v3.3 - Cut-Off - Activated Carbon Production Granular From Hard Coal - Rer - Activated Carbon Granular 1

Ecoinvent 3.
3 dataset documentation
activated carbon production, granular from hard coal - RER
Dataset identification Table of content

Activity name activated carbon production, granular from hard
Exchange summary
coal
Geography Dataset description
RER (Europe)
Detailed information for exchanges
Time period 2005-01-01 to 2016-12-31
Valid for the entire period Selected impact assessment results
Synonym None Sources
ISIC 4 classification 2029: Manufacture of other chemical products Note: This document contains only an extract of
n.e.c. the information in the dataset. Additional data
Reference product about properties of exchanges, mathematical
activated carbon, granular
relations, parameters, and contact information for
CPC classification 35499: Other chemical products n.e.c. authors and reviewers are available in the full
Dataset type dataset, e.g. through the ecoinvent website.
Ordinary transforming activity
Technology level Link to the dataset on the ecoinvent website
Current
Version - system
model 3.3 - cut-off
Dataset authorship
Role Date Name, organisation
Lucia Valsasina, ecoinvent Centre
Data generator 2015-12-09
active author
Review 2015-12-09 Ivan Muñoz Ortiz, 2.-0 LCA consultants
Exchange summary
Back to table of content
Byproduct
Reference product Amount
classif.
allocatable
activated carbon, granular 1.0 kg
product
Inputs from technosphere Amount
electricity, medium voltage 1.84 kWh
hard coal 3.0 kg
heat, district or industrial, natural gas 13.3 MJ
industrial furnace, coal, 1-10MW 3.21e-8 unit
water, completely softened, from decarbonised water, at user 12.4 kg
Inputs from technosphere, wastes* Amount
hard coal ash -0.168 kg
Emissions to air Amount
Aluminium 6.18e-4 kg
Antimony 9.13e-8 kg
Arsenic 1.46e-6 kg
Barium 7.28e-6 kg
Benzene 2.89e-5 kg
Benzo(a)pyrene 5.78e-10 kg
Beryllium 7.28e-8 kg
Boron 2.74e-5 kg
Bromine 5.48e-7 kg
Cadmium 9.13e-8 kg
Calcium 7.28e-5 kg
page 1
Ecoinvent 3.3 dataset documentation

Carbon dioxide, fossil 5.29 kg
Carbon monoxide, fossil 5.78e-3 kg
Chromium 1.30e-6 kg
Chromium VI 1.61e-7 kg
Cobalt 1.83e-7 kg
Copper 9.60e-7 kg
Dinitrogen monoxide 5.78e-5 kg
Dioxins, measured as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin 1.16e-12 kg
Ethane 8.67e-5 kg
Ethene 1.73e-4 kg
Ethyne 2.89e-5 kg
Formaldehyde 4.62e-6 kg
Hydrocarbons, aliphatic, alkanes, unspecified 2.89e-5 kg
Hydrocarbons, aliphatic, unsaturated 2.89e-5 kg
Hydrogen chloride 2.34e-3 kg
Hydrogen fluoride 7.28e-5 kg
Iodine 6.59e-7 kg
Iron 2.55e-4 kg
Lead 4.38e-6 kg
Lead-210 2.69e-3 kBq
Magnesium 2.19e-4 kg
Manganese 1.28e-6 kg
Mercury 1.64e-7 kg
Methane, fossil 5.78e-4 kg
Molybdenum 2.74e-7 kg
NMVOC, non-methane volatile organic compounds, unspecified origin 9.94e-5 kg
Nickel 1.10e-6 kg
Nitrogen oxides 0.0116 kg
Particulates, < 2.5 um 1.16e-3 kg
Particulates, > 10 um 5.78e-4 kg
Particulates, > 2.5 um, and < 10um 1.16e-3 kg
Phosphorus 3.65e-6 kg
Polonium-210 4.91e-3 kBq
Potassium 7.28e-5 kg
Potassium-40 7.80e-4 kBq
Propane 5.78e-5 kg
Propene 2.89e-5 kg
Radium-226 6.94e-4 kBq
Radium-228 3.76e-3 kBq
Radon-220 5.78e-5 kBq
Radon-222 5.78e-5 kBq
Scandium 7.28e-8 kg
Selenium 5.48e-7 kg
Silicon 9.13e-4 kg
Sodium 3.65e-5 kg
Strontium 1.10e-5 kg
Sulfur dioxide 0.0289 kg
Thallium 9.13e-8 kg
Thorium 1.10e-7 kg
page 2

