Sustainability in Chemical Engineering: LCA as a Decision-Support Tool for Acetaldehyde Production

November 24, 2025

This thesis investigates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as both an educational tool and a practical methodology for evaluating environmental footprints in the chemical industry of acetaldehyde production. The work is divided into two main aspects: the theoretical exploration and conceptual understanding of LCA - including ISO standards, prevalent methodologies (midpoint, endpoint, hybrid, and Product Environmental Footprint) - and its technical application. The technical segment comprises the simulation and modelling of two predominant production routes of acetaldehyde: ethanol dehydrogenation and direct ethylene oxidation, using Aspen Plus and OpenLCA, incorporating energy integration and comprehensive impact assessment via the ecoinvent database. The environmental performance of each route is compared using characterisation, normalisation, and weighting procedures, with special attention to critical impact categories such as photochemical oxidant formation and pollutant emissions. Sensitivity analyses reveal the inuence of process parameters, data sources, and provider selection on the outcome. The thesis serves as a didactic resource and decision-support guide for LCA practitioners, focusing particularly on chemical engineers and Aspen integration, bridging the gap between academic learning and industrial implementation, and provides recommendations for future research in sustainable chemical production.

Authors in the community:

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  A

  André Freitas Reis

  ist193426

Supervisors of this institution:

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  H

  Henrique Aníbal Santos de Matos

  ist12553

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  M

  Marta M. Alves

  ist145966

chemical-engineering - Chemical engineering

por - Portuguese

Instituto Superior Técnico