School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing (SATM)
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Browsing School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing (SATM) by Subject "12 Responsible Consumption and Production"
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Item Open Access A bespoke carbon footprint framework to set the path towards Net Zero in foundries(Elsevier, 2024) Cox, Rylan; Pagone, Emanuele; Jolly, Mark R.; Salonitis, Konstantinos; Birch, TimA bespoke carbon footprint framework for the metal casting industry is presented to enable swifter carbon accounting of foundries and identify energy and carbon footprint hotspots to support the drive towards Net Zero goals. Many manufacturing enterprises in the United Kingdom and Europe are already struggling to maintain financial competitiveness as well as drive towards a sustainable shift, particularly SMEs. This framework is to help alleviate the pressure on the industry by providing an outside tool to direct companies to sustainable solutions. This paper validates such framework breaking down the environmental footprint of ferrous products through energy and material profiles of sand casting processes in two real UK foundries identified as “A” and “B”. During environmental visits, it was established that Foundry A emitted an average of 41700 tons of CO2 annually and Foundry B 1400 tons. The framework developed to estimate the melting process energy (to be, then, converted into carbon footprint) predicted with about 15% accuracy the actual data. Furthermore, the framework can be expanded and improved on for its accuracy and into other processes within the casting process including melting, core and mould making, pouring sand reclamation, ancillaries and fettling.Item Open Access A critical review of the decarbonisation potential in the U.K. cement industry(MDPI, 2025-01-10) Sherif, Ziyad; Sarfraz, Shoaib; Jolly, Mark R.; Salonitis, KonstantinosAs urbanisation and infrastructure development continue to drive rising cement demand, the imperative to significantly reduce emissions from this emissions-intensive sector has become increasingly urgent, especially in the context of global climate goals such as achieving net zero emissions by 2050. This review examines the status, challenges and prospects of low-carbon cement technologies and mitigation strategies through the lens of the U.K. cement industry. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining structured literature searches across academic databases with analyses of industry reports, market data and technological roadmaps to ensure a comprehensive evaluation. Following an outline of cement production, resource flows and the sector’s landscape in the U.K., the review delves into an array of decarbonisation pathways. This includes deploying the best available technologies (BATs), fuel switching, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS), clinker substitution and low-carbon cement formulations. A critical assessment is provided on the technological readiness, costs, resource availability considerations and scalability aspects governing the widespread implementation prospects of these approaches within the U.K. cement industry. Furthermore, this study proposes a roadmap that considers priority avenues and policy needs essential for facilitating the transition towards sustainable cement production aligned with the U.K.’s net zero obligations by 2050. This evaluation contributes significantly to the ongoing decarbonisation discourse by holistically mapping technological solutions and strategic imperatives tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the U.K. cement sector.Item Open Access Assessment of the mechanical and microstructural performance of waste kraft fibre reinforced cement composite incorporating sustainable eco-friendly additives(MDPI, 2024-08-30) Taiwo, Anuoluwapo S; Ayre, David S; Khorami, Morteza; Rahatekar, Sameer SThis study investigates the influence of limestone powder and metakaolin as sustainable eco-friendly additives on the properties and behavior of cementitious composite boards, with a focus on mechanical strength, physical properties, and microstructural characteristics. The experimental investigation begins with the characterization of the raw materials, including limestone powder, and metakaolin, to assess their particle sizes, elemental composition, and microstructural features. Cement composite boards were fabricated using an innovatively developed lab-simulated vacuum dewatering process, by varying the proportions of limestone powder and metakaolin as partial replacements for cement, along with waste kraft fibres as reinforcement. Mechanical testing was conducted to evaluate the flexural strength and behaviour of the composite boards according to standardized procedures. A microstructural analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the effect of additives on the cementitious matrix, fibrematrix interaction, and hydration products. The findings from the experimental study reveal insights into the influence of limestone powder and metakaolin on the mechanical properties and microstructure of waste kraft fibre-reinforced cement composite boards. Our analysis of the results shows that adding 9% limestone powder as partial cement replacement produces a 24% and 50% enhancement in flexural strength at 7 and 28 days of hydration, while that of metakaolin as partial cement replacement was optimum at 6% with an enhancement of 4% and 36%, respectively, at 7 and 28 days of hydration. The