Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
Browse
5 results
Search Results
Item Restricted Sustainable desalination strategies: Techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and optimization of renewable energy-powered plants in Saudi Arabia(Iowa State University, 2024-06-20) Al Marry, Nassar Hamad; Wright, Mark MbaAddressing global water scarcity amidst escalating energy demands and climate change challenges requires innovative approaches in seawater desalination, particularly in arid regions like Saudi Arabia. This journal article style dissertation comprises a comprehensive exploration of sustainable desalination strategies, focusing on techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and optimization of renewable energy-powered desalination plants. In this dissertation, Chapter 2 provides a thorough review of recent advancements in desalination technologies, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable solutions. It highlights the significance of data-driven insights and compares various renewable energy sources for desalination, laying the groundwork for subsequent studies. Chapters 3 and 4 present comparative techno-economic and life-cycle assessments of stand-alone reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants powered by integrated solar Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and geothermal energy through Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). The analyses reveal the superior economic and environmental performance of the integrated CSP-geothermal scenario, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable solution for water scarcity challenges in Saudi Arabia. In Chapter 5, a mathematical optimization approach is employed to minimize the Levelized Cost of Water (LCOW) for the proposed desalination plant. By integrating CSP and geothermal energy, an optimal LCOW value of 0.582 $/m3 is achieved, underscoring the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy-driven desalination in Saudi Arabia. Collectively, these studies contribute valuable insights into the optimization of renewable energy-powered desalination plants, offering a pathway towards sustainable water management in arid regions.43 0Item Restricted Right materials for Packaging Carbonated Drinks(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-25) Mallah, Abdullah; Salonitis, Konstantinos; Jolly, MarkThe environmental impact of packaging materials for carbonated drinks has gained considerable attention in the context of sustainability and resource conservation. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of three commonly used packaging materials: glass bottles, aluminium cans, and PET bottles. A life cycle assessment methodology is employed to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of these materials, encompassing raw material extraction, manufacturing processes, and transportation. The ReCiPe 2016 midpoint impact categories are used to quantify various environmental effects. Results indicate that PET bottles exhibit the least overall environmental impact, attributed to lower greenhouse gas emissions, with a total of 81.52g CO2 eq/litre, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication compared to glass bottles and aluminium cans. Glass bottles, while commonly used, exhibit higher impacts, especially in terms GWP with a total of 425.43g CO2 eq/litre and terrestrial ecotoxicity due to their energy-intensive production and transportation. Aluminium cans, although lightweight, present moderate environmental impacts primarily due to the energy-intensive extraction and processing of raw materials and the use of epoxy resin BADGE in the interior coating. Recommendations for further research are identified to enhance the understanding of carbonated drinks packaging materials' environmental impact. These include exploring alternative coatings for aluminium cans, comprehensive end-of-life analysis, dynamic impact assessment considering evolving technologies, consumer behaviour research, life cycle cost analysis, regional comparative studies, multi-criteria decision analysis. This study contributes to informed decision-making in the packaging industry, guiding the selection of environmentally sustainable packaging materials for carbonated drinks.13 0Item Restricted Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Methods Incorporating Energy Mix Considerations(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-14) Kurdi, Muntasir Sahal A; You, SimingThe shift towards sustainable mobility has been marked by the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), driven by advancements in battery technology, especially lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). As these batteries approach their end-of-life, the environmental, economic, and societal implications of their disposal come to the forefront. This dissertation offers a comprehensive comparative life cycle assessment of electric vehicle battery recycling methods, focusing on their environmental impacts, specifically the global warming potential (GWP) and cumulative energy demand, in the context of energy mix impacts. Three predominant recycling methods are examined: the pyrometallurgical process, the hydrometallurgical process, and direct recycling. The pyrometallurgical process, a high temperature method, primarily recovers metals by smelting and converting them. In contrast, the hydrometallurgical process uses aqueous chemistry to extract valuable metals from spent batteries. The newest and potentially most sustainable method, direct recycling, seeks to reclaim and reuse the cathode and anode materials directly, minimising energy-intensive processes and waste. The primary aim of this study is to understand the environmental impacts of each method. Preliminary findings suggest that the GWP of battery recycling methods is significantly influenced by the energy mix utilised in the processes. The shift towards renewable energy sources in the recycling processes can reduce the carbon footprint, underscoring the critical role of the energy mix in determining the overall sustainability of recycling methods. Moreover, the cumulative energy demand across the methods varies, with direct recycling showing promise as a potentially less energy-intensive approach. However, technological challenges and scalability issues still need to be addressed for it to become a mainstream method. This dissertation bridges the gap between the technical processes of battery recycling and their broader environmental