openLCA archived user forum

Hello, I'm trying to import data form ecospold files, but there are unknown flow properties in this file.

Can this problem be solved?
If yes, how?
If not, is there a possibility that I can still use the other data in de file (with known flow properties)? (I also have excel files with the same data as the ecospold files)

Hi Tom,
the EcoSpold 2 "flow properties" that you are referring to are specific to exchanges (i.e. can be different from one process to another, depending on where a flow is used) and are different from the flow properties which are properties of flows as they are used in openLCA and in the ILCD format. The EcoSpold flow properties are not considered in the EcoSpold 2 import. Does this answer your question - I am not sure myself as "unknown" could also mean that the properties are not known in the original EcoSpold2 files?
Best
Andreas

Hello Andreas, thanks for your reply, but this doesn't solve my problem.

I'm new to the program so I don't have much insight in the data formats it uses. I therefore do not understand where my problem, that openLCA doesn't recognize flow properties used in the data I found, originates from. I shall explain my problem more specifically with screenshots.

The data I found are from an industrial producer (Plastics Europe). They provide data about a specific process in an ecospold and as well in an excel (same data) file. I looked in the excel and from this excel I derived that the data contains flow properties that I cannot choose in openLCA, because they are simply not listed among the possibilities to choose from. I shall upload 2 attachements with a screenshot from flow properties in the excel that I cannot choose in openLCA.

I also clicked on the ecospold, and in it there are the same flow properties as in the excel, that I cannot select in openLCA. I shall paste a small section of the ecospold here:
-<exchange number="48" subCategory="Transformation" category="Land use" unit="(mm*m2)/a" infrastructureProcess="false" name="Groundwater Replenishment" meanValue="0.00318870009354764" standardDeviation95="0" uncertaintyType="1"><inputGroup>4</inputGroup>

When I import the data in openLCA, I get a screen telling me to select flow properties. But I cannot find matching properties for certain units, e.g. (mm*mm^2)/a. I shall upload a screenshot of this screen.

I tried to create new flow properties, but in this creation I am also limited to only a few possibilities of units. So this also doesn't solve my problem.

Does this extra information change anything to your perception of my problem?

Best regards,
Tom

Hi Tom,
thanks for your long post - if you are lacking units, you need to first create them. PlasticsEurope datasets are somehow complicated in several levels, if you need more support please let us know.
Best wishes,
Andreas

Hi, yes that is something we would like to explore, it is basically a Sankey diagram before the calculation.