During the use phase of products, a series of obsolescing factors contribute to why a product is disposed of. Currently the visual state of a product is considered primarily in terms of aesthetic obsolescence which is synonymous with influential factors such as changes in fashion or personal preferences in style. The physical condition of a product is not commonly understood within the context of product replacement and the physical changes due to use are not understood fully. The research contributes to and provides original empirical research findings for the current literature on product lifetime extension, material semantics, the circular economy, emotionally durable design and material culture. Through an initial exploratory study (Photographic Analysis (PA) Study) of previously unexplained types of wear and damage that occur on portable electronic devices a taxonomy of damage (TOD) was established which provided the nomenclature for further studies. The second study (Retrospective Assessment (RA) Study) established the attitudes to wear based on the wear type, location, material and the stage during ownership that the wear occurred at. The RA Study highlighted the differences in the attitudinal responses to differing types of wear and damage and identified the differences in the temporal assessments of wear and damage. A third study (Real Time Assessment (RTA) Study) aimed to confirm or repudiate the findings found in the RA Study. The focus during the study was attitudes to the wear and damage in relation to the differences in materials, the location of the wear and the type of wear and damage was also looked at and led to a fuller understanding of how products and materials are perceived during the use phase; a stage of the product lifetime that is not currently well understood in terms of users aesthetic or cosmetic sensibilities. The final study (Semantic Perception of Materials (SPM) Study) focused on the visual and tactile perceptions of materials. The study established attitudinal perceptions of wear and damage of materials with a quantitative research methodology which has produced a better understanding of material semantics within the context of electronic objects. Through the four studies, discussion topics arose and major findings of the doctoral study were drawn out and seen to be interesting enough for further research and study. These discussions include the importance of including cosmetic obsolescence into the lexicon of product obsolescence and product lifetime extension literature, the differences in the perceptions of materials when they are within the context of a product or being assessed as samples, how differing product contexts affect user perceptions of wear and damage on materials and the potential inclusion of a material wear index that could inform the material selection process that goes further than the technical aspects outlined in current material selection tools and literature.

Submitted by Maria Eneide de Souza Araujo (mearaujo@ipen.br) on 2015-02-25T13:57:02Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-25T13:57:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Tese (Doutorado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Submitted by Maria Eneide de Souza Araujo (mearaujo@ipen.br) on 2015-02-25T13:57:02Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-25T13:57:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O Reator Nuclear de Pesquisa IEA-R1 em operação desde 1957 no Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP) é um dos reatores mais antigos do mundo em operação. Em algum momento no futuro, a exemplo de outros reatores, será desligado definitivamente. Antes de chegar este momento a organização operadora precisa planejar o futuro de suas instalações e definir o destino que pretende dar aos equipamentos e materiais radioativos e não radioativos que se encontram no interior das instalações. Estas questões devem estar contidas no chamado \"Plano de Descomissionamento Preliminar da Instalação\" que é o tema deste trabalho. O trabalho apresenta inicialmente uma visão geral sobre este tema e relaciona os objetivos gerais e específicos para sua realização, descrevendo a seguir, as diretrizes que a organização operadora deve considerar para formulação de um plano de descomissionamento. A estrutura atual do setor nuclear brasileiro enfatizando principalmente as normas utilizadas no gerenciamento do rejeito radioativo é apresentada. Uma descrição dos principais equipamentos do reator IEA-R1 que constituem o seu inventário radioativo e não radioativo é apresentada. O trabalho enfatiza também a experiência adquirida pelo corpo técnico do reator com as reformas e modificações realizadas na instalação durante sua vida útil. Esta experiência pode ser de grande valia por ocasião do descomissionamento do reator no futuro. Um experimento usando o método de espectrometria gama de alta resolução e cálculo computacional através da teoria de Monte Carlo foi realizado com o objetivo de se obter uma estimativa do volume de rejeito radioativo gerado pelo desmantelamento das paredes de concreto da piscina do reator. O custo do descomissionamento em função da estratégia escolhida é determinado utilizando o código CERREX. Por fim, é realizada uma discussão sobre as diferentes estratégias consideradas. Na base destas discussões conclui-se que a estratégia mais vantajosa a ser adotada no caso deste reator é aquela que preserva o seu prédio e instalações anexas, tendo em vista o grande volume de rejeito radioativo e custos sensivelmente maiores que resultariam com o seu desmantelamento. É sugerida a preservação de parte das equipes de operação, manutenção, proteção radiológica e física da instalação e utilização do prédio do reator e anexos para divulgação da energia nuclear através de sua transformação em um museu, uma vez que este foi o primeiro reator nuclear construído no Brasil e, desde sua inauguração, tem sido utilizado como forma de divulgação da energia nuclear no país. / Tese (Doutorado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Renewable energy sources are in strong demand as the need for clean energy is increasing, driven by the need to reach the environmental targets. Offshore wind power is becoming an attractive source as the technology matures and cost decreases. With time all wind farms age and when the time comes one needs to consider end of life alternatives. The objective with this Thesis is to