|
|
Minimising Emission Footprints in Circular Economy by Process Integration
Fan, Yee Van ; Dr DSc. Eng. Paweł Ocłoń, prof. CUT (oponent) ; Nižetić, Dr Sandro (oponent) ; Klemeš, Jiří (vedoucí práce)
This thesis presents methodologies that have been developed to reduce emission footprints in the context of a transition to a Circular Economy through the application of a Process Integration approach to analysis and design, while also addressing challenges which have previously prevented practical implementation. Environmental sustainability, which is frequently indicated by low emissions and waste footprints, plays a critical role in facilitating the transition towards a Circular Economy. Three methodologies which are based on the breakeven concept and the extension of Pinch Analysis and P-Graph frameworks are proposed. The applicability of these methodologies is demonstrated by six case studies focused on transportation and waste management. My contributions to the field include: (i) A novel breakeven based decision-making tool, with parallels to the classical phase diagram that aids rapid decision-making on the processes (e.g. selection of transport mode for a given distance and load) with the lowest environmental burden. (ii) An emissions accounting system which aggregates GHG, SOx, PM and NO2 as a Total Environmental Burden through a scientific-based environmental-impact price. (iii) An Extended Waste Management Pinch Analysis (E-WAMPA) system for regional planning, accounting for both burdening and unburdening footprints, to determine the waste treatments and allocation design with low emission footprints. (iv) An assessment model underpinned by the P-graph tool to identify optimal and near-optimal integrated waste treatment systems for different waste compositions, which includes the identification of sustainable pre-and post-treatment processes. The proposed methodologies, which can be represented graphically, with the support of a set of comprehensive underlying equations, transform the waste management and transport selection problem into an easily understandable format from which arises robust solutions with low emission footprints. As an example in one of the case studies, the analysis run by the novel approach using E-WAMPA suggests an overall 10 % emission reduction (2,568 kt CO2eq) can be achieved by performing waste transition in Malta (-25.75 kt CO2eq), Greece (-1,602.71 kt CO2eq), Cyprus (-178.52 kt CO2eq) and Romania (-761.16 kt CO2eq). Those are the countries where the most improvement can be achieved, considering the combined effect of net emission (both burdening and unburdening footprints) by the existing waste treatment system, waste generation and population. For future study, a comprehensive economic feasibility assessment could be conducted, where localised data inputs could be fed into the proposed frameworks for a customised and thorough solution.
|
|
|
Minimising Emission Footprints in Circular Economy by Process Integration
Fan, Yee Van ; Dr DSc. Eng. Paweł Ocłoń, prof. CUT (oponent) ; Nižetić, Dr Sandro (oponent) ; Klemeš, Jiří (vedoucí práce)
This thesis presents methodologies that have been developed to reduce emission footprints in the context of a transition to a Circular Economy through the application of a Process Integration approach to analysis and design, while also addressing challenges which have previously prevented practical implementation. Environmental sustainability, which is frequently indicated by low emissions and waste footprints, plays a critical role in facilitating the transition towards a Circular Economy. Three methodologies which are based on the breakeven concept and the extension of Pinch Analysis and P-Graph frameworks are proposed. The applicability of these methodologies is demonstrated by six case studies focused on transportation and waste management. My contributions to the field include: (i) A novel breakeven based decision-making tool, with parallels to the classical phase diagram that aids rapid decision-making on the processes (e.g. selection of transport mode for a given distance and load) with the lowest environmental burden. (ii) An emissions accounting system which aggregates GHG, SOx, PM and NO2 as a Total Environmental Burden through a scientific-based environmental-impact price. (iii) An Extended Waste Management Pinch Analysis (E-WAMPA) system for regional planning, accounting for both burdening and unburdening footprints, to determine the waste treatments and allocation design with low emission footprints. (iv) An assessment model underpinned by the P-graph tool to identify optimal and near-optimal integrated waste treatment systems for different waste compositions, which includes the identification of sustainable pre-and post-treatment processes. The proposed methodologies, which can be represented graphically, with the support of a set of comprehensive underlying equations, transform the waste management and transport selection problem into an easily understandable format from which arises robust solutions with low emission footprints. As an example in one of the case studies, the analysis run by the novel approach using E-WAMPA suggests an overall 10 % emission reduction (2,568 kt CO2eq) can be achieved by performing waste transition in Malta (-25.75 kt CO2eq), Greece (-1,602.71 kt CO2eq), Cyprus (-178.52 kt CO2eq) and Romania (-761.16 kt CO2eq). Those are the countries where the most improvement can be achieved, considering the combined effect of net emission (both burdening and unburdening footprints) by the existing waste treatment system, waste generation and population. For future study, a comprehensive economic feasibility assessment could be conducted, where localised data inputs could be fed into the proposed frameworks for a customised and thorough solution.
|
host ::
RSS.