Investigation into the Methodology and Implementation of Life Cycle Engineering under China’s Carbon Reduction Target in the Process Industry

The industrial sector is the primary source of carbon emissions in China.In pursuit of meeting its carbon reduction targets,China aims to promote resource consumption sustainability,reduce energy consumption,and achieve carbon neutrality within its processing industries.An effective strategy to promote energy savings and carbon reduction throughout the life cycle of materials is by applying life cycle engineering technology.This strategy aims to attain an optimal solution for material performance,resource consumption,and environmental impact.In this study,five types of technologies were considered:raw material replacement,process reengineering,fuel replacement,energy recycling and reutilization,and material recycling and reutilization.The meaning,methodology,and development status of life cycle engineering technology abroad and domestically are discussed in detail.A multidimensional analysis of ecological design was conducted from the perspectives of resource and energy consumption,carbon emissions,product performance,and recycling of secondary resources in a manufacturing process.This coupled with an integrated method to analyze carbon emissions in the entire life cycle of a material process industry was applied to the nonferrous industry,as an example.The results provide effective ideas and solutions for achieving low or zero carbon emission production in the Chinese industry as recycled aluminum and primary aluminum based on advanced technologies had reduced resource consumption and emissions as compared to primary aluminum production.

Growth of RB Population in the Conversion Phase of Chlamydia Life Cycle

Upon infecting a host cell,the reticulate body(RB)form of the Chlamydia bacteria simply proliferates by binary fission for an extended period.Available data show only RB units in the infected cells 20 hours post infection(hpi),spanning nearly half way through the development cycle.With data collected every 4 hpi,conversion to the elementary body(EB)form begins abruptly at a rapid rate sometime around 24 hpi.By modeling proliferation and conversion as simple birth and death processes,it has been shown that the optimal strategy for maximizing the total(mean)EB population at host cell lysis time is a bang-bang control qualitatively replicating the observed conversion activities.However,the simple birth and death model for the RB proliferation and conversion to EB deviates in a significant way from the available data on the evolution of the RB population after the onset of RB-to-EB conversion.By working with a more refined model that takes into account a small size threshold eligibility requirement for conversion noted in the available data,we succeed in removing the deficiency of the previous models on the evolution of the RB population without affecting the optimal bang-bang conversion strategy.

Life cycle assessment as a prospective tool for sustainable agriculture and food planning at a local level

Owing to the far-reaching environmental consequences of agriculture and food systems,such as their contribution to climate change,there is an urgent need to reduce their impact.International and national governments set sustainability targets and implement corresponding measures.Nevertheless,critics of the globalized system claim that a territorial administrative scale is better suited to address sustainability issues.Yet,at the subnational level,local authorities rarely apply a systemic environmental assessment to enhance their action plans.This paper employs a territorial life cycle assessment methodology to improve local environmental agri-food planning.The objective is to identify significant direct and indirect environmental hotspots,their origins,and formulate effective mitigation strategies.The methodology is applied to the administrative department of Finistere,a strategic agricultural region in North-Western France.Multiple environmental criteria including climate change,fossil resource scarcity,toxicity,and land use are modeled.The findings reveal that the primary environmental hotspots of the studied local food system arise from indirect sources,such as livestock feed or diesel consumption.Livestock reduction and organic farming conversion emerge as the most environmentally efficient strategies,resulting in a 25%decrease in the climate change indicator.However,the overall modeled impact reduction is insufficient following national objectives and remains limited for the land use indicator.These results highlight the innovative application of life cycle assessment led at a local level,offering insights for the further advancement of systematic and prospective local agri-food assessment.Additionally,they provide guidance for local authorities to enhance the sustainability of planning strategies.

Crystalline and amorphous metal sulfide composite electrode materials with long cycle life:Preparation and performance of hybrid capacitors

Crystalline@amorphous NiCo_(2)S_(4)@MoS_(2)(v-NCS@MS)nanostructures were designed and constructed via an ethylene glycol-induced strategy with hydrothermal synthesis and solvothermal method,which simultaneously realized the defect regulation of crystal NiCo_(2)S_(4) in the core.Taking advantage of the flexible protection of an amor-phous shell and the high capacity of a conductive core with defects,the v-NCS@MS electrode exhibited high specif-ic capacity(1034 mAh·g^(-1) at 1 A·g^(-1))and outstanding rate capability.Moreover,a hybrid supercapacitor was assembled with v-NCS@MS as cathode and activated carbon(AC)as anode,which can achieve remarkably high specific energy of 111 Wh·kg^(-1) at a specific power of 219 W·kg^(-1) and outstanding capacity retention of 80.5%after 15000 cycling at different current densities.

