Recycling Modes Research Articles

How to Choose Recycling Mode between Monopoly and Competition by Considering Blockchain Technology?

Enterprises adopting a circular economy approach can effectively solve the severe situation of resources and the environment, and recycling is considered an effective means to solve environmental issues. Simultaneously, blockchain technology (BT) has been used to enhance product quality trust. However, there is limited literature on how to choose between monopolistic and competitive recycling modes by considering BT. This paper uses a game involving a manufacturer, a retailer, and a third-party recycler (TPR) in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). The retailer can recycle on itself and compete with the TPR for recycling used products. The results show that BT adoption could increase the recycling rate and demand for remanufactured products. BT benefits the firms in the CLSC when they control usage costs, regardless of whether competitive recycling mode is used or not. In addition, whether BT is adopted or not, CLSC firms prefer competitive recycling mode only when the competitive intensity exceeds a specific threshold. Moreover, choosing an appropriate recycling mode can alleviate the negative impact of BT on the environment, then an all-win result can be obtained for CLSC firms, consumers, and society. These results can give suggestions for managers to optimize their supply chains regarding adopting BT and implementing recycling mode. In the future, we can expand our research on the transfer price of used products, the positive and negative effects of BT, and BT cost-sharing strategies.

Pricing and Quality Improvement Decisions in the End-of-Life Vehicle Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Collection Quality

This article investigates the effects of end-of-life vehicle (ELV) collection quality on pricing and quality improvement decisions for different recycling modes by considering the discrepant heterogeneity of ELVs due to individual utilization and component degradation. This article examines the pricing and quality improvement decisions within an ELV closed-loop supply chain with heterogeneous collection quality that includes one manufacturer and one retailer. Stackelberg game models are formulated to examine the equilibrium solution in relation to three recycling modes (ELVs are recycled by the manufacturer, retailer, and third-party). We study the pricing and quality improvement decisions of ELV recycling to probe the influential mechanism of ELV collection quality under different recycling scenarios. The numerical experiment provides empirical guidance for ELV recycling management practices. Results show that wholesale and retail prices decrease with increasing ELV collection quality. In addition, there is a positive correlation between collection quality and the overall performance of the ELV supply chain. This article enhances better understanding on pricing and quality improvement decision-making in relation to ELV collection quality and helps participants in the closed-loop supply chain to determine the best recycling mode.

Impacts of sales mode and recycling mode on a closed-loop supply chain

This paper forms a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer, within which the retail channel or dual-channel sales mode is chosen for selling products while the manufacturer, retailer or hybrid recycling mode is chosen for collecting used products. Based on different sales modes and recycling modes, six-game theory models are formulated to derive the optimal pricing and recycling rate decisions. Through the model comparisons and the numerical analysis, we investigate the strategies for choosing the optimal sales mode and the optimal recycling mode. We find that the customers, the environment and the manufacturer always prefer the dual-channel sales mode. However, the retailer prefers the dual-channel (retail channel) sales mode when the discount coefficient of demand is relatively low (high). Moreover, the customers, the environment and the manufacturer prefer the hybrid (retailer) recycling mode when the competing intensity of recycling is relatively low (high). However, the retailer prefers the hybrid (retailer) recycling mode in the retail channel CLSC while preferring the hybrid (manufacturer) recycling mode in the dual-channel CLSC when the competing intensity of recycling is relatively low (high).

