Cumulative energy demand and environmental impact analysis in the manufacture of recycled fiber reinforced composites panels for use in truck bodies

ABSTRACT

The reuse of fiber-reinforced composite materials has become increasingly important with the tremendous waste produced by aerospace, wind turbine blades, and automobile components. Recycling fiber-reinforced composites from parts at their end-of-life provides the benefit of reinforcing strength and integrity. The life cycle assessment (LCA) method has been widely used to examine the embodied energy (EE) and the environmental impact of the manufacturing process. Two different types of composite panels made via hand layup and compression molding are considered for a comparative LCA investigation using SimaPro software. Some panels are made with a mixture of 50% virgin glass fiber (GF) and 50% polyester resin. Others are produced with a mixture of 25% virgin GF, 25% shredded recyclates from wind turbine blade, and 50% of polyester resin. Panels from the recyclates termed Recycled Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester (rGFRP) had 2.44% lower EE as compared to their counterparts vGFRP. Ozone depletion proved to be the greatest impact on the environment as regard to the manufacturing of rGFRP (4.38E–6 kg CFC-11eq). rGFRP panels manufacture generated 3.8% less greenhouse gas emissions than the vGFRP. LCA analysis suggests that the manufacture of panels for truck body/floor using recyclates from shredded wind turbine blades involves less energy use and has less environmental impact.

KEYWORDS:

• Cumulative energy demand
• Embodied energy
• Environmental impact
• Fiber-reinforced composites
• Recycle and reuse
• Sustainability

Disclosure statement

In accordance with Taylor & Francis policy and my ethical obligation as a researcher, I am reporting that we receive funding from US DOE a company that may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper. We have disclosed those interests fully to Taylor & Francis, and we have in place an approved plan for managing any potential conflicts that may arise.

Data availability statement

Data generated and analyzed during this study are included in this manuscript. The data that supports the findings in the Embodied Energy and Environmental Impact are available from the authors within reasonable request.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2024.2382333

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle LLC.

Notes on contributors

Benjamin Rubera

Benjamin Rubera is currently working in the industry. He graduated from the department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering in 2022.

Eonyeon Jo

Eonyeon Jo is currently a postgraduate student in the department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering. He will receive a doctoral degree in Data Science and Engineering.

Romeo Sephyrin Fono Tamo

Romeo Sephyrin Fono Tamo PhD, is currently a postdoctoral research associate in the department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering. His current interest includes LCA, fibers reinforced polymer composites materials, product development and characterization, sustainable manufacturing.

Soydan Ozcan

Soydan Ozcan PhD, is Distinguished Research Scientist and the Group Leader for the Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Ozcan leads the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Hub and Spoke R&D program “Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Alliance for Renewable Technologies (SM2ART)” with the University of Maine (https://umaine.edu/biomaterials/).

Uday Vaidya

Uday Vaidya PhD, is a UT/ORNL Governor’s Chair in Advanced Composites Manufacturing. Area of current work: Composites manufacturing, advanced materials, carbon fibers, bio & natural materials, automation, sensing, integrated process control, nondestructive evaluation, energy efficient product development, automotive, transportation, and security application.