Environmental analysis of vitreous optical fiber fabrication

• Autor(a) principal: Pinto, Julian Torres de Miranda
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul
• Texto Completo: https://repositorio.cruzeirodosul.edu.br/handle/123456789/2448
• topic: CNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS; CNPQ::ENGENHARIAS::ENGENHARIA SANITARIA; Fibras ópticas; Telecomunicações; Fluxo de materiais - Análise; Engenharia ambiental

Manufacturing optical fibers is both chemical and energy intensive, allowing studies to improve many of its variables, including the composition of its raw materials. Taking the perceived possibility that these materials could be employed on a less environmentally impacting way as a starting point, the objective of this study was to analyze the environmental aspects in the Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition vitreous optical fiber fabrication process. In order to do so, the Material Flow Analysis methodology was chosen and Umberto Software was used as a tool to calculate, compare and graphically depict the inputs, outputs, stocks and flows within the manufacturing process, according to two chosen Project Oriented Environmental Management Indicators: IPCC 2007 Global Warming Potential (100 years) and ReCiPe Hierarchical Average Endpoint Environmental Impact. To this end, every primary and secondary raw material, energy source and process that exists within the fabrication was detailed, subsiding 18 scenarios. Each scenario was a combination of six different raw material alternatives and three different energy sourcing options. The model was set to produce a vitreous optical fiber with a length of 1 km and total diameter of 129 μm, 8 μm core, 2 μm coating layer and the remainder of its composition represented its cladding. The MCVD fabrication process was divided into two stages: preform fabrication – which occurred in a lathe with a mobile blowtorch – and pulling/drawing – which occurred in an insulated precision furnace. The production output speed was calculated to be 915 m/h, which, under 29% thermophoretic core deposition efficiency and 70% UV coating efficiency required a gaseous raw material input flow of 7.37 L.min-1 . As of today, the fabrication process generates average emissions of 8.02 kgCO2eq/km and requires large amounts of resources from water and ground compartments. As a result, a Material Flow Model was created, pointing the metallic and chalcogenic raw materials, the Renewable Energy Mix and the alternative catalyst as the least environmentally hazardous combinations for vitreous optical fiber production. It was concluded that the production process can have its environmental performance significantly improved while maintaining optical fiber quality by developing suppliers to deliver same or similar raw material with better environmental performances. Finally, the Material Flow Analysis methodology is an important tool to support decision-makers on including more environmentally compliant alternatives.