EP4731407A1

EP4731407A1 - Input material monitoring for chemical production networks

Info

Publication number: EP4731407A1
Application number: EP24825441.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anant Vikas AGGARWAL; Christopher Alec ANDERLOHR; Martin Binder; Jens Ferbitz
Original assignee: BASF SE
Current assignee: BASF SE
Priority date: 2023-06-21
Filing date: 2024-06-21
Publication date: 2026-04-29
Also published as: KR20260027922A; CN121335790A; WO2024261700A1

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of sustainability, in particular to the field of monitoring production attributes of an output material produced by a chemical production. The invention relates to methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer elements for moni- toring one or more production attribute(s) of at least one output material produced by a chemical production network.

Description

INPUT MATERIAL MONITORING FOR CHEMICAL PRODUCTION NETWORKS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of sustainability, in particular to the field of monitoring production attributes of an output material produced by a chemical production. The invention relates to methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer elements for monitoring one or more production attribute(s) of at least one output material produced by a chemical production network.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Chemical production networks are large scale productions producing more than thousands of chemical products through chemical conversion. With the transformation to circular economy input materials for chemical production networks experience dynamic changes. Monitoring of input materials hence becomes increasingly complex.

SUMMARY

In one aspect disclosed is a method, particularly a computer-implemented method, for monitoring one or more production attrib- ute(s) of an output material produced by a chemical production network, the method comprising the steps: providing input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein the one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network, optionally wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, optionally wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s), allocating the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s), providing an output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network, assigning at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier.

In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring one or more production properties of an output material produced by a chemical production network, the apparatus comprising: a data providing interface configured to provide input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein the one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network, optionally wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, optionally wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; an allocation unit configured to allocate the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s) based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s), an identifier providing unit configured to provide an output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network, an assignment unit configured to assign at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier.

In another aspect disclosed is a method for producing at least one output material associated with one or more production attributes, wherein the at least one output material is produced by a chemical production network, the method comprising: providing one or more input material stream(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) to one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network, providing input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface e.g. of an operating apparatus or system, wherein the one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network, optionally wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, optionally wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s), allocating, e.g. by the operating apparatus or system, the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s), providing, e.g. by the operating apparatus or system, an output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network, producing, e.g. by the chemical production network, the at least one output material and providing the output material to one or more exit point(s) of the chemical production network, assigning, e.g. by the operating apparatus or system, at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier. providing, e.g. by the operating apparatus or system, the at least one output material associated with the output material identifier and the assigned at least one production attribute.

In another aspect disclosed is a system for producing at least one output material associated with one or more production attributes, wherein the at least one output material is produced by a chemical production network, the system comprising: a chemical production network configured to receive one or more input material stream(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) at one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network, to produce the at least one output material from the one or more input material stream(s) and to provide the output material to one or more exit point(s) of the chemical production network, a production operating apparatus configured to monitor one or more production properties of the output material produced by the chemical production network according to the methods or by the apparatus disclosed herein, optionally the system is configured to provide the at least one output material associated with the output material identifier and the assigned at least one production attribute.

In another aspect disclosed is a method, particularly a computer-implemented method, for monitoring and/or controlling one or more input material stream(s) to a chemical production network, the method comprising the steps: optionally providing one or more input material streams associated with one or more production attribute(s), wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream; providing input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type, determining one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network based on the input material data, particularly based on at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; providing the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network for providing one or more input material streams to the chemical production network. In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling one or more input material stream(s) to a chemical production network, the apparatus comprising: an input interface configured to provide input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type, an entry point determinator configured to determine one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network based on the input material data, particularly based on at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; an output interface configured to provide the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network for providing one or more input material streams to the chemical production network.

In another aspect disclosed is a method for monitoring and/or controlling one or more input material stream(s) to a chemical production network, the method comprising the steps: providing, e.g. to an operating apparatus, input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type, determining, e.g. by an operating apparatus, one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network based on the input material data, particularly based on at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; providing, e.g. by an operating apparatus, the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network for providing one or more input material stream(s) to the chemical production network. providing, e.g. by a material routing apparatus, one or more input material streams to the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network.

In another aspect disclosed is a system for monitoring and/or controlling one or more input material stream(s) to a chemical production network, the system comprising: an operating apparatus configured to receive input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type, determine one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network based on the input material data, particularly at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; provide the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network for providing one or more input material streams to the chemical production network, a material routing apparatus configured to provide one or more input material streams to the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network.

EMBODIMENTS

Chemical production networks are large scale productions producing more than thousands of chemical products through chemical conversion. To reduce the environmental impact of operating such networks, chemical production networks experience dynamic changes. This in particular concerns the input materials used for such chemical production networks. Input materials of different types need to be fed to the chemical production network.

Since the chemical production networks are integrated chemical production networks with interconnected production chains and include multiple types of production processes for producing multiple output material(s) from multiple input material(s), monitoring the impact of the input materials on the environmental performance of the output materials produced by the chemical production network is challenging.

Reliable monitoring of production properties of the output materials from chemical production networks is hence crucial for the increasing types of input material used. With multiple different types of input materials entering such chemical production networks, reliable monitoring of material flows into and inside the chemical production network is increasingly challenging. To improve monitoring of material flows inside the chemical production network, a monitoring concept based on mass balancing is proposed. Such mass balancing-based monitoring allows for more control over the production attributes from input to output materials for multiple and different types of input materials entering the network at different entry points.

In particular, by allocating and assigning production properties associated with the input materials to material accounts allow for separating the production properties of input materials on entry to the chemical production network and to assign such properties to the output materials exiting the chemical production network. This way the monitoring can be detached from the complex material flows, which in chemical production networks cannot be tracked with physical input material specificity due to the chemical processing. Such tracking becomes increasingly important for circular value chains, where recycled material from different sources, waste streams, end products or material types are fed to chemical production networks. Use of material accounts for production attributes allows for reliable and simple monitoring of material flows in chemical production networks.

Further in particular, the use of one or more production attributes particularly relating to recycling material type and/or recycling process type associated with the recycling material stream on entry and in material accounting allows for more reliable monitor- ing of input material streams to be assigned or fed to suitable production chains and tracking of such attributes across the chemical production network to output materials. In other words, by digitally providing the one or more production attributes particularly relating to recycling material type and/or recycling process to the operating system or apparatus or computing interface of the chemical production network, e.g. on or after entry of the input material stream to the chemical production network, material accounts with respective meta data structure allow for reliable tracking to the output materials despite the decoupling of the attributes from the material flow inside the chemical production network.

Overall the disclosure provides for methods, apparatuses, systems and computing elements that allow for efficient, effective and reliable routing and tracking of material.

The input material stream(s) may include any input material entering the system boundary of the chemical production network. The output material may include any output material exiting the system boundary of the chemical production network. The chemical production network may include multiple production steps or processes. The system boundary of the chemical production network may be defined by the production steps or processes included in the chemical production network. The system boundary may be defined by location or control over production steps or processes. The system boundary may be defined by the site of the chemical production network. The system boundary may be defined by production steps or processes controlled by one entity or multiple entities jointly. The system boundary may be defined by value chain with staggered production processes to an end product, which may be controlled by multiple entities separately. The chemical production network may include a waste collection step, a sorting step, a recycling step such as pyrolysis, depolymerization or dissolution, a cracking step such as steam cracking, a production step such as monomer production, a separation step to separate outputs of one process step and further processing steps to convert such outputs to a output material leaving the system boundary of the chemical production network.

