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Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering Module 4 Earth Systems Cliff I. Davidson

Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering Module 4 Earth Systems Cliff I. Davidson. 4.1. Learning Outcomes. Those successfully completing this module will be able to: Define and use “systems thinking” in the context of anthropogenic and natural systems

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Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering Module 4 Earth Systems Cliff I. Davidson

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  1. Fundamentals of Sustainable EngineeringModule 4 Earth SystemsCliff I. Davidson 4.1

  2. Learning Outcomes • Those successfully completing this module will be able to: • Define and use “systems thinking” in the context of anthropogenic and natural systems • Identify ways in which engineered systems interact with natural systems • Explain how attributes of natural ecosystems can assist in the design of engineered systems using concepts in industrial ecology • Explain the key concepts in widely known principles of sustainability

  3. Outline • 1. Characteristics of a “system” • 2. Interactions between engineered and natural systems: unintended consequences • 3. Natural systems: Ecology • 4. Industrial Ecology • 5. Principles of Sustainability

  4. Characteristics of a System • In the most general sense, a system is any group of components with flows of energy, mass, or information between them • Examples of systems: • A single living organism, e.g., an amoeba • An ecosystem, e.g., a tropical rainforest, which includes both living and non-living components • ASCE, an organization where information flows from person to person

  5. Characteristics of a System • The flows of energy, mass, and/or information between components is for the purpose of achieving a goal • Amoeba: to reproduce • Tropical rainforest: to enable the continuation of the diverse life forms that comprise the forest • ASCE: to advance the profession of Civil Engineering

  6. Characteristics of a System • Cannot anticipate behavior of system by observing individual components • Need “systems thinking” to understand full system • Need to account for system evolution

  7. Characteristics of a System • Examples of System Architectures (arrangement of components) • Hierarchical • Ring • Mesh

  8. Spring Mass Characteristics of a System • Simple systems: • Have linear behavior • Are predictable • Have a stable equilibrium point • Complex systems: • Are nonlinear • Are unpredictable due to feedback loops, time lags, and responses spatially distant from forcing functions • Operate far from equilibrium

  9. Characteristics of a System • Coal-fired power plants Electrical energy Mass: O2 Carbon Impurities Waste mass: CO2, SO2, NOx, flyash, bottom ash Energy: Coal Waste energy Heat Steev Hise – Creative Commons license

  10. Characteristics of a System • Computers Finished computer Waste mass: HF acid air emissions wastewater e-waste Mass: Silicon chips Plastic housing Copper wiring Waste energy Heat Energy: Electricity for clean rooms, manufacturing Ralf Roletschek Creative Commons license

  11. Characteristics of a System • Automobiles Finished auto Mass: Steel Plastics Glass Waste mass: scrap air emissions wastewater Energy: Electricity Fossil fuels Waste energy Heat Bluescan sv Creative Commons license

  12. The Automobile Built Infrastructure Gas Stations Garages Auto Service Parking Lots Parking Garages Auto Dealerships Auto Parts Bridges Highways

  13. Characteristics of a System • Why Study Systems? • Some of the world’s most severe problems have roots in a poor understanding of the link between engineered systems and natural systems, for example: • Food and water shortages • Energy shortages • Deforestation and other environmental degradation • Even in cases where we have some understanding, we do not know how to manage complex systems accounting for economic, social, and environmental issues • This has resulted in unintended consequences

  14. Outline • 1. Characteristics of a “system” • 2. Interactions between engineered and natural systems: unintended consequences • 3. Natural systems: Ecology • 4. Industrial Ecology • 5. Principles of Sustainability

  15. Interactions Between Engineered and Natural Systems: Unintended Consequences • CFCs as refrigerants developed in 1930’s • Former refrigerants were SO2 and NH3 • CFCs: nonflammable, nontoxic, chemically stable • Besides refrigerants, CFCs widely used as aerosol spray propellants, industrial solvents, fire suppressants • Discovery in 1980’s (WMO, 1999) • Stratospheric O3 depletion in the • Antarctic allowed more uv radiation • to reach earth’s surface • Caused by chlorine atoms from CFCs • Stability: 1 Cl atom can destroy 105 O3 • molecules

  16. Unintended Consequences: Toxic Dust at Aral Sea • Aral Sea located in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan • Rivers feeding Aral Sea diverted for cotton irrigation • Environmental effects: (Tanton & Heaven, 1999) • Much of lake gone • Ecosystem decimated • Toxic dust storms • pesticides and salt from • dry sea bed • Local climate change 100 km NASA

  17. Unintended Consequences:Many More Examples • Three Mile Island • Halted growth of • nuclear power in US • Bhopal • Injuries, deaths • Everglades • Ecosystem damage • Oil Spills: Valdez, Gulf • Damage to marine and • coastal ecosystems US Department of Energy