Thorium-228 3.18e-4 kBq
Thorium-232 2.02e-4 kBq
Tin 3.65e-8 kg
Titanium 2.19e-5 kg
Toluene 5.78e-6 kg
Uranium 1.46e-7 kg
Uranium-238 5.78e-4 kBq
Vanadium 2.19e-6 kg
Water 1.87e-3 m3
Xylene 5.78e-6 kg
Zinc 1.83e-7 kg
Emissions to water Amount
Water 0.0106 m3
*A negative input indicates a by-product output of waste.
Dataset description
General comments
This dataset represents the production of 1 kg of granular activated carbon (GAC) from hard coal. Hard coal
produced GAC is typical for Central Europe. To produce GAC, hard coal undergoes carbonisation and partial
gasification (activation). Hard coal is first heated to temperatures over 700 degrees Celsius. The activation stage,
in this dataset, is achieved through vaporisation at temperatures between 800 and 1000 degrees Celsius.
Activation is the key step in producing GAC. The main energy requirements are 1.6 kWh electricity and 0.33 m3
of natural gas to heat 12 kg of water. The main source of data is Bayer et al. (2005) "Economical and ecological
comparison of granular activated carbon (GAC) absorber refill strategies" and This dataset represents the
treatment of 1 kg of spent granular activated carbon (GAC) from hard coal. GAC can be reactivated through the
same process with which it is produced
(http://www.calgoncarbon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Reactivation_Services_FAQ.pdf, accessed
20151209). Spent activated carbon is first heated to temperatures over 700 degrees Celsius. The activation
stage, in this dataset, is achieved through vaporisation at temperatures between 800 and 1000 degrees Celsius.
Activation is the key step in producing GAC. The main energy requirements are taken from "activated carbon
production, granular from hard coal" dataset, in which for the burning of 3 kg of coal the requirements are: 1.6
kWh electricity and 0.33 m3 of natural gas to heat 12 kg of water. The main source of data is Bayer et al. (2005)
"Economical and ecological comparison of granular activated carbon (GAC) absorber refill strategies" and Munoz
et al. (2007) Life-Cycle Assessment of a Coupled Advanced Oxidation-Biological Process for Wastewater
Treatment: Comparison with Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption. Environmental Engineering Science, 24(5):
638-651.
The result of this activity is 1 kg of activated carbon from 3 kg of hard coal. To include the emissions for the
carbonization of 2 kg of hard coal, the datasets for "heat production, at hard coal industrial furnace 1-10MW, GLO
1992" was taken as a reference to model emissions and energy requirements. The original datasets represented:
"the production of heat from a 1-10 MW hard coal industrial furnace filled with 1 MJ of egg coal. The stoker-boiler
furnace fires egg coals with hard coal quality between long-flame coal and fat coal. As there is no module for egg
coal, the hard coal supply mix is used. The lifetime of the furnace is 20 years, which corresponds to 5000 fully
load hours per year. The heating value is 28.9 MJ/kg and the efficiency factor is 80%".
Included activities start
From reception of hard coal.
Included activities ends
This activity ends with produced 1 kg of granular activated carbon from 3 kg of hard coal. The datasets includes
electricity consumption, the burning of natural gas for the vaporisation of water, water and the emissions from
hard coal combustion.
page 3
Sampling procedure
Based on literature data:Bayer et al. (2005) Economical and ecological comparison of granular activated carbonn
(GAC) adsorber refill strategies. Water research, 39: 1719-1728Munoz et al. (2007) Life-Cycle Assessment of a
Coupled Advanced Oxidation-Biological Process for Wastewater Treatment: Comparison with Granular Activated
Carbon Adsorption. Environmental Engineering Science, 24(5): 638-651.
Extrapolations
This dataset has been extrapolated from year 2015 to the year of the calculation (2016). The uncertainty has
been adjusted accordingly.
Technology comments
Reref to: Bayer et al. 2005. Economical and ecological comparison of granular activated carbon (GAC) absorber
refill strategies. Water research (39), 1719-1728.
Refer to: Munoz et al. 2007. Life-Cycle Assessment of a Coupled Advanced Oxidation-Biological Process for
Wastewater Treatment: Comparison with Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption. Environmental Engineering
Science. 5 (24), 638-651.
Geography comments
GAC from hard coal is common practice in Central Europe (Bayer et al. 2005).
Detailed information for exchanges

