Development of a life cycle inventory database for chemical products

Abstract

The development of a background database, which will be used for the LCI analysis, was carried out in respect of 83 process data concerning 29 kinds of chemicals. The mass balance of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine nitrogen, and oxygen was taken on input and output of process data, and process data, which adjusted the mass balance, was developed. Using developed inventory data, the effect of allocation method on the CO/sub 2/ emission was compared. It is clear that the difference of the allocation method is influenced in the inventory data. And it is necessary to set up the standard method when the weight of product changes by the concentration of product. In addition to it, process data of xylene, toluene and benzene produced by the BTX, extraction was discussed for the developed database of LCI. Considering the purpose of this present chemical process, the allocation, which is suitable for the purpose of the object process, should be adopted to the inventory data, which reflect the product's value. It is suggest that when the inventory data is developed, setting of standard allocation method and clarification of the method to the users are very important.