EXERGY INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
A. V. Chamchine1, G. M. Makhviladze1 and O. G. Vorobyev 2
1
University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2HE, UK
Telephone: +44 1772 893239, fax: +44 1772 892916, email:
[email protected] and
[email protected]2
St. Petersburg Marine Technical University, 3 Lotsmanskaya Str., St. Petersburg, 190008, Russia
Telephone: +7 812 1142949, fax +7 812 1138109, email:
[email protected]Abstract
Exergy, also known as availability, is proposed as an important parameter of environmental quality.
This paper presents theoretical analysis of exergy indicators and their practical applications. Exergy
indicators, based on rigorous thermodynamic calculations, can be used to estimate the environmental
conditions. Information, obtained from analysis of exergy indicators, is proposed to use for managing
the natural resources and reducing the environmental degradation. Life cycle analysis on the basis of
exergy flows calculations is considered for comparisons of alternative technical solutions and decision
making for an industrial object design in order to improve environmental quality. Application of exergy
to geotechnic system stability and sustainable development is considered.
Introduction
Sustainability is a new and rapidly growing multidisciplinary area. Solving environmental problems is a
great challenge to human ingenuity. Despite recent significant achievements in promoting
sustainability there is no fundamental theory of sustainability. Main issues of sustainability concern
physics, engineering, ecology, economics, law, social science and politics. Progress in sustainability
has been offered to measure through the use of indicators. An indicator is a calculated value or
estimated statistic relative to a baseline, threshold or standard established by scientific
recommendations. Therefore, indicators of sustainability should combine environmental, economic
and social trends, and identify links between and among systems. Indicators of environmental quality
play one of key roles in system of sustainability indicators because they establish foundation for
comparison and standartisation of environmental information. The main aim of this paper is to
contribute to the system of environmental quality indicators by the use of exergy analysis of
geotechnic systems.
A geotechnic system (GTS) is considered as an open system, in which an industrial object exchanges
mass and energy with a surrounding environment. Such systems can be described by equations
which are not susceptible to analytical solution and consequently a more productive approach is
based on systems analysis and simulated mathematical modelling.
Exergy Analysis
The negative consequences of human activity continue to generate ecological problems, reflected in a
growing wave of demands for the adoption of prompt remedial measures. Unfortunately, such calls
frequently do not more than reiterate the necessity for environmental protection and lead at best to
isolated and partial successes, most typically in blocking the construction of some environmentally
damaging plant. It is substantially more difficult to tackle problems associated with already established
industrial objects, especially if they are obviously profitable. In most such cases economic priorities
prevail even if environmental damage results. The roots of the problem can be traced to a lack of
ecological awareness in the planning of industrial projects. There is inadequate appreciation or even
total ignorance of the fact that an industrial plant itself constitutes a unique pro- and reactive factor,
transforming the substance of nature, generating mass-energy fields and producing local ecological
stresses capable of developing into regional and in extreme cases even global tensions. To assess
these effects integrative system-level indicators are needed. Different environmental indicators are
available, but they mainly integrate sectoral aspects only (i.e. monitoring). Systemic indicators are
rare. Exergy indicators are proposed for holistic assessment of environmental quality.
Exergy, also known as availability, is a measure of the maximum useful work that can be obtained
when a system is brought to a state of equilibrium with the environment in reversible processes [1].
Due to the irreversibility of real processes, the work obtained is always less than the maximum work.
Hence, by analysing work loss within a system, imperfections can be pinpointed and quantified, and
possible environmental improvements suggested.
Szargut introduced application of exergy for economic analysis in [2]. Jorgensen and Major in [3]
proposed to use exergy as a key function for ecological modelling. Wall and Gong outlined the basis
ideas required to incorporate exergy into complex environmental assessment in [4]. Recent papers [5-
9] in different application of exergy analysis have showed that the concept of exergy successfully links
the fields of energy, environment and sustainability. Thus, exergy is gradually being adopted as a
useful tool in the development and design of a sustainable society. Let us consider application of
exergy flows as indicators of environmental quality.
Exergy Indicators
Exergy analysis of a GTS characterises its thermodynamic conditions. It is possible to conclude that
exergy is a measure of quality and quantity [5]. Exergy has more than information aspect than energy,
but it is generally more difficult to calculate exergy flows in comparison with energy ones. The Poiting
vectors for energy and exergy flows are as follows [10]
= j q + V j p + G j m + T js , (1)
= jq + V j p + G j m + (T T0 ) js , (2)
where - electrical potential; V - velocity of movement; G - chemical potential (Gibbs function); G -
chemical exergy potential; T - thermal potential; jq - density of electrical current; jp - density of impulse
flow; jm density of substance flow; js - density of entropy flow.
Changes of G to G and T to (T-T0) before entropy flow are defined differences between (1) and (2).
