Using LCA to facilitate the development of a circular economy for refrigerated display cabinets in the UK Deborah Andrews Dan Bibalou and Alan Foster London South Bank University.
Refrigerated Display Cabinets - RDCs
Refrigerated Display Cabinets - RDCs
Ellen MacArthur Foundatjon Circular Economy Introductory Kit
Ellen MacArthur Foundatjon Circular Economy Introductory Kit
Circular Economy Recycling Closed loop Open loop recycling / recycling upcycling / downcycling into another product Manufacture & system Engineered & Assembly Speciality Materials Use and Bulk Service Retjrement Processing Raw Material Treatment & Acquisitjon Disposal The Earth & Life Cycle Stage Biosphere Fugitjve and untested residuals Airborne, waterborne and solid residuals Material, energy and labour inputs for process and management Transfer of materials between stages for product, includes transportatjon & packaging Environmental Protectjon Agency (EPA) htup://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess/lca101.htm
Circular Economy Recycling alternatjve Closed loop Open loop recycling recycling Remanufacture business models Manufacture & Includes Engineered & Assembly e.g. leasing Speciality selling a service Materials Reuse Use and Bulk Service Retjrement Processing Raw Material Treatment & Acquisitjon Disposal The Earth & Life Cycle Stage Biosphere Fugitjve and untested residuals Airborne, waterborne and solid residuals Material, energy and labour inputs for process and management Transfer of materials between stages for product, includes transportatjon & packaging Environmental Protectjon Agency (EPA) htup://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess/lca101.htm
Using LCA to facilitate the development of a circular economy for refrigerated display cabinets in the UK 1. encourage remanufacturing and reuse of RDCs
In UK 9,200+ supermarkets and food outlets 800,000 RDCs per year - supermarket refrigeratjon uses 3.8 million kWh electricity and produces 1.5 M tCO 2e untjl now emphasis of environmental impact - energy consumptjon and reductjon
‘typical’ RDC - life cycle impact 100% 90% Use phase Embodied 80% 70% 80% 60% 98% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 3% 20% 0% Product Carbon Footprint Life Cycle Assessment
‘typical’ RDC - life cycle impact 100% 90% Use phase Embodied 80% 70% 80% 60% 98% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 3% 20% 0% Product Carbon Footprint Life Cycle Assessment
Falkirk supply all UK leading supermarkets and food retailers Telford Swindon Sheerness Stoke on Trent UK lead - remanufacture of RDCs
remanufactured RDCs are as good as / betuer than new RDCs includes component upgrade – reduce operatjonal energy: replace fmuorescent lights with LEDs more effjcient refrigeratjon systems (compressors, evaporators, low GHG refrigerants etc.)
remanufactured RDCs are as good as / betuer than new RDCs reuse / remanufacture of cabinets and parts and reduces materials use reduces energy inputs reduces environmental impact
remanufactured RDCs are as good as / betuer than new RDCs reuse / remanufacture of cabinets and parts and reduces materials use reduces energy inputs reduces environmental impact only 12.5% RDCs are remanufactured
Carbon Calculator – shows iteratjve refurbishment of RDCs reduces carbon output and costs Scenario B Scenario A 3,000 Scenario A Scenario B 2,500 Carbon emissions (kg CO2e) 2,000 RDC 1 1,500 1,000 RDC 2 RDC 1’ 500 RDC 1’’ 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Time (Year)
Using LCA to facilitate the development of a circular economy for refrigerated display cabinets in the UK 1. encourage reuse of RDCs and use of remanufactured RDCs 2. assess materials suitability / potentjal substjtutjon in Circular Economy
materials average RDC – 450kgs 800,000 RDCs in UK 360,000 tonnes materials in use in sector some materials recycled - could this be increased? alternatjve end-of-life treatment?
