ISBN: 3540672737
TITLE: Life Cycle Assessment of Natural Gas Vehicles
AUTHOR: Nigge, K.-M.
TOC:

1 Introduction 1
2 Life Cycle Assessment 3
2.1 Life Cycle Asssessment as an Instrument of Technology Assessment 3
2.2 Definition and Phases 5
2.3 Goal and Scope Definition 7
2.4 Inventory Analysis 7
2.5 Impact Assessment 9
2.5.1 General Framework and Impact Categories 9
2.5.2 Methods for Selected Impact Categories 12
2.5.2.1 Extraction of Abiotic Resources 13
2.5.2.2 Climate Change 14
2.5.2.3 Acidification 15
2.5.2.4 Nutrification 18
2.5.2.5 Human Toxicity 19
2.5.2.6 Photo-Oxidant Formation 38
2.6 Interpretation 40
3 Site-Dependent Impact Indicators for Human Health Effects of Airborne Pollutants 41
3.1 Introduction 41
3.2 Statistical Calculation of Class Averages 43
3.3 Classification of Emission Sites in Terms of Population Density 46
3.3.1 Classification Scheme 46
3.3.2 Radial Population Density Distribution 47
3.4 Atmospheric Dispersion of Pollutants 51
3.4.1 Dispersion of Primary Pollutants in the Short Range 51
3.4.1.1 Gaussian Dispersion Model 51
3.4.1.2 Generic Meteorological Data 52
3.4.1.3 Pollutant Concentrations 55
3.4.2 Long-Range Transport of Primary Pollutants and Formation of Secondary Pollutants 57
3.4.2.1 Windrose Trajectory Model 57
3.4.2.2 Pollutant Concentrations and Population Exposures 59
3.4.2.3 Analytical Estimates 60
3.5 Validity of the Statistical Assumptions 62
3.6 Results and Discussion 65
3.6.1 Traffic Emissions 65
3.6.2 Influence of the Emission Height 68
3.6.3 Variability of the Impacts within the Generic Spatial Classes 70
3.6.4 Relevance of Various Distance Ranges and of Street Canyons 72
3.6.5 Secondary Aerosols 77
3.6.6 Default Values for Other Countries 77
3.7 Summary and Conclusions 79
4 Life Cycle Assessment of Natural Gas Vehicles: Inventory Analysis 81
4.1 Goal and Scope Definition 81
4.1.1 Introduction to the Case Study 81
4.1.2 System Boundaries 83
4.1.3 Selection of Pollutants and Impact Categories 85
4.1.4 Functional Unit 87
4.2 Fuel Supply Chains 88
4.2.1 Natural Gas 88
4.2.1.1 Input Data 88
4.2.1.2 Emissions and Cumulative Energy Demand 92
4.2.1.3 Spatial Disaggregation 94
4.2.2 Diesel and Petrol 101
4.2.2.1 Input Data 101
4.2.2.2 Emissions and Cumulative Energy Demand 105
4.2.2.3 Spatial Disaggregation 107
4.2.3 Comparison of the Upstream Emissions 114
4.3 Buses 116
4.3.1 Vehicle Operation 116
4.3.2 Combination of Upstream and Vehicle Emissions 122
4.4 Cars 123
4.4.1 Vehicle Operation 123
4.4.2 Combination of Upstream and Vehicle Emissions 125
5 Life Cycle Assessment of Natural Gas Vehicles: Impact Assessment and Interpretation 127
5.1 Impact Assessment 127
5.1.1 Site-Dependent Assessment of Human Health Impacts 127
5.1.1.1 Upstream Processes 127
5.1.1.2 Damage Factors for Vehicle Emissions 128
5.1.1.3 Buses 131
5.1.1.4 Cars 133
5.1.2 Generic Assessment for Other Impact Categories 135
5.1.2.1 Buses 135
5.1.2.2 Cars 139
5.2 Interpretation 141
6 Summary and Outlook 149
References 153
Appendix 161
END
