Carbon Footprint Analysis and Environmental Impact Evaluation of Air Conditioning System

Abstract:

Aiming at three frequently used air conditioning systems of an actual building, the system boundary under simplified and hypothetical conditions was built according to different research objectives and scopes. And the life cycle assessment model frame was created and the carbon footprint of three plans was analyzed. To collect relative data of energy consumption and emission which were produced in the stages of units operating, the resources obtaining and manufacturing, then the obtained data were arranged into inventory analysis table. In accordance with the characterized model environmental exhaust was transformed to environmental load while normalization and weighted evaluation were also made, from which different environmental impacts potential values could be attained. So as to the environmental impact of life cycle of air conditioning systems could be quantitatively described by the environmental impact load. Ultimately the study conclusions were procured as follows: electric water chiller plus natural direct-fired lithium-bromide absorption chiller/heater makes the least environmental impact followed by the electric water chiller plus gas boiler and water source heat pump makes the most.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 860-863)
• Pages: 1620-1627
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.860-863.1620
• Online since: December 2013
• Authors: Chang Rong Liu, Zhi Yong Wang, Han Qing Wang
• Keywords: Air Conditioning System, Carbon Footprint, Environmental Impact (EI), Life Cycle Assessment

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