Energy Management :: 2007/2008

Class # 5P

LCA and Energy systems analysis

Joo Parente
joao.parente@dem.ist.utl.pt

Energy Management

Life Cycle Assessment

INCINERATION
ENERGY
PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUTION

USE

MATERIAL A

MATERIAL B

LANDFILL

RE-USE

OTHER
RECYCLING

A block diagram is a simplified representation of the relations between inputs and outputs of a physical or conceptual
system represented by blocks
system,
blocks. Inputs can be seen as products being transformed in the block processes while the
outputs would be both the final product and associated residues.
Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

Basic concepts
A block diagram is a simplified representation of the relations between inputs and outputs of a physical or conceptual
system, represented by blocks. Inputs can be seen as products being transformed in the block processes while the
outputs would be both the final product and associated residues.
Applications in Energy Systems Analysis:
Specific energy consumption in A:
cA = (Energy use in A) / (Useful production) = E / Out

[ kJ, toe, kcal / kg, m3, unit of product ]

Residues formation factor in A :

SA = 1 / (Resource use ratio) = (In1 + In2) / Out

[ ( kgin1 + kgin2 + ) / kgout ]

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

In1
A

Inlet n flow ratio:

f1 = In1 / (Total inlet flow in A) = In1 / (In1 + In2)

E
Out

In2

[ kgin1 / ( kgin1 + kgin2 + ) ]

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

1) Sequential connection

c4 = cc + Sc*c3
c3 = cB + SB*cc2
c2 = cA + SA*c1

2) Convergent connection
1

3) Divergent connection
2

2
C

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

c5 = cc + Sc*(f2*c2 + f4*c4)

c3 = cA + SA*c2

c2 = cA + SA*c1

c5 = cB + SB*c4

c4 = cB + SB*c3

c2 = c4 = cC + SC*c1

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

EXAMPLE 01 - Sequential connection

Consider a system composed only by an oven
oven, selection of products without deficiencies and storage
storage. The specific
energy consumption of the oven is 200 kJ/kg, the selection of the products is characterized by a specific energy
consumption of 5 kJ/kg, and 20 kJ/kg for the storage. The raw materials embrace an energy consumption of 50 kJ/kg in
the transformation process. The heating process promotes the volatilization of some components of the raw material,
around 5% of the original material
material. The selection process disposes around 10% of the oven production and the storage
losses are around 1%. Determine the specific energy consumption of the final product.
EXAMPLE 02 - Convergent connection
A company in the biological oil production imports 60% of the raw material
material, while the remaining raw material is from
national production. The imported oil is transported by boat with a travel distance ~ 1000 km, while the national oil is
transported by truck with a travel distance ~ 200 km. The oil refinery process presents a specific energy consumption of
100 kJ/kg. The mass rejection in the oil refinery process is ~ 90%. The specific consumption associated to the transport
is 0.025 kJ/(kg*km)
kJ/(kg km) by truck and 0.010 kJ/(kg
kJ/(kg*km)
km) by boat. The oil losses in the transport are 1% by truck and 0.1% by
boat. Determine the specific energy consumption associated to the refined oil (assume no energy consumption is
associated with the raw materials).
EXAMPLE 03 - Divergent connection
A glass oven presents a mass loss by volatilization ~7%. From the glass produced in the oven, 40% is employed in the
production of 0.33 cl bottles, and the rest to the production of 0.75 cl bottles. The conformation of the 0.33 cl bottles has
a rupture ratio of 2%, while the 0.75 cl bottles has a rupture ratio of 3%. The sand used in the glass production has an
energy value of 10kJ/kg. The specific consumption are, 200 kJ/kg in the oven , in the conformation 20 kJ/kg for the 0.33
cl bottle and 25 kJ/kg for the 0.75 cl bottles. Determine the specific energy consumption for each type of bottle.
Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

SOLUTION EXAMPLE 01 - Sequential connection

Specific energy consumption of the final product: c4 = cST + SST*(cS + SS*(cO + SO*c1)
SST = 1 / ((1 0.01)) = 1.01 kgg3/kgg4
SS = 1 / (1 0.10) = 1.11 kg2/kg3
SO = 1 / (1 0.05) = 1.05 kg1/kg2

Losses

Losses

cST = 20 kJ/kg4
cS = 5 kJ/kg3

1 Raw materials

cO = 200 kJ/kg2

Oven

(2)

Selection

(3)

(4) Final Product

STorage

Boundary

c4 = 20 + 1.01*(5 + 1.11*(200 + 1.05*50) = 308 kJ / kg4

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

SOLUTION EXAMPLE 02 - Convergent connection

Specific energy consumption of the final product: c5 = cR + SR*(f2*(cB + SB*c1) + f4*(cT + ST*c3))
SR = 1 / ((1 0.90)) = 10 (kg
( g2 + kgg4) /kgg5
SB = 1 / (1 0.001) = 1.001 kg1/kg2
ST = 1 / (1 0.01) = 1.01 kg3/kg4

