Dynamic MFA of steel in Chinese residences

Source: Mingming Hu, Stefan Pauliuk, Tao Wang, Gjalt Huppes, Ester van der Voet, Daniel B. Müller, 2009. Iron and steel in Chinese residential buildings: A dynamic analysis.

Some of the dynamics considered in this MFA are lifetime, birthrates, per capita floor area, and urbanization rates in China.  Previously, a dynamic material flow analysis (MFA) model was developed to analyze the dynamics of the rural and the urban housing systems in China. That model was expanded to analyze iron and steel demand and scrap availability from the housing sector.  In the diagram, a conceptual outline of the stock dynamics model, rectangles represent processes, ovals depict flows, hexagons illustrate determinants or drivers and dashed lines represent influences between variables.

Certainly interesting work from Chongqing University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, and Norwegian University of Science and Technology.  I am not that familiar with dynamic MFA, but I can certainly appreciate how it expands the static MFA methodology.

MFA plus energy intensity of material methodology

Source: M. Federicia, S. Ulgiatib, R. Basosi, 2008. A thermodynamic, environmental and material flow analysis of the Italian highway and railway transport systems.

This fascinating methodology including MFA is a multi-method multi-scale of terrestrial transport modalities that reduces each case down to the equivalent amount of solar energy required.  I have often wondered how using solar gain in time per area could operate as a comparative tool, and here it is!  It is similar to the other MFA within a decision-making model that I covered in that the MFA result is cross-referenced with a database, in this case energy intensities of materials, to arrive at the desired result.

This methodology uses four different evaluation methods: material flow accounting (MFA), embodied energy analysis (EEA), exergy analysis (EXA) and emergy synthesis (ES).  The local framework encompasses the direct inputs supporting the transport activities: mass balance, energy analysis and EMIPS are used in this context. Global scale framework takes into account the indirect and hidden material and energy flows supporting the transportation process. Specific material, energy and emergy intensities are used to shift from local to global scale.

MFA within a decision support model

Source: Roland Clift, Warren Mellor, Elizabeth Williams, Adisa Azapagicb and Gary Stevens. CHAMP:– a new approach to modelling material recovery, re-use, recycling and reverse logistics.

This diagram shows how Material Flow Analysis could be incorporated into a decision-making scheme by also including information the substances. 

The modelling approach – CHAMP : CHAin Management of Products – applies the ideas of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) but goes further in describing possible different uses as a material passes through an Industrial Ecology.

European copper cycle

Source:  H. Rechberger, T.E. Graedel, 2002. The contemporary European copper cycle: statistical entropy analysis.

This is an important MFA diagram, published before the Practical Handbook of Material Flow Analysis, it was created by Rechberger during his post-doc with Graedel at Yale University.

The copper cycle for Europe 1994 in Gg/y (kt/y), representing an open system. The values in parenthesis give the copper flows for a scenario in which the system functions internally just as it does in practice, but does not rely on imports and exports to maintain its level of consumption.