Environmental Impact Assessment (LCA) Energy and Re-cycling for a Circulator

Abstract

The use of LCA in the product development process gives two clear arrears for improvement of the environmental impact of a Circulator. Most of the energy used in the whole life cycle, from cradle to grave, is used in the use phase, with the end user of the product. Typical 99% of the whole energy are consumed in this phase. All other phases like raw material productions-, transport- and the disposal phase consume 1%. The main environmental improvement will therefore be development of high efficient pumps, and secure the right dimensions of the pump to the system were in it has to operate. An other important environmental improvement of the pumps environmental performance, is to make sure, that the resources, bounded in the can be recycled under disposal. The most important material in a typical Circulator is the amount of Copper. There for the Circulator should be constructed in a way, sow the copper can be recycled in the disposal stage.

The conclusion based on the LCA is general for almost all types of pumps, who run daily under the use phase. Only “special” pumps like “pumps in fire fighting equipment” have a different environmental impact grouping

At Grundfos we use the Danish LCA-tool EDIP (Environmental Design of Industrial Products) to secure that the environmental performances are documented in the product development process.