Article
Engineering, Environmental
Johanna Kleinekorte, Matthias Leitl, Christian Zibunas, Andre Bardow
Summary: Both the global steel and chemical industries contribute significantly to industrial greenhouse gas emissions, with GHG emissions strongly related to the consumption of fossil resources. The climate-optimal utilization of steel mill off-gases can reduce fossil resource consumption and GHG emissions. The study shows that the optimal utilization of steel mill off-gases depends on the carbon footprint of electricity. By coupling the global steel and chemical industry, industrial GHG emissions can be greatly reduced.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ankur Gaikwad, Daniel Maga, Stefan Schluter
Summary: The Carbon2Chem project aims to use industrial waste gases as a carbon source for chemical production. By comparing the impacts of integrated production and traditional production, it is found that Carbon2Chem technologies can reduce the global warming impact. Optimizing the demand for external hydrogen is key to minimizing the global warming impact of chemicals.
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Kai Girod, Heiko Lohmann, Stefan Kaluza
Summary: An on-site laboratory with direct access to cleaned and conditioned steel mill gases has recently been put into operation to investigate the long-term performance and stability of Clariant's MegaMax (R) 800 methanol synthesis catalyst utilizing steel mill gases. Initial test results indicate that in order to study deactivation mechanisms of the cleaned steel mill gases' particular properties, the overlaying effect of the thermal deactivation of the catalyst needs to be minimized.
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lucia Rigamonti, Elisabetta Brivio
Summary: This study evaluates the environmental impacts of using steel mill gases to produce methanol and electricity. The results show that avoiding the traditional production processes and using methanol can have significant benefits for the environment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GREENHOUSE GAS CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Dongseong Kang, Jeehoon Han
Summary: The study reveals that producing methanol from Linz-Donawitz gas has environmental advantages in terms of global warming, fossil resource scarcity, and water consumption. Using wood chips as a primary source can further reduce global warming, fossil resource scarcity, and water consumption.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Johannes Michael Voss, Torben Daun, Christian Geitner, Stefan Schlueter, Tim Schulzke
Summary: A demonstration plant for methanol synthesis using steel mill gases was operated continuously for 5 weeks, with temperature profiles and gas compositions being measured online. The results from simulation and experiments showed good agreement.
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Florian Nestler, Johannes Full, Jan-Marc Jaeckle, Johannes Linsenmeier, Johanna Roob, Max J. Hadrich, Achim Schaadt
Summary: Utilizing the gas streams produced by the iron and steel industry to synthesize synthetic fuels or chemicals is a promising way to start a technical carbon cycle. However, synthesizing methanol from cleaned blast furnace gas is challenging due to the high inert gas content and fluctuations in gas supply. In this study, a mini-plant setup with an adiabatic quench bed reactor was used to operate cleaned blast furnace gas under various process conditions. Experimental data was used to validate a simulation model for optimizing process operational parameters, showing a high agreement between experimental and simulation data.
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jason Collis, Till Strunge, Bernhard Steubing, Arno Zimmermann, Reinhard Schomaecker
Summary: Industrial flue gases from steel production can be used to produce value-added chemicals, offering economic benefits and lower global warming impact, with blast furnace gas found to be the most favorable. The study introduces a method for evaluating the economic value and global warming impact of steel mill gases, and explores storage solutions for these gases.
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tingting Xu, Zhaoyi Huo, Tong Wang, Jiawei Lv, Yixuan Han, Lin Mu
Summary: This paper presents a multiperiod mixed integer linear programming model for optimizing the gas-steam-power system in iron and steel enterprises to simultaneously optimize total cost and carbon emission reduction. The results showed that the system could achieve carbon reduction only when the total cost attained a certain value in multiobjective optimization.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Martin Peters, Christian Geitner, Birte Friederike Verhoeven
Summary: In this study, a bench-scale electric swing adsorption plant was used to investigate the electrothermal desorption behavior. Technically relevant factors such as maximum electric power, purge gas flow, and desorption temperature were varied. The study was planned using a central composite design for the experiments. Different quality criteria were defined to describe the macroscopic behavior of the desorption process. The results were used to develop correlating models through multiple linear regression, which can accurately predict energy demand, purge gas total volume, and desorption time.