Recycling material streams may relate to materials used for recycling or generated by recycling. The recycling material stream(s) may include materials used for recycling or generated by recycling. The recycling material stream(s) may include recydate and may refer to recydate streams.

The input material stream(s) may be associated with material data including at least one input material identifier associated with the respective input material or input material stream, at least one production attribute associated with the respective input material or input material stream and/or a quantity or an amount of input material provided to the entry point of the chemical production network. The input material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input material or input material stream. The input material identifier may be uniquely linked to the physical entity of the input material or input material stream. This way the virtual or digital identifier of the input material may be uniquely linked to the physical input material. Such linking may include a physical or virtual link of identifiers uniquely associated with the physical input material. For physical linking a tag or code may be physically connected to the material, e.g., by printing a QR code on the packaging. For virtual linking different identifiers associated with the physical material may be linked. For example, an order number, a batch number, LOT number or a combination thereof may be linked.

The one or more production attributes may relate to properties of the output material that are caused by the production of the output material using input material stream(s) and/or production process(es). The one or more production attributes may relate to properties of the input material stream(s) and/or the production processes including recycling processes used by the production chain of the output material. By allocating the one or more production attributes particularly relating to recycling material type and/or recycling process type associated with the recycling material stream to material accounts associated with respective one or more production attributes particularly relating to recycling material type and/or recycling process type, the recycling material stream can be monitored to reliably assign respective production attributes to output materials produced based on such recycling material streams. This way the production attributes stored by material accounts associated with meta data relating to the one or more production attributes particularly relating to recycling material type and/or recycling process type can be tracked from input material streams to output materials produced based on such input material streams.

The production attribute may include, may be stored by or may be part of a digital asset associated with the input material stream(s) or the output material(s). The digital asset associated with the input material stream(s) may include material data relating to at least one input material identifier associated with the respective input material or input material stream, at least one production attribute associated with the respective input material or input material stream and/or a quantity or an amount of input material provided to the entry point of the chemical production network. The production attribute(s) may digitally specify one property or more properties of the input material stream(s) or the output material. The production attribute(s) may relate to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type. The recycling material type may relate to properties of the input material recycled or to be recycled. The recycling process type may relate to properties of the process the input material were recycled by or are to be recycled by. By including the recycling material type and/or the process type into the digital asset associated with the recycling material stream, the recycling material stream may be fed to the entry point of the chemical production network suitable for processing the recycling material stream. For example, the recycling material type may signify that the recycling material stream is recycled input material. This way the recycling material stream associated with this recycled material type may be assigned to be fed to a production process using such recycled material as entry point to the chemical production network. Further for example, the recycling material type may signify that the recycling material stream is to be recycled input material. This way the recycling material stream associated with this to be recycled material type may be assigned to be fed to a recycling process using such material to be recycled as entry point to the chemical production network. Further for example, the recycled material type may signify to be recycled input material that may be unsorted or sorted, such as end-of-life products or parts thereof. This way the recycling material stream associated with this recycled material type sorted may be assigned to be fed to a recycling process using such sorted material as entry point to the chemical production network or the recycling material stream associated with this recycled material type unsorted may be assigned to be fed to a sorting process using such unsorted material as entry point to the chemical production network. The sorting process may precede the recycling process. The recycling process may precede the production process.

The production attribute(s) may relate to, may include or may be environment attribute(s). The environmental attribute(s) may include, may be stored by or may be part of a digital asset associated with the input material or output material. The digital asset associated with the input material stream(s) may include material data relating to at least one input material identifier associated with the respective input material or input material stream, at least one environmental attribute associated with the respective input material or input material stream and/or a quantity or an amount of input material provided to the entry point of the chemical production network. The environmental attribute may digitally specify the environmental impact of the input material or the output material. The environmental attribute may relate to a renewable, a bio-based and/or a recycled content e.g., of the input material and/or output material. The environmental attribute may include a qualitative data point relating to the type of impact e.g., in view of the input material or the output material. The environmental attribute may specify a type such as recycled, renewable and/or bio-based. The qualitative data point may be converted to a quantitative measure such as balancing units. The environmental attribute may include a quantitate data point relating to the type of impact e.g., in view of the input material or the output material, recycled content, renewable content or bio-based content. The environmental attribute may specify recycled, renewable and/or bio-based content. Environmental attribute(s) may refer to any property related to the environmental impact. Such property may be a property of input material(s) or output material(s). The environmental attribute may indicate an environmental performance of input matehalts), the chemical production network and/or output material(s). The environmental attribute may be derived from properties of the input material(s), the chemical production network and/or the output material(s). The environmental attribute may be associated with the environmental impact of one or more material(s) at any stage during their lifecycle. The stages of the material or product lifecycle may include the stages of providing raw material, producing products, such as intermediate products or end products, using products, treating end-of-life products, recycling end-of-life products, disposing end-of-life products, reusing components from end-of-life products or any subset of stages. The environmental attribute may be tracked through any activity of one or more entities participating at any stage of the lifecycle of one or more material(s) or product(s). Environmental attributes associated with any activity of one or more entities participating at any stage of the lifecycle of one or more material(s) or produces) may be accumulated or aggregated.

The environmental attribute may include one or more characteristic(s) that are attributable to environmental impact of the input material(s), output material(s), intermediate product(s) and/or end product(s). The environmental attribute may include environmental, technical, recyclability or circularity characteristics(s) associated with the environmental impact of the input material(s), output material(s), intermediate product(s) and/or end product(s).

Environmental characteristic(s) may specify or quantify ecological criteria associated with the environmental impact of input materials), output material(s), intermediate product(s) and/or end product(s). Environmental characteristic(s) may for example include recycled content, bio-based content, renewable content or the like.

Technical characteristic(s) may specify or quantify product performance at least indirectly associated with the environmental impact. Technical characteristic(s) may for example include product composition data, bill of materials, product specification data, product component data, product safety data, application property data, application instructions or product quality data.

The chemical production network may include multiple production processes or steps per production chain. The production processes or steps included in the chemical production network may be defined by the physical system boundary of the chemical production network. The entry points of the chemical production network may be marked by the entry of input materials to the chemical production network. The input materials entering the chemical production network may be used to produce one or more output material(s). The output material(s) may leave the physical system boundary of the chemical production network. The exit points of the chemical production network may be marked by the exit of output material(s) from the chemical production network.

