scholarly journals Green IoT and Edge AI as Key Technological Enablers for a Sustainable Digital Transition towards a Smart Circular Economy: An Industry 5.0 Use Case

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 5745
Author(s):  
Paula Fraga-Lamas ◽  
Sérgio Ivan Lopes ◽  
Tiago M. Fernández-Caramés
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Smart Manufacturing ◽  
Use Case ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Digital Transition ◽  
The Impact

Internet of Things (IoT) can help to pave the way to the circular economy and to a more sustainable world by enabling the digitalization of many operations and processes, such as water distribution, preventive maintenance, or smart manufacturing. Paradoxically, IoT technologies and paradigms such as edge computing, although they have a huge potential for the digital transition towards sustainability, they are not yet contributing to the sustainable development of the IoT sector itself. In fact, such a sector has a significant carbon footprint due to the use of scarce raw materials and its energy consumption in manufacturing, operating, and recycling processes. To tackle these issues, the Green IoT (G-IoT) paradigm has emerged as a research area to reduce such carbon footprint; however, its sustainable vision collides directly with the advent of Edge Artificial Intelligence (Edge AI), which imposes the consumption of additional energy. This article deals with this problem by exploring the different aspects that impact the design and development of Edge-AI G-IoT systems. Moreover, it presents a practical Industry 5.0 use case that illustrates the different concepts analyzed throughout the article. Specifically, the proposed scenario consists in an Industry 5.0 smart workshop that looks for improving operator safety and operation tracking. Such an application case makes use of a mist computing architecture composed of AI-enabled IoT nodes. After describing the application case, it is evaluated its energy consumption and it is analyzed the impact on the carbon footprint that it may have on different countries. Overall, this article provides guidelines that will help future developers to face the challenges that will arise when creating the next generation of Edge-AI G-IoT systems.

scholarly journals Decarbonization of Residential Building Energy Supply: Impact of Cogeneration System Performance on Energy, Environment, and Economics

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2538
Author(s):  
Praveen K. Cheekatamarla
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Power Generation ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Primary Energy Consumption ◽  
Cogeneration System ◽  
The Impact

Electrical and thermal loads of residential buildings present a unique opportunity for onsite power generation, and concomitant thermal energy generation, storage, and utilization, to decrease primary energy consumption and carbon dioxide intensity. This approach also improves resiliency and ability to address peak load burden effectively. Demand response programs and grid-interactive buildings are also essential to meet the energy needs of the 21st century while addressing climate impact. Given the significance of the scale of building energy consumption, this study investigates how cogeneration systems influence the primary energy consumption and carbon footprint in residential buildings. The impact of onsite power generation capacity, its electrical and thermal efficiency, and its cost, on total primary energy consumption, equivalent carbon dioxide emissions, operating expenditure, and, most importantly, thermal and electrical energy balance, is presented. The conditions at which a cogeneration approach loses its advantage as an energy efficient residential resource are identified as a function of electrical grid’s carbon footprint and primary energy efficiency. Compared to a heat pump heating system with a coefficient of performance (COP) of three, a 0.5 kW cogeneration system with 40% electrical efficiency is shown to lose its environmental benefit if the electrical grid’s carbon dioxide intensity falls below 0.4 kg CO2 per kWh electricity.

scholarly journals Tackling xEV Battery Chemistry in View of Raw Material Supply Shortfalls

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duygu Karabelli ◽  
Steffen Kiemel ◽  
Soumya Singh ◽  
Jan Koller ◽  
Simone Ehrenberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Electric Vehicle ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Performance Expectations ◽  
Potential Market ◽  
Critical Materials ◽  
The Impact

The growing number of Electric Vehicles poses a serious challenge at the end-of-life for battery manufacturers and recyclers. Manufacturers need access to strategic or critical materials for the production of a battery system. Recycling of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries may ensure a constant supply of critical materials, thereby closing the material cycle in the context of a circular economy. However, the resource-use per cell and thus its chemistry is constantly changing, due to supply disruption or sharply rising costs of certain raw materials along with higher performance expectations from electric vehicle-batteries. It is vital to further explore the nickel-rich cathodes, as they promise to overcome the resource and cost problems. With this study, we aim to analyze the expected development of dominant cell chemistries of Lithium-Ion Batteries until 2030, followed by an analysis of the raw materials availability. This is accomplished with the help of research studies and additional experts’ survey which defines the scenarios to estimate the battery chemistry evolution and the effect it has on a circular economy. In our results, we will discuss the annual demand for global e-mobility by 2030 and the impact of Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt based cathode chemistries on a sustainable economy. Estimations beyond 2030 are subject to high uncertainty due to the potential market penetration of innovative technologies that are currently under research (e.g. solid-state Lithium-Ion and/or sodium-based batteries).

