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Laptop Recycling Case Study: Estimating The Contained Value And Value Recovery Process Feasibility Of End-Of-Life Consumer Electronics, Zebulon Hart
Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering
Work has been done to establish, through the development and use of novel assay techniques and analysis metrics, the contained value of a sampling of laptop computers (as an analog for myriad e-waste sources). This work has conceptualized e-waste as an alternative to geologic-origin complex metallic ores and has likewise evaluated the feasibility of value recovery from e-waste sources in a similar manner to an ore. The application of conventional and novel mineral separation techniques to e-waste recycling processes has been evaluated and positive results are demonstrated. Further, this work has demonstrated the ability to identify the presence of base …
Redesigning Products To Optimize Sustainable Performance In Multi-Generational Closed-Loop Production For Advancing The Circular Economy, Buddhika Minendra Hapuwatte
Redesigning Products To Optimize Sustainable Performance In Multi-Generational Closed-Loop Production For Advancing The Circular Economy, Buddhika Minendra Hapuwatte
Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering
Sustainable manufacturing and the circular economy concepts promote efficient and effective resource use to minimize the adverse economic, environmental, and social impacts of alarmingly increasing consumption rates. Product design is the key to implement these transformations in manufacturing. However, the currently available sustainable and circular design methods are not comprehensive and inadequate—especially for multi-generational products. Therefore, designing sustainable products optimized for circular and closed-loop production systems is a challenging task. The 6Rs concept introduced ‘Redesign’ to modify a product’s engineering specifications and allow sustainable utilization of the end-of-use resources from previous generations, thus closing the production loop. Therefore, the objective …
Transforming A Circular Economy Into A Helical Economy For Advancing Sustainable Manufacturing, Ryan T. Bradley
Transforming A Circular Economy Into A Helical Economy For Advancing Sustainable Manufacturing, Ryan T. Bradley
Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering
The U.N. projects the world population to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050, which will cause demand for manufactured goods to reach unforeseen levels. In order for us to produce the goods to support an equitable future, the methods in which we manufacture those goods must radically change. The emerging Circular Economy (CE) concept for production systems has promised to drastically increase economic/business value by significantly reducing the world’s resource consumption and negative environmental impacts. However, CE is inherently limited because of its emphasis on recycling and reuse of materials. CE does not address the holistic changes needed across …