1. science
2. ecology
3. waste management
4. recycling

INTRODUCTION TO SIMAPRO
HOW TO MODEL?
Stephan Pfister & Ronnie Juraske
ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Engineering, Ecological Systems Design Group
Based on material from: An De Schryver & Ronnie Juraske (2011)
STRUCTURE OF SIMAPRO
Databases, libraries, processes and product stages
Software program:
• Managing of data
• Storing of data
• Making calculations
• Check the reliability
LCI
LCIA
Intepretation
Structure of SimaPro Database
77 numbered *.nx1 files
Libraries
BUWAL
Ecoinvent
…
BUWAL
Ecoinvent
ETH-
General
data
Units
Project 1
Subst.
1 kg
Planks
0,00702
Project 2
0,25 tkm
Truck 28t B250
0
0,72 MJ
Electricity
Netherlands B250
1p
Lif e cy cle model
Sima (plastic)
0
0,48 MJ
Heat diesel B250
Project A
0,22 MJ
Electricity from coal
B250
12,6
0,353 MJ
Electricity from gas
B250
Images
…
Project B
1p
dispose aluminium
part
-1,24
3,6 MJ
Electricity, low
voltage, production
UCTE, at
0,0257
0,5 tkm
Transport, lorry
28t/CH S demo
0,0109
1,5 kg
Recycling only
B250 avoided
demo
1,5 kg
Recycling
aluminium S demo
1,35E3 MJ
Electricity , low
v oltage,
3,65E3 p
Use of a cof f ee
f ilter
1p
Lif e cy cle Pro, no
takeback
-1,28
-1,28
0,00441
0,00187
…
9,55
1p
Assembly model
Pro (aluminium)
1,4
9,62
Pro
903 MJ
Electricity , low
v oltage,
6,43
3,65E3 p
Use of a cof f ee
f ilter
1,31
1,31
0,00522
3,65E3 p
Filter production
1,19
7,4 kg
Paper,
wood-containing,
1,13
1p
Housing Pro
(extruded alumin.)
9,49 kg
Municipal waste
NL 2002 S demo
0,974
0,927
3,65E3 p
Filter production
1,19
7,4 kg
Paper,
wood-containing,
8,12 kg
Incineration S
demo
1,13
0,948
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SimaPro libaries
Two types of libraries:
One Method library
• 14 different impact assessment methods within SimaPro
Number of Data libraries
• 2 types:
• Based on physical values: ex, the use of 1kg of paper
• Based on financial values: ex, the use of 1$ of paper (input-output libraries)
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Ecoinvent library
• More than 4000 processes
• Including capital goods, Good quality
• For some processes: regional differences (Swiss and average Europe)
• American, Asian electricity mixes, agricultural processes,…
•
•
•
•
•
Uncertainty in the data (MC)
In SimaPro picture provided with most processes
Consistent and well documented
Updated regularly
Includes Unit processes and System processes
For more info: www.ecoinvent.ch
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Ecoinvent processes
System processes: aggregated data
(one box per process)
Unit processes: large network
for every process
Process A
Process B
Process A
Why?
Process C
Process
A
Process
B
Process D
Process
C
Process E
Process
D
Process F
Process
G
Process
F
Process
E
Process
G
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HOW TO MODEL IN SIMAPRO?
Introduction to different functions
Search for the database: Browse !
C/users/Public/Public documents/Simapro/Database
How to model in SimaPro
Open a project
Create a new project:
Introduction to SimaPro
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Explore SimaPro
Click on
description
Look at the
Click on
libraries
processes
Navigate
through
SimaPro
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Explore SimaPro
Organized
Available data
Library
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START MODELLING IN SIMAPRO
Some simple exercises
Case study: water bottle
• Learn how to model in SimaPro
• Model the production of a plastic water bottle
Non reusable plastic bottle
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Model a material (under processes)
Choose a folder or
make a new one
New material
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Model a material (under processes)
Name of the material
Input materials and
processes
Emissions to air, water and
soil.
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Waste type
• Within SimaPro each material is send to waste scenario
• Waste scenario describes where waste is going
• Waste treatment describes the emissions per kg waste
land filled or burned
• This is based on the waste type
You flag the material
Waste scenario send waste to specific waste treatment
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Summary: Model a material (under processes)
• Have a look in SimaPro
• Make a new folder
• Open a new process
• Several Tabs
• Documentation: Description and specification of the data
• Input/ Output: The data of your process
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EXERCISE 1:
MODEL WATER BOTTLE USING PROCESSES
Model a material
Use ecoinvent
system processes
• Material a: 20gr of Plastic bottle
• 22gr of PET (RER, S)
• Blow molding of the plastic (RER, S)
• 2 gr waste during production: municipal incineration (treatment)
• Material b: 3gr of plastic cap
• 3.75 gr Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, ABS
• 0.75gr of waste during production: municipal incineration,
plastic mixture
Work on your own: 15min
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Combine your materials
Use system
processes
• Model the full plastic bottle
• 20gr bottle
• 3gr of cap
• Pumping, purifying & filling process: 0.02 kWh/bottle (UCTE
electricity mix, medium voltage)
Work on your
own: 10min
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Have a look at the network
Select method
Analyze options: tree, network,
comparison
Calculate
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Have a look at the network
• See how the life cycle is taking form
• Cradle to gate level/ not LC yet
• Main features of the Network
• Take a look at the inventory list
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Have a look at the tree
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Model the life cycle
Use system
processes
• 1 water bottle of 23g
• 2x 50km transport, lorry 20-28 ton
• Disposal to incineration scenario CH
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Modeling details
• Modeling transport
• “ton x km” or “kg x km”
• 50% loaded, full to go & empty on return
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Have a look at the network
• See how the life cycle is taking form
• Main features of the network
• Different options
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Have a look at the tree
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IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN SIMAPRO
Characterisation, normalization,…
Result interpretation:
• Analyse if the flows make sense
• Look at the network with a 0,1 % cut-off
• How much material goes in the system
• How much material goes of the system to the waste
scenario?
