Life Cycle Assessment of Plastics & GaBi Software Maiya Shibasaki
Life Cycle Assessment Life cycle approach as basis for the system model Impact assessment Resource Consumption (Materials and Energy Carriers), Global Warming, Ozone Depletion, Summer Smog, Acidification, Eutrophication, Human-Toxicity, Eco-Toxicity, Land use Impact Analysis Life Cycle Inventory Emissions Waste Resources Output Output Output Output Output Input Input Input Input Input Life cycle phases Raw material extraction Production of Intermediates Production of Main products Utilization Recycling, recovery, disposal...
Production Differentiation according polymerisation process Process Bulk polymerisation Solution polymerisation Solvent Monomer as solvent Organic solvent Example PS, PET SBR, PE Suspension polymerisation Emulsion polymerisation Gas phase process With Water, materials not solved in water With Water and emulgator, materials not solved in water none PVC, HI-PS ABS, PTFE PE, PP Quelle: BREF
Production Comparison of impact categories related to PE-HD 500% 450% 400% 350% 300% PE-HD PP PS PET PA 6 PVC 250% 200% 150% 100% 50% 0% EP POCP GWP 100 AP
From raw materials over intermediates to products Polymer production (example)
End of Life End of Life of plastics in Gemany 2003 Total Recycling Disposal Quelle: consultic
Different recycling possibilities Product Recycling Same application? Reuse Further utilisation Multi way bottle Milkbottel Product keep structure? Material Recycling keep Material? Material recycling Raw material recycling New bottle Carpet Solvolysis Energetic recycling Incineration plant Landfill -
End of Life Energetic Recycling incineration plant Plastics have a high calorific value, comparabel with crude oil. This energy is used for the production of power and/or heat energetic recycling. This is also applicable for mixed plastic waste fractions. The incineration plant is not constructed for an exclusive incineration of plastics (the temperature would be to high). The high calorific value is wanted to support incineration materials with a low calorific value. Average calorific values (h u ) of established plastics: PP 42 [MJ/kg] PE-LD 43 [MJ/kg] PE-HD 43 [MJ/kg] PS 42 [MJ/kg] PVC 17 [MJ/kg] PA 6.6 32 [MJ/kg] PET 23 [MJ/kg]
Application of LCA - FTP funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (BMBF) Partners (alphabetic): ICT, IfR, IKP, IPP, Pongs & Zahn Plastics, Nehlsen-Plump, Tank Schuler, TI Group Automotive System, Uhde Hochdrucktechnik, Werit Recycling of Fuel Tanks (PE-HD Homogeneous material) C W S P B HD-PE Material to comply with ELV Extraction using supercritical CO2 From economic point of view recycling together with household tanks Supercritical CO 2
Application of LCA - FTP funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (BMBF) 2,50E-11 2,00E-11 1,50E-11 LCA result gasoline tank (End of Life phase) Environmental benefits and burdens overview FTP system (supercritical CO 2 ) Energy recovery Material recycling 1,00E-11 5,00E-12 0,00E+00-5,00E-12 Burdens GWP AP EP POCP Benefits Impact potentials normalized (Germany) 7,5 kg gasoline tank The extraction method with supercritical CO 2 is a successful recycling method for contaminated plastics. The FTP recycling system leads to a recycling system with comparable environmental impacts to alternative disposal systems (energy recovery and material recycling). The FTP recycling system performs in most of the environmental impact categories better than the alternatives. By optimizing the recycling concept the economic aspect can also be improved further on.
The GaBi4 Software-System
Start Screen Information on the software: new features, Example, Online-Handbook, Documentation and FAQ. GaBi 4 Service: News, Database Contents, Contacts, User forum Links to LCA, LCE, DfE, Emission Trading, GaBi software, IKP Dept. GaBi, PE Europe and sales partner homepages Database: To work with GaBi, you need to activate a database
Different languages GaBi interface is offered in different languages: - English -German - Japanese -Danish -Chinese - Portuguese -Spanish
Expert use of the software creation of complex models
Hierarchical modeling within GaBi 4: Process Process Process Process Plan 1 Process System Main Plan Process Process Process Plan 2 Sub-System 1 Plan 1 Process Process Process Process Process Process Process Sub-System 2 Plan 2 - An already modelled plan can be used on another plan (hierarchical order of plans). - Once installed in the database, each process (as well as any other GaBi 4 object like plans) can be used multiple times --> DB-Object and (local) Object-Instance.