Impacts of sales mode and recycling mode on a closed-loop supply chain

Statement of Removal Due to a technical issue, this article incorrectly published in the International Journal of Systems Science instead of the International Journal of Systems Science: Operations & Logistics. Therefore, this article has been removed from International Journal of Systems Science and republished in the International Journal of Systems Science:Operations & Logistics. The article is now available in the link: https://doi.org/10.1080/23302674.2023.2221076 Article title: Impacts of sales mode and recycling mode on a closed-loop supply chain Authors: N.Wan Journal: International Journal of Systems Science Version of Record Published Online: 06 April 2023 DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/00207721.2023.2197434

Power Battery Recycling Mode and Decision-making Model for New Energy Vehicles Under the Background of Dual Carbon

Recycling and cascade utilization of waste power batteries for new energy vehicles is an effective measure to manage carbon emissions in the power battery industry chain and achieve the dual carbon target. In view of the current confusion of recycling channels and the unclear benefits and costs of the recycling market, the article constructs three recycling modes: self-operated recycling mode, industry alliance recycling mode and third-party enterprise recycling mode. With profit maximization as the decision-making goal, a recycling profit function model is established, and through the comparative analysis of profits of different recycling modes, the relationship and influencing factors between them are obtained, which can provide reference for enterprises to make recycling decisions.

Experimental study on performances of flat-plate pulsating heat pipes without and with thermoelectric generators for low-grade waste heat recovery

Low-grade waste heat recovery has significant importance to energy saving and emission reduction. Due to the lack of cost-effective heat recovery technology, a lot of low-grade heat is wasted. In this paper, performances of 3D-printed flat-plate PHPs and computerized numerical control (CNC) machined flat-plate PHPs without and with thermoelectric generators (TEGs) under four recycling modes were studied. The effects of the type and number of flat-plate PHPs, condenser section length, recycling mode, flow arrangement, velocity and temperature of hot/cold air, the number and layer number of TEGs on the performances of the waste heat recovery system were studied to maximize its performance. Results indicate that the performance of the heat recovery system with CNC machined flat-plate PHP is generally better than that with 3D-printed flat-plate PHP, and their maximum effective thermal conductivities can reach 585 and 541 W/(m·K), respectively. Performances of flat-plate PHPs based waste heat recovery system can be improved by using slotted fins, increasing the condenser section length and flat-plate PHPs number. For the air-to-air heat recovery system with three flat-plate PHPs, the maximum heat transfer rate and heat recovery rate can be up to 303 W and 85.3%, respectively. As for heat-to-power waste heat recovery under Mode 3, flat-plate PHP coupled with three TEGs can achieve its maximum open-circuit voltage of 7.6 V and output power of 1.98 W. Preliminary economic analysis proves that flat-plate PHPs based waste heat recovery system displays good economic benefits. These results may be helpful in designing a cost-effective flat-plate PHPs based low-grade waste heat recovery system.

Formulation and Enhancement of an Innovative Plug-in Parallel Hybrid Power System

This research focuses on the development of a novel plug-in parallel hybrid power system that integrates multiple power drive devices and incorporates various driving and braking modes. The system includes a power battery system, two drive motor systems, an engine, a clutch, and a transmission. The objective of this study is to enhance the power performance, efficiency, and fuel economy of the vehicle by optimizing the power drive modes and brake energy recycling. The proposed hybrid power system offers seven power driving modes and three brake energy recycling modes, enabling improved vehicle performance and energy efficiency. The engine operates solely for vehicle propulsion, eliminating energy losses during power generation. The research aims to analyze and optimize the system's performance under different operating conditions.

System dynamic-based remanufacturing economic analysis model of used automobile engine under two recycling modes

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to present a system dynamic (SD)-based remanufacturing economic analysis model of used automobile engine under two recycling modes. The authors will compare the remanufacturing cost, sales profit and sales revenue from time and space dimensions incurred in different recycling modes in the long run.Design/methodology/approachThe remanufacturing economic analysis model is based on SD methodology. The authors can simulate the relations of impact factors on automobile engine recycling and remanufacturing and further analyze and compare the cost, sales profit and sales revenue incurred in different recycling modes in the long term.FindingsSinotruk Steyr engine remanufacturing in Shandong province is taken as the research case subject. The revenue, cost and profit under the two recycling modes from 2015 to 2035 are analyzed and compared. The results show that different recycling modes have significant varying influence on the economy of engine remanufacturing.Originality/valueThis economic analysis model can provide a method reference to decide the recycling mode for auto components and other product remanufacturing. Moreover, this model can guide and support the sustainable development of remanufacturing industry.