materials in a typical RDC steel (stainless, carbon, galvanised), aluminium alloy, metals brass, copper polymers – rigid polyurethane foam (PUR), polystyrene (PS) & thermoplastjcs and phenolic foams, polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) thermoset plastjcs glass plate, fjbre MDF (medium density wood and other natural fjbres, urea formaldehyde resin fjbreboard) electronics including precious metals
materials widely reused / recycled steel (stainless, carbon, galvanised), aluminium alloy, metals brass, copper polymers – rigid polyurethane foam (PUR), polystyrene (PS) & thermoplastjcs and phenolic foams, polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) thermoset plastjcs glass plate, fjbre MDF (medium density wood and other natural fjbres, urea formaldehyde resin fjbreboard) electronics including precious metals
materials could be reused / recycled steel (stainless, carbon, galvanised), aluminium alloy, metals brass, copper polymers – rigid polyurethane foam (PUR), polystyrene (PS) & thermoplastjcs and phenolic foams, polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) thermoset plastjcs glass plate, fjbre MDF (medium density wood and other natural fjbres, urea formaldehyde resin fjbreboard) electronics including precious metals
materials could be substjtuted? steel (stainless, carbon, galvanised), aluminium alloy, metals brass, copper polymers – rigid polyurethane foam (PUR), polystyrene (PS) & thermoplastjcs and phenolic foams, polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) thermoset plastjcs glass plate, fjbre MDF (medium density wood and other natural fjbres, urea formaldehyde resin fjbreboard) electronics including precious metals
2. assess materials suitability / potentjal substjtutjon in a Circular Economy use LCA – compare range of difgerent materials, manufacturing, installatjon processes, end-of-life scenarios and operatjonal energy inputs more comprehensive accurate than carbon ‘footprint’
PUR (rigid polyurethane foam) insulatjon
PUR sheets - constructjon industry and refrigeratjon units
for Circular Economy - can PUR be substjtuted? established synthetjc materials mineral wool glass fjbre high-tech synthetjc materials VIP (vacuum insulated panels) aerogel natural cork sheep’s wool cotuon
insulatjon panel - 1.8m (w) x 1.86m (h) x 40mm (d) Product only - impact in mPoints 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
whole life cycle: integratjng energy & product chains COOLING (refrigeratjon) electricity extending life - materials / USE – remanufacture / PRODUCT component food storage end-of-life - (RDC) manufacture and display recycling, disposal emissions pollutants
developing a Circular Economy - end-of-life scenarios materials group materials end-of-life scenario landfjll / reuse recycle compost incin. established synthetjc chipped with chemical / PUR materials resin - board pyrolysis mineral wool glass fjbre high-tech synthetjc fjller / fjller / VIP materials incinerate fjlm incinerate fjlm aerogel natural cork sheep’s wool cotuon
materials mineral Cork Sheep’s propertjes & PUR Fibreglass VIP Aerogel Cotuon wool 160kg/m 3 wool performance Thermal conductjvity 0.022 0.033 0.033 0.008 0.014 0.042 0.042 0.038 (W m -1 K -1 ) Thickness (mm) 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 U value (W m -2 K -1 ) 0.47 0.66 0.7 0.2 0.32 0.8 0.8 0.7 heat loss Heat through 97 136 136 39 61 164 164 152 insulatjon (W) Energy use (kW.h 567 794 794 227 380 959 959 888 yr -1 ) CO 2 from use 252 354 354 101 169 427 427 395 (kg CO 2e yr -1 ) Volume of 0.411 0.411 0.4 0.4 0.411 0.411 0.411 0.4 insulatjon (m 3 ) Density of 42 45 45 composite 109 160 14 19 insulatjon (kg m -3 ) 33 Mass of insulatjon 17 18.5 19 (80% core, 45 66 6 8 (kg) 20% fjlm)
Life Cycle Impact over 5 years 40mm insulatjon / difgerent thermal performance 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 recycle reuse or compost landfjll or incin.
Life Cycle Impact over 5 years – same thermal performance / difgerent thickness insulatjon 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 recycle reuse or compost landfjll or incin.
Conclusion and future work RDCs - PUR cannot be easily recycled or reused substjtute other materials – develop a Circular Economy? 40mm panels - thermal performance - on average impact of operatjonal energy is 14 tjmes higher than impact of insulatjon has a signifjcant impact on Life Cycle of all materials must be included in Life Cycle Assessment natural / organic materials – can be recycled / composted suggests - more suitable for Circular Economy but thermal performance is relatjvely poor - overall environmental load is high established synthetjc materials - thermal performance is relatjvely poor - overall environmental load is higher than PUR hi-tech synthetjc materials – excellent thermal insulatjon propertjes, fjller/core can be reused but fjlm can’t – is this suitable for Circular Economy?
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