Impact contribution legend: IPCC 2007 GWP100 | ecoscarcity 2013 total | ReCiPe H total, relative to dataset total score
Reference product Annual prod.vol. Amount
activated carbon, granular 1.61e+8 kg 1.0 kg
Comment: The main sources of information used to create the dataset are: Bayer et al. 2005. Economical and ecological comparison of
granular activated carbon (GAC) absorber refill strategies. Water research (39), 1719-1728. Munoz et al. 2007. Life-Cycle Assessment of a
Coupled Advanced Oxidation-Biological Process for Wastewater Treatment: Comparison with Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption.
Environmental Engineering Science. 5 (24), 638-651.
Production volume comment: Estimated. The european production volume is extrapolated from the global production volume using the
nominal GDP of 2005 (source: United Nations, http://data.un.org/Glossary.aspx?q=GDP+%28current+US%24%29, accessed 20130726 and
20130312). Where Europe GDP is 0.33059 of global. Gross domestic product (GDP) at current prices is GDP at prices of the current
reporting period. Also known as nominal GDP.

impact contributions
electricity, medium voltage 1.84 kWh

12% | 14% | 12%
The comment entered by the data provider is too long to be displayed. Please refer to ecoQuery or ecoEditor for more details.
hard coal 0.471 kg

2.3% | 2.3% | 6.8%
Activity link: market for hard coal - WEU
Comment: Literature value. Bayer et al. (2005).
Uncertainty distribution: lognormal; GSD2: 1.15; Pedigree matrix: [4, 2, 3, 2, 1]
Source: Bayer 2005
hard coal 2.53 kg

10% | 12% | 33%
Activity link: market for hard coal - PL
Comment: Literature value. Bayer et al. (2005).
Source: Bayer 2005
page 4

hard coal ash -0.168 kg

<0.1% | 0.96% | 0.21%
Activity link: market for hard coal ash - GLO
Comment: Estimation. Stoker-boiler furnaces emit between 300kg and 1000kg of particles per TJin if there is no particle separation. With an
average of 650kg per TJin, 600kg of fly ash and 2300kg of bottom ash occurs. It is assumed that 100% of the ash is disposed
(worst-case-scenario). In individual cases a 100% recycling rate is possible as well. Amount was scaled to the amount of reference product.
Production volume comment: Calculated from the production volume of the reference product in proportion to the respective output
amounts.
Source: Vernon J.L. 1991
heat, district or industrial, natural gas 13.3 MJ

5.8% | 4.6% | 5.7%
Activity link: market group for heat, district or industrial, natural gas - RER
Comment: Calculated. According to Bayer et al. (2005) 0.33m3 of natural gas are burned in order to produce 12 kg of water vapour required
for activation. This activity is used as a proxy to represent this process.
Source: Bayer 2005
industrial furnace, coal, 1-10MW 3.21e-8 unit

