Environmental evaluation of cogeneration scenarios in sugar industry

The development of new techniques that allow the analysis and optimization of energy systems bearing in mind environmental issues is indispensable in a world with finite natural resources and growing demand of energy. Among the energy systems that deserve special attention, cogeneration in the sugar industry must be pointed out, because it uses efficiently a common fuel for generation of useful heat and power. Within this frame, thermoeconomical optimization - 2nd Law of Thermodynamics analysis by exergy function and economic evaluation of the thermal system - gradually is taking importance as a powerful tool to assist to the decision making process. Also, the explicit consideration of environmental issues offers a better way to explore trade-offs between different aspects to support the decisions that must be made. In this work it is used the technique of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) which allows to consider environmental matters as an integral part of the problem, in opposite to most of the environmental approaches that only reduce residuals generation , without taking into account impacts associated to other related processes. On the other hand, the consideration of environmental issues in optimization of energy systems is a novel and promissory contribution in the state of the art of energy optimization and LCA. The system under study is a sugar plant of Tucumán (Argentina) given the particular importance that this industry had inside the regional economy of the Argentinean Northwest. Although cogeneration comes being used a while ago in sugar industry, being the main objective the generation of heat and as secondary objective the electric power generation and mechanic power to cover several needs of working machineries, to the date it is no available a versatile tool that allows to analyze economical feasible alternatives bearing in mind environmental issues. At sugar plants, steam is generated in boilers using as fuel bagasse - cellulosic fiber waste obtained crushing the sugar cane- and it is used to give useful heat and shaft work to the plant, but it can also be used to generate electricity with export opportunities to the electrical network. The great number of process alternatives outlines a serious decision making problem in order to take advantage of the resources. Although the problem turns out to be a mixed non-linear problem (MINLP), the main contribution of this work is the development of a hybrid strategy to evaluate cogeneration alternatives that combines optimization approaches with environmental indicators. This powerful tool for its versatility and robustness to analyze cogeneration systems, will be of great help in the decision making process, because of their easy implementation to analyze the kind of problems presented in the sugar industry.

Sustainable production of biologically active molecules of marine based origin

The marine environment offers both economic and scientific potential which are relatively untapped from a biotechnological point of view. These environments whilst harsh are ironically fragile and dependent on a harmonious life form balance. Exploitation of natural resources by exhaustive wild harvesting has obvious negative environmental consequences. From a European industry perspective marine organisms are a largely underutilised resource. This is not due to lack of interest but due to a lack of choice the industry faces for cost competitive, sustainable and environmentally conscientious product alternatives. Knowledge of the biotechnological potential of marine organisms together with the development of sustainable systems for their cultivation, processing and utilisation are essential. In 2010, the European Commission recognised this need and funded a collaborative RTD/SME project under the Framework 7-Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE) Theme 2 Programme 'Sustainable culture of marine microorganisms, algae and/or invertebrates for high value added products'. The scope of that project entitled 'Sustainable Production of Biologically Active Molecules of Marine Based Origin' (BAMMBO) is outlined. Although the Union is a global leader in many technologies, it faces increasing competition from traditional rivals and emerging economies alike and must therefore improve its innovation performance. For this reason innovation is placed at the heart of a European Horizon 2020 Strategy wherein the challenge is to connect economic performance to eco performance. This article provides a synopsis of the research activities of the BAMMBO project as they fit within the wider scope of sustainable environmentally conscientious marine resource exploitation for high-value biomolecules. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Estudo de viabilidade de implantação, operação e monitoramento de aterros sanitários: uma abordagem econômica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo da aplicabilidade dos conceitos da manufatura sustentável no rerrefino de óleos lubrificantes usados

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Aplicabilidade da metodologia ecodesign à produção de calçados femininos

Pós-graduação em Design - FAAC

“Eco-innovations in more sustainable supply chains for a low-carbon economy: A multiple case study of human critical success factors in Brazilian leading companies”

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Popularion biology of abdominant fish species of the Santa Bárbara river, a tributary of the Nova Avanhandava reservoir (low Tietê river, São Paulo State, Brazil)

