Exergy Analysis on the Life Cycle of Ceramic Parts

Abstract

Exergy is a measure which can commonly deal with the quantification of the variety of resources, products and energy coming in and going out the manufacturing systems. In this study, exergy analysis was conducted on ceramics and steel heater protection tube used in aluminum casting, and the amount of exergies consumed through their life cycle were calculated. In the production stage, ceramic heater tube consumes much higher exergy than the steel one does, however, analysis throughout the life cycle including production, operation and waste in seven years shows that exergy consumption for the ceramic tube is less than that of the steel tube.