Optimal Recycling Channel Selection of Power Battery Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Corporate Social Responsibility in China

With economic development and societal progress, the supply chain should not only focus on profitability, but also environmental protection, as well as undertake corresponding corporate social responsibility (CSR). The operational decisions of the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) in the power battery industry should rather consider the impact of CSR. Thus, this paper studies the optimal recycling channel selection and coordination of CLSC in the power battery industry under the consideration of CSR efforts and uncertain demand. By considering the CSR efforts taken by the manufacturer, decentralized and coordination decision-making models under different recycling modes (including manufacturer recycling, retailer recycling and third-party recycling) are constructed to analyze the optimal decision of CLSC. After that, the models were validated through numerical and sensitivity analysis, followed by discussion and management insights. It is found that when consumers are sensitive to the level of CSR effort, CSR effort has a positive impact on the profits of participants in CLSC. Additionally, the coordination decision-making model always outperforms the decentralized decision-making model under the same recycling mode, so reasonable profit-sharing contracts are developed to ensure the implementation of coordination decision-making. Moreover, transfer price plays different roles in different decision situations and recycling modes, while recycling cost is critical to the overall profit of the supply chain and influences the choice of recycling channel.

Leasing, trade-in for new, or the mixed of both: an analysis of new recycling modes driven by industry 4.0 technologies

The circular economy has become a promising solution to electronic product reuse . The advanced technology of Industry 4.0 drives the recycling platform (RP) to carry out a variety of new business modes, which are important ways to realise a circular economy. In this article, we consider a monopolistic RP under trade-in for new mode, leasing mode, or their mixed mode, respectively. We develop a discrete-time game with infinite periods and use the Markov decision and Bellman equation to obtain the consumer’s perfect equilibria consumption strategies . By comparing different modes under RP’s profits, consumer surplus, and environment impact perspectives, we find that when the durability of leased refurbished product exceeds that of the resold refurbished ones, the mixed mode is better than the trade-in for new mode, which can achieve more platform profits, more consumer surplus, and less environment impact. By considering the three perspectives together, the mixed mode is not always better than the other two modes. The mixed mode is optimal only when the durability of leased refurbished one is relatively high. We also conduct extensive numerical research, show optimal service mode under three perspectives, and extend the effects of different qualities of recycled used products on optimal mode.

Recycling channel selection and financing strategy for capital-constrained retailers in a two-period, closed-loop supply chain

This article studies a two-period, closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with manufacturer or retailer recycling. It establishes a model analysis framework to analyze pricing optimization strategies and the channel-mode selection of electric vehicle batteries and considers manufacturer recycling and retailer recycling scenarios. When a retailer recycles, it needs to invest capital to build its recycling channel and so suffers from capital constraints. For this reason, retailers consider bank loans or trade-credit financing from manufacturers. This work explores a two-stage, CLSC pricing strategy that considers consumers’ preferences for remanufactured products and recycling rates, and it investigates financing channels for capital-constrained retailers. It analyzes optimal equilibrium strategies in three modes and compares the recycling and financing modes. Through numerical examples, it analyzes the effects of value preference rates and recycling rates of remanufactured products on supply chain profits, product demand, and model selection. The results show that the recycling rate can effectively incentivize the demand for new products in the first period. For any remanufactured product recycling cost, the manufacturer’s profit is most significant in the retailer-recycling bank financing model, and the retailer’s profit is largest in the manufacturer recycling model. As the consumer preference rate for remanufactured products increases, the demand for new products in the second stage decreases and the demand for remanufactured products increases. The retailer recycling trade-credit financing from the manufacturer model gives the largest profit to the retailer when the preference rate is significant or when the preference rate is low with a moderate recycling rate.

