Environmental attributes of chemical products selected from alcohols, ethers, oxiranes, alkanes, aliphatic chlorides, organophosphines, organophosphates, and sulfonic acids.

Abstract

Disclosed are a system for producing a particular chemical product associated with a digital asset, a method for producing a particular chemical product associated with a digital asset, an apparatus for producing a digital asset, a computer-implemented method for producing a chemical passport, a computer program element for generating a digital asset, use of a particular chemical product associated with a digital asset, use of a digital asset, a product produced from a particular chemical product and associated with a digital asset, a digital asset including one or more decentralized identifiers and data relating to environmental impact data, an apparatus for producing a product associated with a digital asset, and a method for producing a product associated with a digital asset.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system for producing a specific chemical product selected from alcohols, ethers, oxirane alkanes, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic chlorides, organophosphines, organophosphates, and sulfonic acids (hereinafter referred to as "specific chemical products") associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, a method for producing a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, an apparatus for producing a passport or digital asset related to a specific chemical product, a computer-implemented method for generating a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, a computer program element for generating a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, use of a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, use of a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, a product produced from a specific chemical product and associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, a specific chemical product passport or digital asset including data relating to a specific chemical product, one or more distributed identifiers and environmental impact data, an apparatus for producing a product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset, and a method for producing a product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset. [Background technology]

[0002] In the supply chain, the environmental impact of each supply chain participant is a major concern. Especially in the chemical sector, certain chemical products are used for a wide range of purposes and are supplied to various value chains. In such a complex system, it is difficult to ensure transparency between value chain participants. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] In one aspect, a system for producing a particular chemical product associated with a particular chemical product passport or digital asset is disclosed, the system comprising: a chemical production network configured to produce a particular chemical product, the particular chemical product being produced from one or more input raw materials via one or more chemical processes in the chemical production network, the one or more input raw materials and / or the one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes; - providing a distributed identifier associated with a particular chemical product produced and one or more environmental attributes of one or more input materials and / or one or more chemical processes; By linking distributed identifiers with environmental attributes, A manufacturing operations device configured to generate a specific chemical product passport or digital asset; Including, Optionally, the chemical production network or system is configured to provide a specific chemical product produced in association with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset.

[0004] In another aspect, a system for producing a particular chemical product associated with a particular chemical product passport or digital asset is disclosed, the system comprising: a chemical production network configured to produce specific chemical products from one or more input raw materials via chemical processes, the one or more input raw materials and / or the chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes; a manufacturing operations device configured to generate a chemical product passport or digital asset by providing and / or associating one or more environmental attributes associated with one or more input materials and / or a chemical process to a distributed identifier for the chemical product; Includes.

[0005] In another aspect, a method for producing a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset is disclosed, the method comprising: - producing a particular chemical product from one or more input feedstocks via one or more chemical processes of a chemical production network, the one or more input feedstocks and / or the one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes; providing a distributed identifier associated with a particular chemical product produced and one or more environmental attributes associated with one or more input materials and / or one or more chemical processes; By associating a decentralized identifier with one or more environmental attributes, generating a specific chemical product passport or digital asset; - providing a specific chemical product produced in association with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset; Includes.

[0006] In another aspect, a method for producing a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset is disclosed, the method comprising: - producing a particular chemical product from one or more input feedstocks via one or more chemical processes of a chemical production network, the one or more input feedstocks and / or the one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes; - generating a specific chemical product passport or digital asset by providing and / or linking one or more environmental attributes of one or more input materials and / or chemical processes to a decentralized identifier for the specific chemical product; Includes.

[0007] In another aspect, an apparatus is disclosed for generating a passport or digital asset associated with a particular chemical product, the particular chemical product being produced from one or more input raw materials through one or more chemical processes in a chemical production network, the one or more input raw materials and / or the one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes, the apparatus comprising: a distributed identity provider configured to provide a distributed identifier associated with a particular chemical product produced and one or more environmental attributes of one or more input materials and / or one or more chemical processes used to produce the particular chemical product; an assigner configured to assign decentralized identifiers and environmental attributes; a passport provider configured to provide a specific chemical product passport or digital asset to a distributed network in association with a specific chemical product produced, the passport provider making environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical product accessible to consumers of the specific chemical product via the specific chemical product passport or digital asset; Includes.