scholarly journals Research of the properties of rocks during fragmenting and crushing in mechanical mills

2021 ◽  
pp. 81-87
Author(s):  
GOLIK Vladimir Ivanovich ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Pulse Amplitude ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Crushed Material ◽  
Mineral Raw Materials ◽  
Systemic Crisis ◽  
The Impact

Relevance and purpose. The systemic crisis in the mining industry has weakened the provision of the industry with proven reserves of the main types of minerals, which has made the search for technological solutions in order to restore the lost potential of the mineral resource base. Methodology. Theoretical studies of the movement of the grinding charge in the grinding chambers of planetary mills are based on the postulate of the equivalence of the forms of movement of the charge in mills. Grinding equipment of a new technical level is being improved in the direction of increasing the intensity of the effect of grinding bodies on the crushed material. The aim of the study is to increase the intensity of the impact of grinding bodies on the crushed mineral raw materials while minimizing the energy consumption of processing processes. The goal is achieved by integrating analytical and experimental studies with elements of engineering forecasting and modeling of the results. Results and scope. The results of studying the properties of rocks and their changes as a result of crushing and grinding in mechanical mills are presented. Information about devices for measuring the parameters of shock pulses and the practice of their application is systematized on the example of geological differences of rocks. Bench studies have confirmed the theoretically substantiated phenomenon of shock pulse amplitude suppression. The role of the processes of crushing and grinding in mills in the technological chain of waste-free utilization of the tailings of the concentration of chemically exposed ores is detailed. Сonclusions. The phenomenon of increasing the intensity of the impact of grinding bodies on the crushed mineral raw materials with the same energy consumption of processing processes can be used in the modernization of technologies for the development of mineral deposits.

scholarly journals Economia Circular em Negócios de Segunda Mão ## Circular Economy in Second-Hand Business

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samara Picco Pansera ◽  
Lidiane Cássia Comin ◽  
Dulcimar José Julkovski
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Circular Model ◽  
Mao A ◽  
Consumption Practices ◽  
Excessive Consumption ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Wide Access

A Economia Circular promove práticas de consumo sustentável no setor de vestuário e produtos de segunda-mão, proporcionando reduzir os poluentes e garantir durabilidade dos componentes sem a necessidade de retirar matéria-prima da natureza. As plataformas online podem ser aliadas deste modelo de negócio, pois proporcionam acesso rápido e amplo a esses produtos. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar como os consumidores identificam e percebem as práticas de consumo de produtos de segunda mão, a partir da concepção do modelo de negócios circulares. Foi realizada uma pesquisa com aplicação de questionário eletrônico. Os resultados demonstram que existem práticas de consumo seguindo o modelo circular, mesmo que o conceito se encontre ainda implícito aos negócios de produtos de segunda mão. A preocupação dos indivíduos quanto ao impacto que o consumo exacerbado de produtos pode causar ao meio ambiente e a sustentabilidade do ecossistema é evidenciada, bem como a percepção da busca por meios de consumo que não agridam esse ecossistema. No entanto, essa percepção pelo propósito central do modelo de negócios circulares ainda não está presente de forma consciente quanto aos benefícios que a adoção do modelo de negócios circular pode ofertar, tanto para o meio ambiente, quanto para a sociedade como um todo. ABSTRACTThe Circular Economy promotes sustainable consumption practices in the clothing and second-hand products sector, provides a reduction of the pollutants and ensures component durability without the need to remove raw materials from nature. Online platforms can be associated with this type of business, as they provide quick and wide access to these products. The purpose of this study is to analyze how consumers identify and perceive practices of second-hand products consumption, based on the design of the circular business model. A survey was conducted using an electronic questionnaire. The results demonstrate the existence of consumption practices following the circular model, even though the concept is still implicit to the business of second-hand products. The concern of the individuals about the impact that the excessive consumption of products can cause to the environment and ecosystem sustainability is evidenced, as well as the perception of the pursuit for means of consumption that do not harm this ecosystem. However, this perception for the main purpose of the circular business model is, yet, not consciously present as to the benefits that the adoption of a circular business model can offer, both for the environment and for society as a whole.

