{"id":39826,"key":"Life_cycle_analysis_of_semiconductor_recycling_in_thin_film_photovoltaic_manufacturing_methods","title":"Life cycle analysis of semiconductor recycling in thin film photovoltaic manufacturing methods","latest":{"id":1209994,"timestamp":"2025-11-28T03:51:56Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{MOST}}\n\nMethods for how to conduct a LCA for [[semiconductor]] recycling during manufacturing will be laid out below.\n\n== Methods ==\n\n''See [[Life cycle analysis - MOST]] for the basic outline of performing an [[LCA]].''\n\n=== LCA for a-Si ===\n\nThis project entails doing a LCA for [[recycling]] silane in the manufacturing process of a-Si:H-based [[photovoltaic]] modules to reduce waste and improve the [[ecological footprint]] of PV.\n\n* My scope will be from cradle to production of panels for the laminate a-Si. As I am only taking into account the effect of recycling silane during manufacturing for reuse/resell.\n* My main information source will be [http://www.bifne.de/fileadmin/bifne/userdata/Dokumente/2009_-_Jungbluth_et.al_-_Sachbilanzen_von_Energiesystemen_-_Photovoltaik.pdf Photovoltaics by Jungblunth et al. (2009)] & it's predecessor [https://web.archive.org/web/20151030031346/http://css.snre.umich.edu/css_doc/CSS05-09.pdf LCA of the Photovoltaic System on the Dana Building at U of M by Pacca et al.], and the proposed idea by [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2011/0011129.html Method for Recycling Silane (SiH4) by Briend et al. (2011)]\n* The functional unit used is 1 m<sup>2</sup> of laminate\n* The software used in this study is [http://www.simapro.co.uk/ SimaPro] 7.3\n* The database used is [http://www.ecoinvent.org/database/ EcoInvent] v2.0\n** This database is generally considered reliable, confirmed with the Sustainable Futures Institute Director at Michigan Tech.\n\n'''The methods for SimaPro shown below will be implored using the data from the stated sources. The following is a quick semi-related example done by myself using SimaPro.'''\n\n=== SimaPro v.7.3 - Multi-user ===\n\n==== Getting into SimaPro ====\n\nThis may be different for different versions/systems, so keep that in mind.\nAfter downloading/installing/setting up SimaPro, you should have an icon that looks something like this:\n\n[[File:Icon.png]]\n\nDouble click on it to initialize the program. After which you will see the following screen or something similar:\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step1 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nHit OK.\n\nThe next screen that pops up will allow you to choose your server, location, & database. As shown below.\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step2 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nThe following steps are only valid for multi-user Sima-Pro versions, as far as I know.\nSelect the appropriate server/location/database, click on the database & hit open.\n\nThe next window that appears is a \"select user\" window as shown below.\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step3 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nSelect your username & hit OK. It will ask you to input your password, do so & hit OK.\n\nAfter all of these initial steps, you are ready to either create a new project or open an existing project.\nI will show the steps to creating a project. (Opening is straightforward, simply click on the project & hit OPEN)\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step4 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nHit NEW & the following dialog box will open.\n\n[[File:Step5 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nType in your project name & hit OK.\n\n==== Setting up your project ====\n\nFinally you are ready to begin! The window should look similar to what is shown below:\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step6 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nTo set up your new project, click \"Product Stages\"\nAfter which the following screen will show up.\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step7 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nMake sure you highlight \"Others\" under \"Assembly\" & hit \"NEW\"\n\n* Assembly is where you will put all of your manufacturing steps, individual components, etc\n* Life Cycle is where you will bring all of your \"assemblies\" and put in a waste scenario.\n\nA \"New Assembly\" window will appear. In this window, title this either a manufacturing step or pre-established component, as shown below.\n\n* Make sure to include all energy/processing if not accounted for in the database entry.\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step8 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nThen double click on \"Insert line here\" or an open row.\n\nYour database screen will appear, pick the appropriate material/process & pay attention to details on whether this is a raw material, at plant, or other scenario.\nAlso pay attention to the location and units. Make sure to pick from a quality database. Here you see I will pick the pre-established component \"Laminate a-Si\".\nPick material & hit \"SELECT\"\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step9 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nAfter putting in your first material, it should look something like the window below:\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step10 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nMake sure to input the amount, what units, some comments to explain, & your functional unit in the top right.\nClose out this \"Assembly\" window & it will ask you if you want to save, click \"SAVE\".\n\nNow your screen should look like this (you can create an additional assembly by going back to the original \"Setting up your Assembly\" step), as you can see I already created another assembly \"Panel a-Si\".\n\nYou can create \"Life Cycle\" as well if you have a complex end product, with multiple assemblies. For brevity, I will use the pre-determined values given by the EcoInvent database for these materials. If you choose to create a \"Life Cycle\" you will need to create a waste scenario as well. Which I will go through in future how-tos/updates.\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step11 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\n==== How to analyze/compare ====\n\nNow you can either compare or analyze!\n\nI will show you how to compare, as analyze is simple. (To analyze simply hit the red/blue bar graph above w/2 bars, then follow steps as defined below)\n\nHighlight your assemblies (Either hold control & click or shift & click). Then hit \"Compare\", as shown.\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step12 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nYou will get a window that looks similar to the one below. Double click the method area. From this a window will pop up & you can choose what kind of analysis you want to do. Cumulative Energy Demand -compares energy use IPCC GWP..... - affect on climate change and there are several others to choose from. Choose whichever works best for what you want (look up online if you have questions about methods).\n\nAlso, make sure that you have equal (or unequal depending on the situation) parts & hit \"Calculate\" As shown above.\n\nCongratulations! You now have results!\n\n[[File:SimaPro Step13 M.Kreiger.png|center]]\n\nAs you can see, since I did a cumulative energy demand comparison of a-Si Laminate vs a-Si Panel. There is a dramatic difference in energy use in MJ between the two.\nAs expected, the panel is much higher due to it incorporating laminate as an input.\n\nNow you can look at the different options for your results, when just doing analysis you get some fun flow charts. Explore these options, then print, print screen or something similar. Now that you've set this up it will be easy to go back & reanalyze the data to get the same results.\n\nThen after you're all finished, close Simapro by going \"File->Close\".\n\n{{PV-IS}}\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n}}\n\n[[Category:MOST methods]]\n[[Category:Life cycle analysis]]"}