[0008] In another aspect, a method, e.g., a computer-implemented method, for generating a specific chemical product passport or digital asset associated with a specific chemical product, the specific chemical product being produced from one or more input raw materials via one or more chemical processes in a chemical production network, the one or more input raw materials and / or the one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes, the method comprising: - providing a distributed identifier associated with a particular chemical product produced and one or more environmental attributes of one or more input materials and / or one or more chemical processes used to produce the particular chemical product; - linking a decentralized identifier with an environmental attribute; - providing a specific chemical product passport or digital asset to the distributed network in association with the specific chemical product produced, whereby the environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical product are made accessible to users of the specific chemical product via the specific chemical product passport or digital asset; Includes.

[0009] In another aspect, disclosed is a computing element, such as a computer readable storage medium, a computer program or a computer program product, comprising instructions that, when executed by a computing node or a computing system, instruct the computing node or the computing system to perform steps of a computer-implemented method disclosed herein.

[0010] In another aspect, disclosed is a computer element, such as a computer readable storage medium, a computer program, or a computer program product, that includes instructions that, when executed by an apparatus disclosed herein, direct the apparatus to perform the steps that the apparatus disclosed herein is configured to perform.

[0011] In another aspect, a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset produced according to the method disclosed herein is disclosed. In another aspect, a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset produced according to the system disclosed herein is disclosed.

[0012] In another aspect, a specific chemical product associated with a specific chemical product passport or digital asset is disclosed, the specific chemical product is produced from one or more input raw materials via one or more chemical processes in a chemical production network, and the one or more input raw materials and / or the one or more chemical processes are associated with environmental attributes, and the specific chemical product passport or digital asset includes a decentralized identifier associated with the specific chemical product produced and a link to the environmental attributes associated with the one or more environmental attributes of the one or more input raw materials and / or the one or more chemical processes used to produce the specific chemical product.

[0013] In another aspect, a chemical product specific passport or digital asset generated according to the methods disclosed herein is disclosed. In another aspect, a chemical product specific passport or digital asset generated according to the apparatus disclosed herein is disclosed.

[0014] In another aspect, a manufacturing system is disclosed for manufacturing products from specific chemicals associated with specific chemical passports or digital assets provided in accordance with the systems, devices, or methods disclosed herein. In another aspect, a manufacturing method is disclosed for manufacturing products from specific chemicals associated with specific chemical passports or digital assets provided in accordance with the systems, devices, or methods disclosed herein.

[0015] In another aspect, the use of specific chemicals associated with the specific chemical passports or digital assets disclosed herein to manufacture products from the specific chemicals associated with the specific chemical passports or digital assets is disclosed.

[0016] In another aspect, the use of a particular chemical product passport or digital asset disclosed herein is disclosed to generate a product passport or digital asset associated with a product made from a particular chemical product associated with the particular chemical product passport or digital asset. In another aspect, a method of using a digital asset generated according to the methods disclosed herein in the manufacture of a product made from a particular chemical product associated with the particular chemical product passport or digital asset is disclosed.

[0017] In another aspect, a particular chemical product is disclosed that is associated with a digital asset that includes a decentralized identifier associated with the particular chemical product and linked to one or more environmental attributes of one or more input materials and / or one or more chemical processes used to produce the particular chemical product.

[0018] In another aspect, the use of a specific chemical associated with a specific chemical passport or digital asset to produce a product from the specific chemical and associate the specific chemical passport or digital asset with the product produced from the specific chemical is disclosed. In another aspect, the use of a specific chemical passport or digital asset to produce a product from the specific chemical and derive a product passport or digital asset from the specific chemical passport or digital asset is disclosed. In another aspect, a method of using a specific chemical associated with a digital asset to produce a product from the specific chemical and derive a digital asset associated with the product from the specific chemical passport or digital asset as disclosed herein is disclosed.

[0019] All disclosures and embodiments described herein relate to the methods, systems, chemical products, specific chemical products, specific chemical product passports or digital assets, and computer elements described above and below. As an advantageous feature, the benefits provided by any embodiment and example apply equally to all other embodiments and examples.

[0020] Embodiment In the following description, a summary of several embodiments of the present disclosure will be described using embodiments and / or examples. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and / or examples.

[0021] Determining and generating include "initiating or causing" the determination or generation. Providing includes "initiating or causing" the access, determination, generation, transmission or reception. "Initiating or causing" an action includes any process signal that triggers a computing node to perform the respective action.