scholarly journals The Effect of Brush Plate Structure and Operating Parameters on the Energy Consumption of Electrolytic Cells

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2186
Author(s):  
Shengxian Yi ◽  
Zhongjiong Yang ◽  
Liqiang Zhou ◽  
Gaofeng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Density Distribution ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Current Density Distribution ◽  
Electrolytic Cell ◽  
Anode Surface ◽  
Operating Parameters ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Impact Time ◽  
The Impact

The nickel powder brush plate is a core component of the direct contact between the cleaning machine and cathode plate of an electrolyzer, and its movement in the electrolytic cell will affect the energy consumption of the electrolyzer. In order to optimize the structure of the brush plate, a cleaning trolley brush plate was taken as the research object, a mathematical model of its electrolyzer was established, and the reliability was subsequently verified. The influence of the structural and operating parameters of the brush plate on the energy consumption of the electrolytic cell was studied. The research results show that additional energy consumption is the lowest in the process of cleaning a return grooved brush plate. Brush plates with a large slotting area have less impact on the energy consumption of the electrolyzer. The slotting method, where the anodes are arranged directly opposite each other and relatively concentrated, can be adapted to render a more uniform current density distribution on the anode surface, with lower energy consumption and less variation in voltage and current. With the increasing number of slots from one to three, the current density distribution on the anode surface became more uniform, with a reduction in the variation range of the slot voltage and current in the branch where the cathode plate was cleaned and a decreased energy consumption. With the linear increase in brush cleaning speed, the impact time of the brush plate on the electrolyzer decreased nonlinearly, and as the extent of this decrease gradually diminished, the additional energy consumption showed the same trend. These research results were then used as a basis for optimizing the existing commonly used empirical C-brush plates. Following optimization, the current density distribution on the anode surface was found to be more uniform, the variation amplitude of tank voltage was reduced by 34%, the current drop amplitude of the branch circuit where the brushed cathode plate was located was reduced by 39%, the impact time on the current field of the electrolytic tank was reduced by 40%, and the additional energy consumption was reduced by 50.9%. These results can be served as a reference for further theoretical research related to brush plates.

On the Advantages in Sustainability of Structural Concrete Bubbled Deck Slabs

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazar Oukaili ◽  
Hammad Merie
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Hollow Spheres ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Structural System ◽  
Deck Slabs ◽  
Plastic Materials ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
The Impact

<p>One of the significant methods, which reduce environmental damage, is by using the sustainable elements into construction activities. Bubbled deck is a slab system in which the ineffective concrete in the centre of the section is replaced by HDPE hollow spheres which are produced from waste plastic materials. It offers sustainable structural system due to decreasing (35%) of the self- weight and, therefore, the use and transport of less construction materials. In this study an investigation was carried out on (33) bubbled deck slabs of different dimensions and different sphere diameters, where part of specimens was with openings. The main objective of the study is to determine the impact parameters on increasing the sustainability effect through the input raw materials, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions for the bubbled deck slabs in comparison to solid slabs. Results of the study showed that the reduction of raw materials for bubbled deck slabs led to reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emission by (12%-40%).</p>

scholarly journals Life cycle assessment of electric and conventional cars energy consumption and CO2 emissions

2018 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 02007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Evtimov ◽  
Rosen Ivanov ◽  
Georgi Kadikyanov ◽  
Gergana Staneva
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Electric Cars ◽  
Electric Car ◽  
Electric Traction ◽  
The Impact

This paper presents an analysis concerning the effectiveness of electric traction in comparison with conventional cars. The Life Cycle Assessment method is used. It estimates the energy spent for the extraction of the raw materials/sources, manufacturing and transportation of the components and the vehicle, motion, maintenance and repair during exploitation period and the recycling process. The impact of the production technology of the electric energy, needed for charging the battery, is taken into account. The energy consumption and CO2 emissions for the life cycle of electric and conventional cars are presented on graphs. Examples for Bulgaria and EU countries are given. The exploitation conditions in which the electric car is more effective regarding CO2 equivalent emissions are shown. The main influence on the effectiveness of electric cars has the structure of the energy mix of the country where the electric car is produced and is used in exploitation.

scholarly journals Circular Economy and its Indicators for Russia

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72
Author(s):  
S. N. Bobylev ◽  
S. V. Solovyeva
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Material Model ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Best Available Technologies ◽  
Technological Efficiency ◽  
The Impact