The chemical production network may comprise one or more entry points at which input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network. Input material stream(s) may include fossil material, non-fossil material or both. In other words, Input material stream(s) may include conventional material, non-conventional material or both. Fossil or conventional input material may include crude oil, natural gas, or coal. Non fossil or non-conventional input material may include renewable material, biobased material, recycled materials, sorted waste or end-of-life inputs or unsorted waste or end-of-life inputs. Input material stream(s) may include feedstock for a gasification plant, a steam cracker, synthesis gas plant, a recycling plant such as a depolymerization plant or a sorting plant, an intermediate production plant and/or or output material production plant. The material account may refer or relate to a digital storage structure that stores data related to production attributes. The material account may relate to a digital storage structure including meta data structure relating to production attribute types. The material account may relate to a digital storage structure including meta data structure relating to production attribute types that stores data related to production attributes. The material account may relate to a digital storage structure including meta data structure relating to production attribute types that allows for tracking production attributes. The production attributes associated with the input material stream(s), particularly the recycling material stream(s), may be allocated to the material account and production attributes associated with the output material may deducted from the material account. The account may be associated with characteristic® identifying the account for balancing production attributes. The account may be associated with characteristic^) identifying the production attributes and the production or balancing units allocated to the account. The account may be associated with characteristic® identifying the production chain the account is associated with. The account may be associated with characteristic® identifying the input or output material the account is associated with. The account may be part of a digital material balancing system including multiple material accounts. The account may hold production attributes for transaction. Production attributes may be allocated, added, deleted, withdrawn, and/or deducted from the material account. The material account may by associated with production attribute(s) such as to be recycled, sorted, mixed, postconsumer waste end-of-life products or parts thereof, preconsumer waste end-of-life products or parts thereof, postindustrial waste or end-of-life products or parts thereof, origin, recycled, bio-based, renewable or combinations thereof. The material account may by associated with input material types such as waste products, end-of-life products or parts thereof, monomer containing recyclate, polymer containing re- cyclate, pyrolysis oil, bio-naphtha, bio-methane, bio-gas or any combinations thereof. The material account associated with the production attribute may be further associated with waste-stream type such as mixed plastics waste, specific end product waste, e.g., foam waste, post-consumer waste, pre-consumer waste/post-industrial waste or combinations thereof. The material account may by associated with an allocation scheme such as segregated allocation, non-segregated allocation like book and claim, mass balance with free attribution, mass balance without free attribution or combinations thereof.

The output material may be produced by the chemical production network to which the input material streams(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) were provided. The output material may be produced by a production chain of the chemical production network to which the input material streams(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) were provided. The output material may be produced based on or from the input material stream(s) associated with one or more production attrib- ute(s).

Assigning at least one production attribute to the at least one output material may include providing an output material identifier associated with the produced output material and assigning the production attribute from the material account to the output material identifier. Assigning at least one production attribute to the at least one output material may include selecting based on one or more target attribute(s) to be assigned to the output material one or more material account(s) associated with production attribute matching at least in part the target attribute(s). Assigning at least one production attribute to the at least one output material may include deducting production attribute(s) from one or more material account® associated with respective production attribute(s). For example, the production attribute(s) deducted may be of the same type as the production attribute(s) the one or more material account® are associated with. In other words, the production attribute(s) of the type(s) as signified by the metadata structure of the material account® may be deducted from the respective material account® thus changing the account balance e.g. measured by balancing units, for the respective production attribute type®. Assigning at least one production attribute associated with input material stream(s) to output material(s) may include the linking of the output material identifier with the production attribute. The output material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the output material. The output material identifier may be uniquely linked to the physical entity of the output material. This way the virtual or digital identifier of the material may be uniquely linked to the physical material. Such linking may include a physical or virtual link of identifiers uniquely associated with the physical material. For physical linking a tag or code may be physically connected to the material, e.g., by printing a QR code on the packaging. For virtual linking different identifiers associated with the physical material may be linked. For example, an order number, a batch number, LOT number or a combination thereof may be linked.

Recyclate, recycled chemical material or recycled product may include any end-of-life or waste product processed by at least one recycling process step. The recycling process step may include any step of the recycling chain. The recycling process step may include sorting, collecting, mechanically recycling, chemically recycling, solvent-based recycling or any intermediate processing steps like separation or purification.

To be processed, produced, recycled or the like herein indicates that it is the one of the next production steps contained in a production chain of the output material. E.g. a material to be recycled herein means that the of the next production steps in the production chain of the output material is the recycling step. In some embodiments it is the next step the material is processed by.

In one embodiment the input material streams may enter the chemical production network at one or more entry point(s) of one or more chemical production chain(s). The chemical production network may include one or more chemical production chain(s).

The chemical production chain may produce from one or more input material(s) output products that exit the chemical production network. The chemical production chain may include multiple interlinked processing steps. The chemical production chain may include the sorting, recycling, producing, refining, processing and/or purification of materials.

One or more input material stream(s) may be fed to at least one segregated production chain. The input material stream to the at least one segregated production chain may relate to one or more process stages of the segregated production chain. The input material stream may relate to one or more recycled material stream(s) including an end-of-life-product stream, a waste fraction stream, a mechanically recycled recyclate stream and/or a chemically recycled recyclate stream. The production attribute(s) associated with the input material stream(s) may relate to the one or more process stages the input material stream(s) are to be fed to or up to which process stage the input material stream(s) are processed to. For example, the production attributes associated with the recycled material stream(s) may relate at least to or signify at least end-of-life-product or parts thereof, waste fraction, mechanically recycled recyclate and/or chemically recycled recyclate. Further for example, the production attributes associated with the recycled material stream(s) may signify as recycling material and/or process type at least end-of-life-product or parts thereof, waste fraction, mechanically recycled recyclate and/or chemically recycled recyclate.

One or more input material stream(s) may be fed to interconnected production chains. Input material streams may be fed to different production chains. The input material stream may relate to one or more recycled material stream(s) including an end-of- life-product stream, a waste fraction stream, a mechanically recycled recyclate stream and/or a chemically recycled recyclate stream. The input material stream may relate to one or more bio-based or renewable material stream(s). The production attrib- ute(s) associated with the input material stream(s) may relate to the one or more process stages the input material stream(s) are to be fed to or up to which process stage the input material stream(s) are processed to. For example, the production attributes associated with the recycled material stream(s) may relate at least to or signify at least end-of-life-product or parts thereof, waste fraction, mechanically recycled recyclate and/or chemically recycled recyclate. Further for example, the production attributes associated with the recycled material stream(s) may signify as recycling material and/or process type at least end-of-life-product or parts thereof, waste fraction, mechanically recycled recyclate and/or chemically recycled recyclate. In another embodiment the recycling material type relates to at least one property of the recycling material stream. The property may include a material composition of the recycled material, an origin of the recycled material, an origin type of the recycled material, a recycling stage of the recycled material, and/or a utilization of the recycled material during its life cycle. For example, the material composition may relate to a polymer type such as polyamide (PA) or polyurethane (PUR). Further for example, the origin of the recycled material may relate to one or more producer(s) and/or user(s) of products and/or end-of-life product or parts thereof and/or producers of recyclate produced from products and/or end-of-life product or parts thereof. Further for example, the origin type of the recycled material may relate to the origin type of the waste or end-of-life product or parts thereof, such as preconsumer, post-industrial or post-consumer waste. Further for example, the recycling stage of the recycled material may relate to mixed waste or end-of-life product or parts thereof, sorted waste or end-of-life product or parts thereof, recyclate, input for sorting, input for recycling, and/or input for production. Further for example, the utilization of the recycled material may relate to waste or end-of-life product, or parts thereof associated with specific applications and/or uses, such as food, automotive, textiles, or the like.

The at least one input material stream may be associated with at least one production attribute related to the recycling material type and/or the recycling process type. Recycling material may relate to material fed to recycling processes at different entry points of the recycling process. Recycling material may include end-of-life products, waste fractions, mechanically recycled material and/or chemically recycled material. Recycling material type may relate to end-of-life products, waste fractions, mechanically recycled material and/or chemically recycled material. Entry points of the recycling process may include entry to sorting process, entry to mechanical recycling process, entry to chemical recycling process and/or entry to producing the output material. Recycling process type may relate to sorting process, mechanical recycling process, chemical recycling process and/or output material production process. By considering the recycling material and/or process type of the input material stream, the input material streams can be reliably and effectively routed to the entry points of the chemical production network that are configured to process respective input streams. Further by considering the recycling material and/or process type of the input material stream, the material accounting of production attributes can reliably track the production attributes from input material streams to output material streams enhancing transparency on the input materials used and processed to produce the output materials in a reliable manner.