assess lifetime extension of offshore wind farms, with a focus on reliability, availability and maintenance. As of today there are few offshore wind farms reaching their end of life but one needs to be prepared. From the literature review it is clear that there is somewhat limited documentation around lifetime extensions. The reason for lifetime extension is to increase the return on investment (ROI) of the original project, with a limited additional investment. With capital expenditure (CAPEX) being a large part of the overall project cost it is beneficial to achieve more operational years to divide the cost over, one also need to consider increased operations and maintenance (O&M) cost with aging assets. In this Thesis, a Reliability block diagram (RBD) model was developed in ReliaSoft BlockSim to calculate wind turbine failures, their associated downtime and O&M costs to create an overview of the future behaviour and cost. To assess the wind farm economics a financial model was built, based on output from the RBD model, to evaluate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and internal rate of return (IRR) for several cases of lifetime extension. A case study was done for a generic wind farm of 30 wind turbines, assumed to be built around 2010 using 3.6MW rated turbines, to illustrate a relevant case. Focus was on O&M cost, and it was assumed the structural integrity of the wind turbines would be maintained for the lifetime extension for up to 10 years.

Atualmente, o excesso de produção, consumo e descarte de vestuário de moda - e o ritmo acelerado e contínuo como isso acontece - resulta em um impacto socioambiental de proporções consideráveis. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho buscou discutir possíveis requisitos projetuais para o design de vestuário de moda orientados à redução de seu impacto socioambiental, com ênfase no prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda e consequentemente na alteração da dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos. Para tanto, foi necessário compreender e estudar a relação entre o design e a sustentabilidade, identificar os impactos socioambientais do vestuário de moda, elencar os aspectos projetáveis do vestuário de moda que influenciam o consumidor em relação ao produto, e assimilar a opinião do consumidor a respeito da relação entre o vestuário de moda e a sustentabilidade. A partir de uma revisão de literatura e de uma pesquisa exploratória, foi possível inferir que o prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda, ao alterar a dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos, desacelerar o ritmo de sua produção, seu consumo e seu descarte, configurando-se como uma alternativa para a redução de seu impacto socioambiental. / Currently, the excess of production, consumption and disposal of fashion clothing - and the accelerated and continuous rhythm as it happens - results in a social and environmental impact of considerable proportions. This work aimed to discuss possible projectual requirements for the fashion clothing design geared to reducing its social and environmental impact, with emphasis on the lifetime extension of fashion clothing and consequently on change of life cycle dynamics of these products. In order to reach this aim, it was necessary to understand and to study the relation between design and sustainability, to identify the social and environmental impacts of fashion clothing, to list the projectable aspects of fashion clothing that influence the consumer respecting the product, and to assimilate the consumer opinion about fashion clothing and sustainability. From a literature review and an exploratory research, it was possible to infer that the lifetime extension of fashion clothing, in changing the lifecycle dynamics of these products, decelerates the rhythm of its production, its consumption and its disposal, setting up as an alternative for reducing its social and environmental impact.

Atualmente, o excesso de produção, consumo e descarte de vestuário de moda - e o ritmo acelerado e contínuo como isso acontece - resulta em um impacto socioambiental de proporções consideráveis. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho buscou discutir possíveis requisitos projetuais para o design de vestuário de moda orientados à redução de seu impacto socioambiental, com ênfase no prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda e consequentemente na alteração da dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos. Para tanto, foi necessário compreender e estudar a relação entre o design e a sustentabilidade, identificar os impactos socioambientais do vestuário de moda, elencar os aspectos projetáveis do vestuário de moda que influenciam o consumidor em relação ao produto, e assimilar a opinião do consumidor a respeito da relação entre o vestuário de moda e a sustentabilidade. A partir de uma revisão de literatura e de uma pesquisa exploratória, foi possível inferir que o prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda, ao alterar a dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos, desacelerar o ritmo de sua produção, seu consumo e seu descarte, configurando-se como uma alternativa para a redução de seu impacto socioambiental. / Currently, the excess of production, consumption and disposal of fashion clothing - and the accelerated and continuous rhythm as it happens - results in a social and environmental impact of considerable proportions. This work aimed to discuss possible projectual requirements for the fashion clothing design geared to reducing its social and environmental impact, with emphasis on the lifetime extension of fashion clothing and consequently on change of life cycle dynamics of these products. In order to reach this aim, it was necessary to understand and to study the relation between design and sustainability, to identify the social and environmental impacts of fashion clothing, to list the projectable aspects of fashion clothing that influence the consumer respecting the product, and to assimilate the consumer opinion about fashion clothing and sustainability. From a literature review and an exploratory research, it was possible to infer that the lifetime extension of fashion clothing, in changing the lifecycle dynamics of these products, decelerates the rhythm of its production, its consumption and its disposal, setting up as an alternative for reducing its social and environmental impact.

