The study estimates and compares the GHG impacts of IP variants made from magnesium, steel, plastic and bio-plastic materials over the cradle to use stage life cycle. Comparison of environmental performance reveals that magnesium IPs performed the worst. Most of its emissions come from magnesium sourced from China and from the use of SF6 cover gas in melt protection. In order to improve its performance, applications of technologies that tend to reduce the impact in the casting stage are investigated. This investigation reveals: Application of improvement technologies in casting magnesium CCBs can clearly improve the environmental performance of magnesium IP compared to steel IPs; though further reduction through application of ATM and other promising technologies are need in the case of plastics and bio-plastics. Use of more recycled magnesium with about 5% of the impact of primary magnesium can substantially reduce the impact of magnesium IPs. While the current availability of secondary magnesium is limited, this situation is apt to change with wider applications of magnesium, both in automotive and other sectors such as consumer electronics. Other avenues of reducing GHG emissions of magnesium IPs that may be relevant include: further reduction in weight through development ofnew magnesium alloys, such as misch metal alloys, with better engineering properties; and efficiency improvements in Pidgeon process combined with use of cleaner energy sources rather than coal-based energy use in China.


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    Title :

    Improving environmental performance of magnesium instrument panels


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2010


    Size :

    7 Seiten, 5 Bilder, 7 Tabellen, 31 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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