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Economic growth and ecological problems have pushed industries to switch to eco-friendly technologies. However, environmental impact is still often neglected since production efficiency remains the main concern. Patent analysis in the field of process engineering shows that, on the one hand, some eco-issues appear as secondary problems of the new technologies, and on the other hand, eco-friendly solutions often show lower efficiency or performance capability. The study categorizes typical environmental problems and eco-contradictions in the field of process engineering involving solids handling and identifies underlying inventive principles that have a higher value for environmental innovation. Finally, 42 eco-innovation methods adapting TRIZ are chronologically presented and discussed.
Economic growth and ecological problems motivate industries to apply eco-friendly technologies and equipment. However, environmental impact, followed by energy and material consumption still remain the main negative implications of the technological progress in process engineering. Based on extensive patent analysis, this paper assigns more than 250 identified eco-innovation problems and requirements to 14 general eco-categories with energy consumption and losses, air pollution, and acidification as top issues. It defines primary eco-engineering contradictions, in case eco-problems appear as negative side effects of the new technologies, and secondary eco-engineering contradictions, if eco-friendly solutions have new environmental drawbacks. The study conceptualizes a correlation matrix between the eco-requirements for prediction of typical eco-contradictions on example of processes involving solids handling. Finally, it summarizes major eco-innovation approaches including Process Intensification in process engineering, and chronologically reviews 66 papers on eco-innovation adapting TRIZ methodology. Based on analysis of 100 eco-patents, 58 process intensification technologies, and literature, the study identifies 20 universal TRIZ inventive principles and sub-principles that have a higher value for environmental innovation.
The research work analyses the relationship of 155 Process Intensification (PI) technologies to the components of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). It outlines TRIZ inventive principles frequently used in PI, and identifies opportunities for enhancing systematic innovation in process engineering by applying complementary TRIZ and PI. The study also proposes 70 additional inventive TRIZ sub-principles for the problems frequently encountered in process engineering, resulting in the advanced set of 160 inventive operators, assigned to the 40 TRIZ inventive principles. Finally, we analyse and discuss inventive principles used in 150 patent documents published in the last decade in the field of solid handling in the ceramic and pharmaceutical industries.
Identification of Secondary Problems of New Technologies in Process Engineering by Patent Analysis
(2018)
The implementation of new technologies in production plants often causes negative side effects and drawbacks. In this context, the prediction of the secondary problems and risks can be used advantageously for selecting best solutions for intensification of the processes. The proposed method puts primary emphasis on systematic and fast anticipation of secondary problems using patent documents, and on extraction and prediction of possible engineering contradictions within novel technical systems. The approach comprises three ways to find secondary problems: (a) direct knowledge-based identification of secondary problems in new technologies or equipment; (b) identification of secondary problems of prototypes mentioned in patent citation trees; and (c) prediction of negative side effects using the correlation matrix for invention goals and secondary problems in a specific engineering domain.
In recent years, the application of TRIZ methodology in the process engineering has been found promising to develop comprehensive inventive solution concepts for process intensification (PI). However, the effectiveness of TRIZ for PI is not measured or estimated. The paper describes an approach to evaluate the efficiency of TRIZ application in process intensification by comparing six case studies in the field of chemical, pharmaceutical, ceramic, and mineral industries. In each case study, TRIZ workshops with the teams of researchers and engineers has been performed to analyze initial complex problem situation, to identify problems, to generate new ideas, and to create solution concepts. The analysis of the workshop outcomes estimates fulfilment of the PI-goals, impact of secondary problems, variety and efficiency of ideas and solution concepts. In addition to the observed positive effect of TRIZ application, the most effective inventive principles for process engineering have been identified.
As engineering graduates and specialists frequently lack the advanced skills and knowledge required to run eco-innovation systematically, the paper proposes a new learning materials and educational tools in the field of eco-innovation and evaluates the learning experience and outcomes. This programme is aimed at strengthening student’s skills and motivation to identify and creatively overcome secondary eco-contradictions in case if additional environmental problems appear as negative side effects of eco-friendly solutions. The paper evaluates the efficiency of the proposed interdisciplinary tool for systematic eco-innovation including creative semi-automatic knowledge-based idea generation and concept development. It analyses the learning experience and identifies the factors that impact the eco-innovation performance of the students.
Sustainable chemical processes should be designed to combine the technological advantages and progress with lower safety risks and minimization of environmental impact such as, for example, reduction of raw materials, energy and water consumption, and avoidance of hazardous waste and pollution with toxic chemical agents. A number of novel eco-friendly chemical technologies have been developed in the recent decades with the help of the eco-innovations approaches and methods such as Life Cycle Analysis, Green Process Engineering, Process Intensification, Process Design for Sustainability, and others. An emerging approach to the sustainable process design in process engineering builds on the innovative solutions inspired from nature. However, the implementation of the eco-friendly technologies often faces secondary ecological problems. The study postulates that the eco-inventive principles identified in natural systems allow to avoid secondary eco-problems and proposes to apply these principles for sustainable design in chemical process engineering. The research work critically examines how this approach differs from the biomimetics, as it is commonly used for copying natural systems. The application of nature-inspired eco-design principles is illustrated with an example of a sustainable technology for extraction of nickel from pyrophyllite.
Sustainable design of equipment for process intensification requires a comprehensive and correct identification of relevant stakeholder requirements, design problems and tasks crucial for innovation success. Combining the principles of the Quality Function Deployment with the Importance-Satisfaction Analysis and Contradiction Analysis of requirements gives an opportunity to define a proper process innovation strategy more reliably and to develop an optimal process intensification technology with less secondary engineering and ecological problems.
Environmentally-friendly implementation of new technologies and eco-innovative solutions often faces additional secondary ecological problems. On the other hand, existing biological systems show a lesser environmental impact as compared to the human-made products or technologies. The paper defines a research agenda for identification of underlying eco-inventive principles used in the natural systems created through evolution. Finally, the paper proposes a comprehensive method for capturing eco-innovation principles in biological systems in addition and complementary to the existing biomimetic methods and TRIZ methodology and illustrates it with an example.
As engineering graduates and specialists frequently lack the advanced skills and knowledge required to run eco-innovation systematically, the paper proposes a new teaching method and appropriate learning materials in the field of eco-innovation and evaluates the learning experience and outcomes. This programme is aimed at strengthening student’s skills and motivation to identify and creatively overcome secondary eco-contradictions in case if additional environmental problems appears as negative side effects of eco-friendly solutions.
Based on a literature analysis and own investigations, authors propose to introduce a manageable number of eco-innovation tools into a standard one-semester design course in process engineering with particular focus on the identification of eco-problems in existing technologies, selection of the appropriate new process intensification technologies (knowledge-based engineering), and systematic ideation and problem solving (knowledge-based innovation and invention).
The proposed educational approach equips students with the advanced knowledge, skills and competences in the field of eco-innovation. Analysis of the student’s work allows one to recommend simple-to-use tools for a fast application in process engineering, such as process mapping, database of eco-friendly process intensification technologies, and up to 20 strongest inventive operators for solving of environmental problems. For the majority of students in the survey, even the small workload has strengthened their self-confidence and skills in eco-innovation