The aim of this study is to characterize some population biology parameters of P. squamosissimus, A. altiparanae and S. maculatus, the dominant fish species of the Santa Bárbara river, a tributary of the Nova Avanhandava reservoir, low Tietê river. Fish samplings were performed monthly between September/2002 and August/2003, using gill nets with different mesh sizes. Females of all species have larger standard lengths than males (Mann-Whitney, p < 0.0001), and are more frequent in superior size classes (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, p < 0.0001). All populations presented isometric growth, but differences between males and females were observed. Only P. squamosissimus presented a gender ratio different from 1:1, with a higher proportion of males (1:2, X2, p < 0.05). The onset of gonadal maturation occurs at 15 cm in P. squamosissimus, 9 cm in S. maculatus and at 8.9 cm in A. altiparanae. In all species populations, the adults predominate over juveniles. The allometric condition factor (K) of P. squamosissimus and S. maculatus presented higher values in the periods from March-May and June-August, and A. altiparanae in the period from March-May (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.05). These results indicate that the populations successfully exploit the lentic environment, and present life cycle tactics adapted to their particular means of environment occupation.

Avaliação de Ciclo de Vida em processo de fabricação de rolamentos

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil e Ambiental - FEB

Environmental impact of coldset against inkjet in newspaper production: a Study

[EN] Comparative of the environmental impacts of a printed newspaper for different impacts categories using the tool of Life Cycle Assessment. The study describes the methodology, the different phases using the usual technology by coldset-offset comparing  to the new digital-inkjet printing.

Valutazione dei criteri ambientali minimi del pan gpp per i servizi di pulizia e loro applicazione al piano di riduzione degli impatti ambientali del presidio ospedaliero di Conegliano

The subject of my thesis is to develop an assessment of minimum environmental criteria of the Plan National Action of Green Public Procurement for the cleaning service in the Conegliano’s hospital, used as case of study, through the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, to improve the hospital cleaning service.

Valutazione del risparmio di gas serra e bilancio energetico della pirolisi termo catalitica di fanghi da depurazione

I rifiuti rappresentano un’opportunità di crescita sostenibile in termini di riduzione del consumo di risorse naturali e di sviluppo di tecnologie per il riciclo di materia ed il recupero energetico. Questo progetto di ricerca si occupa di valutare, attraverso l’approccio dello studio del ciclo di vita, la valorizzazione energetica di una particolare categoria di rifiuti: i fanghi derivanti dalla depurazione delle acque. Si è studiata la valorizzazione dei fanghi attraverso l’applicazione del Thermo Catalytic Re-forming (TCR)®, tecnologia che consente di trasformare i fanghi in un carburante per la produzione di energia elettrica (bioliquido). Le valutazioni sono effettuate per una linea di processo generale e due configurazioni progettuali declinate in due scenari. Il caso di studio è stato riferito al depuratore di S. Giustina (Rimini). Per la linea di processo, per ognuna delle configurazioni e i relativi scenari, è stato compilato il bilancio energetico e di massa e, conseguentemente, valutata l’efficienza energetica del processo. Le regole della Renewable Energy Directive (RED), applicate attraverso lo strumento ‘BioGrace I’, permettono di definire il risparmio di gas serra imputabile al bioliquido prodotto. I risultati mostrano che adottare la tecnologia TRC® risulta essere energeticamente conveniente. Infatti, è possibile ricavare dal 77 al 111% del fabbisogno energetico di una linea di processo generale (linea fanghi convenzionale e recupero energetico TCR®). Questo permette, quindi, di ricavare energia utile al processo di depurazione. La massima performance si realizza quando la tecnologia si trova a valle di una linea di trattamento fanghi priva di digestione anaerobica e se il biochar prodotto viene utilizzato come combustibile solido sostitutivo del carbone. La riduzione delle emissioni imputabile al bioliquido prodotto va dal 53 al 75%, valori che soddisfano il limite definito dalla RED del 50% di riduzione delle emissioni (2017) per ogni configurazione progettuale valutata.