• What are the processes that contribute with most of
the impact
• Check the thicknesses of the arrows
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Analyze impact of plastic bottle
Presentation
Different impact
assessment steps
Analyze impact of plastic bottle
Process contribution
Inventory
EXERCISE 2:
MODEL WATER BOTTLE USING PRODUCT STAGES
Model an assembly
• Model the full plastic bottle
• bottle
• cap
• Pumping, purifying & filling process
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Model an assembly
• Have a look in SimaPro
• Product stages: New assembly
• Several Tabs
• Input/ Output and comment: The data of your assembly
• Parameters: Input of variable data as functions
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Model an assembly
Use system
processes
• Model 1p of plastic bottle
• 20gr bottle
• 3gr of cap
• pumping, purifying & filling process: 0.02 kWh/bottle (UCTE
electricity mix S)
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Have a look at the tree
Analyze
options:
tree, network,
Select
method
comparison, monte carlo,…
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Have a look at the tree
• See how the life cycle is taking form
• Cradle to gate level/ not LC yet
• Main features of the Network
• Take a look at the inventory list
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Have a look at the tree
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Model a life cycle
• Have a look in SimaPro
• Product stages: New life cycle
• Several Tabs
• Input/ Output and comment: The data of your assembly
• Parameters: Input of variable data as functions
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Model a life cycle
Use system
processes
• 1p water bottle
• 2x 50km transport, lorry 20-28 ton
• disposal to incineration scenario CH
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Modeling details
• Modeling transport
• Ton x km or kg x km
• 50% loaded, full to go & empty to return
• Disposal to incineration
• With or without energy recovery
• Avoided product can be used: avoid electricity or heat
production
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Have a look at the network
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EXERCISE 3:
GLASS WATER BOTTLE
Case study 2: Glass bottle
• Model on your own in SimaPro
• Model the production and use of glass bottled water
• Use system processes
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Model the materials
• Material a: 200gr glass bottle
Use system
processes
• Material b: 5gr aluminum cap
• 210 gr white (virgin) glass
• glass blowing: 0.01kWh
• 10gr waste scenario
• 5gr aluminum
• production process
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Model Assembly and LC: use product stages
• Assembly: bottled water
• Life cycle: Glass water bottle
• glass bottle
• aluminum cap
• process bottling: 0.02kWh
• bottled water
• transport
• waste
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Modeling results
Glass
bottle
Assembly
Aluminum
Life cyclecap
4646
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Have a look at the network
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EXERCISE 5:
COMPARE PLASTIC BOTTLE AND GLASS BOTTLE
Compare both products
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EXERCISE 6:
MODEL WITH PARAMETERS (APPLY TO PLASTIC BOTTLE)
Model with parameters
Insert a variable instead of constant data
When??
• Preliminary data is available, inputs could change if better data is available
• Different input values can be used to calculate more versions of the same life
cycle
• Reduce the possibility of making calculation mistakes. Easy to check
• Insert calculation rules instead of constant data as input data.
• Available for all processes and product stages
• With or without uncertainty distribution
• Calculation rule:
• Defined in SimaPro
• Based on input parameter
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Exercise 6.1: Model bottling with parameters
• Electricity use for bottling
• Uncertain value
• Combination of values
• Input parameters (apply to plastic bottle)
• ‘pumping&cleaning’: 0.015kWh/l
• ‘filling ’: 0.005kWh/l
• Calculated parameter
• bottling=‘pumping&cleaning + filling’
• Process input data
• ‘bottling‘
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Exercise 6.2: Model transport with parameters
• Use Input parameters for distance and weight
• Use a calculated parameter for transport
• Replace transport within case study 1 by a calculation rule
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Exercise 6.3: Different distances-different transport
Scenario
Distance
1. Local
• 50km
Local: Distance
<=50km
Smaller or equal than
van
< 3,5t/RER S
• Regional: 50km<distance
Between 50 and 150km
Lorry of 16t,and
fleetdistance>150km
average/RER
• Abroad: Distance=>150km
Bigger or equal than 150km
Lorry of 20-28t, fleet average/RER
2. Regional
3. Abroad
Switches:
Transport mode
• Process sheet:
• Parameter tap: Make the necessary switch parameters
which are 1 when the distance is conform the scenario
• In the input for transport: add two lines for the transport with a van and transport with lorry
20-28t. Multiply inputs by the corresponding switches
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Compare different versions of your model
• First parameters are defined at process/project or database level
• A Calculation setup can be used to define two or more scenarios
• Each scenario considers different values for the parameter
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Thank you for your attention.
[email protected]
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