  18. Why are These Problems Occurring? • We solve problems in isolation, without accounting for effects at the systems level – and we discount human error, poor understanding, and inability to manage complex problems • We can improve the situation if we: • Strive to better understand natural world • Account for impact of every engineering decision on human and natural systems • Acknowledge human errors and mismanagement USGS

  19. Demands of an Increasing Population

  20. Demands of an Increasing Population New vehicle production ~ 60 M/yr Old vehicle retirement ~ 40 M/yr Total global vehicle population ~ 800 M • Global vehicle population is increasing • Average in G7 ~ 750 veh/1000 pop. • Average in China ~ 24 veh/1000 pop. Wikimedia photo – public domain

  21. Demands of an Increasing Population Materials used in a typical 1990 car Steel 1026 kg Aluminum 65 kg Copper 19 kg Lead + Zinc 14 kg Plastics 107 kg Other materials 136 kg Ginley, 1994

  22. Demands of an Increasing Population Total materials used in vehicles worldwide Steel 820 M metric tons (20 largest steel plants) Aluminum 52 M metric tons Copper 15 M metric tons Lead + Zinc 11 M metric tons Plastics 86 M metric tons Substantial fractions of these materials are recycled. Wikimedia photo – public domain

  23. New Automobile Design: The Hypercar • Ultralight materials • Low coefficient of drag • Carbon fiber composite body • Reduced engine size for high fuel efficiency • Improved safety in collision Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute

  24. Questions for Discussion • Acceptance of potential for human error is an important part of the transition of society toward sustainability. How might such acceptance change the way decisions are made? • The current rapid increase in number of cars worldwide cannot continue indefinitely. What alternative methods of mobility exist? How can engineers become leaders in promoting these alternatives?

  25. Outline • 1. Characteristics of a “system” • 2. Interactions between engineered and natural systems: unintended consequences • 3. Natural systems: Ecology • 4. Industrial Ecology • 5. Principles of Sustainability

  26. Natural Systems: Ecology Our understanding of natural systems is poor. Yet natural systems are sustainable and resilient. In contrast, many current human activities are neither sustainable nor resilient. Why Study Natural Systems? We need to better understand natural systems and use them as a guide in our engineering decisions. Every decision we make has impacts on natural systems. We now have a critical responsibility to minimize damage to natural systems that sustain life.

  27. Natural Systems: Ecology • Terrestrial Biomes of the World (ThinkQuest, 2010) • High Elevation • Tundra • Temperate Forest • Marine/Island • Desert • Tropical Dry Forest • Cold Climate Forest • Grassland • Savannah • Tropical Rainforest David Jolley – Creative Commons license

  28. Atmosphere Lithosphere Biosphere* Cryosphere Hydrosphere *One component is the anthroposphere, including human life and everything created or used in some way by humans The Earth as a Collection of Complex Systems Wikimedia photos – public domain

  29. Characteristics of Ecosystems Natural Systems: Ecology • Ecosystem functioning depends on interactions among its components • Plants and animals at each level play a vital role • Interactions among components enable ecosystems to have emergent properties, e.g., mutualism, cooperation, commensalism. • An ecosystem is resilient to change: Gaia • An ecosystem is diverse Based on Odum, 1989

  30. Natural Systems: Ecology Can better understand how human activities disrupt ecosystems – and what we can do to minimize disruptions Can better understand how to set up industrial systems to be more sustainable Key parameters in an ecosystem: Flows of Energy & Mass Consider flows of energy and mass through the ecosystem Consider entropy at each level of an ecosystem

  31. Natural Systems: Ecology Sunlight energy reaching top of canopy Shading by other leaves Total energy reaching the leaf Assimilation Total energy absorbed by leaf (Gross Primary Production) Loss by respiration Net energy stored in leaf (Net Primary Production)

  32. Natural Systems: Ecology Total energy absorbed by leaf (Gross Primary Production) Loss by respiration Net energy stored in leaf (Net Primary Production) Consumption of plant Energy in Herbivore Consumption of herbivore Energy in Carnivore Decomposition of carnivore Non-photosynthetic microorganisms

  33. Natural Systems: Ecology Total energy absorbed by leaf (Gross Primary Production) Nutrients Loss by respiration Net energy stored in leaf (Net Primary Production) Consumption of plant Energy in Herbivore Consumption of herbivore Energy in Carnivore Decomposition of carnivore Non-photosynthetic microorganisms

  34. Natural Systems: Ecology Sunlight energy reaching top of canopy ET = 1 x 106 kcal m-2 yr-1 Total energy absorbed by leaf Eo = 2500 (Gross Primary Production) Net energy stored in leaf E1 = 2000 (Net Primary Production) Energy in Herbivore E2 = 200 Energy in Carnivore E3 = 40

  35. Natural Systems: Ecology • Efficiency for uptake of total energy absorbed by leaf • Efficiency for uptake of net energy stored in leaf • Efficiency of energy uptake by herbivore = 0.10 • Efficiency of energy uptake by carnivore = 0.20