L’approccio del ciclo di vita applicato a sistemi di gestione ambientale: il caso dell’aeroporto Falcone – Borsellino di Palermo

La tesi tratta l’analisi preliminare dell’Organization Environmental Footprint (OEF) dell’ente gestore dell’aeroporto Falcone - Borsellino di Palermo (GES.A.P.). Viene inoltre sviluppato un nuovo metodo per la classificazione degli aspetti ambientali utilizzabile all’interno del Sistema di Gestione Ambientale (SGA) attualmente utilizzato dall’ente GES.A.P. Dopo un'introduzione sulle ragioni che hanno portato allo sviluppo di questi strumenti, vengono approfondite le fasi necessarie per la loro applicazione, specificate nella guida metodologica sull’OEF e nella norma ISO 14001. I dati raccolti per il calcolo dell’OEF sono stati inseriti in un modello dell’organizzazione creato con il software GaBi7 al fine di stimare gli impatti ambientali dell’organizzazione negli anni analizzati. In questo lavoro viene effettuata un’analisi del metodo EMRG (Environmental Management Research Group) utilizzato per l’individuazione e la classificazione degli aspetti ambientali nell’ambito del SGA (certificato ISO 14001:2004) di GESAP e delle innovazioni introdotte nella versione 2015 della norma ISO 14001. Viene suggerito un metodo alternativo basato sull’integrazione dei risultati di un'analisi Life Cicle Assessment (LCA), svolta tramite l’OEF, con la metodologia EMRG, attualmente impiegata, al fine di avviare il processo di transizione del SGA verso l’aggiornamento-consegna richiesto dalla ISO14001:2015. Dall’applicazione del metodo viene ricavata una nuova gerarchia degli aspetti ambientali di GESAP utilizzabile per l’implementazione del suo SGA.

Effective water treatment for rural communities in Suriname : a comparison of point-of-use ceramic filters and centralized treatment with sand filters

For countless communities around the world, acquiring access to safe drinking water is a daily challenge which many organizations endeavor to meet. The villages in the interior of Suriname have been the focus of many improved drinking water projects as most communities are without year-round access. Unfortunately, as many as 75% of the systems in Suriname fail within several years of implementation. These communities, scattered along the rivers and throughout the jungle, lack many of the resources required to sustain a centralized water treatment system. However, the centralized system in the village of Bendekonde on the Upper Suriname River has been operational for over 10 years and is often touted by other communities. The Bendekonde system is praised even though the technology does not differ significantly from other failed systems. Many of the water systems that fail in the interior fail due to a lack of resources available to the community to maintain the system. Typically, the more complex a system becomes, so does the demand for additional resources. Alternatives to centralized systems include technologies such as point-of-use water filters, which can greatly reduce the necessity for outside resources. In particular, ceramic point-of-use water filters offer a technology that can be reasonably managed in a low resource setting such as that in the interior of Suriname. This report investigates the appropriateness and effectiveness of ceramic filters constructed with local Suriname clay and compares the treatment effectiveness to that of the Bendekonde system. Results of this study showed that functional filters could be produced from Surinamese clay and that they were more effective, in a controlled laboratory setting, than the field performance of the Bendekonde system for removing total coliform. However, the Bendekonde system was more successful at removing E. coli. In a life-cycle assessment, ceramic water filters manufactured in Suriname and used in homes for a lifespan of 2 years were shown to have lower cumulative energy demand, as well as lower global warming potential than a centralized system similar to that used in Bendekonde.

Sustainability study of nanomaterials including societal and occupational implications

In recent years there has been a tremendous amount of research in the area of nanotechnology. History tells us that the commercialization of technologies will always be accompanied by both positive and negative effects for society and the environment. Products containing nanomaterials are already available in the market, and yet there is still not much information regarding the potential negative effects that these products may cause. The work presented in this dissertation describes a holistic approach to address different dimensions of nanotechnology sustainability. Life cycle analysis (LCA) was used to study the potential usage of polyethylene filled with nanomaterials to manufacture automobile body panels. Results showed that the nanocomposite does not provide an environmental benefit over traditional steel panels. A new methodology based on design of experiments (DOE) techniques, coupled with LCA, was implemented to investigate the impact of inventory uncertainties. Results showed that data variability does not have a significant effect on the prediction of the environmental impacts. Material profiles for input materials did have a highly significant effect on the overall impact. Energy consumption and material characterization were identified as two mainstreams where additional research is needed in order to predict the overall impact of nanomaterials more effectively. A study was undertaken to gain insights into the behavior of small particles in contact with a surface exposed to air flow to determine particle lift-off from the surface. A mapping strategy was implemented that allows for the identification of conditions for particle liftoff based on particle size and separation distance from the wall. Main results showed that particles smaller than 0:1mm will not become airborne under shear flow unless the separation distance is greater than 15 nm. Results may be used to minimize exposure to airborne materials. Societal implications that may occur in the workplace were researched. This research task explored different topics including health, ethics, and worker perception with the aim of identifying the base knowledge available in the literature. Recommendations are given for different scenarios to describe how workers and employers could minimize the unwanted effects of nanotechnology production.