NCAPD2 serves as a potential prognostic biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma and promotes cell proliferation,migration,invasion and cell cycle in vitro

Objectives:The pro-oncogenic effects of NCAPD2 have been extensively studied across various tumor types;however,its precise role within the context of lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)remains elusive.This study aims to elucidate the biological functions of NCAPD2 in LUAD and unravel the underlying mechanistic pathways.Methods:Utilizing bioinformatics methodologies,we explored the differential expression of NCAPD2 between normal and tumor samples,along with its correlations with clinical-pathological characteristics,survival prognosis,and immune infiltration.Results:In the TCGA-LUAD dataset,tumor samples demonstrated significantly elevated levels of NCAPD2 expression compared to normal samples(p<0.001).Clinically,higher NCAPD2 expression was notably associated with advanced T,N,and M stages,pathologic stage,gender,smoking status,and diminished overall survival(OS).Moreover,differentially expressed genes(DEGs)associated with NCAPD2 were predominantly enriched in pathways related to cell division.Immune infiltration analysis revealed that NCAPD2 expression levels were linked to the infiltration of memory B cells,naïve CD4+T cells,activated memory CD4+T cells,and M1 macrophages.In vitro experiments demonstrated that silencing NCAPD2 suppressed LUAD cell proliferation,migration,invasion,epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),and cell cycle progression.Conclusions:In summary,NCAPD2 may represent a promising prognostic biomarker and novel therapeutic target for LUAD.

A Review of the Life Cycle Analysis for Plastic Waste Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a rapidly expanding chemical-based recyclable method that complements physical recycling. It avoids improper disposal of post-consumer polymers and mitigates the ecological problems linked to the production of new plastic. Nevertheless, while there is a consensus that pyrolysis might be a crucial technology in the years to come, more discussions are needed to address the challenges related to scaling up, the long-term sustainability of the process, and additional variables essential to the advancement of the green economy. Herein, it emphasizes knowledge gaps and methodological issues in current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), underlining the need for standardized techniques and updated data to support robust decision-making for adopting pyrolysis technologies in waste management strategies. For this purpose, this study reviews the LCAs of pyrolytic processes, encompassing the complete life cycle, from feedstock collection to end-product distribution, including elements such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste creation. Hence, we evaluate diverse pyrolysis processes, including slow, rapid, and catalytic pyrolysis, emphasizing their distinct efficiency and environmental footprints. Furthermore, we evaluate the impact of feedstock composition, process parameters, and scale of operation on the overall sustainability of pyrolysis-based plastic waste treatment by integrating results from current literature and identifying essential research needs. Therefore, this paper argues that existing LCA studies need more coherence and accuracy. It follows a thorough evaluation of previous research and suggests new insights into methodologies and restrictions.

A Building Information Modeling-Life Cycle Cost Analysis Integrated Model to Enhance Decisions Related to the Selection of Construction Methods at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) provides a systematic approach to assess the total cost associated with owning, operating, and maintaining assets throughout their entire life. BIM empowers architects and designers to perform real-time evaluations to explore various design options. However, when integrated with LCCA, BIM provides a comprehensive economic perspective that helps stakeholders understand the long-term financial implications of design decisions. This study presents a methodology for developing a model that seamlessly integrates BIM and LCCA during the conceptual design stage of buildings. This integration allows for a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the design process, ensuring that the development aligns with the principles of low carbon emissions by employing modular construction, 3D concrete printing methods, and different building design alternatives. The model considers the initial construction costs in addition to all the long-term operational, maintenance, and salvage values. It combines various tools and data through different modules, including energy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to execute a comprehensive assessment of the financial implications of a specific design option throughout the lifecycle of building projects. The development of the said model and its implementation involves the creation of a new plug-in for the BIM tool (i.e., Autodesk Revit) to enhance its functionalities and capabilities in forecasting the life-cycle costs of buildings in addition to generating associated cash flows, creating scenarios, and sensitivity analyses in an automatic manner. This model empowers designers to evaluate and justify their initial investments while designing and selecting potential construction methods for buildings, and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions by assessing different design alternatives based on long-term financial considerations during the early stages of design.

