The LCA of a crystal production:

methodological aspects

R. Ridolfi, B. Rugani, S. Bastianoni

Department of Chemical and Biosystems Sciences, University of Siena.

PROJECT: CIVIC (italian acronymus)

The life cycle assessment of crystal production

FUNDERS & PARTNERS•Consorzio del Cristallo di Colle Valle d’Elsa

•Province of Siena•Monte dei Paschi Foundation•University of Siena

METHODOLOGY

•ISO 14040: 1997 •ISO 14041: 1999•ISO 14042: 2000•ISO 14043: 2000

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ISO 14040: 1997 Life cycle assessment:

principles and framework

In this rule the main aspects of ISO 14040 series and the

phases of an LCA are reported.

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Goal of the study

From ISO 14040:

“The goal of an LCA study shall unambiguously state the intended application, the reasons for

carrying out the study and the intended audience, i.e. to whom the results of the

study are intended to be communicated”

The goal of our project is:to quantify the energetic and environmental

impact of the crystal production and to develop the LCA application in our research

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Function and functional unit

From ISO 14040: “The functional unit is a measure of the

performance of the functional outputs of the product system”

The functional unit is:The kg of crystal object produced

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System boundaries

From ISO 14040: “The system boundaries determine

which unit processes shall be included within LCA”

System boundaries:

The crystal production has been studied from the “cradle to the grave”. The LCA

includes the end-life of the crystal object.

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Data In this analysis we used three types of

data:

1.Direct measurements from companies2.Data from a database3.Data from literature

The data (1) are mainly material and resource consumptions for the crystal manufacture. Data (2) and (3) are relative to the process of preparation of raw materials or resources and in general to each process that can not be analyzed directly.

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Phases of LCA

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Goal and scope definition

Inventoryanalysis

Impactassessment

Interpretation

Direct applications:

- Product developmentAnd Improvement-Strategic plannig- Public policy making-Marketing-Other

Inventory analysis involves data collection and calculation

procedures to quantify relevant inputs and outputs

of a product system

The impact assessment phase of LCA is aimed at evaluating the significance of potential

environmental impacts using the results of the life cycle

inventory analysis

Interpretation is the phase of LCA in which the findings from the inventory analysis and the

impact assessment are combined together.

The model of the LCA

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The crystal production process has been divided in four main phases according to what is suggested by LCA rules:

1.Acquisition of materials2.Production phase3.Use phase4.End life phase

The model of the LCA

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Manufacturing process

Materials acquisitions

USE phase

END phase

mixing melting moulding

Temperingpolishing cutting

packaging

Analyses of the unit processes of manufacturing (1)

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MIXING

Lead oxide

Carbonates

Sand

Other chemicals

INPUT

electricity

OUTPUT

FUSION

Direct emissions (dust)

Mixed materials

Indirect emissions (e.g. from electricity)

Waste (packaging materials)

Analyses of the unit processes of manufacturing (2)

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MELTING

Mixed materials

Methane

Refractory materials

INPUT

electricity

OUTPUT

MOULDING

Direct emissions (e.g. nitrous oxide, dust)

Melted material

Indirect emissions (e.g. methane extraction)

Waste (refractory materials)

The LCA inventory (1):

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In order to account for direct and indirect emissions (to the emissions due to the

production process of raw materials) we have to use a Database and a software. The

former permits to close the LCA, the latter permits to combine the various flows entering

in the single unit process.

In this analysis we have used the database EDIP and the software GABI4. However for

processes not present in the database we had to calculate it from literature

The LCA inventory (2): Processes Sources and year of data Country/Region of origin data

UPSTREAM STAGE

Raw materials extraction and manufacturing (output tracked flow unit: kg)

Explosives

Oxygen (O2), global

Steel, cold rolled plate (89% primary), Aggregated

Lead (Pb), 100% primary, EU

Carbonates

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

Lead oxide [Producer], 2006 Europe, Italy

Raw materials acquisition (output tracked flow unit: kg*km)

Bulk carrier, 2000t diesel, 75 % load

Goods train, diesel DK, medium-high load

Truck >16t diesel, motorway, Aggregated

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

MANUFACTURING STAGE

Mixing of raw materials [Company], 2007

Melting in the furnace [Corinair], 1999 – [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Refractory (Pot clay) [IPPC], 2006 Europe

Mould preparation [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Oxygen (O2), DK [EDIP], 1997 Europe, Denmark

Tempering processes

Cutting processes

Packaging

[Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Polyethylenfilm

Cardboard/carton for packaging (primary)

Pallets

Plastic, PUR, estimated data

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

Polishing [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Sulphuric acid (H2SO4), [EDIP], 1997

Hydrogen fluoride (HF) [IPPC], 2006 Europe

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) extraction [McCulloch et Al.], 2003 -

Calcium oxide CaO

Calcium carbonate (extract), Aggregated [EDIP], 1997 Europe

Sludge treatment [Sangho Lee et Al.], 1997 – [U.S.P.], 2003 -

Landfilling of hazardous waste [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