In another embodiment allocating at least one production attribute includes generating balancing unit(s) for the one or more production attribute(s), selecting at least one material account associated with one or more production attribute(s) corresponding at least in part to one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s) e-g- corresponding to one or more target attribute(s), and providing balancing unit(s) to the at least one material account. Providing balancing unit(s) to the at least one material account may include adding the one or more balancing unit(s) corresponding to one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s) to the selected at least one material account. Accordingly, the one or more balancing unit(s) added to the respective material account and corresponding to the production attribute(s) may be allocated from the input material stream to the at least one material account. Allocating the one or more production attrib- ute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s) may be based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more recycling material stream(s). Allocating the one or more production attrib- ute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s) may be based on the one or more production attribute(s) relating to or including recycling material and/or process type. The production attribute(s) may be provided per input material stream. The recycling material and/or process type may be provided per recycling input material stream. In another embodiment assigning at least one production attribute includes providing one or more target attribute(s) to be associated with the output material, selecting at least one material account associated with one or more production attribute(s) corresponding to one or more target attribute(s).

Assigning at least one production attribute may include providing one or more target attribute(s) to be associated with the output material, selecting based on one or more target attribute(s) at least one material account associated with one or more production attribute(s) and deducting the one or more production attribute(s) from the selected at least one material account. Assigning at least one production attribute may include generating balancing unit(s) for the one or more target attribute(s), selecting at least one material account associated with one or more production attribute(s) corresponding to one or more target attribute(s) and providing balancing unit(s) from the at least one material account to be assigned to the output material identifier. Providing balancing unit(s) from the at least one material account may include deducting the one or more balancing unit(s) corresponding to target attribute(s) from the selected at least one material account. Accordingly the one or more balancing unit(s) deducted from the respective material account and corresponding to the target attribute(s) or the corresponding target attribute(s) may be deallocated from the respective material account and assigned to the output material identifier.

In another embodiment allocating one or more production attribute(s) to the material account includes converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s). The one or more balancing unit(s) may be allocated to the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute.

In another embodiment assigning at least one production attribute to the at least one output material includes converting the one or more balancing(s) to one or more production attributes(s). The one or more balancing unit(s) may be deallocated from at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute. The production attribute(s) may correspond to the target attribute(s).

The conversion may relate to mass, weight, hydrogen atoms, carbon atoms, methane equivalents, monomer content, polymer content, oligomer content or any other suitable measure for quantifying the contribution of the production attribute to the output material. By using balancing unit(s) and conversion it can be ensured that production attributes of input materials are only used once for assignment to output material. This way double counting on input or output is avoided and the production properties can be reliable assigned to output materials.

Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) may be based on a conversion factor relating conventional input material(s) to input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s). Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) may be based on a conversion factor relating the use of conventional input material(s) to the use of input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s). Conventional input materials) may be fossil input materials and/or input materials produced from fossil materials. Input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) may include one or more non-fossil input material(s), such as bio-based, renewable and/or recycled input material(s). The conversion factor may relate to the difference between producing output materials from conventional input material(s) and producing output materials from input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s). The conversion factor may relate to differences in chemical and/or physical properties of conventional input material(s) and input materials) associated with one or more production attribute(s). Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) includes determining an input material equivalent, such as recycling equivalent, wherein the input material equivalent relates conventional input material(s) to input matehalts) associated with one or more production attribute(s), such as recycled materials. Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) may include determining the input equivalent, such as recycling equivalent. The recycling equivalent may relate the use of conventional input material(s) to the use of input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s), such as in particular recycling material associated with recycled material attribute(s). Examples of recycled material attribute may include recycled monomer, polymer or oligomer content.

Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) may relate to a quantity or an amount of conventional input material(s) and a quantity or an amount of input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s). Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) may include deriving the balancing unit from a quantity or an amount of conventional input material(s) and an amount of input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s). For recycling material, the conversion factor may be based on a yield or a loss equivalent, or any other suitable measure quantifying the impact of using input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s), in particular recycling material associated with recycled material attribute(s). The conversion to balancing units may include the conversion of the input material quantity or amount in view of recycling process property such as a yield or loss property of the recycling processes) including material losses that occur during recycling of recycled material and/or production of output material(s).

Converting the one or more production attribute(s) to one or more balancing unit(s) may relate to a recycling process property of using input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s), in particular recycling material associated with recycled material attribute(s). Converting may include deriving the balancing unit from recycling process property of input material(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s). For example, the recycling process property may relate to the production chain and/or the recycling process(es) of the production chain, such pyrolysis, depolymerization or dissolution.

In another embodiment multiple input material streams associated with one or more production attribute(s) are provided to the chemical production network. One or more input material stream(s) may be fed to the chemical production network at different entry point(s) of the chemical production network. The one or more input material stream(s) may include recycling material streams, bio-based material streams and/or renewable material streams. The production attribute(s) may relate to or include environmental attribute(s) e.g. renewable, bio-based and/or recycled. The one or more input material stream(s) may include different recycling material streams, bio-based material streams and/or renewable material streams. For example, the recycling material streams may include different recydate streams, such as mechanically and/or chemically recycled material streams, or different end-product, waste product or waste fraction streams. The production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type and/or recycling process types e.g. mechanically and/or chemically recycled, recydate, end-product, waste product or waste fraction. The input material stream(s) may include: at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be recycled, e.g. at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be processed by mechanical and/or chemical recycling process, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type end-of-life products or waste-products to be recycled and/or recycling process type end-of-life products or waste-products to be processed by mechanical and/or chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be sorted, e.g. at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be sorted by a sorting process for producing a waste fraction to be processed by a mechanical and/or chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream related to the recycled material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be sorted e.g. by a sorting process and recycled by a mechanical recycling process for producing a recydate to be processed by a chemical recycling process, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type end-of-life products or waste-products to be sorted and/or recycling process type end- of-life products or waste-products to be sorted by a sorting process for producing a waste fraction to be processed by a mechanical and/or chemical recycling process or end-of-life products to be sorted and recycled by a mechanical recycling process for producing a recydate to be processed by a chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including waste products and/or at least one sorted waste fraction to be recycled, e.g. at least one input material stream related to a recycling material stream including waste products and/or at least one sorted waste fraction to be recycled by chemical recycling process for producing a recydate to be processed by a production process, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including at least one waste fraction to be recycled by a mechanical recycling process for producing a recydate to be processed by a chemical recycling process, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type waste products and/or at least one sorted waste fraction to be recycled and/or recycling process type waste products and/or at least one sorted waste fraction to be recycled by chemical recycling process for producing a recydate to be processed by a production process or waste fraction to be recycled by a mechanical recycling process for producing a recydate to be processed by a chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream is a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre- monomer(s), oligomer(s) or mixtures thereof, e.g. at least one input material stream related to a recydate stream prior depolymerization, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type e.g. related to composition, origin, origin type or the like and recycling process type depolymerization, at least one input material stream related to a recydate stream containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate moleculets), pre-monomer(s), oligomers or mixtures thereof from, by or after depolymerization, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type signifying material as provided from, by or after depolymerization e.g. related to composition, origin, origin type or the like and recycling process type signifying recydate for production, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material to be processed by solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more polymer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, e.g. at least one input material stream related to a recydate stream containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomers or a mixtures thereof from solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type e.g. related to composition, origin, origin type or the like and recycling process type signifying solvent-based recycling, at least one input material stream related to a recydate stream containing one or more polymer(s), oligomers or a mixtures thereof from, by or after solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type signifying material as provided from, by or after solvent-based recycling e.g. related to composition, origin, origin type or the like and recycling process type signifying recyclate for production, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by pyrolysis for producing a recyclate containing hydrocarbons, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include recycled material type signifying material suitable for pyrolysis e.g. related to composition, origin, origin type or the like and recycling process type signifying pyrolysis, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by gasification for producing a recyclate containing at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixtures, the production attribute may relate to or include recycled material type signifying material suitable for gasification e.g. related to composition, origin, origin type or the like and recycling process type signifying gasification, at least one input material stream related to a bio-based or renewable material stream including a bio-based and/or renewable material stream, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include the environmental attribute(s) such as biobased and/or renewable content, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including recycling material from, by or after depolymerization, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include the recycling material type signifying material from, by or after depolymerization, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including recycling material from, by or after solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include the recycling material type signifying material from, by or after solvent-based recycling, at least one input material stream related to a recyclate stream including recycling material, e.g. containing hydrocarbons, from, by or after pyrolysis, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include the recycling material type signifying material from, by or after pyrolysis, at least one input material stream related to a recyclate stream including recycling material, containing at least a hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixtures, from gasification, the production attribute(s) may relate to or include the recycling material type signifying material from, by or after gasification, or any combination(s) thereof.

