Out of memory: openLCA - error message

Question

Hi all,

After I run 3 to 4 unit processes or product system in openLCA using ecoinvent cut-off 3.11 database, I usually receive this message: "Out of memory: openLCA could not allocate enough physical memory to perform the calculation. Please adjust your memory settings under  `File/Preference` -> Configuration". Then, I have to shut down openLCA and reopen it.

Is it enough to increase the maximum memory usage in MB or should I get a more powerful laptop to increase the number of unit processes or product systems that I can run before having to close OpenLCA? The current laptop I am using has 16 GB of installed RAM. If neither of those is the issue, how can I solve this problem?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

16GB should be enough for ecoinvent. Even with a 8GB laptop it will work (except maybe for regionalized calculation, since this needs more memory than usual ones). You can allocate 12GB to openLCA in the memory settings and it should work. Be aware that when you merge databases with more and more data sets, the memory demand will increase a lot. But if you stick with one background database for each project / each database inside openLCA that should be no problem with a 16GB laptop. Usually, you will not increase the memory demand a lot by your own processes, but it can happen when you do regionalized calculations or when you merge different ecoinvent databases into one openLCA database for calculations.

Best wishes,

Conrad