Cycle life prediction and match detection in retired electric vehicle batteries

The lifespan models of commercial 18650-type lithium ion batteries （nominal capacity of 1150 mA-h） were presented. The lifespan was extrapolated based on this model. The results indicate that the relationship of capacity retention and cycle number can be expressed by Gaussian function. The selecting function and optimal precision were verified through actual match detection and a range of alternating current impedance testing. The cycle life model with high precision （〉99%） is beneficial to shortening the orediction time and cutting the prediction cost.

Facilitating IT outsourcing through improving buyer-vendor interaction in outsourcing life cycle

For a clear understanding of how to foster necessary attributes of partnerships that promote a closer relationship for achieving outsourcing success,this paper tries to explore the role of interaction.Based on empirical data from a logistics and procurement flat system outsourcing case and earlier research,the industrial network approach and the international marketing and purchasing interaction model are used to analyze the nature of interaction in a three-phased outsourcing life cycle,particularly,characteristics and activities of the transition phase are identified.The findings reveal that developing a relationship between partners requires an industrial network perspective.Improving the key aspects of interaction,information and knowledge sharing,communication and collaborative participation,involved in the important events of three phases would contribute to enhance the relationships performance.The key aspects of interaction should take place among the network actors and not just between buyers and vendors.

Comparative analysis of perpetual pavement structures based on pavement performance and life cycle cost

Pavement performance and economic efficiency are researched on the perpetual test pavement of Yijiang-Suzhou Express Highway in Jiangsu province, China. Test sections were continuously monitored. The conditions and developing laws of deflection, rutting and cracking are compared among the perpetual pavement with the rich binder layer （RBL）, the perpetual pavement without the RBL, and the conventional semi-rigid asphalt pavement in the past eight years after opening for traffic. Economical evaluation is conducted via life cycle cost analysis （LCCA）. Based on the performance comparison and LCCA analysis, sections with the RBL have good crack resistance, but they are not very satisfactory in the aspect of permanent deformation; the conventional semi-rigid asphalt pavement is the least economic one due to requiring more frequent maintenance. Research results show that the perpetual pavement without RBL is a more appropriate structure for the test site.

Life Cycle Assessment of Green Buildings Based on Grey Clustering Method

To promote and develop green buildings,a standardized,applicable and easily operable index system for the assessment of such buildings was established on the basis of life cycle cost effectiveness.From the perspectives of environment-friendly materials,water resource environment,energy and environment,quality of indoor and outdoor environment,operation and management,and economical efficiency of life cycle,a modified index system was built,AHP was applied to obtain weights of indexes,evaluation methods of the grey system were used to evaluate green buildings,case study was adopted to verify the practicability and scientificity of the method.The results showed that Grey Clustering Method was an objective and reliable tool to evaluate green buildings,the calculation was simple,practical and easily operable,and moreover,the assessment process could be optimized by computer programming to improve its efficiency and precision.

Chinese life cycle impact assessment factors

The methodological basis and procedures for determination of Chinese normalization references and weighting factors according to the EDIP-method is described. According to Chinese industrial development intensity and population density, China was divided into three regions and the normalization references for each region were calculated on the basis of an inventory of all of the region's environmental emissions in 1990. The normalization reference was determined as the total environmental impact potential for the area in question in 1990(EP(j)90) divided by the population. The weighting factor was determined as the normalization reference (ER(j)90) divided by society's target contribution in the year 2000 based on Chinese political reduction plans, ER(j)T2000. This paper presents and discuss results obtained for eight different environmental impact categories relevant for China: global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, acidification, nutrient enrichment, photochemical ozone formation and generation of bulk waste, hazardous waste and slag and ashes.

Dynamic simulation analysis of molten salt reactor-coupled air-steam combined cycle power generation system

A nonlinear dynamic simulation model based on coordinated control of speed and flow rate for the molten salt reactor and combined cycle systems is proposed here to ensure the coordination and stability between the molten salt reactor and power system.This model considers the impact of thermal properties of fluid variation on accuracy and has been validated with Simulink.This study reveals the capability of the control system to compensate for anomalous situations and maintain shaft stability in the event of perturbations occurring in high-temperature molten salt tank outlet parameters.Meanwhile,the control system’s impact on the system’s dynamic characteristics under molten salt disturbance is also analyzed.The results reveal that after the disturbance occurs,the controlled system benefits from the action of the control,and the overshoot and disturbance amplitude are positively correlated,while the system power and frequency eventually return to the initial values.This simulation model provides a basis for utilizing molten salt reactors for power generation and maintaining grid stability.