Losses
(1) Imported oil

cR = 100 kJ/kg5

Transport
Boat

2
Refinery

cB = 0.010 kJ/(kg*km) * 1000 km = 10 kJ/kg2

cT = 0.025 kJ/(kg*km) * 200 km = 5 kJ/kg4
c1 = c3 = 0 kJ/kg

(3) National oil

Transport
T k
Truck

(5) Refined oil

4
Boundary

c5 = 100 + 10*(0.6*10 + 0.4*5) = 180 kJ/kg5

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

SOLUTION EXAMPLE 03 - Divergent connection

Specific energy consumption of the final product: c3 = cA + SA*c2 ; c5 = cB + SB*c4 ;

c2 = c4 = cO + SO*c1

SA = 1 / ((1 0.02)) = 1.020 kgg2/kgg3

SB = 1 / (1 0.03) = 1.031 kg4/kg5

SO = 1 / (1 0.07) = 1.075 kg1/(kg2 + kg4)

((1)) Sand

c2 = c4 =200 + 1.075*10 = 210.75 kJ/kg2 ou 4

c3 = 20 + 1.02*210.75 = 235 kJ / kg3
c5 = 25 + 1.031*210.75
1.031 210.75 = 242.3 kJ / kg5

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

Conf.
A_0.33cl

(3) 0.33cl bottles

Conf.
B_0.75cl

(5) 0.75cl bottles

Glass Oven
4

Boundaryy

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

Residues treatment
The residues treatment induces an increase in the final product specific energy consumption as follows:
1) there is an energy consumption associated with the residues treatment process.
2) the energy consumption in the unitary processes becomes higher, given the increase in upstream flows;
T t
Treatment
t

Residues treatment is a unitary process where the specific energy

consumption indicator is defined per unit of inlet product at the unitary
process
process.
ctc = (Energy use in C) / (Production flow to treat) [ kJ/kg4 ]

SAC = (Residues produced in A to C) / (Useful production in A) [ kg4/kg2 ]

Recycling

StC = (Flow treated in C) / (Flow to treat in C) [ kg5/kg4 ]

Recycling
There is an energy interest in recycling when the energy used in
the recycling process is less then the energy required to produce
an equivalent product.

4
1

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

PROBLEM 01 Residues treatment

The following system uses as raw material the flow in 3, produces the final product flow in 6, and treats the residues
flow 7. Determine the specific consumption associated to the flow 6:

Treatment

10

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

11

Waste

Energy

Final

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

SOLUTION PROBLEM 01 Residues treatment

In a residues treatment problem, the energy flow accounting is made inversely to the mass flow direction. i.e., a residue
treatment process increases the specific energy consumption of the process where it is originated.
In this case,
c6 = cE + SE * ( cD + SD * ( cC + SC * c3 + StCF * ct7 ) ) + [ ccapital ]
The specific
f energy consumption for
f the treatment off the fflow in 7 is:
ct7 = ctF + StF * ( ft8 * ct8 + ft10 * ct10 )

StF = (kg10+kg8) / kg7 ; ft8 = kg8 / ( kg8 + kg10 ) ; ft10= 1 - ft8

ct8 = ctG + StG * ct9

ct10 = ctH + StH * ct11
In general, St = 1 and ctfinal = 0. Therefore, in the above example, we would have (considering that operations D and E
do not generate any type of residues):
c6 = ce + cD + (cC + SC*c3 + StCF*ct7 ) + [ ccapital ]
ct8 = ctG + ct9 , where ct9 = ctEnergy = 0

ct10 = ctH + ct11 , where ct11 = ctWaste = 0

ccapital specific energy consumption associated to investments made to produce the final product. e.g.: considering the expected life duration of a

building, its embodied energy can be integrated in the final product specific energy consumption by dividing it by the total production expected in that
time. The same can be applied, for example, to purchased vehicles or other investments.

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

PROBLEM 02 Complex system (recycling)

Consider the following system:
Recycling

14

13

12
Treatment

10

16

155

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

11

Waste

Energy

Final

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

PROBLEM 02 Complex system (recycling)

a)

Name the conditions in which the operation H becomes reasonable from an energy point of view.

b)

What is the meaning of the specific energy consumption associated to the product 7?

c)

What is the influence of the recycling process in the final specific consumption?

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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Energy Management

Energy systems analysis

SOLUTION PROBLEM 02 Complex system (recycling)

a) The operation H corresponds to a material selection for recycling or waste disposal. In this sense, the operation H
allows the recycling process, which is only reasonable from an energy perspective if the specific consumption in 4
becomes lower with recycling than the without it.
b) The specific energy consumption in 7 corresponds to the energy consumption requested to treat 1 kg of product 7
(residue). From the previous problem, considering that F, G and H may produce residues, this can be determined by:
ct7 = ctF + StF * ( ft8 * ct8 + ft10 * ct10)
ct8 = ctG + StG * ct9 , where ct9 = ctEnergy
ct10 = ctH + StH * ct11 , where ct11 = ctWaste
c) Considering recycling, the specific energy consumption in 4 determined by:
c4 = (cC + StC* ct7) + SC*( f3 * c3 + f16 * c16 )
c3 = cB + SB * ( f2 * c2 + f15 * c15 ) ;
c2 = cA + SA * c1
c16 = cJ + SJ * c13 ;
c13 = cI + SI * c12
c14 = c16
c15 = cK + SK * c14 ;

c12 = 0

Without recycling, f3 = f2 = StH = 1 and f15 = f16 = 0.

Class # 5P :: LCA and Energy Systems Modeling

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