light emitted diode (LED), increasing lighting conversion efficiency, extending product’s life span, and, consequently, decreasing environmental impacts. However, improving the use phase of lamps demand a more complex production system, including (sometimes) hazardous materials, what have worsened final disposal as well. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been addressed to lamps since 1996, and now with its evolution, comparisons are getting more common. These studies lead to different results, wherein functional unit (FU) plays a key role to generate these differences, even when product systems are similar, making difficult the overall understanding of comparisons. We aimed to analyze the scientific production of LCA of lamps, developing a framework of the product systems, the FU definition and the results to indicate trends and patterns of the LCA methodology application, including comparison possibilities. The proposed methodology was an integrative literature review applied to scientific databases and further papers content analysis. The survey identified 16 papers, where it is clear the recent increase on comparative LCA studies addressed to lighting technologies. There were 4 different FU definitions in papers. However, complementary description of product performance enable one to equalize FU into a common basis, wherein values for climate change have shown that LED lamps are preferable than fluorescents, that are preferable than incandescent. Even though this was possible, FU should be clearly indicated and represent products function, in this case: an amount of lumen-hour.


2021 ◽  
Vol 298 ◽  
pp. 117252
Author(s):  
Valentina Negri ◽  
Ángel Galán-Martín ◽  
Carlos Pozo ◽  
Mathilde Fajardy ◽  
David M. Reiner ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
B. Notarnicola ◽  
G. Tassielli ◽  
P. A. Renzulli ◽  
R. Di Capua ◽  
G. Saija ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose For the development of any life cycle assessment study, the practitioner frequently integrates primary data collected on-field, with background data taken from various life cycle inventory databases which are part of most commercial LCA software packages. However, such data is often not generally applicable to all product systems since, especially concerning the agri-food sector, available datasets may not be fully representative of the site specificity of the food product under examination. In this context, the present work investigates the background, sources and methodological aspects that characterise the most known commercial databases containing agri-food data, with a focus on four agri-food supply chains (olive oil, wine, wheat products and citrus fruit), which represent an important asset for the Italian food sector. Methods Specifically, the paper entails a review of currently available LCI databases and their datasets with a twofold scope: firstly, to understand how agri-food data is modelled in these databases for a coherent and consistent representation of regional scenarios and to verify whether they are also suitable for the Italian context and, secondly, to identify and analyse useful and relevant methodological approaches implemented in the existing LCI databases when regional data are modelled. Results Based on the aforementioned review, it is possible to highlight some problems which may arise when developing an LCI pertaining to the four Italian agri-food supply chains, namely: 1. The need for specific inventory datasets to tackle the specificities of agri-food product systems. 2. The lack of datasets, within the existing DBs, related to the Italian context and to the abovementioned supply chains. In fact, at present, in the currently available LCI DBs, there are very few (or in some cases none) datasets related to Italian wine, olive oil, wheat-based products and citrus fruit. The few available datasets often contain some data related to the Italian context but also approximate data with that of product systems representing other countries. Furthermore, the present study allowed to identify and discuss the main aspects to be used as starting elements for modelling regional data to be included in a future Italian LCI database of the abovementioned four supply chains. Conclusions The results of the present study represent a starting point for the collection of data and its organisation, in order to develop an Italian LCI agri-food database with datasets which are representative of the regional specificities of four agri-food supply chains which play an important role in the Italian economy.


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