Records |
Author |
Buyle, M.; Maes, B.; Van Passel, S.; Boonen, K.; Vercalsteren, A.; Audenaert, A. |
Title |
Ex-ante LCA of emerging carbon steel slag treatment technologies : fast forwarding lab observations to industrial-scale production |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Journal Of Cleaner Production |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Clean Prod |
Volume |
313 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
127921 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings (EMIB) |
Abstract |
The valuable properties of carbon steel slag are currently underexploited. To date, research mainly focusses on valorising a single property of the slag. In this study an ex-ante life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to evaluate the environmental profile of a novel technological pathway aimed at the extraction of chromium from carbon steel slag in combination with high quality valorisation of the residual matrix material. A comparison with current practice was made, not only by calculating the environmental impact of the lab scale observations, but more importantly by estimating the impact on an industrial scale. Practical guidance on ex-ante LCA is limited, so this study contributes by incorporating simulations on thermodynamic behaviour, complemented with empirical calculation rules and including information derived from similar technologies to perform the upscaling. These principles of ex-ante LCA were applied to the lab results of two consecutive research iterations. Substantial improvements of the environmental profile were observed: ex-ante results turned out to be a factor 20 lower compared to the results from the lab observations after the first iteration and had decreased by a factor 2 compared to the small pilot scale of the second iteration. All upscaled results are better than those from the worst case reference scenario (landfill). Based on the experience gained after this iterative research cycle, a practical recommendation is that at a low technology readiness level using more simple calculation rules in combination with a flowsheet based on elementary design principles for processes at an industrial scale is a more efficient way of modelling compared to a fully-fledged process design from the start. |
Address |
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Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
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Wos |
000693416000002 |
Publication Date |
2021-06-14 |
Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0959-6526 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record |
Impact Factor |
5.715 |
Times cited |
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Open Access |
Not_Open_Access |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: 5.715 |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:179313 |
Serial |
6922 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Buyle, M.; Audenaert, A.; Billen, P.; Boonen, K.; Van Passel, S. |
Title |
The future of Ex-Ante LCA? Lessons learned and practical recommendations |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2019 |
Publication |
Sustainability |
Abbreviated Journal |
Sustainability-Basel |
Volume |
11 |
Issue |
19 |
Pages |
5456 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE); Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings (EMIB) |
Abstract |
Every decision-oriented life cycle assessment (LCAs) entails, at least to some extent, a future-oriented feature. However, apart from the ex-ante LCAs, the majority of LCA studies are retrospective in nature and do not explicitly account for possible future effects. In this review a generic theoretical framework is proposed as a guideline for ex-ante LCA. This framework includes the entire technology life cycle, from the early design phase up to continuous improvements of mature technologies, including their market penetration. The compatibility with commonly applied system models yields an additional aspect of the framework. Practical methods and procedures are categorised, based on how they incorporate future-oriented features in LCA. The results indicate that most of the ex-ante LCAs focus on emerging technologies that have already gone through some research cycles within narrowly defined system boundaries. There is a lack of attention given to technologies that are at a very early development stage, when all options are still open and can be explored at a low cost. It is also acknowledged that technological learning impacts the financial and environmental performance of mature production systems. Once technologies are entering the market, shifts in market composition can lead to substantial changes in environmental performance. |
Address |
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Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
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Wos |
000493525500315 |
Publication Date |
2019-10-01 |
Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
2071-1050 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
1.789 |
Times cited |
4 |
Open Access |
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Notes |
; Thanks to Koen Breemersch for providing insightful and useful comments on draft versions of this manuscript. This work was supported by the University of Antwerp and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). The authors also acknowledge anonymous reviewers for the constructive suggestions and the stimulating discussion. ; |
Approved |
Most recent IF: 1.789 |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:162571 |
Serial |
6205 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Beames, A.; Broekx, S.; Heijungs, R.; Lookman, R.; Boonen, K.; Van Geert, Y.; Dendoncker, K.; Seuntjens, P. |
Title |
Accounting for land-use efficiency and temporal variations between brownfield remediation alternatives in life-cycle assessment |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2015 |
Publication |
Journal of cleaner production |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
101 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
109-117 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) |
Abstract |
The latest life-cycle assessment methods account for land use, due to the production, use and disposal of products and services, in terms of ecosystem damage. The process of brownfield remediation converts otherwise idle urban space into productive space. The value to ecosystems in this context is of course limited since the brownfield site remains urban. When evaluating brownfield remediation technologies, the availability of space on-site is dependent on the duration of time required by the remediation technology to reach the remediation target. Remediation technology alternatives tend to vary largely in terms of duration. Comparative life-cycle assessments of remediation technologies, to date, present the large variations between alternatives in terms of remediation duration but do not translate this into an impact or parameter. The restored subsurface zone is often defined as a functional unit, when in fact the surface area is the resource restored by the remediation service. The economic benefits of making land resources available are particularly important considerations in the context of brownfield remediation. The research proposes an innovative impact assessment approach that allows land to be considered as a finite resource. The method is applied in a comparative life-cycle assessment of two potential remediation scenarios for an idle brownfield in the Brussels region of Belgium. The results show that there is a trade-off between greenhouse gas emissions and land availability and that both are largely dependent on the efficiency of the contaminant extraction mechanism. The results also raise the question as to whether the economic valuation of land, like precious metals and fossil fuels, provides an accurate reflection of the true value of the resource. Considering land as a resource at the midpoint level is also relevant in other urban contexts where competition exists between different land-uses, where urban sprawl is detrimental to undeveloped areas and where urban intensification is a policy objective. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Address |
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Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
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Wos |
000356988200010 |
Publication Date |
2015-04-05 |
Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0959-6526 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
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Open Access |
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Notes |
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Approved |
no |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:127010 |
Serial |
7412 |
Permanent link to this record |