implications of these findings for the development of sustainable cementitious composite are discussed, including the potential benefits of using limestone powder and metakaolin as supplementary cementitious materials in waste kraft fibre-reinforced cement composite boards. Finally, recommendations for optimizing additive proportions are also provided to enhance the understanding and application of these materials in the construction and building industries.Item Open Access Digital twin architecture for a sustainable control system in aircraft engines(Springer , 2024-08-08) Farsi, Maryam; Namoano, Bernadin; Latsou, Christina; Subhadu, Vaishnav Venkata; Deng, Haoxuan; Sun, Zhen; Zheng, Bohao; D’Amico, Davide; Erkoyuncu, John Ahmet; Karakoc, T. Hikmet; Colpan, Can Ozgur; Dalkiran, AlperOver the past decades, climate change has remained one of the major global challenges in the world. In the aviation and aerospace industry, the environmental sustainable development strategies towards carbon-neutral mainly focus on efficiency and demand measures, sustainable fuels, renewable energies, and removal and carbon offsetting. The carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions footprint of an aircraft is primarily determined by energy and fuel efficiency. The advanced engine control systems of an aircraft can optimise the engine performance to achieve energy efficiency, fuel optimal consumption, and emission reduction. This paper proposed a digital twin architecture of a sustainable aircraft control system that allows the system to collect, analyse, and optimise sustainability-related data and to provide insight to operators, engineers, maintainers, and designers. The required information, knowledge and insight databases across flight environment, engine specification, and gas emissions are identified. The research argued that the proposed architecture could enhance engine energy efficiency, fuel consumption, and CO2e footprint reduction and enable (near) real-time data monitoring, proactive anomaly detection, forecasting, and intelligent decision-making within an automated sustainability control system. This research suggests ontology-based digital twin as an effective approach to further develop a cognitive twin that facilitates automated decision-making within the aircraft control system.Item Open Access Enabling net-zero GHG emissions in the UK metals and transport industries through a circular supply chain framework(Elsevier, 2024-05) Adeyemi, Olabisi I.; Sarfraz, Shoaib; Salonitis, KonstantinosThe UK metals industry is indispensable in achieving the country’s net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target by 2050, especially considering the heavy reliance of the transport sector on metals. This paper proposes strategies based on recycling and refining locally sourced scrap metals to build a robust circular supply chain. Findings revealed that 16% of global crude steel is used in transport and this accounts for 8% of the world’s GHG emissions. Domestically, iron and steel account for 14% of the UK industrial emissions, with over 8 million metric tons of scrap metals exported annually. Insights from stakeholders revealed export dependency and infrastructure gaps impeding circularity. Collaborative efforts between industry, government, and recyclers are vital. Investing in electric arc furnaces and storage can enable the processing of domestic metal scrap for high-quality yield. A closed-loop flow of battery-critical metals will also support sustainable manufacturing of electric vehicles. Ultimately, this paper advocates systemic efforts across policy, technology, infrastructure, and partnerships to realise a sustainable supply chain in the metals industry aligned with the decarbonisation and circular economy goals.Item Open Access Finding a greener, cost-effective and colour-based partial or complete replacement to White Portland Cement for cast stone production using TOPSIS(Springer, 2024-03-01) Mudgal, Devanshu; Pagone, Emanuele; Salonitis, Konstantinos; Scholz, Steffen G.; Howlett, Robert J.; Setchi, RossiAs per recent research, the use of White Portland Cement (WPC) in the production of cast stone results in significant carbon emissions. This study aims to identify alternatives to WPC that have lower carbon emissions and are cost-effective. A literature review was performed, and data were gathered on WPC and its alternatives. Based on the literature review, five alternatives were identified. An investigation was conducted to determine the most suitable replacement for WPC based on four criteria. Automatically weighted TOPSIS which is a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) was used to identify the optimal substitute for WPC. The results of the analysis were used to make a final recommendation. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the potential substitutes for WPC in the production of cast stone, which could help to reduce carbon emissions and promote greater sustainability in the construction industry.Item Open Access Identifying enablers for a circular healthcare supply chain: an integrated fuzzy DEMATEL-MMDE approach with hesitant information(Elsevier, 2025-02) Agrawal, Deepak; Gupta, Sumit; Dusad, Chandni; Meena, ML; Dangayach, GS; Jagtap, SandeepOver the past decade, the healthcare industries have been facing the issue of resource scarcity due to socio-political wars, the COVID-19 pandemic, the luxury lifestyles of people, and the prevalence of single-use medical devices. The circular economy (CE) can be vital in accommodating the evolving patient and provider demands. The CE defies the conventional take-make-dispose process and advocates for optimized resource use throughout its entire lifecycle. Finding the critical enabler for a circular supply chain in the Indian healthcare sector is urgently needed because the CE is still nascent in developing nations like India. This paper identifies the enablers of a circular healthcare supply chain (CHSC) through a comprehensive analysis of cause and effect, interrelationships, and priorities using integrated alpha-level sets based on the fuzzy DEMATEL-MMDE approach with hesitant information. Experts' opinions were gathered using a triangular fuzzy linguistic scale, incorporating hesitant information to minimize data vagueness. The results of this study offer valuable insights into various enablers, emphasizing their criticality and interdependence, thereby benefiting healthcare organizations aiming to implement circular supply chains. Additionally, the findings will assist policymakers in creating policies to accelerate the adoption of CE practices in the healthcare industry.Item Open Access Insights into sustainability and circular economy trends in luxury fashion: a LinkedIn topic modelling study(Elsevier, 2024-12) Abdelmeguid, Aya; Tsironis, Georgios; Afy-Shararah, Mohamed; Tsagarakis, Konstantinos P; Salonitis, KonstantinosThe fashion industry plays a pivotal role in societal evolution and economic growth, yet it also stands as a significant contributor to environmental degradation. In response, the concept of slow fashion has been gaining increased attention in recent years, offering sustainable and circular alternatives to fast fashion. Luxury fashion, traditionally known for its heritage, exclusivity, and craftsmanship, exhibits elements similar to slow fashion, thereby exerting considerable influence on industry trends and consumer behaviour. This study explores the drivers shaping the luxury fashion landscape and the evolving circular economy and sustainability trends within the UK, a key global influencer in the luxury fashion domain. Luxury fashion's impact extends beyond its niche market, often setting benchmarks for innovation and sustainable practices that influence the broader fashion industry. Leveraging readily available qualitative and quantitative data from LinkedIn profiles, this research employs Latent Dirichlet Allocation analysis to uncover relevant topics within a dataset comprising 1115 companies registered in the “Apparel and Fashion” and “Textiles” industries. Five key drivers emerge, including Artful Creations in Fashion, Time-Honoured Craftsmanship, The Art of Style and Design, The Pinnacle of Retail Excellence, and A Personalised Style Experience. Additionally, utilising the Google Collab Platform and Python language, this study identifies circular economy and sustainability trends within luxury fashion. While approximately 20% of the companies studied actively emphasise sustainability, circular economy requires comparable attention. This research provides industry stakeholders and scholars with valuable insights into sustainable and circular practices, thus guiding innovation and informed decision-making in the fashion industry.Item Metadata only Integration of renewable energy sources in tandem with electrolysis: a technology review for green hydrogen production(Elsevier, 2024) Nnabuife, Somtochukwu Godfrey; Hamzat, Abdulhammed K.; Whidborne, James; Kuang, Boyu; Jenkins, Karl W.The global shift toward sustainable energy solutions emphasises the urgent need to harness renewable sources for green hydrogen production, presenting a critical opportunity in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Despite its potential, integrating renewable energy with electrolysis to produce green hydrogen faces significant technological and economic challenges, particularly in achieving high efficiency and cost-effectiveness at scale. This review systematically examines the latest advancements in electrolysis technologies—alkaline, proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell (PEMEC), and solid oxide—and explores innovative grid integration and energy storage solutions that enhance the viability of green hydrogen. The study reveals enhanced performance metrics in electrolysis processes and identifies critical factors that influence the operational efficiency and sustainability of green hydrogen production. Key findings demonstrate the potential for substantial reductions in the cost and energy requirements of hydrogen production by optimising electrolyser design and operation. The insights from this research provide a foundational strategy for scaling up green hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier, contributing to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance toward carbon neutrality. The integration of these technologies could revolutionise energy systems worldwide, aligning with policy frameworks and market dynamics to foster broader adoption of green hydrogen.Item Open Access Mapping the path to decarbonised agri‐food products: a hybrid geographic information system and life cycle inventory methodology for assessing sustainable agriculture(Wiley, 2024-09) Martindale, Wayne; Saeidan, Ali; Tahernezhad‐Javazm, Farajollah; Hollands, Tom Æ; Duong, Linh; Jagtap, SandeepThe development of a decarbonised food industry will depend on a sustainable agricultural system where embodied food product greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) can be associated with agricultural production. The method presented demonstrates how