Uploading Forest Products Laboratory’s Life Cycle Inventory
Datasets into the Federal LCA Commons Database
Cristian Sanchez
The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio TX, 78249
Name: Cristian Sanchez
Status: Senior
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Area of Study: Renewable Energy
USDA/UTSA Mentor(s):
Dr. Krystel Castillo
Dr. Richard Bergman
Dr. Hongmei Gu
BE AWARE Research Area
This research evaluates the environmental performance of a small
thermochemical conversion system, referred to as the Tucker RNG (Renewable
Natural Gas) unit using life cycle assessment (LCA). Using LCA, the evaluation
estimated primary energy consumption and environmental impacts in a holistic life cycle
starting from raw materials extraction through product production to final disposition.
The life cycle Inventory (LCI) data developed during the course of the project will be
archived in the Federal LCA Commons. The Commons brings findings and research
together from the LCA community which are then made public for all to use.
Motivation or Background
The goal of the Commons is to provide open access LCA tools and datasets. This project allows for the North American LCA data to be more accessible to the
community of researchers, industry process engineers, policy-makers and LCA practitioners. Federal agencies that are involved with LCA on some level can input
their research and findings. The United States National Agricultural Library (NAL) is one of the world’s largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a
national library of the United States and as the library of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Objectives
The objective of this project was to transfer Dr. Richard Bergman’s and Dr. Hongmei Gu’s LCI data related to biochar and synthesis gas production from a novel
thermochemical conversion system, the Tucker RNG unit into the publicly-available Federal LCA Commons (www.lcacommons.gov) database. Ultimately, the data
developed through the specific missions of various agencies will be brought together to assemble components of a background dataset for applicable sectors of the
U.S. economy.
Methodology
Software Programs used
• SimaPro was used to model the
• SimaPro: Tool used to collect sustainability data and to
environmental impacts associated with the
analyze and monitor the performance of products and
production of medium-energy synthesis gas
services.
and biochar using harvested woody
• EcoSpold1: Data exchange format used for life cycle
biomass as a feedstock. Mass and energy
inventory data and life cycle impact assessment
balances, cumulative energy demand, and
methods.
life-cycle inventory flows were calculated
• openLCA: Open access LCA and footprint software
based on operational data from 1-h
with a broad range of functions and available
continuous run.
databases.
• The data was then formatted into
EcoSpold1 to be then exported into
• Microsoft
Excel:
A
spreadsheet
developed
openLCA.
by Microsoft for Windows, Mac OS X, and iOS. It
features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a • Metafield data was then entered and
submitted into the LCA Commons
macro programming language called Visual Basic for
Database.
Applications.
(A)
(B)
Fig. 1 Examples Biochar (A) and
Activated Carbon samples(B)
Three burners provided heat to activate the chamber which
then the feedstock was transferred to an active section. The
partially-generated biochar and syngas were transferred to a
passive section where the syngas was cooled to remove tars
and the biochar completed its conversion. Biochar and
medium-energy syngas leaving the Tucker RNG unit were the
two primary products.
In Gu and Bergman’s research, the Tucker
RNG processed harvested woody biomass
using a high-temperature
thermochemical
conversion in a low oxygen environment. The
system minimized oxygen using a double air
lock coupled with a feedstock compression
system that expels air from the feedstock.
Fig. 2 Tucker RNG unit process flow diagram
Results
The LCI data developed from the Tucker RNG unit was
successfully exported into openLCA and ultimately
exported into the Federal LCA Commons Database.
Figure 3 shows one of the various formatted and
completed sections in openLCA.
Figure 4 shows the primary data collected from a wholetree chipping operation and the 1-h continuous run of the
Tucker RNG unit. Feedstock consumption for the Tucker
RNG unit was recorded at 263 kg/h of whole-tree
coniferous microchips at 12% moisture content. Electricity
and propane used for the Tucker pyrolysis process were
also recorded for the 1-h continuous run.
Fig. 3 LCI data in openLCA
Fig. 4 Process input and energy flows for the 1-h thermochemical
conversion run with 263kg/h (12% MC) woody biomass.
Acknowledgments
Future Plans
Continue submitting various LCI datasets into the LCA Commons developed at the
U.S. Forest Products Laboratory from other research projects. The upcoming
submittals will follow the same format and Commons submission guidelines.
Financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of
Food and Agriculture through Award Number: 2015-38422-24064 and through the
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Biomass Research and Development
Initiative (Grant No. 2011-10006-30357) is gratefully acknowledged.
References
• Gu, H.; Bergman, R. 2016. Life-cycle assessment of a distributed-scale thermochemical bioenergy conversion system. Wood and Fiber Science 48(2):129-141.
• European Commission - Joint Research Centre - Institute for Environment and Sustainability: International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) - Documentation of LCA data sets.
Version 1.1Beta, 2011. EUR 24381 EN. Luxembourg. Publications Office of the European Union; 2011.