implications, providing stakeholders, from policymakers to industry leaders, with insights to drive sustainable decisions in EV battery management. The study emphasises that while recycling methods offer a pathway to sustainability, their true environmental impact is intrinsically tied to the energy sources that power them.18 0Item Restricted Modelling and Sustainability Assessment of Industrial Ionic Liquid Production and Applications using Life Cycle Thinking(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-02-02) Baaqel, Husain; Hallett, Jason; Chachuat, Benoit; Guillen-Gosalbez, GonzaloThe main goal of this dissertation is to build on the current state-of-the-art research regarding ionic liquid (IL) sustainability assessment to help answer the research question, "how sustainable are ILs as alternatives to conventional technologies?" This is accomplished by developing a systematic computer-aided framework that integrates life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) with process modelling and simulation for the consistent and complete economic and environmental assessment of ILs. The work further explores the use of monetization and an advanced framework that couples uncertainty analysis and global sensitivity analysis to enhance decision-making. The main novelties of the thesis are the methodological components and the case studies, in which the production of different ILs are evaluated in the context of relevant applications including their use. This thesis has contributed to the existing body of research by developing the following aspects. First, an integrated framework that combines LCA, LCC with process modelling and simulation was applied to evaluate the production of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate using two synthesis routes and compare them with two conventional solvents in terms of their application in fuel desulfurization. Second, the developed framework was enhanced by incorporating factors of monetization, and this was applied to a case study involving hydrogen sulfate-based ILs to quantify their externalities and compare the true cost of these ILs with that of conventional solvents in biomass pretreatment applications. Finally, LCA uncertainty and global sensitivity analysis (GSA) was included in the framework to improve uncertainty analysis by accounting for process model uncertainties and identifying key parameters in non-linear systems, which was demonstrated in a case study involving the production of dialkylimidazolium ILs. The results show that the use of data from detailed process models, as highlighted in the holistic framework, makes a big difference compared to the use of simplified methods. Unlike short-cut methods, the framework accounts for process efficiency, emissions, and waste and covers a wide range of environmental impact categories for a more consistent and complete assessment. Additionally, coupling monetization with LCA can improve the assessment by turning a multiobjective problem into a single-objective problem, and hence, facilitating decision-making. The environmental externalities quantified through monetization reveal hidden costs that are usually overlooked when conducting a conventional economic assessment. Moreover, the importance of including foreground uncertainties in the uncertainty analysis was demonstrated by the results obtained from applying uncertainty-GSA analysis. In particular, foreground uncertainties can significantly overlap with the background uncertainties because of the multiplicative effect, which impacts decision-making. Furthermore, using GSA can help correctly identify uncertain parameters by accounting for collaborative effects in non-linear systems. Finally, case studies were used to test the efficiency of the developed framework and its methodological components. The contributions of this thesis build on the state-of-the-art economic assessment and LCA for ILs and support research on evaluating the sustainability of ILs and similar novel chemicals. This in turn will help us better understand the potential of such chemicals in terms of their sustainability performance as decision-making in most industries today is driven by policies pursuing sustainable development.26 0Item Restricted Life cycle assessment of Lime Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) against OPC(2023-07-26) ALBALAWI, AMJAD; Novelli, VivianaMalawi is blessed in limestone and other minerals with economic potential. Because the majority of residents cannot afford cement, the majority of dwellings in Malawi are nonengineered, unreinforced masonry structures built by local artisans with no involvement from engineers. Due to the use of low-quality materials and a lack of construction detailing, these structures are highly susceptible to seismic events. It has been determined that Lime Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) is both cost-effective and a potential replacement for conventional Portland Cement (OPC). By substituting inexpensive LC3 for OPC, structures will be more resilient and durable, and CO2 emissions from the production of OPC will be decreased. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was utilised to compare Lime calcined clay cement (LC3) and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). The Environmental Footprint database was used in open LCA which contains a vast amount of data related to the environmental impacts of various products and processes. Footprint database includes data on resource consumption, emissions, and other environmental indicators associated with the entire life cycle of products. The results of the study provided strong evidence that LC3 (Low Carbon Cement) surpassed OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) in various crucial environmental aspects. This comparison clearly showed that using LC3 instead of OPC offers significant environmental benefits, making it a more sustainable and eco-friendly choice for construction projects in Malawi. Malawi's abundant reserves of limestone and kaolinitic clay make it self-sufficient in producing the essential components of LC3 cement, which in turn, reduces the country's reliance on imported cement. This reduction in imports positively impacts Malawi's trade balance, addressing issues with the cement trade deficit. Furthermore, LC3 cement production positions Malawi to potentially access the export market, further enhancing cement exports and reducing reliance on imports.is not only more sustainable but also contributes positively to environmental preservation90 0