ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

pascal.lesage
Posts: 30
Joined: 19 Sep 2014 21:31

ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by pascal.lesage » 28 Nov 2014 02:35

Dear Forum,

I have a question about the implementation of ecoinvent v3 in OpenLCA.

When selecting flows to add as inputs to a process (say "Tap water" in CA-QC to a water bottling process), I am presented multiple flows that are all seemingly identical: all have the same name, and all have the same UUID. However, they are stem from a different process.

The behaviour I would have hoped for was that all these flows would be collapsed in one, ant that the selection of the appropriate "default provider" would be done in the process modeling window or be set to be the market. As it stands, I have to include each flow one by one and check the default supplier to see if I have selected the appropriate flow (remember, it is always the same flow we are taking about - same name, same UUID, same properties). What is more, I have found that it is impossible to select an alternative supplier for the flow (except from toggling between U and S if both databases have been combined). This means that I cannot do sensitivity analyses that switch providers.

Am I doing something wrong?
If OpenLCA cannot (yet?) allow switching supplier for identical product flows, is there a way to see what the default supplier is for the options that are given when I select a flow, so as to avoid the "While you haven't found what you are looking for-->choose one, check default provider, close" loop?

Many thanks!
Pascal

pascal.lesage
Posts: 30
Joined: 19 Sep 2014 21:31

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by pascal.lesage » 09 Jan 2015 22:33

Hi - just wanted to bring this up again. Does anyone have a hint on how to deal with this?
Thanks,
Pascal

Nachhaltigkeit
Posts: 15
Joined: 03 Jun 2014 12:47

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by Nachhaltigkeit » 13 Jan 2015 12:15

hi! I just wanted to add that I'm wondering about the same problem!

aciroth
Posts: 750
Joined: 09 May 2010 23:28

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by aciroth » 15 Jan 2015 02:12

dear all,
thank you - we are aware of this issue and will update this in the next version of the ecoinvent database packages. It is not incorrect as it is (if I remember correctly, these flows have different UUIDs in ecoinvent) but it is of course somewhat inconvenient.
Best wishes

pascal.lesage
Posts: 30
Joined: 19 Sep 2014 21:31

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by pascal.lesage » 20 Jan 2015 17:35

Hi Andreas,

Great to hear that you are planning on making changes. Just to clarify, the product UUID are actually all the same, but the associated activity UUID are different. For example, "electricity, high voltage" (UUID 66c93e71-f32b-4591-901c-55395db5c132) is associated with 1164 activities that each have unique UUIDs.

If ever you would like external input on "hoped for behaviour" of the software in using ecoinvent v3 (e.g. for developing user stories), we at CIRAIG would love to participate.

All the best,
Pascal

judlj
Posts: 4
Joined: 28 Apr 2011 12:08

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by judlj » 20 Jun 2016 14:36

Hi all!

Has this issue been resolved? I have been bothered with the same for a long time.

All the best,
Jáchym

aciroth
Posts: 750
Joined: 09 May 2010 23:28

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by aciroth » 21 Jun 2016 12:25

Hi Jáchym,
thanks for following up - this is an issue of both openLCA and ecoinvent, which we will fully solve in openLCA 2.0. Basically, now openLCA has the limitation to not accept the same product flow more than once in inputs or outputs of processes, and in ecoinvent, the products from system and unit processes are different flows - both reasons together brought us to not merge the flows for now. However, the product flow name is now indicating the process which helps a lot in the identification, see screenshot below from a combined unit and system process ecoinvent database.
Hth,
Andreas
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pascal.lesage
Posts: 30
Joined: 19 Sep 2014 21:31

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by pascal.lesage » 27 Mar 2017 20:49

Hi - I was wondering if the use of ecoinvent was now improved in openLCA 1.6 with ecoinvent 3.3. Specifically:
- Is is possible to have a combined Unit process and System database, and choose "Connect with system processes if possible"
- Is it possible to first choose an input product flow when modelling a unit process, and then choose any of the multiple unit processes providing that product via e.g. choose default provider or on the plan.
Thanks

aciroth
Posts: 750
Joined: 09 May 2010 23:28

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by aciroth » 28 Mar 2017 13:58

Hi Pascal,
- Is is possible to have a combined Unit process and System database, and choose "Connect with system processes if possible"
yes
- Is it possible to first choose an input product flow when modelling a unit process, and then choose any of the multiple unit processes providing that product via e.g. choose default provider or on the plan
Yes
Also the limitation mentioned by Jáchym is solved in v1.6, openLCA can now deal with the same flow several times in input or output.
Maybe you can try yourself?
Cheers
Andreas

pascal.lesage
Posts: 30
Joined: 19 Sep 2014 21:31

Re: ecoinvent v3 - multiple instances of same flows

Post by pascal.lesage » 04 Apr 2017 21:40

This is wonderful news, I most definitely will now acquire ecoinvent v3.3 to try this out.

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