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(64-07) Integration of Population Balance Model and LCA for Assessing Environmental Impacts in Social Scale. Yokota, Kazuhiko*,1, Matsuno, Yasunari1, Yamashita, Masaru1, Adachi, Yoshihiro1, 1 The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan ABSTRACT- LCA is a tool to evaluate environmental impacts associated with a product during the life cycle. LCA is rather a steady-state approach, based on product's functional unit, and is not useful to assess the time change of environmental impacts in a social scale. In this study, Population Balance Model (PBM) of air-conditioners was integrated with LCA to evaluate the time change of environmental impacts caused by the total number of the product in Japan. PBM is a method to calculate the total amount of products existing in a society in a year, taking into account the production rate, lifetime of products. Data concerning the number of air-conditioner produced in Japan during 1980-2000, the average electricity consumption, mean lifetime were collected. Lifetime distribution of air-conditioner was assumed as gamma distribution. Green house gas (GHG) emissions from air-conditioners during the production, usage and disposal were investigated by LCA. Then, the total GHG emissions by air-conditioners existed in Japan were calculated. Sensitivity analyses of the technological improvement and the variation of mean lifetime of air-conditioners were conducted to assess the effects on the total GHG emissions. The scenarios in order to achieve the goal set by COP3 were investigated. Key words: Population Balance Model, LCA, Air-conditioners, GHG emissions |