There is no saving law for density of exergy flow due to irreversible processes in a technical system.
Therefore, exergy is the most general expression of thermodynamic potential and it relates to the local
environment. Exergy is better related to the ecological effects then energy, which makes exergy flows
better as ecological indicators [5].
It is suggested that exergy as a special thermodynamic potential characterises environmental danger,
since exergy determines work, which will be done in the local environment. Exergy indicators, based
on rigorous thermodynamic calculations, can be used to improve the resource use and to reduce the
environmental degradation.
Exergy indicators of GTS load into the environment during fixed time (stationary regime of GTS
operation) are exergy flows per square or volume of the surrounding environment:
EW EW
i F, = i V, = , (3)
F V
where EW is chemical exergy of waste from industrial object; F and V are accordingly square and
volume of the surrounding environment.
Environmental response on technogenic load is determined by indicators of environmental change.
They describe a change of chemical composition of environment by the difference of entropy per
volume of the surrounding environment:
S
jV, = , (4)
V
where S is a difference of the environment entropy by comparison with background value [11].
Exergetic Environmental Assessment
Exergetics combined with economics, both macro- and micro-, represent powerful tools for the
systematic study and optimisation of systems. Exergetics and microeconomics form the basis of
thermoeconomics [2], which is also named exergoeconomics and exergomics. The concept of utility is
a central concept in macroeconomics. Utility is also closely related to exergy, and an exergy tax is an
example of how exergy could be introduced into macroeconomics [4].
Exergy measures the physical value of a natural resource (material, energy and information). Due to
universal concept of exergy, exergetic life-cycle analysis is effective for calculating energy and
resource efficiency and total emissions in GTS. Life cycle analysis on the basis of exergy flows
calculations is also considered for comparisons of alternative technical solutions and decision making
for an industrial object design in order to improve environmental quality.
In Figure the scheme of interaction processes in GTS is represented (arrows represent all type of
mass, energy and information exchange between the GTS blocks). It is proposed to use exergertic
assessment of all processes of energy and mass transfer in atmosphere, surface waters, ground
waters and litosphere. This assessment can be done for the life-cycle of the GTS core industrial
object (Production in Fig.), because exergy is additive function and all exergy flows can be compared
in the same energy units. Emission flows, which take place in the industrial object life0cycle, can be
calculated and summarised. Therefore, on the stage of design of the GTS it is possible to make
adequate scenarios of all emissions occurred in the GTS life-cycle stages (exploitation, renovation,
utilisation). This information can be used for ecological certification of the GTS core.
m(A) m(S)
AG SL
AS
5 2
ATMOSPHERE SURFACE WATERS
GA SA LS
5.1 1.5 1.2 2.1
Mc Mf
1
PRODUCTION
LA AL SG GS
4.1 3.1
1.4 1.3
GA
SL LG 3
4
GROUND WATERS
LITOSPHERE
LS GL AG
m(L)
m(G)
Fig. Scheme of Interaction Processes in Geotechnic System
Sustainable GTS should be defined as systems which make use of renewable resources in such a
way that an input of non-renewable resources will be paid back during its life cycle. To encourage the
use of renewable resources and to improve resource use, an exergy tax could be introduced [4]. It is
possible to divide the resource inflow into two parts renewable and non-renewable resources, which
should be taxed. Nuclear energy can be considered as a non-renewable resource and taxes for
nuclear waste would be extremely high due to the high-level of nuclear waste danger and the
expensive utilisation process. Waste products, i. e. exergy waste, should be taxed by the amount of
exergy released since this is related to the environmental impact.
Conclusions
Exergy is a well-defined concept, which offers the challenging opportunity to assess a GTS on the
basis of strict thermodynamic calculations. Exergy systemic indicators of environmental quality focus
on the nature of linkages between the GTS parts, its subsystems and elements comprising an
integrated whole, identifying the functions of each component within that whole, investigating the
dynamics of the GTS development and the conditions of its functioning and, finally, working towards
prediction of the state of the GTS as a basis for its subsequent optimisation. Application of exergy to
sustainability of a GTS includes the following issues: (i) estimation of environmental quality in the GTS
and technogenic load on the environment; (ii) assessment of energy efficiency and resource use in
the GTS; (iii) complex technical, economical and environmental optimisation of the GTS;
(iv) estimation of the GTS stability by analysis of maximum permissible load on local environment;
(v) sustainable design of the GTS by exergy life-cycle analysis. Further work is underway to apply
exergy indicators in case study of different built environments.
Acknowledgements
th
The authors thank the Organizing Committee of the 6 International Symposiums and Exhibition on
Environmental Contamination in Central and Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent
States, Prague 2003 and Holsim, the sponsor of the Prague 2003 Student Scholarship and
Fellowship Program for support of this paper and scholarship for Andrei Chamchine to present this
study in the Symposium.
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