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Environmental Impacts Assessment in Suspension PVC Production Process Using Computer-Aided Process Engineering.
Ángel Darío González-Delgado1, Miguel Ramos-Olmos2, Eduardo Aguilar-Vásquez1
1Nanomaterials and Computer Aided Process Engineering Research Group (NIPAC), Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia.
Polymers
|July 14, 2023
Summary
This study assessed the environmental impact of suspension Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) production. Natural gas is the preferred fuel, and PVC production shows lower impacts than polyethylene or polypropylene.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Growing environmental regulations necessitate sustainable chemical production.
- The plastics sector, including Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), faces scrutiny due to its environmental impact.
- Environmental assessment is crucial for balancing industrial needs with ecological preservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an environmental assessment of the suspension Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) production process.
- To quantify the potential environmental impact (PEI) using the Waste Reduction Algorithm (WAR).
- To identify critical impact areas and compare different fuel types for sustainability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Waste Reduction Algorithm (WAR) for environmental assessment.
- Quantified potential environmental impact (PEI) based on generation rate and output velocity.
- Analyzed four distinct operational cases and evaluated three different fuel types (natural gas, liquid, coal).
Main Results:
- The PVC production process converts high-impact raw materials (VCM) into lower-impact products (PVC).
- Energy consumption significantly contributes to PEI, especially in atmospheric categories (AP and GWP), accounting for 91% of total impacts.
- Natural gas was identified as the most suitable fuel, exhibiting lower environmental impacts compared to liquid and solid fuels.
Conclusions:
- Suspension PVC production is environmentally acceptable, with significantly lower output impacts than polyethylene or polypropylene.
- Energy consumption is the most critical factor driving the environmental footprint of PVC production.
- Optimizing fuel sources, with a preference for natural gas, is key to mitigating the environmental impact of PVC manufacturing.
