New trends for design towards sustainability in chemical engineering: Green engineering

Abstract

A broad review of disciplines and technologies concerning the last-decade-advances and state-of-the-art in the understanding and application of sustainability from a Chemical Engineering viewpoint is presented. Up to now it was hard to find useful sustainability criteria and ready-to-use guidance tools for the design of products, processes and production systems. Fortunately, in the last decade a range of practices and disciplines have appeared transforming the way in which traditional disciplines were conceived. Firstly, a review of the concept of sustainability and its significance for the chemical and process industry is presented. Then, several inspiring philosophies and disciplines which are the basis of the new trends in design are briefly reviewed, namely, The Natural Step, Biomimicry, Cradle to Cradle, Getting to Zero Waste, Resilience Engineering, Inherently Safer Design, Ecological Design, Green Chemistry and Self-Assembly. The core of the manuscript is a deep review of what has been done in Green Engineering so far, including its main definitions and scope of application, different guiding principles, frameworks for design and legislative aspects. A range of illustrative industrial applications and several tools oriented to GE are analysed. Finally, some educational considerations and training opportunities are included, providing education at academic and university levels allows for the creation of a critical mass of engineers and scientists to foster green engineering and sustainable development in the future.