Sustainability assessment tool for the design of new chemical processes
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Linnanmaa, auditorium L6. Remote connection: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/62966860341
Topic of the dissertation
Sustainability assessment tool for the design of new chemical processes
Doctoral candidate
Master of Science Paula Saavalainen
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Technology, Environmental and Chemical Engineering
Subject of study
Environmental Engineering
Opponent
Professor Tapio Salmi, Åbo Akademi University
Custos
Professor Eva Pongrácz, University of Oulu
Sustainability assessment tool for the design of new chemical processes
The main contribution of this research is a sustainability assessment tool, developed to foster the sustainability of chemical processes already in their design phases. This work reviews a set of indicators to assess chemical processes during their design phase to enhance sustainability. Sustainability assessment in this context covered the following dimensions: environmental, social including safety, economic and health. For the assessment of chemical hazards, the latest European chemicals regulations and classification were used as a baseline.
The developed Sustainability Assessment Tool is an Excel spreadsheet, a design for sustainability checklist with more than 200 questions. Using the tool as a guideline in the early stages of designing a chemical process provides a competitive advantage, as it offers guidance in the critical target areas of process design. The developed sustainability assessment tool can also guide chemists and chemical engineers in the piloting and manufacturing stages. The tool can be used for educational purposes as well as for enhancing sustainability knowledge during process design projects in all their design stages.
The developed Sustainability Assessment Tool is an Excel spreadsheet, a design for sustainability checklist with more than 200 questions. Using the tool as a guideline in the early stages of designing a chemical process provides a competitive advantage, as it offers guidance in the critical target areas of process design. The developed sustainability assessment tool can also guide chemists and chemical engineers in the piloting and manufacturing stages. The tool can be used for educational purposes as well as for enhancing sustainability knowledge during process design projects in all their design stages.
Last updated: 1.3.2023