Grantee Research Project Results
Development and Testing of Pollution Prevention Design Aids for Process Analysis and Decision Making
EPA Grant Number: R825370C065Subproject: this is subproject number 065 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R825370
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research, Inc., Environmental Research and Technology Transfer Program
Center Director: Schumacher, Dorin
Title: Development and Testing of Pollution Prevention Design Aids for Process Analysis and Decision Making
Investigators: Barna, Bruce A. , Rogers, Tony N.
Institution: Michigan Technological University
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: January 1, 1997 through January 1, 1999
RFA: Exploratory Environmental Research Centers (1992) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Center for Clean Industrial and Treatment Technologies (CenCITT) , Targeted Research
Objective:
The objective of this project is to create the evaluation and analysis module that will serve as the engine for design comparison in the CPAS Focus Area. The current title for this module is the Design Options Ranking Tool or DORT.
Approach:
Through the use of case studies, the investigators intend to demonstrate the use of the DORT module as the analysis engine for a variety of cost and non-cost measures which are being developed under CPAS or elsewhere. For example, the CPAS Environmental Fate and Risk Assessment Tool (EFRAT) and Safety Tool (Dow Indices Tools) are index generators that can be used to rank processes with respect to environmental fate and safety. These process attributes can then be combined with cost or other performance measures to provide an overall rank of process options based on user-supplied index weightings. Ideally this information will be provided to the designer incrementally as the conceptual process design is being developed.
The present approach is to conduct a systematic evaluation of the necessary components of a general P2 assessment algorithm and the information flow between the pieces. A paradigm process (case study) will illustrate the application of the tools and techniques. A P2 assessment methodology will be developed which illustrates the logical ordering of the calculation steps necessary to process the information being passed between components and identifies what needed information and data are not being provided by process simulators or other sources.
This project is in its final stages and all objectives have been met or exceeded. The software prototype has been completely redesigned and a licensing agreement with a value added reseller is near completion.
The first case study, an analysis of cogeneration options, is complete as reported in the last annual report. The second case study, a solvent recovery design problem, is also complete with respect to this project but continues to provide useful analysis opportunities for further study of P2 design methodology. Results were presented in several forums at the AIChE Annual meeting in the Fall of 1999.
Another significant success of this project was not a specific part of the original objectives. A methodology has been created for identifying and ranking multi-criteria, optimization opportunities in process analysis. The methodology can be applied to both existing and conceptual designs and has been proven to be very effective in helping even highly experienced design engineers to identify opportunities. In addition, the procedure has been proven to be very useful in the classroom in teaching inexperienced engineers to perform process analysis. For the time being the procedure is called "Process Diagnostics." Initial efforts in this area have been summarized in a master's thesis (Atkins, 1999). Current research under different funding will attempt to automate the generation of the diagnostic tools from process simulator output and to further develop the techniques.
Expected Results:
DORT is envisioned as the analysis and comparison engine within CPAS that will help the designer to rank the multiple design alternatives using the various performance measures generated by CPAS. Ultimately these performance measures will include economics, environmental impact, and safety.
The DORT module is intended to be a prototype of the information flow and algorithms necessary to develop a pollution-conscious process design and retrofit capability. This is intended to occur through software module linkages to other CPAS design aids and existing commercial process simulator programs.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 8 publications for this subproject | View all 155 publications for this centerSupplemental Keywords:
Computing technology, technology for sustainable environment, pollution prevention, CPAS, environmental chemistry, chemical properties, physical property data, clean technology, environmental engineering, decision making., RFA, Scientific Discipline, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Sustainable Industry/Business, cleaner production/pollution prevention, computing technology, Economics and Business, pollution prevention, Environmental Engineering, industrial process design, in-process changes, in-process waste minimization, industrial design for environment, cleaner production, environmentally conscious manufacturing, green design, pollution prevention design tool, decision making, Environmental Technologies Design Options Tool (EDOT), physico-chemical properties, clean technology, Design Option Ranking Tool (DORT), Clean Process Advisory System (CPAS), computer science, CPAS, industrial process, industry pollution prevention research, process modification, information technology, innovative technology, outreach and education, industrial innovations, environmentally conscious design, green technologyProgress and Final Reports:
Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R825370 The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research, Inc., Environmental Research and Technology Transfer Program Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R825370C032 Means for Producing an Entirely New Generation of Lignin-Based Plastics
R825370C042 Environmentally Conscious Design for Construction
R825370C046 Clean Process Advisory System (CPAS) Core Activities
R825370C048 Investigation of the Partial Oxidation of Methane to Methanol in a Simulated Countercurrent Moving Bed Reactor
R825370C054 Predictive Tool for Ultrafiltration Performance
R825370C055 Heuristic Reactor Design for Clean Synthesis and Processing - Separative Reactors
R825370C056 Characterization of Selective Solid Acid Catalysts Towards the Rational Design of Catalytic Reactions
R825370C057 Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing: Prediction of Processing Waste Streams for Discrete Products
R825370C064 The Physical Properties Management System (PPMS): A P2 Engineering Aid to Support Process Design and Analysis
R825370C065 Development and Testing of Pollution Prevention Design Aids for Process Analysis and Decision Making
R825370C066 Design Tools for Chemical Process Safety: Accident Probability
R825370C067 Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing: Design for Disassembly (DFD) in De-Manufacturing of Products
R825370C068 An Economic Comparison of Wet and Dry Machining
R825370C069 In-Line Copper Recovery Technology
R825370C070 Selective Catalytic Hydrogenation of Lactic Acid
R825370C071 Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Polymers from Industrial Wastewater
R825370C072 Tin Zeolites for Partial Oxidation Catalysis
R825370C073 Development of a High Performance Photocatalytic Reactor System for the Production of Methanol from Methane in the Gas Phase
R825370C074 Recovery of Waste Polymer Generated by Lost Foam Technology in the Metal Casting Industry
R825370C075 Industrial Implementation of the P2 Framework
R825370C076 Establishing Automated Linkages Between Existing P2-Related Software Design Tools
R825370C077 Integrated Applications of the Clean Process Advisory System to P2-Conscious Process Analysis and Improvement
R825370C078 Development of Environmental Indices for Green Chemical Production and Use
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
Main Center: R825370
155 publications for this center
36 journal articles for this center