  36. Natural Systems: Ecology • Overall efficiency of energy transfer from sun to carnivore = η3T = 0.0025 x 0.8 x 0.1 x 0.2 • = 0.00004 kcal carnivore/kcal sun • Embodied energy in carnivore • = 1/η3T = 25,000 kcal sun/kcal carnivore

  37. Ecosystems:Changes in Entropy • Energy decreases and entropy (state of disorder) increases as energy flows to each trophic level • But we can force local entropy to decrease by adding energy: • Purify a substance, clean up a room, make ice from water • Flow of energy in an ecosystem begins with photosynthesis where local entropy decreases, and solar energy is used to convert CO2 (low energy molecules) into hydrocarbons (high energy molecules)

  38. Ecosystems:Changes in Entropy Photosynthesis:Decrease Leaf with total energy Nutrients Respiration: Increase Leaf with net energy Consumption of plant: Increase Herbivore Consumption of herbivore: Increase Carnivore Decomposition of carnivore: Increase Non-photosynthetic microorganisms

  39. Ecosystems:Summary • Ecosystems are sustainable • Resilient • No waste, no accumulation of material • Complete recycling of nutrients • One-way flow of energy from sun • Infusion of energy by photosynthesis – starts the energy flow beginning with green plants • At each trophic level, energy decreases (due to losses) and entropy increases • Can use ecosystem as a model for industry: Industrial Ecology

  40. Outline • 1.Characteristics of a “system” • 2. Interactions between engineered and natural systems: unintended consequences • 3. Natural systems: Ecology • 4. Industrial Ecology • 5. Principles of Sustainability

  41. Industrial Ecology • Industrial ecology is the means by which humanity can deliberately approach and maintain sustainability, given continued economic, cultural and technological evolution • The concept requires that an industrial system be viewed not in isolation from its surrounding systems, but in concert with them • It is a systems view in which one seeks to optimize the total materials cycle from virgin material, to finished material, to component, to product, to obsolete product, and to ultimate disposal • Graedel and Allenby, 2010

  42. Characteristics of Individual Biological Organisms Individual Biological Organisms • Engage in independent activity • Process energy and mass • Inputs: food, water, air • Outputs: waste mass (recycled), waste heat • Reproduce • Respond to external stimuli • Move through stages of growth • Have a finite lifespan

  43. Individual Industrial Organisms • Similarity to Individual Biological Organisms: • Engage in independent activity • Process energy and mass • Inputs: raw materials, water, air • Outputs: desired products, waste heat, waste mass • Reproduce by way of spinoff companies • Respond to external stimuli, e.g., recession • Move through stages of growth • Have a finite lifespan

  44. Characteristics of anIndustrial Ecosystem Energy input Ore Copper Smelter (Production of Ingots) Consumption of ingots Copper Wire Manufacturer Consumption of wire Cable Manufacturer Secondary copper Consumption of cable Computer Manufacturer Decomposition of Computer Disassembly/Recycling Plant

  45. Minimizing Waste through Industrial Ecology: Kalundborg, Denmark STATOIL REFINERY sulfur liquid fertilizer gas as backup steam cooling water, wastewater gypsum from scrubber heat GYPROC WALLBOARD PLANT FISH FARM fly ash ASNAES POWER PLANT steam For making cement and roads steam treated sludge, yeast slurry sewage sludge to farms wastewater treatment A-S BIOTEKNISK JORDRENS SOIL REMEDIATION NOVO NORDISK NOVOZYMES PHARMACEUTICALS TOWN OF KALUNDBORG

  46. Example of a Nested Industrial Ecosystem: The Automobile Transportation infrastructure Automotive infrastructure Automobile Automobile subsystems After Graedel and Allenby (2010)

  47. Using Industrial Ecology • How can we make use of our knowledge of ecology, industrial ecology, and existing institutions to make engineering decisions that account for the triple bottom line? • Consider fundamental principles of sustainability • Includes principles for sustainable development, sustainable design, and sustainable engineering

  48. Outline • 1. Characteristics of a “system” • 2. Interactions between engineered and natural systems: unintended consequences • 3. Natural systems: Ecology • 4. Industrial Ecology • 5. Principles of Sustainability

  49. Principles of Sustainability • The Natural Step • “Compass” for Sustainable Development • The Hannover Principles • Sustainable Design at the 2000 Hannover World’s Fair • The 12 Principles of Green Engineering • Focus on technology over a range of scales • The Sandestin Principles • Consensus of 65 engineers

  50. The Natural Step • Non-profit organization provides education, training, and advisory services • Founded 1988 in Sweden by Karl-Henrik Robert (1997) • Reduce/eliminate our accumulation of materials from the earth’s crust (esp. metals) • 2. Reduce/eliminate our accumulation of substances produced by society (CFCs, PCBs, other chemicals) • 3. Reduce/eliminate our physical degradation of nature • 4. Reduce/eliminate conditions that undermine people’s ability to meet basic needs

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