[0022] The methods, systems, chemical products, chemical product passports or digital assets, and computer elements disclosed herein provide an efficient, secure, and robust way to share or exchange environmental impact data between different participating nodes of a value chain. In particular, by providing chemical product specific data via a chemical product passport or digital asset, the environmental impact can be shared and made transparent from the chemical product to the products produced from the chemical product. The chemical product passport or digital asset allows for secure data exchange since data access can be controlled by the chemical product provider, e.g. the entity providing the chemical product. The data assets exchanged can be specific to the chemical product produced and tailored to the needs of the chemical product consumer. In this way, the secure provision of environmental impact data in a diverse and highly complex value chain can improve the tracking and tracing of the chemical product. Thus, the ability to track the environmental impact of the chemical product can make the handling of the chemical product by the value chain participants easier, more efficient, and more sustainable.

[0023] The specific chemical associated with the specific chemical passport or digital asset may be selected from alcohols, ethers, oxiranes, alkanes, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic chlorides, organophosphines, organophosphates, and sulfonic acids.

[0024] Mixtures of specific chemicals are also possible.

[0025] In the context of the present invention, the terms "aliphatic" and "cycloaliphatic" refer to any organic compound that is not aromatic. It is not limited to hydrocarbons and may contain a variety of functional groups. The term "functional group" is synonymous with terms that contain heteroatoms (i.e., atoms other than hydrogen and carbon) since any functional group may have at least one heteroatom present. Similarly, aromatic compounds may also contain heteroatoms.

[0026] Preferably, the particular chemical does not contain any carbonyl groups or nitrogen atoms.

[0027] As used herein, the term "ether" expressly excludes oxiranes.

[0028] In one preferred embodiment, the particular chemical product may be an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic monoalcohol, preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably having 2 to 15 carbon atoms. Besides one alcohol group, such aliphatic or cycloaliphatic monoalcohol may have additional functional groups, such as, for example, mercaptan groups or ether groups.

[0029] Preferred monoalcohols are methanol, octanol, 1-ethynyl-1-cyclohexanol, 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyldodecin-3-ol, 3-butyn-2-ol, propargyl alcohol, tert.-amyl alcohol, 3-methyl-pentyn-1-ol-3 and butan-2-ol (especially (S)-butan-2-ol).

[0030] In another preferred embodiment, the particular chemical product may be an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diol, preferably having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably having 4 to 15 carbon atoms. Besides the two alcohol groups, such aliphatic or cycloaliphatic monoalcohols may have additional functional groups, such as, for example, mercaptan groups, ether groups or ester groups.

[0031] Suitable diols are 1,2-pentanediol, 1,4-butanediol, butane-2,3-diol, 1,5-pentanediol, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decynediol, 2-butyne-1,4-diol, 3-hexyne-2,5-diol, 1,6-hexanediol, neopentylglycerol hydroxypivalate, 2,2'-thiobisethanol and 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexanediol, tetramethylcyclobutanediol, isosorbide.

[0032] In another preferred embodiment, the oxygen-containing compound may be a polymeric diol or triol, such as a polyester or polyether.

[0033] Suitable polyesters are for example polycaprolactones having a number average molecular weight in the range of 400 to 3000, preferably 500 to 2200 g / mol.

[0034] Suitable polycaprolactones are those obtainable by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol having a number average molecular weight of 900 to 1100 g / mol; Polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with a number average molecular weight of 1900 to 2100 g / mol and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol; Polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone and 2,2'-oxydiethanol, having a number average molecular weight of 450 to 650 g / mol, and The polycaprolactone is selected from polycaprolactones obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone and propylidine trimethanol having a number average molecular weight of 450 to 650 g / mol.

[0035] In another preferred embodiment, the oxygen-containing compound may be a polymerizable alcohol obtained by polymerization of ethyne and 4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol.

[0036] A suitable polyether is for example polytetrahydrofuran, preferably having a number average molecular weight in the range from 200 to 3000 g / mol.

[0037] In another preferred embodiment, the particular chemical product may be an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic polyol (i.e., an alcohol having two or more alcohol groups), preferably having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 4 to 15 carbon atoms. Besides the more than two alcohol groups, such aliphatic or cycloaliphatic polyols may have additional functional groups, such as, for example, mercaptan groups, ether groups or ester groups. Preferably, they have no further functional groups.

