Abstract
Composite waste is a growing issue due to the increased global demand for products manufactured from these advanced engineering materials. Current reclamation methods produce short length fibres that, if not realigned during remanufacture, result in low-value additives for non-structural applications. Consequently, to maximise the economic and functional potential, fibre realignment must occur. The High Performance Discontinuous Fibre (HiPerDiF) technology is a novel process that produces highly aligned discontinuous fibre-reinforced composites, which largely meet the structural performance of virgin fibres, but to date, the environmental performance of the machine is yet to be quantified. This study assessed the environmental impacts of the operation of the machine using life cycle assessment methodology. Electrical energy consumption accounts for the majority of the greenhouse gas emissions, with water consumption as the main contributor to ecosystem quality damage. Suggestions have been made to reduce energy demand and reuse the water in order to reduce the overall environmental impact. The hypothetical operation of the machine across different European countries was also examined to understand the impacts associated with bulk material transport and electricity from different energy sources. It was observed that the environmental impact showed an inverse correlation with the increased use of renewable sources for electricity generation due to a reduction in air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion. The analysis also revealed that significant reductions in environmental damage from material transport between the reclamation facility to the remanufacturing site should also be accounted for, and concluded that transportation routes predominantly via shipping have a lower environmental impact than road and rail haulage. This study is one of the first attempts to evaluate the environmental impact of this new technology at early conceptual development and to assess how it would operate in a European scenario.
Highlights
This article is an open access articleCarbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have become increasingly popular in several areas of application due to their advantageous mechanical properties and desirable aesthetic characteristics
The material waste generated during the production of composites can be up to 50% of total production volume [2] and it is estimated that between 6000 and 8000 commercial aircraft containing CFRP airframes will reach the end of their service lives by 2030 [3]
For the subsequent model, the pumped water could be harvested into a separate storage tank for reuse in the cycle
Summary
Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have become increasingly popular in several areas of application due to their advantageous mechanical properties (e.g., high specific strength and stiffness) and desirable aesthetic characteristics. Composite recycling has been largely avoided for years by manufacturers and asset owners due to its complexity, leading to a lack of research and economic investment, especially when disposal via landfill or incineration still attracted low costs This is further compounded where incineration options can be considered as energy recovery and meet the requirements within specific legislative targets. Fibre reclamation involves breaking down the covalent cross-links within the thermoset matrix network in the virgin composite either through chemical [13,14] or thermal [10,15–17] processes While these methods have been identified as offering the potential for application, both could benefit from optimisation in order to handle the growing volume of composite waste. Further analyses have widened the system boundary to consider the practical logistics of operating the technology in various EU location scenarios, incorporating different sources of electrical energy and transportation routes
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