Antoine Charbonneau1, Marlene Beyerle1, Cyril Lenhardt2 and Jessica Abril-Lenis2 #
1Applexion SAS, 5 chemin du Pilon, 01700 Saint-Maurice de Beynost, France
2Process Solutions Americas LLC (d/b/a Applexion), 560 Peoples Plaza, Newark, 19702, USA
Most of the worldwide greenhouse emissions are coming from the human industrial activities. As the topic is gaining more and more traction, factories and refineries around the world must adapt and future regulations will eventually force industrial personnel to use technologies that limit or reduce these emissions, while maintaining production capabilities. Two technologies used in sugar refineries for decolorization were benchmarked: Ion Exchange and Activated Carbon. The embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacture and procurement of equipment and materials were assessed. In the operational phase, the energy consumption and associated emissions during the decolorization process were assessed, considering factors such as energy type, efficiency, and operational duration. In the end-of-life phase, the emissions and resource recovery potential during equipment disposal and waste management were quantified. This analysis highlights potential hotspots for emissions reduction and informs sustainable decision making within the sugar processing industry. It illustrates the effectiveness of “carbon foot-printing” as a tool for promoting cleaner and greener industrial practices.