Designing Energy-Efficient Industrial Machines Based on Parametrised Life Cycle Assessment

This paper addresses the lack of data on the total energy demand of industrial washing processes. It presents an approach to designing energy-efficient industrial automated machines based on a parametrised Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a key analytical tool. In particular, the environmental performance of an industrial washing machine designed for the pharmaceutical sector is evaluated throughout its LCA performed in a cradle-to-grave boundary using the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint calculation method. Parametrisation in LCA enables modelling of different energy consumption scenarios based on various factors of the machine’s washing cycle and usage mode. This method allows manufacturers to compare energy-saving designs, operational improvements and sustainable energy strategies without rebuilding the entire LCA model. Furthermore, a Total Estimated Energy Consumption (TEEC) framework, including operational states, has been applied to achieve a more comprehensive energy demand. Indeed, determining energy parameters for different operating states allows for a more detailed environmental impact evaluation. This work supports the development of sustainable industrial machines, aligning with circular economy principles and eco-design strategy. The findings revealed that the use phase contributes the most to environmental impact, mainly due to energy consumption. The analyses allowed for the identification of critical components for their improvement. Besides, optimisation scenarios are proposed to enhance the machine energy efficiency.