Comparative analysis of recycling modes of power batteries based on extended producer-responsibility principle

To improve the effectiveness of recycling, echelon utilization, and recovery mechanism of waste power batteries (WPBs), 12 recycling modes were proposed based on extended producer-responsibility principle. By employing profit and sensitivity analyses, we found that resource-recovery companies (Rs) are the key for recycling, echelon utilization, and recovery mechanism. For R, the high resale price of waste LiNixMnyCo1−x−yO2 batteries was not conducive to recovering waste batteries. However, the recycling behavior of R was beneficial for resisting the risk of high resale price of waste LiNixMnyCo1−x−yO2 batteries. This condition increased the profits by saving on the buying cost and reselling of WPBs to echelon-utilization companies. Following the decrease in the number of recyclers in the recycling system, the profits of R also increased. However, when the proportion of recycled waste LiNixMnyCo1−x−yO2 batteries was 100%, the profits of R faced risks due to the high resale price of waste LiNixMnyCo1−x−yO2 batteries. For other recyclers, only the power-battery manufacturers (Ms) were willing to reduce the resale price of waste LiNixMnyCo1−x−yO2 batteries to let R earn profit because R supplied regenerated materials to M at a lower price than the material companies. This condition created a cycle for WPB recovery and reduced the use of raw materials. Thus, Mode M–R was considered as the optimal recycling mode.

Recycling mode selection and carbon emission reduction decisions for a multi-channel closed-loop supply chain of electric vehicle power battery under cap-and-trade policy

In recent years, the rapid growth of electric vehicle (EV) ownership in China has led to the large-scale retirement of power batteries. Establishing an effective recycling system for spent power batteries is a critical task. Therefore, we investigate the recycling mode selection and the carbon abatement decision in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) of EV power batteries under the carbon cap-and-trade policy. We propose four mixed-channel recycling modes in which two or three parties from a retailer, a third-party recycler and an echelon utilization enterprise participate in the recycling business. In the reverse chain, the collected spent power batteries are classified, wherein the echelon-utilizable batteries are processed into echelon utilization products for sale by the echelon utilization enterprise, while both the non-echelon-utilizable batteries and the post-echelon-utilized batteries are transferred to the manufacturer for extracting raw materials to produce new power batteries. We obtain equilibrium results by solving Stackelberg game models. The results reveal that when the competition intensity among recycling channels is below a certain threshold and the recycling price sensitivity is above a certain threshold, the optimal mode is the simultaneous participation of the retailer, the third-party recycler, and the echelon utilization enterprise. Otherwise, the optimal mode is the echelon utilization enterprise recycling with the retailer or third-party recycler. Higher recycling channel competition and lower recycling price sensitivity reduce the total recycling quantity. Higher carbon trading price, a lower investment cost coefficient for carbon abatement and increased consumers' low-carbon awareness will encourage the manufacturer to implement carbon reduction activities, thus reducing total carbon emissions. In addition, the engagement of the echelon utilization enterprise in the recycling business has a positive effect on relieving the recycling pressure and improving the manufacturer's profit.

Operational modes of E-closed loop supply chain considering platforms’ services

Technology development has diversified the operational modes in the E-closed loop supply chain (ECLSC). The manufacturer may cooperate with online platforms for sales and recycling. This paper derives and compares the optimal decisions under the wholesale mode or direct sales mode in the forward channel and under the entrusted recycling or direct recycling mode in the reverse channel. The analysis shows that increasing consumers' sensitivity to online services and reducing the cost coefficients of online services are always beneficial to all ECLSC partners. Increasing consumers’ sensitivity to recycling price is always beneficial to the manufacturer and collecting platform while increasing consumers' sensitivity to sales price is always detrimental to the manufacturer and sales platform. The sales and recycling commission rates are the two important factors that affect the selection of sales and recycling modes. The stability of ECLSC can be achieved when the manufacturer and sales platform choose the same sales mode in the forward channel and the manufacturer and the collecting platform choose the same recycling mode in the reverse channel, which needs to be achieved by reasonably setting the sales commission rate for the direct sales mode and the recycling commission for the direct recycling mode.