In another embodiment the input material stream(s) may be routed based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the input material stream(s). In particular the recycling material stream(s) may be routed based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the recycling material stream(s). Further in particular the recycling material stream(s) may be routed based on the recycled material type and/or the process type provided by or included in the one or more production attrib- ute(s) associated with the recycling material stream(s). In another embodiment determining one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network may include providing entry point data characterizing the entry point(s), in particular the first process stage or step inside the system boundary of the chemical production network, to the chemical production network and determining the entry point based on the entry point data and the at least one production attribute. For recycling material streams the production attribute(s) may relate to recycling material type and/or a recycling process type of the recycling material stream. The recycling material type may relate to the process stage of the recycling process the material was processed by or the material output of the process stage the recycling process the material was processed by. Such process stage may be outside the boundary of the chemical production network or not part of the chemical production network. The recycling process type may relate to the recycling process the recycling material is to be processed by or was processed by. The recycling process the recycling material is to be processed by may be part of the chemical production network or inside the system boundary of the chemical production network. Based on these data points the input materials may be routed to respective entry points that are characterized by the first process stage inside the chemical production network. The entry point(s) may relate the input material identifiers with entry point identifiers. The entry point(s) may signify the physical entry point(s) to the chemical production network. The entry point(s) may be determined and provided per input material stream. A material routing apparatus or system may relate to or include any physical infrastructure configured to transport materials, such as containers, pipes, ships, rails, trucks or the like.

In another embodiment the recycling process type relates to a recycling process the input material stream was processed by or is to be processed by. The recycling process type may relate to mechanical, solvent-based and/or chemical recycling. Chemical recycling may include pyrolysis, gasification, and/or depolymerisation. Solvent-based recycling may include dissolution.

In another embodiment the assignment of at least one production attribute to the output material identifier includes determining input material stream(s) used to produce the output material and selecting at least one material account associated with production attribute(s) related to the determined input material stream(s). The determination may include determining the bill of materials or production recipe of the output material for the production chain including the one or more input material streams(s) to the production chain. Based on such determination the input material stream(s) and respective production attributes applicable to the output material may be determined.

In another embodiment the chemical production network includes multiple connected processes producing one or more output material(s) exiting the chemical production network from one or more input material stream(s) entering the chemical production network.

In another embodiment the chemical production network includes mechanical, solvent-based and/or chemical recycling processes, wherein one or more recycling material stream(s) to be processed by at least one mechanical recycling process, at least one solvent-based recycling process and/or at least chemical recycling process enter the chemical production network. One or more output material(s) may be produced from recyclate of the at least one mechanical recycling process, at least one solvent based recycling process and/or chemical recycling process.

In another embodiment the assignment of at least one production attribute to the output material identifier includes determining input material stream(s) used to produce the output material and the contribution of the determined input material stream(s) to the output material. In this context used to produced includes any input material stream that may be used or indicated to be used to produce the output material. The input material stream(s) may hence be connected to the output material by indicating the connection between input material and output material. A tracking of physical input materials through the chemical production network or the production chain to the physical output material is very challenging in chemical production networks. Through the connection between input and output material the tracking can be enabled independent of the physical material production flows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the present disclosure is further described with reference to the enclosed figures.

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a chemical production network producing one or more output material(s) from one or more input material(s) in connection with an operating apparatus including an attribute management system.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a chemical production network with multiple input material streams and processes.

Fig. 3 illustrates another example of a chemical production network with multiple input material streams and processes.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example of material account data structure.

Fig. 5 illustrates another example of the chemical production network in connection with an operating apparatus for monitoring production properties of output materials.

Fig. 6 illustrates another example of the chemical production network in connection with an operating apparatus for monitoring production properties of output materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a chemical production network producing one or more output material(s) from one or more input material(s) in connection with an operating system or apparatus including an attribute management system.

For producing one or more output material(s) different input material stream(s) (feedstocks) may be provided as physical inputs from material providers or suppliers. The chemical products produced from the input materials may have one or more properties related to the production impact of the input materials, that may be signified by the production attributes.

The chemical production network may include multiple interlinked processing steps or processes. The chemical production network may be an integrated chemical production network with connected or interconnected production chains.

The chemical production network may chemically, physically and/or mechanically convert input material stream(s) via chemical intermediates to one or more output material(s) that exit the chemical production network. The chemical production network may convert input material(s) by using chemical conversion to one or more output material(s).

The input material stream(s) may be fed into the chemical production network at any entry point. The input material stream(s) may be fed into the chemical production network at the start of the chemical production network. Input material stream(s) may for example make up the feedstock of a steam cracker. The input material stream(s) may include a bio-based, a recycled and/or a fossil input material stream(s) for the manufacture of chemical intermediates and output materials or chemical products. The chemical production network may include multiple production steps. The production steps included in the chemical network may be defined by the system boundary of the chemical production network. The system boundary may be defined by location or control over production processes. The system boundary may be defined by the site of the chemical production network.

The operating system or apparatus of the chemical production network may monitor and/or control the chemical production network based on operating parameters of the different processes. One process step monitored and/or controlled may be the feed of input material(s) or the discharge of output material(s). Another process step monitored and/or controlled may the allocation of production attributes to output material(s) produced via the chemical production network. Yet another process step monitored and/or controlled may be the registration of production attributes associated with input material stream(s) entering the system boundary of the chemical production network. Yet another process step monitored and/or controlled may be the assignment of production attributes associated with input material stream(s) entering the system boundary of the chemical production network. Yet another process step monitored and/or controlled may be the monitoring of production attributes associated with input material stream(s) and output material(s) of the chemical production network.

The operating system or apparatus may be configured to access data related the inputs material stream(s), the process(es) and/or the output material(s) produced by the chemical production network. The operating system or apparatus may be configured to convert production attributes of the one or more input material stream(s) used in the chemical production network to balancing units. The operating system or apparatus may be configured to allocate the balancing units to at least one material account associated with the production attributes. The operating system or apparatus may be configured to allocate at least a part of the production attributes or balancing units from the at least one material account to the at least one output material.