In the world, the theory of the circular economy and its formation in the real economic system is rapidly developing. Many international organizations (OECD, EU) and countries already have their programs for developing such an economy. The article emphasizes that the practical implementation of the concept of “best available technologies” is vital for the transformation of the current linear model of the economy in many countries, including Russia. In Russia, there are many obstacles to the formation of a circular economy; the inertia of the existing export-raw material model is excellent, which is unsustainable and linear. A dangerous trend is the growth of waste intensity at the macro level. The article analyzes and adapts for Russia the UN Sustainable Development Goals directly related to the circular economy, proposes and quantifies key indicators. In the field of quantitative indicators, four areas have been identified for the development of crucial indicators set for the circular economy in Russia. An author’s formula for structuring the consumption of natural resources taking into account technological efficiency and waste is proposed. The importance of using the proposed toolkit of natural-product verticals combining primary natural resources / raw materials with final consumption and allowing us to estimate the size of the lost primary natural resources is emphasized. The indicators of waste management, in combination with production and consumption systems, are analyzed. For a circular economy, it is fundamentally important to calculate the resource and material intensity indicators of various sectors and their weight in the gross product, which will allow to assess the impact of potential structural changes on waste generation and conduct a comparative analysis with the corresponding indicators of other countries.

scholarly journals LCA/LCC Model for Evaluation of Pump Units in Water Distribution Systems

Symmetry ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1181
Author(s):  
Mitar Jocanovic ◽  
Boris Agarski ◽  
Velibor Karanovic ◽  
Marko Orosnjak ◽  
Milana Ilic Micunovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution Systems ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Pump Unit ◽  
The Impact

In this multidisciplinary research, an LCA/LCC model is developed for assessing the costs, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the pump unit lifecycles in drinking water distribution systems (WDS). The presented methodology includes the pump, motor, and variable frequency drive monitoring as a system (pump unit), through their life-cycle stages: the manufacturing stage, the exploitation stage, and the disposal stage at the end of their life-cycle. The developed model also analyses other processes such as the maintenance, testing, and reconstruction of the pump unit. Demonstration of the presented methodology was performed using the pump unit of an operating WDS system in different scenarios, in order to illustrate the proper application of this model. The obtained results show that the application of pump units is justified in terms of energy consumption. The results also show that 93%–94% of the consumed energy and the LCC costs are related to the pump operating costs, while the rest are related to auxiliary operations. The findings show that various countries can have considerably different prices of electrical energy and different GHG emissions that depend on the source of electric energy. The implemented model incorporates some of the symmetries that are commonly found in the mathematical models of water distribution systems. Finally, the results of pump unit exploitation within the WDS have been used to show the impact of such plants on different levels of energy consumption, GHG emissions, and LCC production.

scholarly journals Use of an Ethanol Bio-Refinery Product as a Soy Bean Alternative in Diets for Fast-Growing Meat Production Species: A Circular Economy Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 11019
Author(s):  
Emily Burton ◽  
Dawn Scholey ◽  
Ashraf Alkhtib ◽  
Peter Williams
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Growth Response ◽  
Nutrient Utilization ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Broiler Chicks ◽  
Bioethanol Production ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Nutrient Utilisation ◽  
The Impact

The recent conceptual pivot from bioethanol production to ethanol biorefining has led to development of protein derived by fractionating the non-ethanol streams post fermentation within the plant. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of replacing dietary soy with corn-fermented protein (CFP) on performance of fast-growing meat species and the impact on the carbon footprint associated with the feed for each species. The study contains trials on 3 species, broiler, turkey and salmon. In trial one, 324 broiler chicks were allocated randomly to 36 pens distributed into 3 dietary treatments; control (0% CFP), 5% CFP and 10% CFP; for 35 days. In trial 2, 150 turkey poults were allocated to 3 treatments: control (0 CFP), 4% CFP and 8% CFP for 35 days. In trial 3, 525 Atlantic Salmon (starting weight 304 g ± 10.7 g) were raised in 15 saltwater tanks for 84 days with 5 treatments, control (0% CFP), 5% CFP, 10% CFP, 15% CFP and 20% CFP. Growth response, nutrient utilisation and carbon footprint were assessed in each trial. Replacement of soy with CFP showed limited differences in growth response and nutrient utilization but replacing soy bean meal with CFP at rate of 5%, 8% and 10% in broiler, turkey and salmon diets, respectively resulted in a 14% decrease in carbon footprint of diet manufacturing. This investigation shows coupling bioethanol production with poultry and salmon production represents a highly effective circular economy contributing to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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