[0038] Suitable polyols are, for example, neopentyl glycol and trimethylolpropane.

[0039] In another preferred embodiment, the particular chemical may be an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic oxirane, preferably having 2 to 10, preferably 3 to 6 carbon atoms.

[0040] The preferred oxiranes are propylene oxide and isobutylene oxide.

[0041] In another preferred embodiment, the specific chemical product may be an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic ether, preferably having 2 to 20, preferably 2 to 4 carbon atoms. Compounds having one ether group are preferred. Such aliphatic or cycloaliphatic ethers may contain heteroatoms, in particular chlorine. Preferably, they contain chlorine or no heteroatoms.

[0042] Preferred ethers are tetrahydrofuran, 2,2'-dichlorodiethyl ether, 1,2-dimethoxyethane, 1,4-dioxane, 1,3-dioxolane.

[0043] In one preferred embodiment, the particular chemical may be selected from alkanes having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably from 3 to 5 carbon atoms, or any mixture thereof.

[0044] Preferred alkanes are selected from isobutane, undecane, tridecane.

[0045] In another preferred embodiment, the particular chemical may be selected from an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic phosphine, preferably an aromatic phosphine, such aromatic phosphines preferably having from 6 to 30, preferably from 6 to 20 carbon atoms.

[0046] Suitable organic phosphines are dichlorophenylphosphine, diphenylchlorophosphine, triphenylphosphine.

[0047] In another preferred embodiment, the particular chemical may be selected from aliphatic or cycloaliphatic chlorides, preferably having 2 to 20, more preferably 4 to 15 carbon atoms. It may have one or more chloride atoms, preferably one or two chloride atoms. Preferably, it has no heteroatoms apart from the chloride.

[0048] Suitable aliphatic or cycloaliphatic chlorides are 2-ethylhexyl chloride, 1-chlorooctane and 1,6-dichlorohexane.

[0049] In another preferred embodiment, the particular chemical may be selected from sulfonic acids having the formula: [ka] Here, R is an organic residue.

[0050] The preferred sulfonic acids are methanesulfonic acid and hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid.

[0051] A preferred organophosphate is triisobutyl phosphate.

[0052] A chemical production network may include one or more chemical and / or mechanical processes. A chemical production network may produce one or more output substances by chemical and / or mechanical processing. A chemical production network may include multiple types of manufacturing processes that produce one or more output substances from one or more input raw materials. A chemical production network may produce one or more output substances from input raw materials provided to the chemical production network. A chemical production network may include a complex manufacturing network that produces multiple chemical products through multiple manufacturing processes. A chemical production network may include linked, interconnected and / or unlinked manufacturing processes. A chemical production network may include a complex network or a Verbund network.

[0053] A chemical manufacturing network may include identity-preserving or partitioning manufacturing processes. Identity-preserving or partitioning in this context may refer to the environmental attributes of the input material being preserved or partitioned in the manufacturing process. Examples include non-fossil, e.g., renewable or recycled, feedstocks used to produce one or more specific chemical products. Further examples include fossil input materials used to produce one or more specific chemical products that contain fossils. A chemical manufacturing network may include non-identity-preserving or non-partitioning manufacturing processes. Non-identity-preserving or non-partitioning in this context refers to a step in which a non-fossil input material is mixed with a fossil input material to produce a specific chemical product. For example, fossil and renewable input materials can be mixed to produce a specific chemical product that includes fossil and renewable components.

[0054] A chemical production network may include one or more manufacturing processes with multiple manufacturing steps. The manufacturing steps included in the chemical network may be defined by the physical system boundary of the chemical production network. The system boundary may be defined by the location and / or control of the manufacturing process or step. The system boundary may be defined by the location of the chemical production network. The system boundary may be defined by the manufacturing process or step controlled by one entity or multiple entities jointly. The system boundary may be defined by a value chain with staggered manufacturing processes or steps to a chemical end product, controlled jointly or individually by multiple entities. The chemical production network may include waste recovery, sorting steps, recycling steps such as pyrolysis, cracking steps such as steam cracking, separation steps to separate intermediates of one process step, and further process steps to convert such intermediates into output materials, particularly specific chemical products produced, that exit the system boundary of the chemical production network. Input raw materials may be input to the physical system boundary of the chemical production network. The entry of the chemical production network may be marked by input raw materials being input to the system boundary of the chemical production network or chemical network. Output materials, particularly specific chemical products produced, can be discharged from the physical system boundary of the chemical production network. An outlet of the chemical production network may be marked by the output materials, particularly specific chemical products produced, being discharged from the system boundary of the chemical production network or chemical network.