The operating system or apparatus may be configured to handle balancing units related to the input and output material(s) produced by the chemical production network. In particular, the operating system or apparatus may be configured to determine balancing units associated with the use of input material stream(s) impacting the environmental property/attributes of the output materials produced by the chemical production network. Further in particular, the operating system or apparatus may be configured to determine balancing units associated with the output material(s) and the environmental property of the output material(s). This way the operating system or apparatus may be configured to allocate balancing units from input material stream(s) to material accounts and/or to deallocate balancing units from the material accounts to output material(s). The balancing units may be viewed as a credit that may be deposited in the material account or deducted from the material account related to the input and output materials of the chemical production network.

The operating system or apparatus may be configured to monitoring one or more production attributes of an output material produced by a chemical production network by registering inbound production attributes, to assign outbound production attributes and to manage inbound allocation as well as outbound assignment.

The example of Fig. 2 illustrates a segregated chemical production network with multiple input material stream(s) Input 1-4. The segregated chemical production network includes in this example three process(es) with potentially multiple process steps including sorting recycling, separation and purification. The input material stream(s) Input 1-4 may enter the chemical production network for sorting or recycling. The input material stream(s) Input 1-4 may be routed to respective entries based on the production attribute(s) associated with such streams.

For example, Input 1 and Input 2 may enter the system boundary of the chemical production network for sorting. Inputs 1 and 2 may include recycling material. The input material stream(s) Input 1, 2 may be associated with production attributes relating to the recycled input material type signifying the waste streams post-consumer PC and post-industrial/pre-consumer PI, the product types end-of-life products EOL and the origin supplier 1 ,2. Further for example, Input 3 and Input 4 may enter the system boundary of the chemical production network for recycling. Inputs 3 and 4 may include recycling material. The input material stream(s) Input 3, 4 may be associated with production attributes relating to the recycled input material type signifying the waste streams post-industrial/pre-consumer PI, the product types sorted end-of-life products EOL and the origin supplier 1.

The chemical production network in this example may produce two output materials Output 1, 2. The production properties associated with the input material streams may be allocated to the output materials Output 1 ,2 by way of material accounts as disclosed herein and will be further described in the context of Figs. 4-6.

These are mere illustrative examples and other processes or production chains may be included in the chemical production network. Also other input material stream(s) such as renewable or bio-based may enter the chemical production network, further production properties may be associated with the input material stream(s) or further output materials may be produced.

The example of Fig. 3 illustrates a non-segregated chemical production network with multiple input material stream(s) Input 1-4. The non-segregated chemical production network includes in this example five process(es) including sorting, recycling, separation and purification and chemical processes. The input material stream(s) Input 1-4 may enter the chemical production network for sorting, recycling or production. The input material stream(s) Input 1-4 may be routed to respective entries based on the production attribute(s) associated with such streams.

For example, Input 1 may enter the system boundary of the chemical production network for sorting. Input 1 may include recycling material. The input material stream(s) Input 1 may be associated with production attributes relating to the recycled input material type signifying the waste streams post-consumer PC, the product types end-of-life products EOL and the origin supplier 1. Further for example, Input 2 and Input 3 may enter the system boundary of the chemical production network for recycling. Input 2,3 may include recycling material. The input material stream(s) Input 2, 3 may be associated with production attributes relating to the recycled input material type signifying the waste streams post-consumer PC or post-industrial/pre-consumer PI, the product types sorted end-of-life products EOL and the origin supplier 1 ,2. For example, Input 4 may enter the system boundary of the chemical production network for chemical processing. Input 4 may include recycling material in the form of recydate or recycled material. The input material stream(s) Input 4 may be associated with production attributes relating to the recycled input material type signifying the waste streams post-consumer PC, the product type recydate and the origin supplier 3.

The chemical production network in this example may produce three output materials Output 1, 2, 3. The production properties associated with the input material streams may be allocated to the output materials Output 1,2, 3 by way of material accounts as disclosed herein and will be further described in the context of Figs. 4-6. These are mere illustrative examples and other processes or production chains may be included in the chemical production network. Also other input material stream(s) such as renewable or bio-based may enter the chemical production network, further production properties may be associated with the input material stream(s) or further output materials may be produced.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example of material account data structure.

For illustration purposes and to further explain the methods for monitoring production attributes to digital material accounts, Fig. 4 illustrates an examples of material account data structure for setting up material accounts to manage the allocation and assignment of balancing units. Different material accounts may be generated based on such data structure. The example refers to recycled input material streams.

The data structure includes the balancing unit, the material type recycled, recycled material type PUR and PA as examples, the origin Supplier 1-3, and the waste stream type PI or PC. Based on such data structure, the material accounting system with multiple material accounts may be setup. The material accounts may be associated with metadata relating to the production attribute recycled and the input material or recycled material type PA, PU. Depending on the data depth chosen for the material accounts and input material data different production attributes may be tracked. In other words depending on the data depth of the input material data signifying the production attributes of the input material streams balancing units may be tracked in a more detailed manner. Other production attributes may relate to bio-based, renewable, origin of the bio-based material like vegetable oil or food waste, origin type like end consumer waste or certain uses like used for food.

The material system may be based on material accounts with static or dynamic meta data. For instance, if metadata provided via the production attribute associated with the input material does not correspond to any metadata of material accounts provided, a new account associated with such metadata may be provided. Alternatively, or additionally, the production attribute may be allocated to the account associated with the greatest match in metadata. Here greatest may refer to the maximal number of matching meta data points, in particular account metadata points matching at least in part with production attribute metadata points.

For example, the production attribute may provide more metadata than any material account. In such a scenario the account with metadata points matching at least in part with metadata points of the production attribute may be selected for allocation and assignment.

Fig. 4 is only an example for the data structure attachable to the material accounts. Other options to realize such a data structure exist. For example, accounts may be fully abstracted and multiple input streams entering the system may have their own metadata.

Fig. 5 illustrates another example of the chemical production network in connection with an operating system or apparatus for monitoring production properties of output materials. Fig. 5 schematically shows an example of attributing production attributes associated with input material stream(s) 100 to output material(s) 104 of the chemical production network 102.

As shown in Fig. 1 the chemical production network 102 and operations of the chemical production network 102 may be monitored and/or controlled by a production operating system or apparatus 106. The production operating system or apparatus 106 may be configured to track production attributes from input materials 100 fed to the chemical production network 102 to output material(s) 104 produced by the chemical production network 102. For tracking the operating system or apparatus 106 may be configured to register production attributes associated with the input material streams 100 provided to the chemical production network 102 and to attribute production attributes to output material(s) 104 produced by the chemical production network 102.

The input materials 100 such as end of life products, waste products, sorted waste fractions, pyrolysis oil, bio-naphtha or bio-gas may be provided to the chemical production network 102. The input material streams 100 may enter the chemical production network 104 at the entry point(s), such as a such as a sorting step, a recycling step, a steam cracking step. The input material streams 100 may be routed to respective entry point(s) based on the production attributes. The input material streams 100 may be used in the chemical production network 102 to produce one or more output material(s) 104 from the input material streams 100. Output material(s) 104 may be provided at exit points of the chemical production network 102.

On entry of the input material stream 100, input material data 108 may be provided via a communication network to a computing interface of the production operating system or apparatus 106. A data provider, such as a QR code reader, may be configured to provide material data 108 related to the one or more input material(s) 100 and respective production attributes 108 to a computing interface configured to allocate the production attributes associated with the input material stream 100. The material data 108 may include the input material identifier and production attributes associated with the input materials 100. The input material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input material 100 entering the chemical production network 102. The material data may be provided on, prior or after providing of the one or more input material(s) at entry points to the chemical production network 102.