0.11% | 0.23% | 0.15%
Activity link: market for industrial furnace, coal, 1-10MW - GLO
Comment: Amount was scaled to the amount of reference product.
water, completely softened, from decarbonised water, at user 12.4 kg

<0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
The comment entered by the data provider is too long to be displayed. Please refer to ecoQuery or ecoEditor for more details.
Amount
Emissions to air Subcompartment
urban air close to 6.18e-4 kg

Aluminium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
Comment: Modeled, based on "heat production, coal, emissions to air" - pdf-document on the dedicated talk page of ecoinvent
(www.ecoinvent.org/documentation). Emissions of trace elements were calculated using the ash content in the coal and average transfer
coefficients for coal power plants with ash retention of 98 %. Amount was scaled to the amount of reference product.

Antimony
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Arsenic
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | 0.13%

Barium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 5
Amount

Benzene
ground <0.1% | 0.37% | <0.1%
(www.ecoinvent.org/documentation). The emission data are taken from the literature reporting measurements performed at the end of the
1980s in Germany and are based on the composition of the coal. Amount was scaled to the amount of reference product.

Benzo(a)pyrene
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Beryllium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Boron
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Bromine
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Cadmium
ground <0.1% | 0.66% | <0.1%

Calcium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
urban air close to 5.29 kg

Carbon dioxide, fossil
ground 70% | 38% | 31%
page 6
Amount

Carbon monoxide, fossil
ground 0.12% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Chromium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Chromium VI
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Cobalt
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Copper
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Dinitrogen monoxide
ground 0.23% | 0.13% | 0.1%

Dioxins, measured as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
ground <0.1% | 1.4% | <0.1%

Ethane
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 7
Amount

Ethene
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Ethyne
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Formaldehyde
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Hydrocarbons, aliphatic, alkanes, unspecified
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Hydrocarbons, aliphatic, unsaturated
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Hydrogen chloride
ground <0.1% | 0.66% | <0.1%

Hydrogen fluoride
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Iodine
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 8
Amount

Iron
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Lead
ground <0.1% | 1.5% | 0.12%
urban air close to 2.69e-3 kBq

Lead-210
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
(www.ecoinvent.org/documentation). From radioactivity of the elements. Amount was scaled to the amount of reference product.

Magnesium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Manganese
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Mercury
ground <0.1% | 0.54% | 0.15%

Methane, fossil
ground 0.19% | 0.11% | <0.1%

Molybdenum
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 9
Amount

NMVOC, non-methane volatile organic compounds, unspecified origin
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Nickel
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Nitrogen oxides
ground <0.1% | 7.1% | 1.7%

Particulates, < 2.5 um
ground <0.1% | 2.5% | 0.77%
(www.ecoinvent.org/documentation). Size distribution of particles has been estimated on the basis of recent information from U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Amount was scaled to the amount of reference product.

Particulates, > 10 um
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Particulates, > 2.5 um, and < 10um
ground <0.1% | 2.5% | 0.77%

Phosphorus
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | 0.12%

Polonium-210
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 10
Amount

Potassium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Potassium-40
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Propane
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Propene
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Radium-226
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Radium-228
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Radon-220
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Radon-222
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Scandium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 11
Amount

Selenium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Silicon
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Sodium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Strontium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Sulfur dioxide
ground <0.1% | 9.5% | 7.2%

Thallium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Thorium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Thorium-228
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 12
Amount

Thorium-232
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Tin
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Titanium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Toluene
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Uranium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Uranium-238
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%

Vanadium
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
Water unspecified 1.87e-3 m3

<0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
Comment: Calculated value based on literature values and expert opinion. See comments in the parametres' comment field. Amount was
scaled to the amount of reference product.