A Closed-Loop Supply Chain Operation Problem under Different Recycling Modes and Patent Licensing Strategies

A closed-loop supply chain operation is an effective way to improve the dual benefits of economy and environment. Inspired by the practice of closed-loop supply chain coordination, this paper attempts to investigate the supply chain operation strategies of different recycling modes and patent licensing strategies and consider the impact of government subsidies. We construct a multi-player game model of an original manufacturer, a remanufacturer, and a retailer under a waste product recycling mode, patent licensing strategy, and government subsidy system. We provide the operation strategies under different strategy combinations in the closed-loop supply chain, and then analyze their differences and the interests of various subjects. We further analyze the impact of government subsidies on the operation strategies of the supply chain. The results illustrate that when the original manufacturer adopts the fixed fee patent licensing strategy, the recycling price of waste products is higher. When the original manufacturer adopts the unit fee patent licensing strategy and the retailer and the remanufacturer participate in the recycling of waste products simultaneously, the original manufacturer will increase the unit patent licensing fee. When the remanufacturer recycles waste products alone, consumers can obtain greater unit income in the waste product recycling market. Different government subsidies have different effects on the wholesale price and the retail price of new products and remanufactured products.

Exploring the strategies of online and offline recycling channels in closed-loop supply chain under government subsidy.

The influence of online and offline dual recycling channels in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) is investigated in our work. The CLSC models of three recycling modes (single online recycling, single offline recycling, and dual recycling channels of online and offline) are established, respectively, and the impact of government subsidies on the pricing decision-making and recycling mode selection of channel members is therefore researched. The study found that the remanufacturer sets appropriate recycling price and transfer price to coordinate online and offline recycling channels and maximize its profits in the dual recycling modes; collector's offline recycling faces the competitive threat of remanufacturers' online recycling under the dual recycling modes, so the collector prefers a single offline recycling mode; the relationship between the collection quantities of the three modes depends on consumers' preference of the online recycling channel. In the meanwhile, it is illustrated that government subsidy plays a positive role in promoting the recycling and remanufacturing willingness of remanufacturers and collectors. This work provides practical insights for the CLSC system to make recycle decisions.

ANALYSIS ON OPTIMIZATION DECISION OF PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE MODE BASED ON ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS

With the rapid development of China's transportation and the improvement of people's living standards, China's highways have entered the peak maintenance period. According to the old road conditions and financial conditions, how to choose the appropriate maintenance technology to meet the technical and economic requirements of highway maintenance and construction projects has become a difficult problem faced by highway maintenance management departments. Therefore, based on the principle of index selection, this study comprehensively considered the impact of various factors on maintenance decision-making, determined four evaluation indexes, and systematically studied the compre-hensive decision-making system of asphalt pavement recycling maintenance. Based on the subjective-objective linkage and probability statistics method, the eigenvalue of the applicability of recycling mode was transformed to the same scale of 0 to 100, and the fuzzy scoring interval of the four bids was proposed. The calculation method of pavement quality recovery index (PQRI) and the analysis basis of economic benefits were clarified. Finally, the weight of each index was calculated by analytic hierarchy process, and the multi-index comprehensive decision-making method of pavement maintenance is constructed and used to theoretically verify and guide the actual road section. Results demonstrate that the proposed PQRI can realize the operability of quantifying the later operation of pavement. The weight of each index from big to small is PQRI > economic benefit > applicability of recycling mode. The recycled pavement quality recovery indices and applicability of the four recycling modes have small differences, and the proposed four bids interval makes the decision-making evaluation process more simple and explicit. The decision evaluation results of actual road section verify the rationality and practicability of the decision method. The conclusions are important for the maintenance and management of asphalt pavement recycling technology. Keywords: road engineering, recycling maintenance, intelligent decision-making, fuzzy evaluation