[0055] A chemical production network may include one or more production chains for producing a particular chemical product. The production chains for producing a particular chemical product may be interconnected. The production chains for producing a particular chemical product may be interconnected with production chains for producing other output substances. The production chains for producing a particular chemical product may include production chains for producing intermediates used in the production of the particular chemical product. The production chains for producing a particular chemical product may use input raw materials provided by the chemical network to produce intermediates that can be used in the production of the particular chemical product.

[0056] One or more input raw materials may be fed to the chemical production network to produce one or more output materials, in particular specific chemical products. The output materials, in particular specific chemical products, may be produced from one or more input raw materials via one or more chemical processes in the chemical production network. The input raw materials may include any input raw materials fed into the chemical production network at any inlet. The input raw materials may include organic or inorganic input raw materials. The input raw materials may be precursor products, intermediate raw materials, feedstocks or raw materials used in the production of one or more output materials, in particular specific chemical products. The input raw materials may be fed to the chemical production network to produce one or more output materials, in particular specific chemical products. The input raw materials may be fed to the chemical production network including one or more production processes having multiple process steps. The input raw materials may be fed to the chemical production network at the start of the production process or at any intermediate stage of the production process. One or more output materials, in particular specific chemical products, may be produced using the input raw materials fed into the chemical production network.

[0057] The input raw material may have an input raw material identifier associated therewith. The input raw material identifier may include any identifier uniquely associated with the input raw material. The input raw material identifier may be associated with a physical entity of the input raw material. The input raw material identifier may be associated with a single batch of the input raw material. The input raw material identifier may be associated with a group of the input raw material. The input raw material identifier may be associated with multiple physical entities of the input raw material. The input raw material identifier may be associated with a continuous or semi-continuous input raw material flow. The input raw material identifier may be associated with a flow of the input raw material over a period of time or from a supplier, for example. The input raw material identifier may be linked or connected to one or more environmental attributes.

[0058] Environmental attributes may refer to characteristics related to environmental impact. Such characteristics may be characteristics of a raw material input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a specific chemical product. Environmental attributes may be indicative of the environmental performance of a raw material input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a specific chemical product. Environmental attributes may be derived from characteristics of a raw material input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a specific chemical product. Environmental attributes may be associated with the environmental impact of a raw material input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a specific chemical product at any stage of the life cycle of the raw material input and / or the specific chemical product. These stages may include providing raw materials, providing feedstock, manufacturing a chemical product such as an intermediate product or a final product, manufacturing an individual product using a chemical product, using a chemical product or an individual product, processing a used product, recycling a used product, disposing of a used product, reusing ingredients from a used product, or any subset of stages. Environmental attributes may be specified or derived from any activity of one or more actors participating at any stage of the life cycle of one or more raw materials or products.

[0059] The environmental attributes may include one or more features that can be linked to the environmental impact of a raw material input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a particular chemical product. The environmental attributes may include environmental, technical, recyclability, or circularity features associated with the environmental impact of a raw material input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a particular chemical product.

[0060] The environmental attributes may include one or more features that can be linked to the environmental burden of a feedstock input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a particular chemical product. The environmental attributes may include environmental, technical, recyclability, or circularity features associated with the environmental burden of a feedstock input, a chemical process, a chemical production network, and / or a particular chemical product. The one or more environmental attributes can be linked to the environmental burden of a particular chemical product. The one or more environmental attributes may relate to environmental, technical, recyclability, circularity, and / or complementary risk features of a particular chemical product.

[0061] The environmental characteristics may specify or quantify ecological criteria associated with the environmental burden. The environmental characteristics may be values ​​measured during the life cycle or derived from such measurements. The environmental characteristics may be determined at any stage of the life cycle or characterize the environmental burden at or up to such stage. The environmental characteristics may include, for example, carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, resource usage, air emissions, ozone depletion potential, water pollution, noise pollution, energy consumption, waste reduction, eutrophication potential, etc. The environmental characteristics may include, for example, product characteristics related to the manufacture of the product, such as bio-based, plant-based, animal-based, halogen-free, fluorine-free, vegan, halal, kosher, palm oil-free, natural, no harmful substances added, no volatile organic compounds added, or any combination thereof.

