Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of an Airborne Radar System
Publicerad
Författare
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
This thesis presents a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an airborne
radar system developed by Saab Surveillance, conducted in accordance with ISO
14040 and 14044 standards. The study evaluates the environmental impacts
of the radar across its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to endof-
life, focusing on key impact categories including Global Warming Potential
(GWP), Acidification, Eutrophication, Mineral Resource Scarcity, and Terrestrial
Ecotoxicity.
The assessment identifies the use phase as the predominant contributor to environmental
impact, accounting for over 90% of total emissions in most categories,
primarily due to fuel combustion associated with airborne operation. However,
as this phase lies largely outside the control of Saab Surveillance, a complementary
scenario excluding the use and test phases was conducted to better identify
actionable environmental hotspots within the company’s sphere of influence.
Detailed analysis of the assembly phase revealed that components containing
printed circuit boards, especially those with gold-plated finishes, exert a disproportionately
high environmental burden per kilogram, driven by the energy-intensive
and material-intensive processes associated with gold production. Furthermore,
structural components made from iron-nickel-chromium alloys were found to contribute
significantly to acidification and resource depletion due to nickel-related
emissions.
Recommendations for improving the environmental performance of the radar
system include adopting more aerodynamic and lightweight designs, sourcing
materials from low-emission suppliers, utilizing alternative plating methods such
as nickel-palladium-gold, and exploring bio-based composite materials. Additionally,
the study highlights the potential benefits of implementing a formal
end-of-life disposal plan and considering take-back systems for high-impact
components such as PCBs.
The results provide a strategic foundation for Saab Surveillance to reduce its
environmental footprint, enhance supply chain sustainability, and align future
product development with ecological and regulatory expectations.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Hotpsots, Gold-plating