Abstract
This paper aims to evaluate and identify the environmental performance of a fixed speed rotary compressor produced in Thailand throughout the whole compressor life cycle, in comparison with an inverter twin rotary compressor. This study covers all life cycle stages, including raw material production, manufacturing, compressor use, final disposal, and all related transport. This research is performed in accord with ISO 14040/14044 standards. Life cycle assessment methodology is employed in this research. The investigation results are showed in terms of ten impact categories using the ReCiPe midpoint (H) V1.13 method. The ten environmental impact categories are investigated: climate change (CC), ozone layer depletion (OD), terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, particulate matter formation, water depletion, metal depletion (MD), and fossil depletion. The results show that the use stage of the compressor has the largest contribution to the environmental impact due to most energy being consumed in this stage. The raw materials production stage is important due to the contribution from copper and steel production. In the manufacturing stage, the electricity consumption in the machining process is the most contributing process. While the end-of-life stage, the R22 refrigerant emitted to the atmosphere is a significant effect on the CC and OD impacts, whereas metal recycling is an environmental benefit in terms of the MD category due to the reduction in virgin material requirements. The shifting from a fixed speed rotary compressor with R22 refrigerant to an inverter twin rotary compressor with alternative refrigerants, the results show that complete termination of ozone layer depletion affected by the R410A and R32 refrigerants are confirmed. Also, the inverter twin rotary compressor with R410A and R32 refrigerant can reduce impacts in all impact categories, in the range of 21.7–53.1% and 28.7–53.2%, respectively. Results demonstrated that the use stage should improve energy efficiency due to it resulting in the largest contribution to the environmental impact, which is induced by electricity consumption. To develop the new types of the compressor with high energy efficiency, such as a twin rotary compressor with the inverter system to control the operation, is the best option in order to reduce the environmental impact from the use stage of the compressor.
Highlights
Most manufacturing processes are usually focused on product quality and cost
Shi et al [23] presented the energy consumption and environmental emissions of a scroll compressor in China based on the cradle-to-grave approach, the results showed that the compressor use stage in the life cycle consumes the most energy and exerts the strongest environmental impact, followed by the stages of raw material production, and component manufacturing
Almutairi et al [1] investigated the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and economic analysis of residential air conditioning in Saudi Arabia., the results showed that the use phase represented the largest share of the environmental impacts, the copper and steel production dominated in the manufacturing phase impact, and the end-of-life (EOL) phase resulted in environmental benefits by reducing the need for virgin materials
Summary
Most manufacturing processes are usually focused on product quality and cost. The environmental issues in a factory were aimed mainly at the “End of Pipe” treatment in order to comply with environmental regulations. Some evidence is legislation and directives such as Integrated Product Policy (IPP), Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) as well as producer responsibility obligations and sustainable development pressure. They are increasingly more concern over the impacts of a product to health and environment, as well as the quality of the product. As a result, they tend to buy products that are more environmentally friendly.
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