[0062] Technical characteristics may specify or quantify performances at least indirectly related to environmental burden. Technical characteristics may be values ​​measured during the life cycle or derived from such measurements. Technical characteristics may be determined at any stage of the life cycle or characterize performance at or up to such stage. Technical characteristics may include, for example, chemical composition data, raw feedstock composition, bio-based or recycled input feedstock content specifying, for example, x% non-fossil content and y% fossil content, bill of materials, product specification data such as product purity, product form (indicating their impact on dust formation / emissions), safety data, product extractability, migration data, toxicity data or ecotoxicity data, product ingredient data, safety data, application property data, application instructions, quality data or combinations thereof.

[0063] The circularity feature may specify or quantify a life cycle feature associated with circular use. The circularity feature may be a value measured during the life cycle or derived from such measurements. The circularity feature may be or be derived from circular data recorded at one or more previous life cycles including reuse. The circularity feature may be determined at any stage of the life cycle and may characterize the reusability or recyclability performance at or up to such stage. The circularity feature may include, for example, recycling data, reuse rate, recycling rate, recycling loop, reuse performance, reuse quality, or any combination thereof.

[0064] The recyclability characteristic may specify or quantify a life cycle characteristic associated with a recycled use. The recyclability characteristic may include a composition of a material that includes ingredients that are specifically tailored to make the material suitable for recycling. The recyclability characteristic may be a value measured during the life cycle or derived from such measurements. The recyclability characteristic may be recycling data recorded at one or more previous life cycles or derived from such data. The recyclability characteristic may be determined at any stage of the life cycle and may characterize the recyclability performance at or up to such stage. The recyclability characteristic may include, for example, recycling data, reuse times, composition of the recycled item, quality of the recycled item, composition of the waste stream, quality of the waste stream, or any combination thereof.

[0065] In one embodiment, a particular chemical passport or digital asset associated with a particular chemical product may include environmental attributes that are mass balanced that relate to the input material. The environmental attributes that are mass balanced may include environmental attributes of the input material used in the production of the particular chemical product, which may be tracked and linked to the particular chemical product by mass. The environmental impact of the input material may be determined based on the input material used in the chemical process that produces the particular chemical product. For example, the bio-based, renewable and / or recycled content of the input material used in the production of the particular chemical product may be tracked. Further, for example, the castor oil or palm oil content of the input material used in the production of the particular chemical product may be tracked. Further, for example, the environmental impact related characteristics of the input material including RSPO palm oil, palm oil free or castor oil may be tracked. Further, for example, the chemical process characteristics used in the production of the particular chemical product may be tracked. Examples of tracked process characteristics that relate to the environmental impact include water consumption, CO2 and / or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste generation, mixed feedstock generation, recycling design, energy consumption, waste reduction or property loss reduction, and other processing characteristics. The characteristics can be tracked based on a certificate from a certification body. The characteristics can be tracked based on an inherent physical characteristic derived from a measurement.

[0066] In one embodiment, the particular chemical product produced is associated with a distributed identifier that physically identifies the particular chemical product produced. The manufacturing operations device may be configured to provide a distributed identifier associated with a physical entity of the particular chemical product produced. The manufacturing operations device may be configured to associate the distributed identifier with a physical identifier of the particular chemical product produced. The manufacturing operations device may be configured to assign the distributed identifier to a physical identifier connected to the particular chemical product produced. The manufacturing operations device may be configured to assign the distributed identifier to a physical identifier physically connected to the particular chemical product produced.

[0067] In one embodiment, the distributed identifier is related to data associated with at least one product produced from the particular chemical product, and the one or more environmental attributes associated with the at least one product are derived from the one or more environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product. The one or more environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product may be associated with one or more input raw materials and / or chemical processes used to produce the particular chemical product. The distributed identifier may be related to any identifier uniquely associated with the particular chemical product. The distributed identifier may be associated with a physical entity of the particular chemical product. The distributed identifier may refer to a single batch of the particular chemical product. The distributed identifier may be associated with a group of the particular chemical product. The identifier may refer to multiple physical entities of the particular chemical product. The distributed identifier may be associated with a continuous or semi-continuous flow of the particular chemical product. The identifier may refer to a flow of the particular chemical product, for example, over a period of time or from a particular supplier.