The input material identifier may be linked to the production attribute(s) associated with the respective input material(s) 100, the amount of input material 100 and the certificate certifying the production attribute(s). The amount of input material may be a measured amount of input material 100 fed to a plant or storage of the chemical production network 102 for producing one or more output material(s) 104 from the input material(s) 100. The input material identifier associated with the respective input material 100, the production attribute(s) associated with the respective input material stream(s) 100 and the amount of input matehalts) 100 provided to the chemical production network 102 may be provided to the production operating system or apparatus 106. Such data may be provided via a communication network on entry to chemical production network 102, or the data may be transferred from a computing system to the production operating system or apparatus 106.

An inbound allocator 110 may be configured to allocate the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account 112 associated with the respective production attribute. For example, one material account 112 may relate to production attributes from recycled material and another material account 112 may relate to production attributes from bio-based material. The material account may be associated with the respective production attribute type, such as bio-based or recycled. Based on such association the material account associated with the production attribute type of the respective input material 100 may be selected. The production attributes may be allocated to the selected material account. For example, the account 112 for recycled material may be selected and the production attribute may be allocated to such account 122.

To allocate, the one or more production attribute(s) may be converted to balancing units and the balancing units may be allocated to the material account 122. The conversion may be based on a conversion factor such as mass, weight, carbon atoms, hydrogen atoms, methane equivalents or any other suitable measure for quantifying the contribution of the input material stream. The conversion factor may hence take into account the difference between producing chemical products from conventional input material(s) and producing chemical products from non-conventional input material(s) or producing chemical products from a mix of conventional and non-conventional input materials. The conversion factor may relate to differences in chemical and/or physical properties of conventional and non-conventional input material(s).

By using the material accounts 112 it can be ensured that production attributes of input materials 100 are only used once for assignment to output material(s) 104. This way double counting on input or output is avoided to ensure contribution of input material streams can be reliable tracked and assigned to output materials 104.

An identifier provider 116 may be configured to provide the output material identifier associated with the output material 104 produced by the chemical production network 102 and provided at the exit point from the chemical production network 102.

An outbound assignor 114 may be configured to assign at least one production attribute from the at least one material account 112 associated with the respective production attribute to the output material identifier ID2. One or more production attribute(s) may be assigned to the at least one output material identifier ID2. Assignment may include de-allocation of the one or more production attributes from the material account 112 associated with the respective production attribute type. Assignment may include converting one or more balancing unit(s) to one or more production attribute(s).

Assigning at least one production attribute associated with input material(s) to output material(s) may include the linking of the output materials identifier ID2 with the production attribute. The output material identifier ID2 may be associated with the physical entity of the output material. This way the virtual identifier of a material may be uniquely linked to the physical material. Such linking may include a physical or virtual link of identifiers uniquely associated with the physical material. For physical linking a tag or code may be physically connected to the material, e.g., by printing a QR code on the packaging. For virtual linking different identifiers associated with the physical material may be linked. For example, an order number, a batch number, LOT number or a combination thereof may be linked.

The outbound assignor 114 may be configured to provide the production attributes associated with the output material to a data consumer, such as a system associated with a user of the output material. The outbound assignor 114 may be configured to provide the production attributes associated with the output material to a output material user.

The input material stream(s) such as end-of-life products, waste fractions, pyrolysis oil, bio-naphtha or bio-gas may be provided to the chemical production network. The input material stream(s) may enter the system boundary of the chemical production network at the entry point. The input material stream(s) may be used in the chemical production network to produce one or more output materials from the input material stream(s).

On entry of the input material input material data may be provided via a network to the interface of the operating system or apparatus. A data provider may be configured to provide input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface. The one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network. The material data may be provided on, prior or after providing of the one or more input material(s) at entry points to the chemical production network. The input material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input material entering the chemical production network. The input material stream(s) may include: at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be recycled, e.g. at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be processed by mechanical and/or chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be sorted, e.g. at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including end-of-life products or waste-products to be sorted by a sorting process for producing a waste fraction to be processed by a mechanical and/or chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream related to the recycled material stream including end-of-life products to be sorted and recycled by a mechanical recycling process for producing a recyclate to be processed by a chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including waste products and/or at least one sorted waste fraction to be recycled, e.g. at least one input material stream related to a recycling material stream including waste products and/or at least one sorted waste fraction to be recycled, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including at least one waste fraction to be recycled by a mechanical recycling process for producing a recyclate to be processed by a chemical recycling process, at least one input material stream is a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre- monomer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, e.g. at least one input material stream related to a recyclate stream prior depolymerization, at least one input material stream related to a recyclate stream containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate moleculets), pre-monomer(s), oligomers or a mixtures thereof from or after depolymerization, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material to be processed by solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more polymer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, e.g. at least one input material stream related to a recyclate stream containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomers or a mixtures thereof from solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, at least one input material stream related to a recyclate stream containing one or more polymer(s), oligomers or a mixtures thereof from or after solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by pyrolysis for producing a recyclate containing hydrocarbons, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by gasification for producing a recyclate containing at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixtures, at least one input material stream related to a bio-based or renewable material stream including a bio-based and/or renewable material stream, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including recycling material from depolymerization, at least one input material stream related to the recycling material stream including recycling material from solvent-based recycling, such as dissolution, at least one input material stream related to a recydate stream including recycling material, e.g. containing hydrocarbons, from pyrolysis, at least one input material stream related to a recydate stream including recycling material, containing at least a hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixtures, from gasification or any combination(s) thereof.

The input material stream(s) may be associated with one or more production attribute(s). The production attribute(s) may include environmental attribute(s) such as bio-based, renewable and/or recycled. The production attributes associated with recycling material stream(s) may include recycling material type and/or recycling process type. The recycling material type may relate to the recycling process stage of the recycling material, such as waste, end-of-life product or parts thereof, sorted waste fraction or recydate. The recycling process type may relate to the recycling process step to be carried out or the entry point signifying the process step of the chemical production network. The production attribute(s) may hence provide the attribute(s) of the input material stream(s), specifically the recycling material stream(s), e.g. as noted above for different possible input material stream(s). In other words, the production attribute(s) provide the digital attribute(s) or assets characterizing the input material stream(s), specifically the recycling material stream(s), e.g. as noted above for different possible input material stream(s).

An inbound allocator may be configured to allocate based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s) the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s). The inbound allocator may be configured to convert and allocate the one or more production attrib- ute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute. For allocation the one or more production attribute(s) may be converted to balancing units and the balancing units may be allocated to the material account. The one or more balancing unit(s) may be allocated to the at least one material account associated with the respective production attrib- ute(s). The conversion may be based on a conversion factor such as recycling, mass, weight, carbon atoms, hydrogen atoms, methane equivalents or any other suitable measure for quantifying the contribution of the production attribute of the input material streams. By using balancing unit(s) and conversion it can be ensured that production attributes of input materials are only used once for assignment to output materials. This way double counting on input or output is avoided and the positive environmental impact can be reliable assigned to chemical products.

An outbound assignor may be configured to at least one output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network and to assign at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier. One or more production attribute(s) may be assigned to the at least one output material. Assignment may include converting the one or more balancing unit(s) to one or more production attribute(s), wherein the one or more balancing unit(s) are de-allocated from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s).