Lifetime and obsolescence of components for computer-based systems poses issues for continued usage and maintenance of the systems. This thesis investigates possible alternatives for lifetime extension of a train identification system used in Stockholm Metro. Research of other train identification systems available on the market were made to enable a cost comparison between lifetime extension and system replacement. Methods for extending lifetime of computer-based system, where components are obsolete, were investigated. Since most system documentation was inaccessible a reverse- engineering approach was chosen. Through usage of electrical schematics acquired and open-source hardware descriptions a hardware emulator was developed, which is directly compatible with the existing hardware. The total amount of resources used indicates it is possible to extend the systems lifetime at a low cost, as compared to the cost of system replacement. / Livslängd och åldrande av komponenter för datorbaserade system utgör problem för fortsatt användande och underhåll av systemen. Den här avhandlingen undersöker möjliga alternativ för livstidsförlängning av ett tågidentifieringssystem som används i Stockholms tunnelbana. Efterforskningar av andra tågidentifieringssystem tillgängliga på marknaden genomfördes för att möjliggöra en kostnadsjämförelse mellan livstidsförlängning och systemutbyte. Metoder för förlängning av livslängd av datorbaserade system, där komponenter är föråldrade, undersöktes. Då stora delar av systemdokumentationen inte var tillgänglig valdes baklängesutveckling som strategi. Genom användande av förvärvade elscheman och öppen-källkod hårdvarubeskrivningar kunde en hårdvaruemulator utvecklas, vilken är direkt kompatibel med befintlig hårdvara. Den totala resursanvändningen indikerar att det är möjligt att förlänga systemets livslängd till en låg kostnad, jämfört med kostnaden för ett systembyte.

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate different repowering alternatives from the viewpoint of increasing power production from existing offshore wind farms (OWF), as some of the first commissioned OWFs are approaching the end of their expected lifetime. The thesis presents a literature review of components and financial aspects that are of importance for repowering of OWFs. In the literature review, risks and uncertainties regarding repowering are also lifted and analysed. The thesis contains a case study on Horns Rev 1 OWF, where three different repowering scenarios are evaluated by technical and financial performance, aiming to compare the cost of repowering alternatives. The design of the case study is based around previous studies of offshore repowering having focused mainly on achieving the lowest possible levelized cost of energy (LCoE) and highest possible capacity factor, often resulting in suggested repowering utilizing smaller wind turbines than the existing ones. In order to evaluate the financial viability of repowering alternatives, the software RETScreen Expert was used to estimate the annual energy production (AEP) after losses and calculate the net present value (NPV) and LCoE for lifetime extension and full repowering utilizing different capacity wind turbines. Input values from the literature as well as real wind resource measurements from the site was utilized to achieve as accurate results as possible. The result of the case study shows that repowering of OWFs have the possibility of providing a very strong business case with all scenarios resulting in a positive NPV as well as lower LCoE than the benchmarked electricity production price. Although the initial investment cost of the different repowering alternatives presented in this thesis still are uncertain to some extent, due to the lack of reliable costs for repowering alternatives, this thesis provides a base for further research regarding the repowering of OWFs.

