The focus of the project OASIS is on the optimisation of an industrial system under environmental and economic constraints. The environmental performances of the process are computed on lifecycle perspective, based on the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). At the micro level, LCA can be effectively used to design industrial processes in order to improve their environmental performances. One limitation of LCA in any of its basic forms is that it does not include a systematic way of generating process alternatives for environmental improvements. This limitation can be
overcome by coupling LCA with optimization tools.

OASIS aims at coupling LCA with optimization algorithms automatically seeking the best design alternative (in the realm of technically and economically feasible solutions) according to predefined environmental criteria. The main aim of the project is to develop a generic process eco-design modelling framework, rooted on coupling of process modelling, LCA and multi-objective optimization algorithms. The project is focussed on the case of water treatment chains and the developed eco-design approach is being tested and validated on different case studies of potable water production.

The main deliverable of the project will be an “Optimization-Process simulation-LCA” tool, which will be conceived to be used by process engineers and drinking water production plants managers. The workshop is divided in two sections. The morning session will host two invited speakers. The first of these talks will present a rigorous framework for the development of more sustainable processes integrating LCA principles with multi-objective optimization, dealing in particular with large-scale optimization problems. The second talk will extend the application domain from potable water to wastewater treatment chains. The afternoon session will present the current results of the project OASIS with a first feedback of the project team.

PROGRAM

Morning session

09.15 Registration and coffee

09.45 Enrico Benetto – Luxembourg Institute of Science & Technology (LIST), Luxembourg
Welcome of the participants, general description of the project and aims of the workshop

*Keynote Speech:*

10.00 Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez – University of Manchester, U.K
Mathematical programming techniques coupled with life cycle assessment to support the design and planning of sustainable processes

11.00 Coffee break

*Prospective applications of systems optimization:*

11.15 Ana Bárbara Bisinella De Faria – University of Toulouse – INSA
Efficient multi-objective optimization on some promising alternatives to conventional wastewater treatment plants

12.00 Open discussion

12.15 Lunch break

Afternoon Session

OASIS progress results:

13.30 Florin Capitanescu – Luxembourg Institute of Science & Technology (LIST), Luxembourg
Some approaches for multi-objective optimization over computationally expensive simulators

14.15 Aras Ahmadi – University of Toulouse – INSA
AMOEA-MAP ‒ a new tool for multi-objective optimization of expensive black-box problems: application to eco-design of drinking water production

15.00 Coffee break

15.15 Richard J. Wallace – Independent expert
Combining optimization with detailed process simulation of a potable water production plant

15.45 Open discussion

16.15 Antonino Marvuglia – Luxembourg Institute of Science & Technology (LIST), Luxembourg
Conclusions and next steps of the project

General Information

Email: [email protected] | Tel. : +352 275 8887 – 4680 Room: F011

Registration: The participation in the workshop is free of charge for all participants, you can register by e-mail or telephone at the contact address until 22.01.2016.

*The project is supported by the National Research Fund (FNR), Luxembourg.*