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The product selected by Sauer-Danfoss for the LCA is a hydraulic motor OMV/W-800 (product) illustrated in figure (3.1). The hydraulic motor OMV/W is used for various functions in the applications i.e. in harvester combine functioning the seed roller and cutter etc.  The detailed data on various applications is reported in Appendix C, chapter 2, section (C.2.1). The hydraulic motor is not visible in everyday life. Most of the applications depend on weather and season, in which the hydraulic motors are installed.  

0.1                        Goal and Scope Definition

This section describes the detailed framework of the hydraulic product system. The goal and scope of this case study is designed as below:

Choice of product: Sauer-Danfoss has selected the Hydraulic Motor OMV/W-800 as a reference product because the company was in the process of developing a new generation of hydraulic activation units in order to set a standard at the highest possible level in environmental terms. It is the company’s most optimized unit in terms of energy consumption, material, resource and environmental impacts. The company also wants a life cycle assessment of a hydraulic motor product, which in this case is a product comprised of hydraulic and mechanical parts. The main reasons behind this choice of product are:

¨            Sauer-Danfoss wants to find the potential impacts, including environmental impact potentials and resource consumptions throughout the entire lifespan of the product.

¨            Sauer-Danfoss wants to find the problematic lifespan parts of the hydraulic product with respect to resource consumptions and environmental impact potentials.

¨            Sauer-Danfoss’ choice is to reduce material and energy consumptions if possible in the hydraulic product system throughout the entire life span.

¨            By testing the LCA on the hydraulic motor OMV/W-800 product, Sauer-Danfoss expects that experiences gained with the method can be transferred to the development of all types of new hydraulic motors (products) in the company. 

0.1.1                      Goal Definition

In order to assure that the LCA is used for the right purpose it is important that a goal definition be clearly defined.

In The following goals are in detail defined for this project:

¨            Analyzing the impact potentials, including environmental impact potentials and resource consumptions of the hydraulic motor throughout the entire life span.

¨            Carrying out a complete quantitative analysis of input and output materials, processes, energy and resources flow related to one piece of hydraulic motor type OMV/W-800 throughout the entire life cycle of the hydraulic product.

¨            Identifying and evaluating the most promising options for improving the product systems with respect to environmental quality and resource efficiency (process improvement, choice of raw material, and distribution etc.)

¨            Furthermore, with respect to resource consumptions and environmental impact potentials, finding the problematic lifespan part of the hydraulic product and prepare a report on environmental diagnosis optimized solutions.

¨            Making data from the project available in a format useful in other LCA-studies for Sauer-Danfoss.

¨            Making data and experience for Sauer-Danfoss’ employees and customers in a suitable format.

The LCA can be used for decision-making by adding environmental considerations to the traditional practical and economical aspects.

Finally, the LCA must not be used at the level of details. The present LCA shows only tendencies related to the potential impacts, including environmental impact potentials and resource consumptions in the product system.

The present LCA model “MECEEO Model” supports hydraulic motors to designate the MECEEO table. The found data must not be used at the level of details. The model does not support other products.

The methodology has been defined in compliance with the EDIP methodology on LCA.

0.1.2                      Scope Definition

The objective of the LCA is described in this section. Furthermore the scope definition has to be limited to the case study. 

                             Environmental Activists

Consumers

Producers

Shareholders

                              Sauer-Danfoss (Nordborg) A/S

DK-6430 Nordborg

Denmark

                              Bhander, Gurbakhash Singh

Sauer-Danfoss A/S, Nordborg

Michael Hauschild, IPL Department, DTU

The functional unit: The motor provides mechanical energy to an application as hydraulic energy (pressure, oil flow). As shown in figure (3.2), the application’s diesel engine rotates the pump and the pump makes oil pressure for the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic valve and PVEH (electro-hydraulic activation unit) control motor rotation function by controlling hydraulic flow in the drain system. The PVEH’s (electro-hydraulic activation unit) function is to convert an electrical signal into movement based on hydraulics in the application. The hydraulic valve regulates the hydraulic flow in the drain system on the basis of the PVEH signal. The hydraulic pump provides hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic motor and the hydraulic oil functions through drain pipes and flows back to the storage drum.

The motor converts hydraulic energy into mechanical energy and function in the application. The function of a motor is illustrated in the following example: the hydraulic motor rotates the seed-pushing roller in the harvester combine. The operator controls the seed-pushing roller rotation function (which is connected to the hydraulic motor) with a PVEH, which is placed near the operator seat. The PVEH handle sends the electrical signal to the PVEH and the PVEH converts into a small oil flow in the PVEH’s valve block. The little oil flow controls the main sliding valve in the hydraulic valve, which then admits an oil flow from a pump to the motor. The oil flow pushes the gear set (installed in the motor) and rotates and converts the hydraulic energy into mechanical energy.  The motor rotates the seed-pushing roller according to the operator’s desire. Another example: the hydraulic motor controls the lift of the forklift truck. The operator controls the lift’s up and down function with a PVEH, which is placed near the operator seat. As mentioned in the previous example, the PVEH handle’s electrical signal converts into an oil flow and controls the main sliding valve in the hydraulic valve, which then admits an oil flow from a pump to motor. The motor converts the hydraulic energy into mechanical energy.

The hydraulic motor OMV/W-800 (excluding hydraulic pump, drainpipes and hydraulic valve) loses 14% of its total energy efficiency. The efficiency of the hydraulic pump, drainpipes and hydraulic valve (external system) of the hydraulic system is not included in the present LCA (see later section in detail).

The lifespan of a hydraulic motor depends on the type of machine in which it is installed and how often this machine is in use (see appendix C, chapter 2, section (2.1)). Varied load on the hydraulic motor decreases the lifespan of the hydraulic motor, and long time work on high load, decreases the lifetime by heating up the system and also damaging the motor parts. 

The average lifespan of the hydraulic motor OMV/W-800 (reference product) is estimated on the basis of working time, workload, working conditions and the lifespan in the different applications. Ten main applications are screened and data on energy consumption, working time in the application, replacement, hydraulic oil consumption, and transportation during use of the hydraulic motor in the different applications are estimated (see in detail, chapter 2 and chapter 3, Appendix C). The primary functional unit of the hydraulic motor is calculated on the basis of averages values found from the ten main applications (see appendix C, chapter 2, section (C.2.2)) 

The primary functional unit of the hydraulic motor type OMV/W-800 is thus defined as:

Table (3.1) provides key set figures and parameters that are taken into account in the LCA.

       Table (3.1): Definition of the functional unit.

Figure (3.3): the functional diagram of the hydraulic motor OMV/W-800.

The motor is further characterized by a number of secondary qualities, including:

The hydraulic motor provides the heating to departments in the manufacturing stage through hardening process. Hot water is used for heating the department. No significant secondary service is provided by the hydraulic motor in the use stage. Furthermore, the disposal stage of the hydraulic motor provides heating by incinerating and remelting materials.

Finally, the hydraulic motor does not provide any secondary significant service in its entire lifespan.  

The secondary function of the hydraulic motor type OMV/W-800 is to provide heating (warmth) and hot water during manufacturing and disposal stages in its  entire lifespan of the hydraulic motor. 

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Last modified: October 13, 2001