RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden
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Life cycle assessment of textile fibre recycling – RE:Spin
No full textIn this study, life cycle assessment has been applied to analyse the environmental impacts from a novel technology to recycle textile waste developed within the project RE:Spin. This technology allows for the dissolution of textile fibres and re-spinning them into new fibres within the same process setting, reducing the amount of process steps and increasing efficiency. The goal of this life cycle assessment is to analyse and quantify the potential environmental impacts of the RE:Spin process, to validate the hypothesis that the technology can potentially reduce the environmental impacts of chemical recycling. A secondary goal of the study is to identify hotspots as knowledge support for further developments. The study has a cradle-to-gate scope; and includes the processes of shredding, dissolution, filtration, coagulation, washing and drying. The study also includes support processes for recovery and recirculation of solvents and chemicals. The inventory data has been provided by the project partners, consisting only of lab-scale data from the tests and experiments carried out within the project. This data has been complemented by industrial scale simulations using a specialized software called WinGEMS, which provided mass balances and material flows for the system while energy use was calculated separately. The study analysed all the environmental impact categories required in the environmental footprint 3.1 framework. The results indicate that the RE:Spin technology has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of chemical recycling of cellulosic fibres. The potential environmental impacts from the RE:Spin fibres seem to achieve reductions in most impact categories in reference to conventional fibres, as well as in reference to the results obtained in other studies for chemical recycling of cotton. However, this outcome depends on certain key assumptions, such as the foreground system for ethanol production and heat generation. The most important aspect to focus on for future developments is to ensure a high recovery and recirculation rate of ethanol, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid; which can potentially reduce the environmental impact from the RE:Spin process even further, while avoiding emissions of losses to air and water
Förhandsplanering i kapacitetstilldelnings-processen på järnväg
No full textDenna rapport har tagits fram inom ramen för projektet SATT-TF, Samplanering av trafikpåverkande åtgärder och trafik – Trafikflöden. Under SATT-TFs genomförande-period har arbetet med att implementera den av RNE och FTE framtagna förslaget på ny kapacitetstilldelning, framtagen inom ramen för projektet TTR, Description of the Timetabling and Capacity Redesign Process, tagit fart. Rapporten beskriver dels sammanfattningsvis TTR-projektets framtagna process samt hur en prognosticerad transport tar sig igenom de olika processtegen som prognosticerat tågläge och olika kapacitetsobjekt till fastställt tågläge och genomförd trafik. Fokus för rapporten ligger på den förplanering som ingår i TTRs process. Denna förplanering är ny för svenska förhållanden och inför ett genomförande av TTR-projektets resultat behöver den svenska infrastrukturförvaltaren skapa rutiner och arbetssätt som dels stämmer med TTR-processens beskrivningar och handböcker, dels är effektiva att genomföra, dels leder till effektiv trafik. I rapporten görs en jämförelse med mer generell planering som den ter sig i industriella sammanhang. Den typ av resursplanering som görs under TTR-processens förplanering har sin motsvarighet inom många industrisektorer. Vidare presenteras en metod för att beräkna resursbeläggningen, i TTR-projektets terminologi benämnt Kapacitetsmodellen, givet en mängd prognosticerade tåglägen vilka har ett tidsfönster inom vilket de kan anses implementera sin tilltänkta transportuppgift korrekt. Denna metod kan dels användas för en given mängd prognosticerade tåglägen utan varianter men kan även generaliseras till en kombinatorisk urvalsoptimering genom att alternativa vägval och/eller tidsmässig placering av de prognosticerade tåglägena introduceras varvid optimeringsproblemet består i att välja de varianter som ger den bästa globala planen. Det senare resultat är beskriven i mer detalj i en separat rapport. En viktig del av förplaneringen utgör bedömningen av den produktionstid som åtgår till ställtid, dvs. sådan tid som måste läggas till planen för att möjliggöra produktion av produkter med olika produktionsmässiga egenskaper. För tågplanen och schema-läggning av tåglägen utgör ställtid den tid som åtgår för att möjliggöra tåglägen med olika prestandaegenskaper, väsentligen olika hastigheter. Rapporten beskriver ett sätt att kalkylera mängden ställtid för en viss linjesträcka och mix av prestandaklasser, samt hur en bedömning av storleken på ställtiden kan göras. Givet mängden ställtid så kan mängden tid som används till värdeskapande produktion beräknas, vilken i sin tur kan översättas till kombinationer av tåglägen ur de valda prestandaklasserna. Finessen med detta ligger i att tågordningen på den undersökta sträckan inte är fastlagd utan att antalet tåglägen från respektive prestandaklass gäller för den givna tidsperioden oavsett ordning på tåglägena. Detta att inte detaljerat schemalägga trafiken till en tidtabell under förplaneringen är en viktig abstraktion som skapar betydande flexibilitet till senare processteg under både förplaneringen men också efter ansökan om kapacitet och är besläktad med Successiv planering.Forskning utförd med stöd från Trafikverket TRV 2021/81090</p
A two-phase systematic literature review on the use of serious games for sustainable environmental education
