Life cycle assessment (LCA) of two pneumatic urban waste collection systems compared to traditional truck collection in an airport

Due to the increasing need for a more sustainable environment, the study of waste management strategies is increasing worldwide. Pneumatic urban waste collection is an alternative to the conventional truck collection, especially in urban areas, where there is a need of reducing traffic and its pollution. LCA is a methodology that can help in the evaluation of the environmental impact of any process or product; therefore, this study, based on the methodologies ISO 14040 and from the cradle to the grave, compares different waste collection systems in an airport. The results show that the pneumatic collection system with the innovative AutoWaste compact central unit can reduce the annual flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent for 30 years and per ton) up to 25% compared to a pneumatic collection system with a conventional central.This work received the financial support of the Doctorat Industrial grant (2020 DI 5) from the AGAUR of the Secretaria de Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Empresa i Coneixement of the Generalitat de Catalunya. This work is partially supported by ICREA under the ICREA Academia programme. The authors would like to thank the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to their research group (2017 SGR 1537). GREiA is certified agent TECNIO in the category of technology developers from the Government of Catalonia. The authors would like to thank the following companies for providing the real data used in this study: Urban Refuse Development, S.A

Orientation domains: A mobile grid clustering algorithm with spherical corrections

An algorithm has been designed and tested which was devised as a tool assisting the analysis of geological structures solely from orientation data. More specifically, the algorithm was intended for the analysis of geological structures that can be approached as planar and piecewise features, like many folded strata. Input orientation data is expressed as pairs of angles (azimuth and dip). The algorithm starts by considering the data in Cartesian coordinates. This is followed by a search for an initial clustering solution, which is achieved by comparing the results output from the systematic shift of a regular rigid grid over the data. This initial solution is optimal (achieves minimum square error) once the grid size and the shift increment are fixed. Finally, the algorithm corrects for the variable spread that is generally expected from the data type using a reshaped non-rigid grid. The algorithm is size-oriented, which implies the application of conditions over cluster size through all the process in contrast to density-oriented algorithms, also widely used when dealing with spatial data. Results are derived in few seconds and, when tested over synthetic examples, they were found to be consistent and reliable. This makes the algorithm a valuable alternative to the time-consuming traditional approaches available to geologists

Métodes i models per projectar els components del canvi demogràfic en les projeccions de població de l'Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya

Este trabajo describe la realización de las proyecciones de población 1996-2010-2030 del Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya (Idescat) desde el punto de vista metodológico. Se describen las metodologías particulares desarrolladas para cada uno de los componentes del crecimiento demográfico. Estas metodologías no se centran tan solo en los valores de los indicadores demográficos a proyectar, sino que introducen comportamientos específicos y dinámicos para los diferentes grupos de edad de la población. En la fecundidad se ha aplicado un método que integra la descendencia final de las diferentes generaciones de mujeres, la edad de la maternidad y la descendencia según el orden de nacimiento. En la mortalidad se ha aplicado un método que permite combinar la evolución de la esperanza de vida (trazo cronológico) con evoluciones no homogéneas de las tasas de mortalidad a diferentes edades (coeficientes de mejora). En migración se ha trabajado con el modelo migratorio de Rogers, aplicando unos perfiles dinámicos en el tiempo. Finalmente, se hace un análisis de la incertidumbre inherente a los resultados y su verificació

Methods and models to project the components of demographic change in the population projections of the Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya

Aquest treball descriu la realització de les projeccions de població 1996-2010-2030 de l’Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya(Idescat) des del punt de vista metodològic. Es descriuen les metodologies particulars desenvolupades per a cada un dels components del creixement demogràfic. Aquestes metodologies no només se centren en els valors dels indicadors demogràfics a projectar sinó que introdueixen comportaments específics i dinàmics per als diferents grups d’edat de la població. En la fecunditat s’ha aplicat un mètode que integra la descendència final de les diferents generacions de dones, l’edat a la maternitat i la descendència segons ordre de naixement. En la mortalitat s’ha aplicat un mètode que permet combinar l’evolució de l’esperança de vida (traç cronològic) amb evolucions no homogènies de les taxes de mortalitat a diferent edats (coeficients de millora). En la migració s’ha treballat amb el model migratori de Rogers, aplicant uns perfils dinàmics en el temps. Finalment, es fa una an`alisi de la incertesa inherent als resultats i la seva quantificació

Pneumatic Urban Waste Collection Systems: A Review

Due to the increasing need for a more sustainable environment, the study of waste management strategies is increasing worldwide. Pneumatic urban waste collection is an alternative to conventional truck collection, especially in urban areas where there is a need for reducing traffic and pollution. In this study, the scientific literature on such automated waste collection systems (AWCSs) (also known as automated vacuum waste collection (AVWC) systems) is evaluated through a bibliometric analysis. The available scientific literature is found to be scarce, while there are several patents on the topic. The keywords used in the literature are mainly related to energy use, gas emissions, and the cost–benefit analysis. Moreover, the market status is presented and a summary of the environmental studies is provided. The active companies in the field are identified and a complete list of AWCSs is provided. Most of the scientific literature related to the environmental aspects of AWCSs uses the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate the performance of different case studies