[0068] In one embodiment, one or more environmental attributes associated with a particular chemical product are provided from at least one balance account configured to store environmental attributes associated with an input feedstock. The balance account may be associated with a storage structure associated with metadata such as a type of environmental attribute. For example, the balance account may be associated with metadata indicating that the type of environmental attribute is recycled content or bio-origin. An inbound locator may be configured to assign one or more environmental attributes associated with an input feedstock to at least one balance account, for example upon input of the input feedstock into the chemical manufacturing network. A balance account may be associated with each environmental attribute type. An outbound assigner may be configured to assign at least one environmental attribute from the at least one balance account associated with each environmental attribute to a distributed identifier. The one or more environmental attributes may be assigned to the at least one distributed identifier. The assignment may include de-assigning one or more environmental attributes from the balance account associated with each environmental attribute type. The balance account may be used to ensure that environmental attributes of an input feedstock can be tracked and assigned to a particular chemical product.

[0069] In one embodiment, one or more environmental attributes associated with a particular chemical product are provided from at least one balance account configured to store environmental attributes associated with an input feedstock. An inbound locator may be configured to assign one or more environmental attributes to at least one balance account associated with each environmental attribute, for example, when the input feedstock is input into the chemical production network. The balance account may be associated with each environmental attribute type. One or more environmental attributes associated with the input feedstock may be assigned to a balance account associated with each environmental attribute type. An outbound assigner may be configured to assign or link at least one environmental attribute from the at least one balance account associated with each environmental attribute type to a decentralized identifier. This may include de-assigning one or more environmental attributes from the balance account associated with each environmental attribute type. By using the balance account, the environmental attributes can be tracked throughout the chemical production network. In this way, the environmental attributes can be decoupled from the feedstock flow. The linking of the environmental attributes may be based on a material balance of the chemical production network. In such an approach, the binding of the total mass of the raw material inputs and the specific chemical products and the respective environmental attributes associated with the raw material inputs and the specific chemical products is balanced.

[0070] In one embodiment, the one or more environmental attributes are associated with at least one characteristic related to the environmental impact of one or more feedstocks and / or chemical processes. The one or more environmental attributes can specify a plurality of environmental characteristics of a feedstock used to produce a particular chemical product, and / or the one or more environmental attributes can specify an environmental characteristic of a chemical process used to produce a particular chemical product. The one or more environmental attributes can be generated from environmental characteristics of a feedstock used to produce a particular chemical product, process data associated with the chemical process of the feedstock, and / or energy data associated with the energy consumption of the chemical process. The one or more environmental attributes can include a recycled content associated with the feedstock and allocated or allocable to the particular chemical product, a renewable content associated with the feedstock and allocated or allocable to the particular chemical product, and / or a product carbon footprint associated with the particular chemical product.

[0071] In one embodiment, the manufacturing operations device may be configured to collect environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product produced before, during, and / or after the production of the particular chemical product by the chemical manufacturing network. The environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product produced may be related to an input feedstock. The environmental attributes associated with the input feedstock may be provided before, during, and / or after the production of the particular chemical product by the chemical manufacturing network. The environmental attributes associated with the input feedstock may be assigned to at least one balance account before, during, and / or after the production of the particular chemical product by the chemical manufacturing network. The environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product produced may be related to environmental characteristics generated from process data associated with the chemical process of the input feedstock and / or energy data associated with the energy consumption of the chemical process. The environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product produced may be generated before, during, and / or after the production of the particular chemical product by the chemical manufacturing network. The process data associated with the chemical process of the input feedstock and / or energy data associated with the energy consumption of the chemical process may be collected before, during, and / or after the production of the particular chemical product.