The increasing share of renewable energies in the power sector influences the economic viability of investments in new conventional power plants. Many studies have investigated these issues by considering power plant operation or the long-term development of the power plant fleet. However, power plant decommissioning, investment and operation are intrinsically linked. This doctoral thesis therefore presents a modelling framework for an integrated consideration of power plant decommissioning, investment and operation. In a case study focusing on Germany, the effects of the integration of renewable energies on power plant decommissioning, investment and operation are evaluated in the context of different assumptions regarding the remaining lifetime of nuclear power plants. With regard to the use of nuclear power, a phase-out scenario and a scenario with lifetime extension of nuclear power plants (by on average 12 years) are considered. The results show that static decommissioning (i.e. considering fixed technical lifetimes) underestimates the capacity available in the power sector in the scenario without lifetime extension since retrofit measures (versus decommissioning) are not taken into account. In contrast, capacity available in the case of nuclear lifetime extension is overestimated since mothballing (versus regular operation) is not considered. If the impact on decommissioning decisions of profit margins accrued during power plant operation are considered (“dynamic decommissioning”), the electricity price reduction effect due to a lifetime extension is reduced by more than half in comparison to static decommissioning. Scarcity situations do not differ significantly between the scenarios with and without lifetime extension with dynamic decommissioning; in contrast, there is a significantly higher need for imports without lifetime extension with static decommissioning. The case study demonstrates that further system flexibility is needed for the integration of renewable energies. It can be further concluded that the share of flexible power plants is higher with the phase-out of nuclear power plants. With regard to the decommissioning dynamics, the phase-out can be considered as beneficial for the economic viability of fossil power plants. Furthermore, the phase-out does not, overall, lead to environmental disadvantages in the medium term, but may be beneficial in the long run since lock-in effects are avoided. Further research is required with regard to the consideration of future flexibility options and a new market design. / Der steigende Anteil erneuerbarer Energien beeinflusst die Wirtschaftlichkeit von Investitionen in neue konventionelle Kraftwerke. Zahlreiche Studien haben diese Aspekte in Bezug auf den Kraftwerksbetrieb oder die langfristige Entwicklung des Kraftwerksparks untersucht. Stilllegungen, Investitionen und Betrieb im Kraftwerkspark bedingen jedoch einander. Aus diesem Grund wird in dieser Doktorarbeit ein Modellierungsansatz für eine integrierte Betrachtung von Kraftwerksstilllegung, -investition und -betrieb vorgestellt. In einer Fallstudie für Deutschland werden die Auswirkungen einer Integration erneuerbarer Energien auf Kraftwerksstilllegung, -investition und -betrieb im Zusammenhang mit unterschiedlichen Annahmen über die Restlaufzeit von Kernkraftwerken untersucht. Bezogen auf die Nutzung der Kernenergie wird hierbei ein Ausstiegsszenario sowie ein Laufzeitverlängerungsszenario (Verlän-gerung der Laufzeit um durchschnittlich 12 Jahre) betrachtet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die statische Stilllegung (d.h. die Betrachtung fester technischer Lebensdauern) im Fall eines Verzichts auf die Laufzeitverlängerung die im Kraftwerkspark verfügbare Leistung unterschätzt, da Retrofit-Maßnahmen (im Vergleich zur Stilllegung) nicht berücksichtigt werden. Die verfügbare Leistung im Falle einer Laufzeitverlängerung wird dagegen überschätzt, da die Möglichkeit der Kaltreserve (im Vergleich zum regulären Betrieb) vernachlässigt wird. Werden die Rückwirkungen der im Betrieb erwirtschaftbaren Deckungsbeiträge auf Stilllegungsentscheidungen (“dynamische Stilllegung”) betrachtet, so wird der strompreissenkende Effekt durch die Laufzeitverlängerung im Vergleich zur statischen Stilllegung mehr als halbiert. Knappheitssitutationen unterscheiden sich nicht wesentlich mit und ohne Laufzeitverlängerung im Fall der dynamischen Stilllegung, während bei statischer Stilllegung ohne Laufzeitzeitverlängerung ein deutlich größerer Importbedarf besteht. Die Fallstudie zeigt, dass weitere Systemflexibilitäten für die Integration erneuerbarer Energien benötigt werden. Der Anteil flexibler Kraftwerke ist größer im Fall des Kernenergieausstiegs. Der Kernenergieausstieg wirkt sich in Bezug auf die Stilllegungsdynamik positiv auf die Wirtschaftlichkeit fossiler Kraftwerke aus. Insgesamt führt der Kernenergieausstieg zu keinen mittelfristig nachteiligen Umwelteffekten, er kann sich jedoch langfristig positiv auswirken, da Lock-in-Effekte vermieden werden. Es besteht weiterer Forschungsbedarf in Bezug auf die Berücksichtigung künftiger Flexibilitätsoptionen und ein neues Marktdesign.

