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Abstract: Considering the increasing demand for nanocrystalline-cellulose in the industry, due to its exceptional physical and biological properties, cheaper and more efficient production processes are sought. Addressing environmental concerns, especially within the framework of EU policies, this study employs Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental performance of a novel nanocrystalline-cellulose production procedure, encompassing biomass depolymerization, rinsing, and bleaching. The LCA aims to identify environmental hotspots, explore mitigation measures, and enables comparisons with other LCA studies on nanocrystalline-cellulose. The results are calculated and reported for 19 environmental impact categories, using the ReCiPe 2016 impact assessment method. The production of 1 kg of dry nanocrystalline-cellulose using the novel process emits 63.7 kg CO2 equivalent, which is lower than the literature average (68 kg CO2 equivalent). The solvent (e.g. diethylene glycol) is the major contributor to the global warming potential and fossil-fuel depletion potential in the product stage of the nanocellulose, while the electricity requirements and glycerin represent environmental hotspots regarding 15 of the 19 impact categories assessed. In terms of the water-consumption potential, the environmental hotspot is production of raw materials (e.g. cotton fibers). Electricity contributes more than 50 % of the burden to the impact categories associated with ionizing radiation, the pollution of aquatic ecosystems and human toxicity related to cancer. It also holds a significant share of the burdens for terrestrial acidification (48 % of the impact), the formation of fine particulate matter (46 % of the impact), and human toxicity related to non-cancer diseases (37 % of the impact). This underscores the importance of optimizing the production process, possibly through upscaling. Additionally, incorporating on-site renewable energy sources and utilizing biomass-derived diethylene glycol can enhance the environmental performance of nanocrystalline-cellulose.
Keywords: LCA, cascade use, cellulose nanocrystals, pilot production, environmental performance
Published in DiRROS: 06.02.2024; Views: 137; Downloads: 72
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Abstract: Alkali activated foams (AAFs) were produced using electric arc furnace steel slag (EAF) and ladle furnace basic slag (LS), obtained from two metallurgical companies in Slovenia. They were activated with a mixture of sodium water glass (Na2SiO3) and solid NaOH and foamed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Pores were stabilized with the addition of Triton as a surfactant. Four types of fibres were added to the studied mixture (polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA), basalt (B), and glass wool (GW)) in five different quantities: 0.5, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0 vol % in order to additionally stabilize the structure and thus improve its mechanical properties. The results of mechanical properties showed, that compressive strength was increased in all 20 specimens, partially due to the increased density as well as to the fibre addition. Flexural strength on the other hand was the most improved in the samples where PP and PVA fibres were added. The samples with the addition of B and GW fibres on the other hand showed only small or no improvement in flexural strength in comparison to the referenced sample. Additionally, the microstructure of used fibres and selected foams was also investigated by the means of SEM analysis.
Keywords: fibers, alkali activated foams, properties
Published in DiRROS: 31.01.2024; Views: 146; Downloads: 56
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Keywords: ekosistemske storitve, vrednotenje, kartiranje, Jelovica, kaskadni model
Published in DiRROS: 26.01.2024; Views: 197; Downloads: 0

Abstract: Današnje družbe si ni več mogoče predstavljati brez sodobne infrastrukture, ki temelji na uporabi različnih materialov ter zahteva veliko porabo energije. Vzporedno s proizvodnjo materialov, nastajajo ogromne količine različnih industrijskih in rudarskih ostankov (odpadki/stranski proizvodi), ki jih trenutno ne izkoriščamo, sama odlagališča pa so premalo raziskana. Cilj Evropske unije (EU) je povečati učinkovito rabo virov in ponudbo sekundarnih surovin z recikliranjem, popisom odpadkov iz rudarskih in drugih industrijskih dejavnosti ter njihova ponovna uporaba. Veliko industrijskih in rudarskih odpadkov je obogatenih z aluminijem (Al), zato lahko nadomeščajo naravne vire Al v mineralnih veznih, vendar njihova uporaba zahteva obsežno poznavanje njihovih kemijskih, mineraloških, radioloških in fizikalnih lastnosti. Priročnik, ki so ga pripravili partnerji projekta RIS-ALiCE obravnava zakonodajne vidike, ki urejajo uporabo sekundarnih surovin v gradbenih proizvodih, opis najpogostejših industrijskih in rudarskih ostankov, ki vsebujejo Al (nahajališča boksitov, rdeče blato, jeklarske žlindre, pepeli iz različnih industrij, itd.), potencial njihove ponovne uporabe in njihov ekonomski vidik, potencialne zahteve/ovire za uporabo sekundarnih surovin v cementni industriji in opis belitno-sulfoaluminatnih cementov, ki so obetavna rešitev za izvajanje krožnega gospodarstva z uporabo velikih količin odloženih industrijskih in rudarskih odpadkov, bogatih z Al.
Keywords: gradbeni proizvodi, ponovna uporaba, ekonomski vidik, industrija cementa, krožno gospodarstvo, industrijski odpadki, zakonodaja, elektronske knjige
Published in DiRROS: 22.01.2024; Views: 196; Downloads: 78
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Abstract: As we spend more than 90% of our time inside buildings, indoor environmental quality is a major concern for healthy living. Recent studies show that almost 80% of people in European countries and the United States suffer from SBS (Sick Building Syndrome), which affects physical health, productivity and psychological well-being. In this context, environmental quality monitoring provides stakeholders with crucial information about indoor living conditions, thus facilitating building management along its lifecycle, from design, construction and commissioning to usage, maintenance and end-of-life. However, currently available modelling tools for building management remain limited to static models and lack integration capacities to efficiently exploit environmental quality monitoring data. In order to overcome these limitations, we designed and implemented a generic software architecture that relies on accessible Building Information Model (BIM) attributes to add a dynamic layer that integrates environmental quality data coming from deployed sensors. Merging sensor data with BIM allows creation of a digital twin for the monitored building where live information about environmental quality enables evaluation through numerical simulation. Our solution allows accessing and displaying live sensor data, thus providing advanced functionality to the end-user and other systems in the building. In order to preserve genericity and separation of concerns, our solution stores sensor data in a separate database available through an application programming interface (API), which decouples BIM models from sensor data. Our proof-of-concept experiments were conducted with a cultural heritage building located in Bled, Slovenia. We demonstrated that it is possible to display live information regarding environmental quality (temperature, relative humidity, CO2, particle matter, light) using Revit as an example, thus enabling end-users to follow the conditions of their living environment and take appropriate measures to improve its quality
Keywords: Building Information Model, internet of things, environmental quality monitoring, healthy living
Published in DiRROS: 19.01.2024; Views: 164; Downloads: 75
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