mapping agri‐production can be used to calculate regional carbon footprints so GHG emission reduction is geographically strategic. Different agronomic and husbandry outcomes are mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS's) and carbon footprints are calculated using Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) libraries. The hybridised GIS‐LCI approach reports unique insights for decarbonisation, demonstrating how farming practices can be further integrated to best deliver food security. We use the GIS‐LCI method to show; (1), geography limits crop and livestock production types; (2), agri‐product density data can be used to calculate a food system carbon footprint; and (3), GIS's can be used to focus food policy for sustainability.Item Open Access Navigating barriers to reverse logistics adoption in circular economy: an integrated approach for sustainable development(Elsevier, 2024-09-01) Sonar, Harshad; Dey Sarkar, Bishal; Joshi, Prasad; Ghag, Nikhil; Choubey, Vardhan; Jagtap, SandeepAchievement of sustainability goals is an epic task for developing economies that still strive to fulfil their basic needs. The availability of limited resources in the developing world vis-à-vis the ever-increasing demand poses further challenges to developing economies willing to transition into circular economies. Reverse logistics (RL) can facilitate this transition towards a circular economy (CE) by maximising resource utilisation and minimising waste, contributing to sustainability goals. This paper contributes to emerging literature by analysing the development and comprehensive potential of reverse logistics as a sustainability tool. It explores the significant barriers to the adoption of reverse logistics towards a circular economy, considering long-term sustainability. In the first phase, thirteen barriers have been identified from the past academic literature. Three barriers with a defuzzification number less than the threshold limit are excluded, and the final ten barriers are then prioritised using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The findings suggest that a lack of strategic plans for returns is crucial for RL adoption towards a circular economy, followed by a lack of visibility for recycling/reuse. Organisations can increase customer satisfaction, promote environmental sustainability, and gain a competitive edge in the market by creating a strategic plan for reverse logistics. Organisations may lower costs and contribute to a more sustainable and ecologically responsible supply chain by improving visibility across the reverse logistics process. The results serve as a framework for decision-making in RL towards sustainable development. Managers and policymakers can formulate more robust and realistic decisions that align with “maximising profits,” “saving the planet,” “social concerns,” and, most importantly, “consumer concerns” in the circular economy ecosystem. Several implications are derived, leading to increased competitiveness and resilient business strategies. The novelty of this work lies in the identification of barriers to reverse logistics adoption towards a circular economy using an integrated fuzzy Delphi-DEMATEL approach, considering long-term sustainability. This approach is studied for the first time in a developing economy context, proposing social, economic, and environmental effects and actions to be taken by organisations for sustainable development.Item Open Access On the chemical composition, microstructure and mechanical properties of a Nitrogen-contaminated Ti-6Al-4V component built by Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing(IOP Publishing, 2024-08-01) Hu, D; Biswal, R; Sahu, VK; Fellowes, JW; Zadehkabir, A; Williams, SW; Davis, AEAdditive manufacturing (AM) using recycled Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) feedstock material from wrought waste streams is a novel process that can reduce the overall energy cost and carbon (CO2) footprint when compared to primary-production routes. The potential contamination of recycled feedstock material (e.g. C, O, N and Fe) can affect the microstructure and mechanical properties of the component. In this work, a Ti64 test wall built using wire arc AM (WAAM) was studied, where the top half only was contaminated by N through the shielding gas during deposition. This allowed a direct comparison of Ti64 WAAM material with high and low N content, deposited under otherwise identical conditions, to replicate the worst-case scenario of N contamination from using recycled swarf. The hardness of the N-contaminated section was found to be 25% higher than the uncontaminated section of the wall, demonstrating the N solid solution strengthening in Ti64. The room temperature transformed microstructure was found to have a 25% coarser α-lath thickness, which was proposed to be an effect of the AM cyclical heating and increasing of the β-transus temperature due to a higher level of N. Additionally, the outer layer of the N-contaminated sample section was found to have a refined parent β grain structure.Item Open Access Quantifying the carbon footprint of events: a life cycle assessment-based framework for evaluating impact of location and timing(Springer Nature, 2025-01-07) Atescan-Yuksek, Yagmur; Paddea, Sanjooram; Jackson, Sharon; Jolly, Mark R.; Salonitis, KonstantinosThis research proposes a Life Cycle Assessment-based framework to quantify the carbon footprint of events, considering the event's location and timing. The framework aims to standardise environmental impact calculations through