Overall Life Cycle Comprehensive Assessment of Pneumatic and Electric Actuator

Pneumatic actuators and electric actuators have almost been applied to all manufacturing industries. The two kinds of actuators can replace each other in most fields, such as the point to point transmission occasion and some rotating occasions. However, there are very few research results about the advantages and disadvantages of two kinds of actuators under the same working conditions so far. In this paper, a novel comprehensive assessment method, named as overall life cycle comprehensive assessment （OLCCA）, is proposed for comparison and assessment of pneumatic and electric actuators. OLCCA contains mechanical properties evaluation （MPE）, life cycle cost analysis based on users （LCCABOU） and life cycle environmental impact analysis （LCEIA） algorithm in order to solve three difficult problems： mechanical properties assessment, cost analysis and environmental impact assessment about actuators. The mechanical properties evaluation of actuators is a multi-objective optimization problem. The fuzzy data quantification and information entropy methods are combined to establish MPE algorithm of actuators. Two kinds of pneumatic actuators and electric actuators with similar bearing capacity and similar work stroke were taken for example to verify the correctness of MPE algorithm. The case study of MPE algorithm for actuators verified its correctness. LCCABOU for actuators is also set up. Considering cost complex structure of pneumatic actuators, public device cost even method （PDCEM） is firstly presented to solve cost division of public devices such as compressors, aftercooler, receivers, etc. LCCABOU method is also effective and verified by the three groups of pneumatic actuators and electric actuators. Finally, LCEIA model of actuators is established for the environmental impact assessment of actuators. LCEIA data collection method and model establishment procedure for actuators are also put forward. With Simapro 7, LCEIA comparison results of six actuators can be obtained： Fossil fuels are the major environmental factor of pneumatic and electric actuators; Environmental impact of electric actuator is large than one of pneumatic actuator under the similar mechanical properties and working conditions of pneumatic and electric actuators. The results are correct and correspond with the actual mechanical properties of actuators. This paper proposes a comprehensive evaluation method of the actuators, which can solve the critical problem that similar electromechanical products are very difficult to be compared with each other from the angle of performance, cost and environment impact.

Bicycle-related traumatic injuries: a retrospective study during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to review bicycle-related injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist with reinforcement or implementation of new policies for injury prevention.METHODS:This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of injuries sustained during cycling for patients 18 years old and above who presented to Singapore General Hospital from January to June 2021.Medical records were reviewed and consolidated.Descriptive analyses were used to summarize patient characteristics,and differences in characteristics subgrouped by triage acuity and discharge status were analyzed.RESULTS:The study included 272 patients with a mean age of 43 years and a male predominance(71.7%).Most presented without referrals(88.2%)and were not conveyed by ambulances(70.6%).Based on acuity category,there were 24(8.8%)Priority 1(P1)patients with 7 trauma activations,174(64.0%)and 74(27.2%)P2 and P3 patients respectively.The most common injuries were fractures(34.2%),followed by superficial abrasion/contusion(29.4%)and laceration/wound(19.1%).Thirteen(4.8%)patients experienced head injury and 85 patients(31.3%)were documented to be wearing a helmet.The majority occurred on the roads as traffic accidents(32.7%).Forty-two patients(15.4%)were admitted with a mean length of stay of 4.1 d and 17(6.3%)undergone surgical procedures.Out of 214(78.7%)discharged patients,no re-attendances or mortality were observed.In the subgroup analysis,higher acuity patients were generally older,with higher proportions of head injuries leading to admission.CONCLUSION:Our study highlights significant morbidities in bicycle-related injuries.There is also a high proportion of fractures in the young healthy male population.Injury prevention is paramount and we propose emphasizing helmet use and road user safety.

Review of energy consumption research for papermaking industry based on life cycle analysis

Papermaking industry is a high-energy-consuming industry with long supply chain.The growth of paper product demand further intensifies the need of energy consumption.Energy saving through the full supply chain has become a focal point for long-term sustainable development of the papermaking industry.This paper reviews the advances in life cycle analysis for the papermaking industry in recent years.All the stages from the full supply chain are involved to give a panoramic overview of the papermaking industry.The object of this paper is to provide scientific basis to industry and decision-makers with profound understanding of the energy consumption and energy saving potential in a life cycle perspective.

