Assessment of end-life revaluation options for unidirectional carbon fibre rein-forced polymer in circular economy
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School of Engineering |
Master's thesis
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Date
2025-01-27
Department
Major/Subject
Sustainability
Mcode
Degree programme
Master's programme in Mechanical Engineering
Language
en
Pages
153
Series
Abstract
Carbon fibres (CFs) are increasingly used in manufacturing of structural systems because of their special characteristics such as being lightweight, corrosion-re-sistant and high-strength. However, this increased amount of CF poses a threat on the environment as CF manufacturing is a very energy-intensive process and the majority of CFs go to landfill after their decomposition causing a relevant CO2 emission and loss of valuable material. This study investigates the possible solutions for the end of life (EOL) of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) rope system and their environmental and economic incentives and their availability as an industrial scale solution. The total CO2 emission and cost of CFRP rope from manufacturing, waste treatment and the outcome of recovery methods (cradle to cradle) were estimated and compared. Landfill, incineration, and co-incineration have been identified as non-recovery EOL pathways, while pyrolysis, fluidized bed, advanced mechanical, and traditional mechanical recycling have been found viable recycling solutions at industrial scale. Moreover, refuse, repair, and reuse have been studied as methods of circular economy to prevent/postpone decommissioning and hence the use of new raw materials. Pyrolysis, and fluidized bed were shown as methods that has the highest potential of CO2 savings and preserving the quality and value of recycled carbon fibre (RCF) while landfill and incinerations are the least favorable methods both from economic and environmental perspectives. Refuse, repair and reuse are methods with the least cost and capital needed and have the potential to compete the recycling methods, but they are not readily available as a solution.Description
Supervisor
Vilaca, PedroThesis advisor
Kiviaho, ErkkaKeywords
CFRP, waste treatment, circular economy, sustainability, end of life, carbon fiber