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ying-jie Zhao, Qian Liu, Yuan-yuan Duan, Yu-ke Zhang, Yi Huang, Li-juan Shi, Jian-cheng Wang, Qun Yi
Summary: The study proposes a coal to methanol process assisted by renewable hydrogen generated from wind, solar, or wind-solar hybrid power. The GH-CTM process shows improved carbon, energy, and exergy efficiency compared to the traditional coal to methanol process. Techno-economic and life cycle assessments also indicate the GH-CTM process's superior economic performance and lower environmental impact.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marvin Bachmann, Simon Voelker, Johanna Kleinekorte, Andre Bardow
Summary: Syngas is a crucial chemical used in the production of chemicals and fuels. Its market volume is expected to grow, but its current production process emits significant amounts of greenhouse gases. Here, we provide a comprehensive environmental assessment of alternative syngas pathways, showing that bio-based and mill gas-based syngas are the most effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the effectiveness depends on the availability and current use of conventional feedstocks.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Diego Iribarren, Raul Calvo-Serrano, Mario Martin-Gamboa, Angel Galan-Martin, Gonzalo Guillen-Gosalbez
Summary: This study presents the first social life cycle assessment of green methanol and compares it to conventional methanol. The results show that green methanol performs unfavorably in some negative social indicators, but outperforms conventional methanol in terms of economic development. Technical improvements and better social working conditions are needed to enhance the social life cycle performance of green methanol.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Michel Brondani, Caroline Peyrot, Jean Lucca Souza Fagundez, Ronaldo Hoffmann, Flavio Dias Mayer
Summary: This study assesses the economic and environmental scenarios of using wet ethanol produced from sugarcane for electricity generation. The results show that using ethanol for electricity generation and replacing gasoline can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, none of the scenarios are currently feasible due to economic constraints. Nevertheless, off-grid communities can benefit from these options.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sanjeev Kumar, Amit Pal
Summary: Biodiesel is considered as a viable alternative to fossil fuel, and non-edible feedstocks are being assessed for their environmental impact and energy requirements. A life cycle approach is used to compare biodiesel obtained from Karanja and microalgae, considering different factors such as agricultural systems and energy sources. Karanja has lower greenhouse gas emissions and a higher energy ratio compared to microalgae. However, microalgae shows competitive performance in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, energy ratio, and its impact on the food cycle.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Nils Thonemann, Sebastian Stiessel, Daniel Maga, Boris Dresen, Markus Hiebel, Bjoern Hunstock, Goerge Deerberg, Eckhard Weidner
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Nils Thonemann
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alexis Laurent, Bo P. Weidema, Jane Bare, Xun Liao, Danielle Maia de Souza, Massimo Pizzol, Serenella Sala, Hanna Schreiber, Nils Thonemann, Francesca Verones
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Nils Thonemann, Daniel Maga
CHEMIE INGENIEUR TECHNIK
(2020)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Eleonora Bargiacchi, Nils Thonemann, Jutta Geldermann, Marco Antonelli, Umberto Desideri
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Daniel Maga, Nils Thonemann, Philip Strothmann, Guido Sonnemann
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anna Schulte, Daniel Maga, Nils Thonemann
Summary: The remanufacturing of medical products, such as electrophysiology catheters, is seen as having great potential for sustainability. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is commonly used to evaluate the environmental impact of remanufactured products, but a system perspective is needed for decision-making. This study found that using remanufactured catheters can significantly reduce global warming impact and abiotic resource use compared to newly-manufactured catheters.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nils Thonemann, Leon Zacharopoulos, Felix Fromme, Jochen Nuhlen
Summary: Mineral carbonation technologies rely on mineralization reactions to sequester carbon dioxide into mineral products, aiming at carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Studies show that various pathways and methodologies can significantly impact the results of life cycle assessments, and by conducting qualitative and meta analyses, the most environmentally friendly ex-situ carbonation routes can be identified.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Daniel Maga, Christina Galafton, Jan Bloemer, Nils Thonemann, Aybueke Oezdamar, Juergen Bertling
Summary: This study proposes a method for assessing the risks of plastic emissions by quantifying plastic pollution equivalents using characterization factors based on the persistence of plastics in the environment. The results include degradation measurements, redistribution patterns, and an uncertainty analysis of the suggested characterization factors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Correction
Engineering, Environmental
Daniel Maga, Christina Galafton, Jan Bloemer, Nils Thonemann, Aybueke Oezdamar, Juergen Bertling
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Karen Saavedra-Rubio, Nils Thonemann, Eleonora Crenna, Bruno Lemoine, Priscillia Caliandro, Alexis Laurent
Summary: The article discusses the importance of life cycle inventory (LCI) data gathering in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies and presents a stepwise data collection guidance to address the issues of inefficiency, lack of transparency, and inconsistency caused by existing guidelines limitations.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Leon Zacharopoulos, Nils Thonemann, Marcel Dumeier, Jutta Geldermann
Summary: This study develops a model that combines variable environmental impacts of electricity generation with user behavior, and quantifies and optimizes the environmental impacts at different time points. The study finds that focusing solely on minimizing overall environmental impacts could lead to conflicting objectives. Optimizing demand timing can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but increases material resource depletion.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Christina Galafton, Daniel Maga, Guido Sonnemann, Nils Thonemann
Summary: This study assesses the environmental impacts of different plasticulture methods for strawberry cultivation, including the possible impacts caused by plastic emissions. The results show that using a combination of conventional mulch film and row cover or biodegradable mulch film has the lowest environmental impacts, while a macro tunnel or greenhouse has the highest impacts. Plastic pollution contributes significantly to the overall environmental impact of strawberry cultivation, and efforts are being made to include plastic emissions in life cycle assessment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Lea Rupcic, Eleonore Pierrat, Karen Saavedra-Rubio, Nils Thonemann, Chizoba Ogugua, Alexis Laurent
Summary: The aviation sector contributes to environmental problems, and a systematic literature review of life cycle assessment studies is performed to map the environmental impacts in the sector and provide methodological recommendations. The sector is divided into cross-cutting systems, and the review confirms a focus on climate change impacts. Mitigation strategies involve reducing CO2 emissions during aircraft operations and improving fuel efficiency. Knowledge gaps, such as noise impacts and non-CO2 flight emissions, are identified and discussed, and recommendations are provided to LCA practitioners and aviation stakeholders.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Markus Meindl, Cor de Ruiter, Valerio Marciello, Mario Di Stasio, Florian Hilpert, Manuela Ruocco, Fabrizio Nicolosi, Nils Thonemann, Karen Saavedra-Rubio, Louis Locqueville, Alexis Laurent, Martin Maerz
Summary: The article discusses the challenges of sustainability and emission reductions faced by airports. It focuses on the GENESIS project and its aim to develop a technology roadmap for the transition to sustainable and competitive electric aircraft systems. The article proposes various options for ground power supply at a regional airport and estimates the future energy demand per day, month, and year.