Asphalt rubber mixtures with warm mix asphalt additives

En los últimos años, debido a la creciente preocupación por el calentamiento global y el cambio climático, uno de los retos más importantes a los que se enfrenta nuestra sociedad es el uso eficiente y económico de energía así como la necesidad correspondiente de reducir los gases de efecto invernadero (GEI). Las tecnologías de mezclas semicalientes se han convertido en un nuevo e importante tema de investigación en el campo de los materiales para pavimentos ya que ofrece una solución potencial para la reducción del consumo energético y las emisiones de GEI durante la producción y puesta en obra de las mezclas bituminosas. Por otro lado, los pavimentos que contienen polvo de caucho procedente de neumático fuera de uso, al hacer uso productos de desecho, ahorran energía y recursos naturales. Estos pavimentos ofrecen una resistencia mejorada a la formación de roderas, a la fatiga y a la fisuración térmica, reducen los costes de mantenimiento y el ruido del tráfico así como prolongan la vida útil del pavimento. Sin embargo, estas mezclas presentan un importante inconveniente: la temperatura de fabricación se debe aumentar en comparación con las mezclas asfálticas convencionales, ya que la incorporación de caucho aumenta la viscosidad del ligante y, por lo tanto, se producen mayores cantidades de emisiones de GEI. En la presente Tesis, la tecnología de mezclas semicalientes con aditivos orgánicos (Sasobit, Asphaltan A, Asphaltan B, Licomont) se incorporó a la de betunes de alta viscosidad modificados con caucho (15% y 20% de caucho) con la finalidad de dar una solución a los inconvenientes de mezclas con caucho gracias a la utilización de aditivos reductores de la viscosidad. Para este fin, se estudió si sería posible obtener una producción más sostenible de mezclas con betunes de alto contenido en caucho sin afectar significativamente su nivel de rendimiento mecánico. La metodología aplicada para evaluar y comparar las características de las mezclas consistió en la realización de una serie de ensayos de laboratorio para betunes y mezclas con caucho y con aditivos de mezclas semicalientes y de un análisis del ciclo de vida híbrido de la producción de mezclas semicalientes teniendo en cuenta la papel del aditivo en la cadena de suministro con el fin de cuantificar con precisión los beneficios de esta tecnología. Los resultados del estudio indicaron que la incorporación de los aditivos permite reducir la viscosidad de los ligantes y, en consecuencia, las temperaturas de producción y de compactación de las mezclas. Por otro lado, aunque la adición de caucho mejoró significativamente el comportamiento mecánico de los ligantes a baja temperatura reduciendo la susceptibilidad al fenómeno de fisuración térmica, la adición de las ceras aumentó ligeramente la rigidez. Los resultados del estudio reológico mostraron que la adición de porcentajes crecientes de caucho mejoraban la resistencia del pavimento con respecto a la resistencia a la deformación permanente a altas temperaturas y a la fisuración térmica a bajas temperaturas. Además, se observó que los aditivos mejoran la resistencia a roderas y la elasticidad del pavimento al aumentar el módulo complejo a altas temperaturas y al disminuir del ángulo de fase. Por otra parte, el estudio reológico confirmó que los aditivos estudiados aumentan ligeramente la rigidez a bajas temperaturas. Los ensayos de fluencia llevados a cabo con el reómetro demostraron una vez más la mejora en la elasticidad y en la resistencia a la deformación permanente dada por la adición de las ceras. El estudio de mezclas con caucho y aditivos de mezclas semicalientes llevado a cabo demostró que las temperaturas de producción/compactación se pueden disminuir, que las mezclas no experimentarían escurrimiento, que los aditivos no cambian significativamente la resistencia conservada y que cumplen la sensibilidad al agua exigida. Además, los aditivos aumentaron el módulo de rigidez en algunos casos y mejoraron significativamente la resistencia a la deformación permanente. Asimismo, a excepción de uno de los aditivos, las mezclas con ceras tenían la misma o mayor resistencia a la fatiga en comparación con la mezcla control. Los resultados del análisis de ciclo de vida híbrido mostraron que la tecnología de mezclas semicalientes es capaz de ahorrar significativamente energía y reducir las emisiones de GEI, hasta un 18% y 20% respectivamente, en comparación con las mezclas de control. Sin embargo, en algunos de los