The increasing share of renewable energies in the power sector influences the economic viability of investments in new conventional power plants. Many studies have investigated these issues by considering power plant operation or the long-term development of the power plant fleet. However, power plant decommissioning, investment and operation are intrinsically linked. This doctoral thesis therefore presents a modelling framework for an integrated consideration of power plant decommissioning, investment and operation. In a case study focusing on Germany, the effects of the integration of renewable energies on power plant decommissioning, investment and operation are evaluated in the context of different assumptions regarding the remaining lifetime of nuclear power plants. With regard to the use of nuclear power, a phase-out scenario and a scenario with lifetime extension of nuclear power plants (by on average 12 years) are considered. The results show that static decommissioning (i.e. considering fixed technical lifetimes) underestimates the capacity available in the power sector in the scenario without lifetime extension since retrofit measures (versus decommissioning) are not taken into account. In contrast, capacity available in the case of nuclear lifetime extension is overestimated since mothballing (versus regular operation) is not considered. If the impact on decommissioning decisions of profit margins accrued during power plant operation are considered (“dynamic decommissioning”), the electricity price reduction effect due to a lifetime extension is reduced by more than half in comparison to static decommissioning. Scarcity situations do not differ significantly between the scenarios with and without lifetime extension with dynamic decommissioning; in contrast, there is a significantly higher need for imports without lifetime extension with static decommissioning. The case study demonstrates that further system flexibility is needed for the integration of renewable energies. It can be further concluded that the share of flexible power plants is higher with the phase-out of nuclear power plants. With regard to the decommissioning dynamics, the phase-out can be considered as beneficial for the economic viability of fossil power plants. Furthermore, the phase-out does not, overall, lead to environmental disadvantages in the medium term, but may be beneficial in the long run since lock-in effects are avoided. Further research is required with regard to the consideration of future flexibility options and a new market design. / Der steigende Anteil erneuerbarer Energien beeinflusst die Wirtschaftlichkeit von Investitionen in neue konventionelle Kraftwerke. Zahlreiche Studien haben diese Aspekte in Bezug auf den Kraftwerksbetrieb oder die langfristige Entwicklung des Kraftwerksparks untersucht. Stilllegungen, Investitionen und Betrieb im Kraftwerkspark bedingen jedoch einander. Aus diesem Grund wird in dieser Doktorarbeit ein Modellierungsansatz für eine integrierte Betrachtung von Kraftwerksstilllegung, -investition und -betrieb vorgestellt. In einer Fallstudie für Deutschland werden die Auswirkungen einer Integration erneuerbarer Energien auf Kraftwerksstilllegung, -investition und -betrieb im Zusammenhang mit unterschiedlichen Annahmen über die Restlaufzeit von Kernkraftwerken untersucht. Bezogen auf die Nutzung der Kernenergie wird hierbei ein Ausstiegsszenario sowie ein Laufzeitverlängerungsszenario (Verlän-gerung der Laufzeit um durchschnittlich 12 Jahre) betrachtet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die statische Stilllegung (d.h. die Betrachtung fester technischer Lebensdauern) im Fall eines Verzichts auf die Laufzeitverlängerung die im Kraftwerkspark verfügbare Leistung unterschätzt, da Retrofit-Maßnahmen (im Vergleich zur Stilllegung) nicht berücksichtigt werden. Die verfügbare Leistung im Falle einer Laufzeitverlängerung wird dagegen überschätzt, da die Möglichkeit der Kaltreserve (im Vergleich zum regulären Betrieb) vernachlässigt wird. Werden die Rückwirkungen der im Betrieb erwirtschaftbaren Deckungsbeiträge auf Stilllegungsentscheidungen (“dynamische Stilllegung”) betrachtet, so wird der strompreissenkende Effekt durch die Laufzeitverlängerung im Vergleich zur statischen Stilllegung mehr als halbiert. Knappheitssitutationen unterscheiden sich nicht wesentlich mit und ohne Laufzeitverlängerung im Fall der dynamischen Stilllegung, während bei statischer Stilllegung ohne Laufzeitzeitverlängerung ein deutlich größerer Importbedarf besteht. Die Fallstudie zeigt, dass weitere Systemflexibilitäten für die Integration erneuerbarer Energien benötigt werden. Der Anteil flexibler Kraftwerke ist größer im Fall des Kernenergieausstiegs. Der Kernenergieausstieg wirkt sich in Bezug auf die Stilllegungsdynamik positiv auf die Wirtschaftlichkeit fossiler Kraftwerke aus. Insgesamt führt der Kernenergieausstieg zu keinen mittelfristig nachteiligen Umwelteffekten, er kann sich jedoch langfristig positiv auswirken, da Lock-in-Effekte vermieden werden. Es besteht weiterer Forschungsbedarf in Bezug auf die Berücksichtigung künftiger Flexibilitätsoptionen und ein neues Marktdesign.