No full textThis study explores the landscape of serious games for sustainable environmental education, focusing on game types, theoretical foundations, and pedagogical approaches to provide valuable insights for educators, researchers, and policymakers. Using an umbrella literature review methodology, it examines empirical studies published between 2006 and 2023 on serious games in this field. The findings reveal a growing interest in serious games for sustainability, highlighting advancements in gaming technologies. It also identifies various game types, theoretical perspectives, and pedagogical strategies used to promote sustainability education. The study offers a comprehensive overview of the role of serious games in fostering sustainable behaviors, synthesizing key empirical studies, frameworks, and practical applications. Its insights can help educators design and implement serious games that effectively integrate diverse pedagogical and theoretical approaches, enhancing learning outcomes and raising sustainability awareness..This work was supported by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research through the Centre of Excellence in Cir-cular Economy for Strategic Minerals and Carbon Resources (grant number TK228.</p
Energy in Buildings and Communities Technology Collaboration Programme : Subtask A Report. March 2024
No full textRobust performance assessment protocol to benchmark and characterise analytical systems used in the biomethane conformity assessment and trial applications
No full textThe European Partnership on Metrology project BiometCAP (Protocol for SI-traceable validation of methods for biomethane conformity assessment) has developed a comprehensive performance assessment protocol tailored to benchmark and characterise analytical systems such as gas analysers. The outcomes, including practical tests, will contribute to the development of standards. This article highlights some of the findings obtained so far in the BiometCAP project, showing the applicability of this protocol to assess the performance of analysis techniques used for quantifying terpenes, siloxanes and halogenated volatile organic compounds in biomethane. The project (21NRM04 BiometCAP) has received funding from the European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and by the Participating States.Funder name: European Partnership on Metrology.Funder ID: 10.13039/100019599.</p
Large- and small-scale fire test of a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facade system
No full textThe number of installed photovoltaic (PV) modules has increased significantly over the last years, and using available building surfaces to generate electricity by integrating PV modules in the construction is an attractive option. Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) or other vented claddings can spread fires rapidly to large parts of a building if the fire is allowed to propagate. To investigate this hazard, a large-scale SP FIRE 105 façade fire test was conducted. A façade measuring 4000 mm × 6000 mm covered with BIPV modules was exposed to flames that represent the fire plume from a window in a room at flashover. The results from the test show that critical failures, like falling objects and vertical flame propagation, can be expected in such constructions. These results highlight the importance of details in mounting of BIPV-façades and to require proper documentation from relevant fire tests of such systems. Small-scale cone calorimeter tests were conducted on the studied BIPV module to provide material properties of the combustible parts of the installation. These aspects should be considered when planning new or when retrofitting façades, to prevent escalation of fires. The results presented are, however, only valid for the configuration that was tested. Other BIPV-façades should also be investigated to study how these constructions can be built safely in the future with regard to critical details.This research is supported by the Fire Research and Innovation Centre (FRIC), funded by the Research Council of Norway (Project no. 294649) and project partners. The authors would also thank the C40 Urban Village project led by OBOS with support from Multiconsult, Hunton and Innovation Norway for initiating, planning and financing the test and sharing data. </p
Co-hydrothermal carbonization of microalgae and digested sewage sludge : Assessing the impact of mixing ratios on the composition of primary and secondary char
No full textThe role of microalgae cultivation in wastewater treatment and reclamation has been studied extensively, as has the potential utility of the resulting algal biomass. Most methods for processing such biomass generate solid residues that must be properly managed to comply with current sustainable resource utilization requirements. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) can be used to process both individual wet feedstocks and mixed feedstocks (i.e., co-HTC). Here, we investigate co-HTC using microalgae and digested sewage sludge as feedstocks. The objectives were to (i) study the material’s partitioning into solid and liquid products, and (ii) characterize the products’ physicochemical properties. Co-HTC experiments were conducted at 180–250°C using mixed microalgae/sewage sludge feedstocks with the proportion of sewage sludge ranging from 0 to 100 %. Analyses of the hydrochar composition and the formation and composition of secondary char revealed that the content of carbonized material in the product decreased as the proportion of sewage sludge in the feedstock increased under fixed carbonization conditions. The properties of the hydrochars and the partitioning of material between the liquid phase and the hydrochar correlated linearly with the proportion of microalgae in mixed feedstocks, indicating that adding sewage sludge to microalgae had weak or non-existent synergistic effects on co-HTC outcomes. However, the proportion of sewage sludge in the feedstock did affect the secondary char. For example, adding sewage sludge reduced the abundance of carboxylic acids and ketones as well as the concentrations of higher molecular weight cholesterols. Such changes may alter the viable applications of the hydrochar. The authors would like to thank Bio4Energy, a strategic research environment appointed by the Swedish government, for supporting this work. We also thank the Industrial Doctoral School for Research and Innovation of Umeå University (Sweden), and Vatten och Avfallskompetens I Norr AB (Vakin AB), for supporting this work. We thank VAKIN for providing the sewage sludge, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) (Sweden) for providing the microalgae. We specifically thank Francesco Gentili and Johan Sandgren for the sampling of microalgae and sewage sludge, respectively, and Pär Jonsson for processing GC-MS data.</p