Effect of drying-wetting cycles on pore characteristics and mechanical properties of enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation-reinforced sea sand

Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation(EICP)is an emanating,eco-friendly and potentially sound technique that has presented promise in various geotechnical applications.However,the durability and microscopic characteristics of EICP-treated specimens against the impact of drying-wetting(D-W)cycles is under-explored yet.This study investigates the evolution of mechanical behavior and pore charac-teristics of EICP-treated sea sand subjected to D-W cycles.The uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)tests,synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography(micro-CT),and three-dimensional(3D)recon-struction of CT images were performed to study the multiscale evolution characteristics of EICP-reinforced sea sand under the effect of D-W cycles.The potential correlations between microstructure characteristics and macro-mechanical property deterioration were investigated using gray relational analysis(GRA).Results showed that the UCS of EICP-treated specimens decreases by 63.7% after 15 D-W cycles.The proportion of mesopores gradually decreases whereas the proportion of macropores in-creases due to the exfoliated calcium carbonate with increasing number of D-W cycles.The micro-structure in EICP-reinforced sea sand was gradually disintegrated,resulting in increasing pore size and development of pore shape from ellipsoidal to columnar and branched.The gray relational degree suggested that the weight loss rate and UCS deterioration were attributed to the development of branched pores with a size of 100-1000 m m under the action of D-W cycles.Overall,the results in this study provide a useful guidancee for the long-term stability and evolution characteristics of EICP-reinforced sea sand under D-W weathering conditions.

CNTs@S composite as cathode for all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries with ultralong cycle life

The main challenges in development of traditional liquid lithium-sulfur batteries are the shuttle effect at the cathode caused by the polysulfide and the safety concern at the Li metal anode arose from the dendrite formation.All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries have been proposed to solve the shuttle effect and prevent short circuits.However,solid-solid contacts between the electrodes and the electrolyte increase the interface resistance and stress/strain,which could result in the limited electrochemical performances.In this work,the cathode of all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries is prepared by depositing sulfur on the surface of the carbon nanotubes(CNTs@S)and further mixing with Li10GeP2S12 electrolyte and acetylene black agents.At 60℃,CNTs@S electrode exhibits superior electrochemical performance,delivering the reversible discharge capacities of 1193.3,959.5,813.1,569.6 and 395.5 mAhg^-1 at the rate of 0.1,0.5,1,2 and 5 C,respectively.Moreover,the CNTs@S is able to demonstrate superior high-rate capability of 660.3 mAhg^-1 and cycling stability of 400 cycles at a high rate of 1.0 C.Such uniform distribution of the CNTs,S and Li10GeP2S12 electrolyte increase the electronic and ionic conductivity between the cathode and the electrolyte hence improves the rate performance and capacity retention.

Environmental impact assessment of China’s primary aluminum based on life cycle assessment

Assessing and accounting for material consumption and environmental impact are necessary to measure environmental externalities of the aluminum industry and to construct an ecological civilization.In this research,life cycle assessment(LCA)theory was used to assess the environmental impact of primary aluminum based on the lime soda Bayer process and different power generation modes,and the sources and distributions of the four selected impact categories were analyzed.The results show that,(1)Negative environmental impact of aluminum industry generally occurs from alumina extraction,carbon anode fabrication and electrolysis,particularly electrolysis and alumina extraction.Primary energy demand(PED),water use(WU),global warming potential(GWP)and freshwater eutrophication potential(FEP)are main environmental impact categories.(2)The environmental load with thermal power is higher than that with hydropower,e.g.,for the former,the greenhouse gas emission coefficient of 21800 kg CO2 eq/t(Al)will be generated,while for the latter,4910 kg CO2 eq/t(Al)will be generated.(3)Both power mode methods reflect the energy structure,whereas direct emissions reflect the technical level,indicating the potential for large energy savings and emission reductions,and some policies,related to clean power,energy efficiency and technological progress,should be made for emission reduction.

Process of aluminum dross recycling and life cycle assessment for Al-Si alloys and brown fused alumina

In 2008,around 596 000 t of aluminum dross was generated from secondary aluminum industry in China;however,it was not sufficiently recycled yet.Approximately 95% of the Al dross was land filled without innocent treatment.The purpose of this work is to investigate Al dross recycling by environmentally efficient and friendly methods.Two methods of Al dross recycling which could utilize Al dross efficiently were presented.High-quality aluminum-silicon alloys and brown fused alumina(BFA) were produced successfully by recycling Al dross.Then,life cycle assessment(LCA) was performed to evaluate environmental impact of two methods of Al dross recycling process.The results show that the two methods are reasonable and the average recovery rate of Al dross is up to 98%.As the LCA results indicate,they have some advantages such as less natural resource consumption and pollutant emissions,which efficiently relieves the burden on the environment in electrolytic aluminum and secondary aluminum industry.