Desarrollo metodológico de evaluación ambiental en el análisis de procesos

Identificador:  TDX:311

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX311

Autors:  Herrera Orozco, Israel

Resum:
Methodological development or conceptual model proposed in this study is comprised of four phases or steps. Which permit to explore all the variables include in process and industrial activities, in order to involve the environmental aspects in different levels of detail.<br/><br/>The phases included in the methodological development are:<br/><br/>1. Process analysis, this phase proves information about the needed operations to develop the activity.<br/>2. Information transfer, this phase allows to transfer generated information in the process analysis, which will be utilised in the environmental assessment.<br/>3. Environmental assessment, where are identified environmental loads and damages (real and potential). <br/>4. Decision-making, in this phase, decisions can be based on the results obtained from process analysis, after the transfer of information or from each one of the levels of the environmental evaluation. <br/><br/>Several aspects should be kept in mind in process analysis: <br/><br/>&#61692; Goal and scope definition <br/>&#61692; Burdens of the system<br/>&#61692; Prior steps in process analysis (Diagrams, pipes, etc.)<br/>&#61692; Level of the environmental assessment<br/>&#61692; Level of the spatial differentiation<br/>&#61692; Cost analysis (internal and external costs)<br/><br/>The second phase of the methodology or transfer of information since the analysis of processes is carried out through an interface (which is programming in Visual Basic). The integration of information is realised in two stages: identification of variables, and capture- transference of data. The first stage allows identifying process streams and some basic information regarded to their role in the process (input/output, energy/material and product/by-product). An efficient procedure to perform this task is the process description, which can be easily made by a flowsheet analysis. Nevertheless, the variables in modelling and environmental assessment must have similar characteristics to create a consistent methodology. In the second stage, the process information is transferred and transformed, in order to be used by the subsequent step<br/><br/>The environmental evaluation allows making an appraisal of the industrial processes, by means of environmental incidence. The description of the effects is bases on damages that can be given on the human health, the ecosystems and the natural resources, through different media or compartments, such as air, water, soil and sediments. The identifying effects, are you determined through the quantification of the environmental load due to the harmful substances, the concentration in the media affected, as well as the effects and environmental damages in the different areas of protection. <br/><br/>The fourth phase proposes the comparison of several methods, that can be applied in each one of the levels of the environmental evaluation and of the analysis of processes, and that go since the comparison of the balances or inventories. This phase defines an environmental profile for industrial activities that includes from a material and energy balance, obtained by a life cycle inventory, a fate and exposure assessment for several routes and compartments or the impacts and risks for human and ecosystems, to a rigorous environmental damage profile. Furthermore, environmental effects in terms of risks or impacts can be compared. <br/>Through the last phase, is obtained with sufficient scientific validity, the best alternative for a process, keeping in mind its environmental, economic, and technical viability