Nanocarbon oxidation in the environmental transmission electron microscope - Disentangling the role of the electron beam
No full textEnvironmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) can provide unique insights into nanocarbon oxidation processes through atomic resolution and real time imaging of materials at high temperatures in reactive atmospheres. However, the electron beam can also influence the reaction rates, and even alter the processes entirely, complicating the interpretation of the in situ observations. Many mechanisms have been proposed to account for the impact of the electron beam, predominantly involving ionization of the oxidative gases to form more reactive species. However, these mechanisms have not been critically evaluated and compared to predictions from theory. Here, we evaluate the impact of the electron beam both qualitatively (oxidation mode and spatial extent) and quantitatively (oxidation rates), using high resolution imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy, at different electron energies and dose rates. We demonstrate that transient defects generated by elastic scattering, forming highly active sites for carbon abstraction by oxygen, is the main mechanism for the enhanced oxidation rates observed in situ. This is evident from an insensitivity to electron energy and saturation of the effects at high electron dose rates. To avoid undue influence of the electron beam in future ETEM studies, we therefore recommend conditions where the intrinsic oxidation dominates over the beam-enhanced oxidation (note that no conditions are completely “safe”) and extensive comparisons with other methods. © 2023 The Author(s)We thank Jens Kling for assistance of, and discussion regarding, the operation of the ETEM at DTU, Vesna Mirosavljevic at Trelleborg AB for supplying CB, and Hugo Selling for assistance with the preliminary quantification of the oxidation rate at low pressures. The authors acknowledge support from NanoLund and funding from the Swedish Research Council (grant numbers 2020-04453 and 2017-04902 ).</p
Steam explosion of lignocellulosic residues for co-production of value-added chemicals and high-quality pellets
No full textThe demand of pellets as energy carrier and the competitiveness of wood biomass are the drivers for finding alternative raw materials for production of pellets. The aim of this study was to investigate the steam explosion of lignocellulosic residues such as, straw, sawdust birch, sawdust spruce, GROT (mixture of 30 % bark and 70 % industrial chips), and their mix to co-production of value-added chemicals and high-quality pellets. The raw materials were first impregnated with water/acetic acid prior to steam explosion process, while leaching and washing of steam exploded biomass was used to reduce the ash content. The value-added chemicals were extracted with MIBK, and a gas chromatography was used to determine which value-added chemicals are present in the MIBK filtrates after extraction of the steam exploded biomass. Thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, calorific values, compression strength and density were used to assess and compare the quality of steam exploded biomass and pellets quality. The results from the extraction experiments shows that furfural, HMF, vanillin, syringaldehyde and coniferaldehyde are the most value-added chemicals extracted from lignocellulosic residues where higher yield of the valuable chemicals was obtained when the biomass was presoaked in acetic acid. The ash content was reduced by 83 % for straw material by washing and leaching of steam exploded straw material when the biomass was presoaked in acetic acid. High quality pellets with high calorific value (20 MJ/kg), high compression strength (228 kN/m), high density (1300 kg/m3) and low ash content (0,06 %) were produced from sawdust spruce and GROT:Spruce mix used in our study. Based on our results, we can therefore suggest that steam explosion process of lignocellulosic residues improves the quality of the biomass to pellets production and at the same time open for the possibility to produce value-added chemicals. Correspondence Address: M. Tanase-Opedal; RISE PFI AS, Trondheim, Høgskoleringen 6B, N-7491, Norway; This work received founding from Arbaflame AS through the Research Council of Norway under grant agreement No 309970; No 309674 and PhD project No 321268. </p
Evidence of Sulfate-Rich Fluid Alteration in Jezero Crater Floor, Mars
No full textSulfur plays a major role in martian geochemistry and sulfate minerals are important repositories of water. However, their hydration states on Mars are poorly constrained. Therefore, understanding the hydration and distribution of sulfate minerals on Mars is important for understanding its geologic, hydrologic, and atmospheric evolution as well as its habitability potential. NASA's Perseverance rover is currently exploring the Noachian-age Jezero crater, which hosts a fan-delta system associated with a paleolake. The crater floor includes two igneous units (the Séítah and Máaz formations), both of which contain evidence of later alteration by fluids including sulfate minerals. Results from the rover instruments Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemistry and Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry reveal the presence of a mix of crystalline and amorphous hydrated Mg-sulfate minerals (both MgSO4·[3–5]H2O and possible MgSO4·H2O), and anhydrous Ca-sulfate minerals. The sulfate phases within each outcrop may have formed from single or multiple episodes of water activity, although several depositional events seem likely for the different units in the crater floor. Textural and chemical evidence suggest that the sulfate minerals most likely precipitated from a low temperature sulfate-rich fluid of moderate pH. The identification of approximately four waters puts a lower constraint on the hydration state of sulfate minerals in the shallow subsurface, which has implications for the martian hydrological budget. These sulfate minerals are key samples for future Mars sample return. Correspondence Address: S. Siljeström; RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden; email: [email protected]; </p