Life Cycle Assessment of Composites April 2005

1
Life Cycle Assessment of CompositesApril 2005
Paul Thistlethwaite Environment Division / Centre
for Sustainable Construction
2
Presentation content

• BRE Methodology and the Green Guides
• Green Guide to Composites Project
• Aims and Objectives
• Funding and Structure (partners)
• How work was carried out
• Paper guide
• Web tool
• Open discussion and web tool examples

3
Green Guide to Specification

• Simple to use
• Element based
• Environmental impacts of building elements
• Based on LCA
• A,B,C rating

4
(No Transcript)
5
The Ecopoint and A, B and C ratings
6
Derivation of Ecopoints
Issues
Measurement
Weighting
E C O P O I N T S
7
Compass Project Introduction

• Composite materials more widely used in varied
  markets
• More emphasis on environmental aspects of
  manufacturing
• Sustainability
• Environment
• Society
• Economy

8
Aims

• Build guides around simple scoring method for
  those new to sustainability
• Paper and web based (free)
• To be used by SME companies
• Ensure guide is applicable to wide range of
  products, processes and methods
• Locate existing and new data for the guide
• Implications of different material and processing
  choices

9
Funding and Structure

• DTI - Sustainable Technologies Initiative
• Principle partners
• BRE
• NetComposites
• Steering group members and contributors in kind

Michael Stacey Architects Network Group for
Composites in Construction (NGCC) Plastech
Thermoset Techtronics Polymer Engineering
Polynorm Reichhold Saint Gobain Vetrotex
Taylor Woodrow Vestas Blades UK

• Composite Tooling and Structures
• Curv Composites
• DTI
• Engineered Composites
• Fibreforce Composites
• Hexcel Composites
• Klargester Environmental
• Lotus Engineering
• Menzolit UK

10
How the work was carried out

• Data collection
• Environmental
• Social
• Models creation
• LCA
• Publishing

11
Data collection

• What
• Questionnaire (standard) input materials,
  energy, transport, water consumption, emissions,
  general process activity.
• Social risk, remuneration
• How
• Piloted data capture first
• Data from partner organisations
• NetComposites as data collectors

12
Variables to be accommodated in model

• Component
• Process
• Materials
• Matrix
• Fibre
• Pre-impregnated materials
• Sub-Process variations

13
Production Stages and LCA framework
14
Creating the models
RATING (A-E)
15
Components

• 1m2 double curvature panel (example)
• Constant bending stiffness
• Base line 4mm thick - 20 fibre volume fraction
• Alternative thickness calculated
• Mass of fibre and matrix calculated and used in
  data
• Small complex panel
• Constant volume
• Volume base 770cm3
• 1m wide x 8m long sandwich panel
• Constant bending stiffness
• 4mm skins and 25mm thick core base

16
Processes

• Hand Lay-up
• Spray-up
• Vacuum Bag Moulding
• Resin Infusion
• Resin Transfer Moulding
• Autoclave Moulding
• Pultrusion
• Compression Moulding

17
Matrices, Fibres and Pre-impregnated

• Matricies
• Polyester
• LS Polyester
• Filler options
• Epoxy resin
• Polypropelene

• Fibres
• CSM
• Glass rovings
• Woven glass
• Hemp
• Carbon

• Pre-impregnated
• SMC
• GMT
• LFT
• PP/PP
• Twintex

18
1m2 Double Curvature Panel
19
Example of a model
20
Hand Lay-up Base Case

• Polyester Resin (20 volume fraction)
• Chopped strand mat (Glass) (80 volume fraction)
• No filler
• Normal mould release
• Gelcoat brushed
• Manually cut fabric
• Closed mechanical resin mixing
• Resin applied by brush
• Consolidate with roller
• Cure at room temperature
• Trim by hand
• Post cure at room temperature
• Clean mould

21
Social impacts
22
Social data collection and assumptions

• Exposure to toxic chemicals eliminated with use
  of PPE
• Best case is to reduce need for PPE in workplace
• PPE only used when all other measures to limit
  exposure eliminated
• Reduction of toxic substances
• Reduce emissions
• Minimise operator to exposure

23
Social data
24
Remuneration

• Salary details collected
• Social indicator
• Single geographical area
• Separated by process
• Graded A-E

25
Publication - paper based guide

• Guide divided into sections
• Part 1. Introduction
• Part 2. How the Green Guide was compiled
• Part 3. Stages of composite production
• Part 4. Composite processes
• Part 5. Green Guide ratings for composites

26
Part 3 Stages of the Composite Production

• In all sections full descriptions given
• Charts giving an example of impact within a
  process
• Recommendations on sustainable improvement
• Such as inclusion of filler to reduce the amount
  of resin present

27
Production Stages - All
28
Individual
29
Part 4 Composite Processes

• Listing of the eight processing methods to be
  studied
• Base case scenario chosen and studied
• Full description of the process and parameters
• Pie chart breakdown of the impacts
• Gives an easy pictorial representation
• Analysis

30
Double Curvature Panel Hand Lay-up

• Consider typical process
• Model as base case
• Adapt base case for individual options
• Calculate impact of options
• Evaluate significance of variations
• Focus on significant options only

31
Base case and other models
32
Hand Lay-up base case impacts
33
Pultrusion base case impacts
34
Part 5Green Guide Ratings for Composite Products

• Green Guide ratings for Composite Products
• A double curvature panel
• A flat panel
• A small complex moulded component
• Full assessment of the case models
• Summary ratings

35
Diagram example of composite table
36
Web based guide

• Interactive version of the guide
• Comparisons between the processes modelled by the
  partners
• Hosted on the NetComposites site and linked to
  BRE
• Allows more options than paper based guide