Promotion of Household Waste Utilization in China: Lessons Learnt from Three Case Studies

Household waste utilization has been regarded as an important pathway to promote the circular economy paradigm and sustainable development for a long time. However, relevant enterprises are facing dilemmas in terms of the backward disposal methods for food waste, inadequate recycling of low-value recyclable waste and the lack of leading enterprises, resulting in unsustainable expansion of the industry. To address these problems, we investigated governmental departments and 20 household waste utilization enterprises in China. From the investigation, three typical enterprises, representing the advanced technology for food waste, the recycling mode of recyclable waste and the cultivation mode of leading enterprises, were selected for case studies. The results indicate that applying the technology of bioconversion by maggots could improve the utilization of food waste and adopting the “online and offline” dual-channel mode could benefit the recycling of low-value recyclable waste. Additionally, leading enterprises can be cultivated by franchise mode, which can drive the utilization of household waste in China effectively. The findings enrich the theory of household waste utilization in terms of disposal methods, recycling modes and enterprise operation. Practically, this research should enlighten decision-makers to improve household waste utilization. Furthermore, the research results could be generalized in other countries, thereby advancing the household waste management worldwide.

The Impact of Reward–Penalty Policy on Different Recycling Modes of Recyclable Resources in Residential Waste

Facing enormous pressure from the rapid growth of waste on the environment and society, many developed countries have combined urban waste recycling systems with waste classification to reduce pollution and recycle resources. However, this technique is not well established in developing countries. From the 2000s, China has carried out many waste classification recycling projects in many pilot cities although they have yet to reach widespread success. This paper focuses on China’s Newest Waste Classification Recycling Project (NWCRP), which was first implemented in Shanghai from 2019 and has a three-echelon supply chain containing waste classification guiders (WCGs), recyclers and demanders. Firstly, two recycling modes in NWCRP are studied: the recyclers of the first mode are dominated by the recycling company (mode RC), and the recyclers of the second mode are dominated by the environmental sanitation engineering group (mode ESEG). Secondly, a reward–penalty policy is proposed, which can be implemented for WCGs or different recyclers in the two modes (RC or ESEG), and the impacts of different scenarios are also compared. The results showed that (1) with increasing reward–penalty intensity, the sorting rate and the profit show upward trends in two modes, while the subsidy efficiency of government decreases; (2) when the reward–penalty policy is implemented for WCGs, the recyclers’ recycling price decreases in the two modes; (3) all scenarios that implement the reward–penalty policy in mode RC have certain advantages in the sorting rate and profit and (4) with increasing reward–penalty intensity and target sorting rate in the reward–penalty policy, the social welfare first increases and then decreases in all scenarios. Finally, some suggestions on the recycling mode and the reward–penalty policy for establishing a 3RW recycling system are provided.

Decision Analysis of E-commerce Closed-loop Supply Chain with Different Recycling Modes

According to an e-commerce closed-loop supply chain dominated by manufacturers, which is composed of manufacturers and e-commerce platforms, divided into three different recovery mode: manufacturers recycling mode alone, electric business platform recycling mode alone, and manufacturers and electric business platform mixed mode, using the game theory to solve, compares three closed-loop supply chains found: (1)When the recycling price sensitivity is high, the optimal strategy of the manufacturer is the manufacturers recycling mode alone; when the price sensitivity of recycling is low, the manufacturer’s best strategy is the independent recycling mode of the e-commerce platform. No matter how sensitive the recycling price is, the profits of the manufacturer under the mixed recycling mode are always lower than those under the other two recycling modes. (2) When the recycling price sensitivity is high, the optimal strategy of the electric business platform is the mixed recycling mode; when the price sensitivity of recycling is low, the optimal solution of the electric business platform is the independent recycling mode of the electric business platform. (3) When the recovery price sensitivity is low, the best strategy of both is the separate recycling mode of the electric business platform.