casos estudiados, debido a la presencia de la cera, la temperatura de fabricación debe reducirse en un promedio de 8 ºC antes de que los beneficios de la reducción de emisiones y el consumo de combustible puedan ser obtenidos. Los principales sectores contribuyentes a los impactos ambientales generados en la fabricación de mezclas semicalientes fueron el sector de los combustibles, el de la minería y el de la construcción. Due to growing concerns over global warming and climate change in recent years, one of the most important challenges facing our society is the efficient and economic use of energy, and with it, the corresponding need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technology has become an important new research topic in the field of pavement materials as it offers a potential solution for the reduction of energy consumption and GHG emissions during the production and placement of asphalt mixtures. On the other hand, pavements containing crumb-rubber modified (CRM) binders save energy and natural resources by making use of waste products. These pavements offer an improved resistance to rutting, fatigue and thermal cracking; reduce traffic noise and maintenance costs and prolong pavement life. These mixtures, however, present one major drawback: the manufacturing temperature is higher compared to conventional asphalt mixtures as the rubber lends greater viscosity to the binder and, therefore, larger amounts of GHG emissions are produced. In this dissertation the WMA technology with organic additives (Sasobit, Asphaltan A, Asphaltan B and Licomont) was applied to CRM binders (15% and 20% of rubber) in order to offer a solution to the drawbacks of asphalt rubber (AR) mixtures thanks to the use of fluidifying additives. For this purpose, this study sought to determine if a more sustainable production of AR mixtures could be obtained without significantly affecting their level of mechanical performance. The methodology applied in order to evaluate and compare the performance of the mixtures consisted of carrying out several laboratory tests for the CRM binders and AR mixtures with WMA additives (AR-WMA mixtures) and a hybrid input-output-based life cycle assessment (hLCA) of the production of WMA. The results of the study indicated that the incorporation of the organic additives were able to reduce the viscosity of the binders and, consequently, the production and compaction temperatures. On the other hand, although the addition of rubber significantly improved the mechanical behaviour of the binders at low temperatures reducing the susceptibility to thermal cracking phenomena, the addition of the waxes slightly increased the stiffness. Master curves showed that the addition of increasing percentages of rubber improved the resistance of the pavement regarding both resistance to permanent deformation at high temperatures and thermal cracking at low temperatures. In addition, the waxes improved the rutting resistance and the elasticity as they increased the complex modulus at high temperatures and decreased the phase angle. Moreover, master curves also attest that the WMA additives studied increase the stiffness at low temperatures. The creep tests carried out proved once again the improvement in the elasticity and in the resistance to permanent deformation given by the addition of the waxes. The AR-WMA mixtures studied have shown that the production/compaction temperatures can be decreased, that the mixtures would not experience binder drainage, that the additives did not significantly change the retained resistance and fulfilled the water sensitivity required. Furthermore, the additives increased the stiffness modulus in some cases and significantly improved the permanent deformation resistance. Except for one of the additives, the waxes had the same or higher fatigue resistance compared to the control mixture. The results of the hLCA demonstrated that the WMA technology is able to significantly save energy and reduce GHG emissions, up to 18% and 20%, respectively, compared to the control mixtures. However, in some of the case studies, due to the presence of wax, the manufacturing temperature at the asphalt plant must be reduced by an average of 8ºC before the benefits of reduced emissions and fuel usage can be obtained. The results regarding the overall impacts generated using a detailed production layer decomposition indicated that fuel, mining and construction sectors are the main contributors to the environmental impacts of manufacturing WMA mixtures.