Combining the impact of two product systems

Question

Hello,

I am using OpenLCA to make a life cycle analysis of a Power to Gas system. I already created a Process and Product System for a reactor that takes some gases as inputs and outputs other gases and I was able to view the report for its impacts by creating a new Project. I also created another Process and Product System for the construction of this same reactor, where I have some metals and some electricity as inputs and as outputs some scrap and the reactor itself for which I created a Flow.

I would like to know, if it is possible to include the Product System of the construction and its impacts in the other Project so that I have a global impacts assessment.

Thanks in advance.

Amine

Answer 1

Hi Amine, I guess you could just connect the processes from which you built the product systems via output flows? ... you're building the product system from two processes. Let's assume:

Process 1 has an output flow 1

Process 2 has an output flow 2

... simply create a new process in which output flow 1 and output flow 2 are inputs and build a product system from the process.

Comments

Hello Jonas,

First of all thank you for your answer. But by doing so, will the environmental impacts of Process 1 and Process 2 be taken into account when I run the report for the 3rd Process?

Amine

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... yes, because they are part of the supply chain. This should also be indicated in the model graph of the product system if you linked the providers correctly.

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Perfect! Thank you very much.

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Hello Jonas,

If I put the outputs of Process 1 and Process 2 as inputs of Process 3, what should I put as outputs ? Should the ouputs of Process 3 be the same as its inputs ?

Amine

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Well, you can call it something like 'total impact of XXX' ... of course this depends on what quantitative reference you chose and what makes sense considering your model in general.

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Dear Jonas and Amine,

I have the same issue and followed your tips but now I am facing the problem of having to use the same reference quantity in both processes to be able to create the product system for the combined process. What do you suggest? thanks in advance!