Soda bicarbonate in ecoinvent 3.4

Question

Hello,

There is a dataset "soda bicarbonate" in the flows list of ecoinvent v.3.4 and it can be added to processes but there are neither providers, nor uses associated with this entry. If I use it in calculations, it does not form any contribution to the impacts. Also, I checked the ecoinvent database online and there is no such dataset (there are other similar - soda ash, etc.).

Is it an empty dataset deleted from older econvent versions or is it corrupted only in my downloaded zolca file?

Thank you,

Yana

Answer 1

Hi Yana, I cannot find a flow "soda bicarbonate" in my version of ecoinvent 3.4 (cut-off) UP. Possibly, it is a remnant from an older version of ecoinvent or you accidentally imported the flow with another data set into your database.

Btw.: The data set is not "empty". It is just not used anywhere. You can check this by right-clicking on the flow in the navigation window and selecting "Usage". If you want, you can add the flow manually to an existing impact category of a LCIA method in your database or create a new LCIA method that captures this flow. If it is a product flow you can also select it as a quantitative reference of processes that you create yourself.

I hope this helps.

Comments

Thank you for your answer, your comment is helpful. When I check the Usage, only the processes I created appear, so yes, your're right it is not used anywhere.

I forgot to mention that I am using the ecoinvent through the EuGeos' db. Sodium bicarbonate (ID = 033be19b-ca83-4d9e-8dd6-476ef15203cd) is a component in a production process I am modelling and is the only dataset to which I cannot assign provider and I checked that it is only present in the flows, but it is not in the processes.

As I do not see a contribution to any impact, I wonder if it is included in the calculations at all. The chemical elements from the production of sodium bicarbonate are already added in the LCIA method.

Yana

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You can check the tab "LCIA checks" upon calculating. It lists flows that have not been considered by the LCIA method.

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Thank you very much. It appears the sodium bicarbonate is not included in the calculations, so I'll have to go without it.

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... or add it to a new or existing LCIA method manually

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... or add it to a new or existing LCIA method manually "If you want, you can add the flow manually to an existing impact category of a LCIA method in your database or create a new LCIA method that captures this flow. "

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Thank you, I tried to do this but I do not know what impact factors to assign.

PS I found and EPD about sodium bicarbonate and used the values given there. Not sure how relyful this approach is, though...