Heinz Prammer, Johannes Lindorfer, Karin Fazeni,
"Methodological advancements in Life Cycle Process Design: A preliminary outlook"
, in Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Seite(n) 1-13, 2014, ISSN: 0921-3449
Original Titel:
Methodological advancements in Life Cycle Process Design: A preliminary outlook
Sprache des Titels:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
This Paper deals wwith application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology for process design, and presents the initial findings of this analysis qualitatively. The work identifies a need for a methodological development of Life Cycle Process Deisgn (LCPD). This is underpinned by a broad literature review. The literature review shows that the application of LCA as an environmental design insturment is recognized in literature. In contrast to that there is hardly any hint which role Life Cycle Costing (LCC) could play within environmental process deisgn. Most interesting in this line is, how LCA and LCC can be combined for environmental process design tob e finally the core insturments of LCPD. The applicability of LCA and LCC within LCPD is shown on the example of a novel biorefinery prcess under development. Both insturemtns (LCA and LCC) are already applied during basic process development in this work, prarllel to laboratory research. The aim ist o identify potential environmental threats at an early stage of process deisgn and also to give a hint on economic feasibility. Additionally a trade-off between environemtal and eocomic issues can be drawn out. On the basis of this analysis the role of LCA during process development is highlighted as well as difficulties ans challenges are emohasized. One oft he major obstacles is data availability for LCA as well as LCC in the basic design stage of biotechologcial process. The findings of this paper serve as basis fort he methodological development of LCPD. It is emphasized that conducting LCA and LCC during basci process development can reveal some relevant action areas for process engineers, ehich may influence technical as well as economic feasibility. The rsults presented have tob e understood as a first outlook and provide key aspects for future research on the topic of accompanying basic process research projects with LCa and LCC to support future sustainable process design.