inventory analysis. To validate it, a comparative analysis on conducting an event in different locations and time periods, while maintaining similar scale and nature is conducted. The assessment includes emissions from attendee transport, accommodation, food and drink, and venue. Additionally, it considers emission reductions resulting from attendees not using their personal household resources. This accounts for the actual additional emissions released into the atmosphere as a consequence of the event. The results highlight variations in emissions across different consumption categories based on the selected location and timing. By providing this information, the LCA-based framework provides valuable guidance for event organizers and policymakers to assess event environmental impacts and promote sustainability.Item Open Access Selecting sustainable packaging materials and strategies: a holistic approach considering whole life cycle and customer preferences(Elsevier, 2024-11-25) Mudgal, Devanshu; Pagone, Emanuele; Salonitis, KonstantinosWith the increasing public awareness of packaging and the environmental impact caused by it, companies are driving their businesses to introduce and promote practices that help ease the negative impact of packaging on the environment. Studies done on consumer behaviour show that decisions nowadays are influenced by sustainability. Yet, companies struggle with changing practices and justifying adopting environmentally friendly packaging materials. The current paper presents a holistic approach, addressing the need for identifying, assessing, and selecting sustainable materials for packaging applications. The Kano model prioritises features that are then used with Ashby plots for identifying alternative materials. Life cycle assessment, as well as life cycle costing, are used for assessing the environmental and financial impact of the use of such materials. Automatically weighted Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Analysis (MCDA) is used to select the most appropriate packaging material. This methodology provides a combinatorial ranking for each criterion set by four pre-defined weight distributions for Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The proposed methodology allows for a systematic and holistic design process when deciding on packaging materials for any product. The methodology is validated for the case of packaging weather-sensitive cast stone products and carbonated drinks. In cast stone, three packaging materials are ranked for pallets based on their attributes. Similarly, for carbonated drinks, three packaging materials are recommended at the end of the study.Item Open Access The role of behavioural and environmental economics in sustainable manufacturing(Springer, 2023-12-04) Kaur, Rashmeet; Patsavellas, John; Salonitis, KonstantinosSustainable manufacturing is a rapidly growing field that primarily seeks to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing processes. Although the three-lens approach of social, environmental, and economic aspects remain the primary focus in any sustainability study, the domains of behavioral, and environmental economics along with smart data technologies have not been used in a unified approach. Through a review of the state of the art, this paper establishes the individual cases for each one of these domains and underscores the research interest in their combinatorial application and possible complementary efficacy for advancing the development of sustainable manufacturing strategies. A research agenda involving comparative testing and the development of pertinent policies and interventions for sustainable manufacturing is proposed for the integration of behavioral economics and environmental economics, within the context of sustainable manufacturing.Item Open Access Waste 4.0: transforming medical waste management through digitalization and automated segregation(Springer, 2024) Mohamed, Nurul Hamizah; Khan, Samir; Jagtap, SandeepMedical waste management is a crucial issue due to its potential health risks to humans and harm to the environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises separating medical waste into seven groups based on its type. However, despite the implementation of color-coded bin bags, cases of missegregation still occur frequently, leading to injuries and spreading diseases. Infectious waste such as sharps, human tissue, and body parts are often found mixed in waste bins, posing a severe threat to waste employees. To address this issue, this paper proposes exploring the potential of digitalization in waste segregation. The literature on current segregation methods and technology applications is analysed and compared, and a framework for utilizing barcode tagging and scanning to ensure waste is correctly categorized is presented. The barcodes and scanner will be connected through a monitoring system, which can notify waste generators and collectors of misplacing or mixed waste. This digitalization system is expected to serve as a monitoring agent for segregating waste before it is collected from any health facilities. Additionally, the exchanged data from waste generator bins can inform collectors and other waste stakeholders about the waste's condition, potentially opening up opportunities for recycling companies to purchase used plastics or metals from hospital wastes. By implementing digitalization in medical waste management, waste segregation can improve, reduce the spread of diseases and injuries, and promote the recycling of hospital waste materials.