The LCA inventory (3): USE STAGE

Plane, mid sized jet, cruise, Aggregated

Truck 3,5t-16t diesel, urban, Aggregated [EDIP], 1997 Europe

END-OF-LIFE STAGE

Glass for recovery

Unspecified waste for disposal [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Glass scrap collection

Incineration, PUR (polyurethane) 2000

Paper and board collection

Recovery, Plastic (PE)

Combustion of wood, soft dry matter chips

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

* processes used commonly in more than one stage

*Diesel, EU, Aggregated

*Fuel oil, heavy

*Heavy fuel oil, EU, Aggregated

*Combustion of diesel oil in small diesel engine

*Combustion of diesel oil in large diesel engine, 4-stroke

*Combustion of gasoline in gasoline engine

*Unspecified primary energy

*Heating with fuel oil 1->100MW

*Heating with natural gas <1MW – aggregated

*Heating with coal 1-80MW

*Electricity, 400 V for industry, EU 1994. Aggregated

*Treated water (stream)

Europe

*Natural gas (fuel), North sea 2001, Aggregated North Europe

*Water from water works, Denmark

*DK: Power grid mix by production, 2001

[EDIP], 1997

Europe, Denmark

*Cooling water [estimated], 2007 Europe

The GABI4:

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GaBi4 softwareGaBi4 software…general plan

Plan NestingPlan Nesting

Manifacturing

MIXING

Lead polishing (sub-plan)

FlowsFlowsH2SO4

process

Sand

The GABI4:

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Each time that neither EDIP nor Company is written, the process of production has been estimated according to literature (e.g. HF).

Processes Sources and year of data Country/Region of origin data UPSTREAM STAGE

Raw materials extraction and manufacturing (output tracked flow unit: kg)

Explosives

Oxygen (O2), global

Steel, cold rolled plate (89% primary), Aggregated

Lead (Pb), 100% primary, EU

Carbonates

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

Lead oxide [Producer], 2006 Europe, Italy

Raw materials acquisition (output tracked flow unit: kg*km)

Bulk carrier, 2000t diesel, 75 % load

Goods train, diesel DK, medium-high load

Truck >16t diesel, motorway, Aggregated

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

MANUFACTURING STAGE

Mixing of raw materials [Company], 2007

Melting in the furnace [Corinair], 1999 – [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Refractory (Pot clay) [IPPC], 2006 Europe

Mould preparation [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Oxygen (O2), DK [EDIP], 1997 Europe, Denmark

Tempering processes

Cutting processes

Packaging

[Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Polyethylenfilm

Cardboard/carton for packaging (primary)

Pallets

Plastic, PUR, estimated data

[EDIP], 1997 Europe

Polishing [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

Sulphuric acid (H2SO4), [EDIP], 1997

Hydrogen fluoride (HF) [IPPC], 2006 Europe

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) extraction [McCulloch et Al.], 2003 -

Calcium oxide CaO

Calcium carbonate (extract), Aggregated [EDIP], 1997 Europe

Sludge treatment [Sangho Lee et Al.], 1997 – [U.S.P.], 2003 -

Landfilling of hazardous waste [Company], 2007 Europe, Italy

European Commission, Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC), Directorate-General JRG Joint Research Centre, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies. Reference Document on Best Available Techniques for the Manufacture of Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals - Solids and Others Industry. Dated October 2006.

1) Estimation of HF production process:

2) Inclusion of the process in the GABI4

The impact assessment:

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•Global warming

•Acidification potential

•Stratospheric ozone depletion

•Heavy metals

First resultsThe impact assessment (acidification potential, Kg

SO2 eq.):

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First resultsThe impact assessment (greenhouse gas emissions, kg CO2

eq.):

First resultsThe impact assessment

(stratospheric ozone depletion potential, kg R11 eq.):

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First resultsThe impact assessment (heavy metals, kg-Pb eq):

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Final remarks:

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• LCA can be a valid method to identify the critical aspects from an energetic and environmental point of view.

• Moreover LCA is able to correlate a critical aspect to a unit process.

• LCA is a complex assessment tool and then requires much time for data searching and processing.

• Results from an LCA should validate in order to see if some assumptions or estimation could bring error or bias in the final results.

Final remarks (work in progress):

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• We have to estimate the type of Data used (% from literature, % as direct measurements, % from database).

• We have to apply a sensitivity analysis (identification of critical parameters).

• We have to refine data (optimization of processes that are much more affected by bias).

• We have to evaluate possible improvements or development of the production.

• We have to evaluate the opportunity of beginning an environmental certification (like EPD).

Future references:

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• Prof. Simone Bastianoni – University of Siena, e-mail: bastianoni@unisi.it.

• Phd student, Benedetto Rugani – University of Siena e-mail: benedettorugani@yahoo.it, +390577234356.

Thanks for the

attention

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