Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Catalytic Intermediate Pyrolysis of Rapeseed Meal

Tahereh Soleymani Angili (), Katarzyna Grzesik and Wojciech Jerzak
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Tahereh Soleymani Angili: Faculty of Geo-Data Science, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza Av. 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Katarzyna Grzesik: Faculty of Geo-Data Science, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza Av. 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Wojciech Jerzak: Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza Av. 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: Biowaste valorization is a means for tackling resource depletion and climate change, which gives rise to environmental benefits and economic growth. One of the most known technological routes to convert biowaste into bioproducts is pyrolysis, which may conduct with and without catalyst application. The purpose of this study was to investigate an early-stage life-cycle assessment (LCA) for catalytic intermediate pyrolysis to valorize rapeseed meal, split over the scenarios using ZSM-5 and zeolite Y catalysts. Four selected environmental impact categories were assessed by IMPACT 2002+ methodology. The results revealed that the ZSM-5 catalytic pyrolysis led to bigger environmental impacts than the pyrolysis utilizing zeolite Y in all compared impact categories except global warming. The scenario that involved zeolite Y had around 20% GHG intensity greater than ZSM-5 pyrolysis. The bulk of GHG emissions mostly involved CO 2 and methane generated from electricity consumption, which was provided by fossil resources. Applying ZSM-5 in the pyrolysis increased environmental burdens in non-renewable energy, respiratory inorganics, and terrestrial ecotoxicity by 140.88 MJ primary, 8.83 × 10 −3 kg PM 2.5 eq. and 125.63 kg TEG soil, respectively. The major driving factor of high value in mentioned categories was the manufacturing process of the ZSM-5 catalyst by utilizing natural gas and chemicals, such as phosphorus trichloride, sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. Given that catalysts can play a substantial role in the emissions resulting from bio-based products, hence LCAs of pyrolysis should consider the potential influence of catalysts in the valorization processes. This study can predict environmental hotspots in the early stages of bio-waste valorization and show the potential defects of implanted biorefinery at pilot/industrial scales.

Keywords: LCA; intermediate pyrolysis; zeolite catalyst; biochar; pyro-gas; bio-oil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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