Quantitative analysis of the material, energy and value flows of a lead-acid battery system and its external...

The comprehensive optimization of lead-acid battery system (LABS) can promote the relationship between the development of human-socio-economic system and environment. Based on the lead anthropogenic cycle, LABS is divided into four stages: production of primary lead (PPL), fabrication and manufacture (F&M), use and waste management and recycling (WM&R). According to the relationship between LABS and external environment, a framework is developed for the coupling of composite flow (material flow, energy flow and value flow). The quantitative relations between external performance indicators (lead ore consumption, scrap lead emissions, energy consumption and increase in value) and the internal factors are established, and key factors that affect external performance and their impact level are identified. The results of Chinese LABS in 2014 indicate that the external performance of the material flow reduced as the decrease of the emission rates of PPL (γ₁), F&M (γ₂) and WM&R (γ₄) and the increase of the large recycling rate (α_τ) and production ratio. The impact level of the former three was 1.5-2.2 times higher than those of the latter two. γ₂, γ₄ and α_τ had the higher impact level on energy consumption in descending order. The impact level of the emission rates was 2.0-3.0 times higher than that of the recycling rate. γ₄, α_τ, γ₁, γ₂, in descending order, were the four higher factors that affected the increase in value, and the impact levels of the farmer two were 1.5-2.0 times higher than those of the latter two. Moreover, γ₄ and γ₂ were the factors that influenced the whole external environment greater. The decreasing order of influence degree of the above factors on the external performance indicators was increase in value, energy consumption and the external performance indicators of material flow. The impact from coupling coefficients between energy, value and material on external performance is less than the above factors.