Xylene
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
page 13
Amount

Zinc
ground <0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
Amount
Emissions to water Subcompartment
Water unspecified 0.0106 m3

<0.1% | <0.1% | <0.1%
Comment: Calculated value based on literature values and expert opinion. See comments in the parametres' comment field. Amount was
scaled to the amount of reference product.
Selected impact assessment results

method category indicator score
IPCC 2007 climate change GWP 100a 7.603 kg CO2-Eq
IPCC 2013 climate change GWP 100a 7.769 kg CO2-Eq
ecological scarcity 2013 total total 6.364e+3 UBP
USEtox human toxicity carcinogenic 2.886e-7 CTU
USEtox human toxicity non-carcinogenic 1.110e-6 CTU
USEtox ecotoxicity total 13.86 CTU
ReCiPe Endpoint (H,A) human health total 0.3303 points
ReCiPe Endpoint (H,A) ecosystem quality total 0.1468 points
ReCiPe Endpoint (H,A) resources total 0.2955 points
ReCiPe Endpoint (H,A) total total 0.7727 points
Source
Source information
First author: Bayer
Additional author(s): Heuer, Karl, Finkel
Title: Economical and ecological comparison of granular activated carbonn (GAC) adsorber refill strategies
Year: 2005
Journal: Water research
Issue number: 39
First author: Vernon J.L.
Title: Pollution control for industrial coal-fired boilers
Year: 1991
Restriction of use
The restrictions of use stipulated in the EULA remain applicable for this pdf documentation.
Copyright ecoinvent Centre, 2016
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Ecoinvent 3.

Dataset identification Table of content

Emissions to air Amount

Emissions to air Amount

Detailed information for exchanges

Inputs from technosphere Amount

electricity, medium voltage 1.84 kWh

hard coal 0.471 kg

hard coal 2.53 kg

Inputs from technosphere Amount

hard coal ash -0.168 kg

heat, district or industrial, natural gas 13.3 MJ

industrial furnace, coal, 1-10MW 3.21e-8 unit

water, completely softened, from decarbonised water, at user 12.4 kg

urban air close to 6.18e-4 kg

urban air close to 9.13e-8 kg

urban air close to 1.46e-6 kg

urban air close to 7.28e-6 kg

urban air close to 2.89e-5 kg

urban air close to 5.78e-10 kg

urban air close to 7.28e-8 kg

urban air close to 2.74e-5 kg

urban air close to 5.48e-7 kg

urban air close to 9.13e-8 kg

urban air close to 7.28e-5 kg

urban air close to 5.29 kg

urban air close to 5.78e-3 kg

urban air close to 1.30e-6 kg

urban air close to 1.61e-7 kg

urban air close to 1.83e-7 kg

urban air close to 9.60e-7 kg

urban air close to 5.78e-5 kg

urban air close to 1.16e-12 kg

urban air close to 8.67e-5 kg

urban air close to 1.73e-4 kg

urban air close to 2.89e-5 kg

urban air close to 4.62e-6 kg

urban air close to 2.89e-5 kg

urban air close to 2.89e-5 kg

urban air close to 2.34e-3 kg

urban air close to 7.28e-5 kg

urban air close to 6.59e-7 kg

urban air close to 2.55e-4 kg

urban air close to 4.38e-6 kg

urban air close to 2.69e-3 kBq

urban air close to 2.19e-4 kg

urban air close to 1.28e-6 kg

urban air close to 1.64e-7 kg

urban air close to 5.78e-4 kg

urban air close to 2.74e-7 kg

urban air close to 9.94e-5 kg

urban air close to 1.10e-6 kg

urban air close to 0.0116 kg

urban air close to 1.16e-3 kg

urban air close to 5.78e-4 kg

urban air close to 1.16e-3 kg

urban air close to 3.65e-6 kg

urban air close to 4.91e-3 kBq

urban air close to 7.28e-5 kg

urban air close to 7.80e-4 kBq

urban air close to 5.78e-5 kg

urban air close to 2.89e-5 kg

urban air close to 6.94e-4 kBq

urban air close to 3.76e-3 kBq