Life Cycle Assessment of Ethanol Production Process Based on Catalytic Reaction

촉매반응에 의한 에탄올 생산공정의 전 과정 평가

  • Chung, Yonsoo (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Seoul) ;
  • Hwang, Ilhoon (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Seoul) ;
  • Yeo, Yeong-Koo (Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University) ;
  • Joo, Oh-Shim (Eco-Nano Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Jung, Kwang-Deog (Eco-Nano Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology)
  • 정연수 (서울시립대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 황일훈 (서울시립대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 여영구 (한양대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 주오심 (한국과학기술연구원 나노환경연구센터) ;
  • 정광덕 (한국과학기술연구원 나노환경연구센터)
  • Received : 2006.05.09
  • Accepted : 2006.06.15
  • Published : 2006.06.30

Abstract

In this paper, the methodology of life-cycle assessment was applied to an ethanol production process based on catalytic reaction. The environmental performance of the process was quantified and compared with that of the fermentation process. The purpose of the assessment was to develop design guidelines for the environmentally better ethanol production. The assessment was carried only on the stages of raw material acquisition through ethanol manufacture since it was assumed that ethanol from two processes had the same environmental impacts through its use and discard. The inventory analysis of the catalytic process resulted in that carbon dioxide from methanol production was the major environmental impact. The impact assessment showed that the fermentation process was environmentally better than the catalytic one. Suggestions for environmental improvement of the catalytic process were prepared based on the assessment results.

이 논문에서는 전 과정 평가 기법을 이용하여 촉매반응에 의한 에탄올 생산공정의 환경적 가치를 평가하고 발효에 의한 에탄올 생산공정과 그 환경성을 비교하였다. 평가의 목적은 두 공정의 환경성 비교를 통하여 보다 환경 친화적인 공정 개발을 위한 방안을 마련하는데 있었다. 두 공정에서 생산되는 에탄올의 소비 및 폐기 과정은 모두 동일하다고 가정하고 원료물질의 획득으로부터 제품의 생산 과정에 대한 전 과정 평가를 실시하였다. 촉매공정에 대한 전 과정 목록분석을 통해 중간 원료인 메탄올의 생산 과정에서 발생하는 이산화탄소가 주요 환경오염인자라는 것을 확인하였다. 두 공정에 대한 영향평가의 결과 비교를 통하여 발효에 의한 에탄올 생산이 촉매반응에 의한 것보다 환경 친화적이라는 것을 확인하였다. 전 과정 평가의 결과를 바탕으로 공정의 환경성 개선을 위한 방안을 제시하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국과학재단

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