The output material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the output material. This way the virtual identifier of a material may be uniquely linked to the physical material. Such linking may include a physical or virtual link of identifiers uniquely associated with the physical material. For physical linking a tag or code may be physically connected to the material, e.g., by printing a QR code on the packaging. For virtual linking different identifiers associated with the physical material may be linked. For example, an order number, a batch number, LOT number or a combination thereof may be linked.

The present disclosure has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments and examples as well. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the claims.

Any steps presented herein can be performed in any order. The methods disclosed here-in are not limited to a specific order of these steps. It is also not required that the different steps are performed at a certain place or in a certain computing node of a distributed system, i.e. each of the steps may be performed at different computing nodes using different equipment/data processing.

As used herein ..determining" also includes ..initiating or causing to determine", “generating" also includes ..initiating and/or causing to generate" and “providing” also includes “initiating or causing to determine, generate, select, send and/or receive”. “Initiating or causing to perform an action” includes any processing signal that triggers a computing node or device to perform the respective action.

In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” or “including” or similar wording does not exclude other elements or steps and shall not be construed limiting to the elements or steps lined out. The indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfil the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation or further elements may be included.

Providing in the scope of this disclosure may include any interface configured to provide data. This may include an application programming interface, a human-machine interface such as a display and/or a software module interface. Providing may include communication of data or submission of data to the interface, in particular display to a user or use of the data by the receiving entity.

Various units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components may be described as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. Configured to shall recite structure meaning “having circuitry that” performs the task or tasks on operation. The units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components can be configured to perform the task even when the unit/circuit/component is not operating. The units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components that form the structure corresponding to “configured to” may include hardware circuits and/or memory storing program instructions executable to implement the operation. The units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components may be described as performing a task or tasks, for convenience in the description. Such descriptions shall be interpreted as including the phrase “configured to.” Any recitation of “configured to” is expressly intended not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) interpretation. In general, the methods, apparatuses, systems, computer elements, nodes or other computing components described herein may include memory, software components and hardware components. The memory can include volatile memory such as static or dynamic random-access memory and/or non-volatile memory such as optical or magnetic disk storage, flash memory, programmable read-only memories, etc. The hardware components may include any combination of combinatorial logic circuitry, clocked storage devices such as flops, registers, latches, etc., finite state machines, memory such as static random-access memory or embedded dynamic random-access memory, custom designed circuitry, programmable logic arrays, etc.

Any disclosure and embodiments described herein relate to the methods, the systems, apparatuses, devices, chemicals, materials, computer program elements lined out above and vice versa. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any of the embodiments and examples equally apply to all other embodiments and examples and vice versa.

All terms and definitions used herein are understood broadly and have their general meaning.

Claims

Claims:

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring one or more production attribute(s) of an output material produced by a chemical production network, the method comprising the steps: providing input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein the one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s), allocating the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective one or more production attribute(s), providing an output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network, assigning at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more input material stream(s) enter the chemical production network at one or more entry point(s) of one or more chemical production chain(s), wherein the chemical production network includes one or more chemical production chain(s).

3. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the recycling material type relates to at least one property of the recycling material stream, wherein the property includes at least a material composition of the recycled material, an origin of the recycled material, an origin type of the recycled material, a recycling stage of the recycled material, and/or a utilization of the recycled material during its life cycle.

4. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein allocating at least one production attribute includes generating balancing unit(s) for the one or more production attribute(s), selecting at least one material account associated with one or more production attribute(s) corresponding to one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s) and providing balancing unit(s) to the at least one material account.

5. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein assigning at least one production attribute includes providing one or more target attribute(s) to be associated with the output material, selecting at least one material account associated with one or more production attribute(s) corresponding to one or more target attribute(s).

6. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein multiple input material streams associated with one or more production attribute(s) are provided to the chemical production network.

7. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more input material stream(s) are fed to the chemical production network at different entry point(s) of the chemical production network.

8. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the recycling process type relates to a recycling process the input material stream was processed by or is to be processed by.

9. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the assignment of at least one production attribute to the output material identifier includes determining input material stream(s) used to produce the output material and selecting at least one material account associated with production attribute(s) related to the determined input material stream(s).

10. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the assignment of at least one production attribute to the output material identifier includes determining input material stream(s) used to produce the output material and the contribution of the determined input material stream(s) to the output material.

11. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the chemical production network includes mechanical, solventbased and/or chemical recycling processes, wherein one or more recycling material stream(s) to be processed by at least one mechanical recycling process, at least one solvent based recycling process and/or at least chemical recycling process enter the chemical production network, wherein one or more output material(s) are produced from recydate of the at least one mechanical recycling process, at least one solvent based recycling process and/or chemical recycling process.

12. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one production attribute relates to an environment attribute, wherein the environmental attribute digitally specifies the environmental impact of the input material stream(s) or the output material (s).

13. An apparatus for monitoring one or more production properties of an output material produced by a chemical production network, the apparatus comprising: a data providing interface configured to provide input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein the one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-mono- mer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; an allocation unit configured to allocate the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s) based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s), an identifier providing unit configured to provide an output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network, an assignment unit configured to assign at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier.

14. A method for producing at least one output material associated with one or more production attributes, wherein the at least one output material is produced by a chemical pro-duction network, the method comprising: providing one or more input material stream(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) to one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network, providing input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein the one or more input material stream(s) are provided to the chemical production network, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream including a recycling material to be processed by depolymerization for producing one or more recydate(s) containing one or more monomer(s), intermediate molecule(s), pre-monomer(s), oligomer(s) or a mixtures thereof, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; based on the one or more production attribute(s) associated with the one or more input material stream(s), allocating the one or more production attribute(s) to at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute(s), providing an output material identifier associated with the output material produced by the chemical production network, producing the at least one output material and providing the output material to one or more exit point(s) of the chemical production network, assigning at least one production attribute from the at least one material account associated with the respective production attribute to the at least one output material identifier. providing the at least one output material associated with the output material identifier and the assigned at least one production attribute.

15. A system for producing at least one output material associated with one or more production attributes, wherein the at least one output material is produced by a chemical production network, the system comprising: a chemical production network configured to receive one or more input material stream(s) associated with one or more production attribute(s) at one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network, to produce the at least one output material from the one or more input material stream(s) and to provide the output material to one or more exit point(s) of the chemical production network, a production operating apparatus configured to monitor one or more production properties of the output material produced by the chemical production network according to the methods of any of claims 1 to 12 or by the apparatus of claim 13, wherein the system is configured to provide the at least one output material associated with the output material identifier and the assigned at least one production attribute.

16. A computer-implemented method for monitoring and/or controlling one or more input material stream(s) to a chemical production network, the method comprising the steps: providing input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type, determining one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network based on the input material data, wherein at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type of a recycling material stream; providing the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network for providing one or more input material streams to the chemical production network.

17. An apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling one or more input material stream(s) to a chemical production network, the apparatus comprising: an input interface configured to provide input material data associated with one or more input material stream(s) and associated with one or more production attribute(s) to a computing interface, wherein at least one input material stream includes a recycling material stream, wherein the recycling material stream is associated with at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type, an entry point determinator configured to determine one or more entry point(s) of the chemical production network based on the input material data, particularly at least one production attribute related to a recycling material type and/or a recycling process type; an output interface configured to provide the determined entry point(s) of the chemical production network for providing one or more input material streams to the chemical production network.