Thinking behind the software converting real life into GaBi 4 The analyzed system is defined as a plan! A plan consists of the identified processes! Processes are build-up and connected by product flows!
Process dialog window Description of processes with Inputand Output-Flows Detailed Documentation of data quality according to ISO requirements for each flow Includes besides Life Cycle Inventory data, information on costs (LCC = Life Cycle Costing) and (in future) on social aspects (LCWT = Life Cycle Working Time)
Flow dialog window In GaBi 4, Flows describe mass-, cost- or energy flows Flows characterized as product flows are used to connect processes Flow properties ( Quantities ) used for Impact assessment, documentation and support in advanced modelling. LCA view Quantities make the system flexible The more quantities are available, the merrier flexibility in the analysis of the results LCC view Standard impact categories are already included
Database manager - Processes in GaBi 4 Processes are organized in different categories in an easily comprehensible structure Powerful search functions further speed up work
Database manager - Flows within GaBi 4 Flows are organized in different categories of an easy overview Databases content covers at the moment more than 2000 flows Database content can be easily enlarged by the user
Thinking behind the software converting real life into GaBi 4 To support daily work, GaBi 4 database provides: A hierarchical flows classification with more than 2000 predefined flows ready to use A hierarchical process classification with more than 2000 processes available The GaBi 4 database covers all essential fields of energy and material production as well as transportation The GaBi 4 GaBi 4 database content can be extended according to any client-specific demand
Enhanced modeling using parameters Definition: Parameters allow for variation of processes (e.g. change yield, emission-factors,...) Why parameters: 1. use basic process for specific product derivates 2. adjust basic process to different operation conditions 3. create mixes, set if-then conditions etc. Parameters are required for efficient Scenario Analyses or Parameter Variations within the Analysis of Balances (GaBi-Analyst) as well as Sensitivity Analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation (--> see later transparency) Parameters allow the central management of settings Parameter types: Global Parameters are parameters with the same value to be used database-wide Process parameters are parameters used directly in the process. Process Parameters are Free (defined by a value) and Fixed (defined by an equation) Parameters Plan parameters are parameters used on plan level or to transfer parameters from plan to plan
Modeling Process Parameters - Example Free Parameters Fixed Parameters
GaBi 4 parameter explorer All parameter settings can be administrated centrally with the GaBi 4 parameter explorer. Offers an excellent overview on all parameters used in the current balance Very easy to use Switch between different views on system possible Extremely helpful also to define scenarios for analysis
Software functionality of GaBi 4 Overview functionality of the GaBi 4 Analyst Scenario Analysis two or more scenarios are created and compared according to the individual parameter settings the difference between the scenarios is visualized by bar diagrams of the chosen quantity (e.g. energy, GWP, ) Parameter Variation two extreme scenarios are created. The number of intermediate steps is defined. One or more parameters can be varied at the same time. the results are visualized by trend lines. These are linear or non-linear functions. Therefore optima can easily be identified. Sensitivity Analysis Sensitivity of parameters is analyzed according their standard deviation. The sensitivity analysis checks the relevance of single parameters for overall results. Monte Carlo Simulation The calculation of overall errors (due to imprecise measures or stochastic uncertainties in models) with an advanced stochastic method. Very fast, very flexible, easy to use. The chosen basis scenario with possibly standard deviations is randomly varied. Minimum and maximum limits can additionally be set.. The result is a calculated mean value of the chosen quantity (e.g. GWP) with standard deviation and a depicted distribution pattern of the results.
Balance Inputs Outputs A balance consists of lists showing all Input- and Output-materials (flows), which accumulate along the entire Life Cycle of a product (i.e. one ore more plans and processes) Results can be presented on different aggregation levels and in different units
Visualization options within balances Various types of graphics support balance and model analysis Data transfer to Excel often unnecessary Very easy to use
GaBi 4 Software & Databases Products GaBi 4 the Standard Software for product related environmental measures GaBi 4 supports in: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) case studies on the basis of materialand energy flow as well as process information Life Cycle Engineering (LCE = LCA plus costs), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Sustainability (LCS = LCS plus social aspects finding solutions within design alternatives like answers to questions of material or process choice etc. the performance of benchmarks and energy efficiency studies the calculation of green house gas balances supporting environmental management systems or sustainability reporting
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