[0072] In one embodiment, a specific chemical passport or digital asset may include a decentralized identifier associated with a specific chemical product and one or more environmental attributes linked to the decentralized identifier. The one or more environmental attributes may be linked to the decentralized identifier included in the specific chemical passport or digital asset. The one or more environmental attributes may be associated with a specific chemical product manufacturer or stored in a specific chemical product manufacturer's database to be accessible to any consumer of the specific chemical product. The one or more environmental attributes may be associated with a specific chemical product manufacturer or stored in a specific chemical product manufacturer's database for transfer to a consumer of the specific chemical product. The decentralized identifier may include any unique identifier that is uniquely associated with a specific chemical product manufacturer and specific chemical product data, such as environmental attributes. The decentralized identifier may include a universally unique identifier (UUID) or a digital identifier (DID). The decentralized identifier may be issued by a central or decentralized ID issuer. The decentralized identifier may be linked to authentication and / or authorization information. Through the unique association of a decentralized identifier with a specific chemical manufacturer and specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes, access to the specific chemical data can be controlled by the specific chemical manufacturer. This is in contrast to a central authority scheme where identifiers are provided by a central authority and access to the data is controlled by such central authority. Decentralized in this context refers to the use of identifiers in an implementation that is controlled by the data owners, such as specific chemical manufacturers.

[0073] The decentralized identifier may be uniquely associated with a particular chemical product or with a physical entity of the particular chemical product packaged for transport, for example, to a consumer of the particular chemical product. The decentralized identifier may be uniquely associated with one or more environmental attributes. A particular chemical product passport or digital asset may include one or more digital representations pointing to particular chemical product data including environmental attributes or portions including said environmental attributes. The digital representations may include at least one interface to a data providing service. Furthermore, they may include at least one interface to a data consuming service. The digital representations may include endpoints for data exchange or sharing (resource endpoints) or service interaction (resource endpoints), uniquely identified via a communication protocol. A digital representation pointing to particular chemical product data or portions thereof may be uniquely associated with a decentralized identifier.

[0074] A specific chemical passport or digital asset may include or be associated with a digital representation of specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes. The digital representation may include a representation for accessing specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes or a portion thereof. The digital representation may include a representation of specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes. A specific chemical passport or digital asset may include or be associated with data related to specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes, authentication information, and distributed identifiers. Data related to specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes, may include a digital representation of specific chemical data, such as environmental attributes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0075] The present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] An example chemical manufacturing network that produces one or more output substances from one or more input materials is illustrated diagrammatically in association with a manufacturing operations system that includes an attribute management system. [Diagram 2] A schematic example of linking the environmental attributes of input materials to output materials in a chemical production network is shown. [Diagram 3] Schematic showing an example of linking environmental attributes of input materials and chemical processes to output materials in a chemical production network. [Figure 4] 13 illustrates a schematic diagram of another example of a method or apparatus for providing environmental attributes associated with output materials to data consumers, i.e., raw material users, via a distributed network. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example of a method or apparatus for providing environmental attributes of output materials across a value chain via a distributed network. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example of a chemical manufacturing network that produces a particular chemical product associated with a digital asset. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0076] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a chemical production network 102 that produces one or more output substances, particularly specific chemical products 104, from one or more input materials 100 that are linked to a manufacturing operations system 106 that includes an attribute management system.

[0077] Different input materials 100 may be provided as physical inputs to the chemical production network 102 to produce one or more output materials, in particular specific chemical products 104. The physical input materials 100 and the output materials, in particular specific chemical products 104, may be associated with one or more characteristics related to environmental impact. The characteristics related to environmental impact may be digitized in the form of environmental attributes, such as recycled or bio-based content of the input materials. The manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to capture such environmental attributes and track the environmental attributes throughout the chemical production network 102 from the input materials 100 to the output materials, in particular specific chemical products 104.

[0078] The chemical production network 102 may include multiple process steps that are linked together. The chemical production network 102 may be an integrated chemical production network 102 of interrelated production chains. The chemical production network 102 may include multiple different production chains that share at least one intermediate product. The chemical production network 102 may include multiple stages of a chemical value chain. The chemical production network 102 may include gas or crude oil production, refining, processing and / or refining. The chemical production network 102 may include a stream cracker or a syngas plant connected to multiple production chains that produce products 104 from the effluent of such a plant. The chemical production network 102 may include multiple production chains that produce one or more output materials, particularly specific chemical products 104, from one or more input feedstocks 100. The chemical production network 102 may include multiple tiers of a chemical value chain. The chemical production network 102 may include an arrangement of physically interconnected production sites. The manufacturing sites may be co-located or in different locations, in which case they may be interconnected by dedicated transportation systems such as pipelines, supply chain vehicles such as trucks, supply chain vessels, or other freight transport vehicles.

[0079] The chemical production network 102 can chemically convert the input feedstock 100 into one or more output substances, particularly specific chemical products 104. The chemical production network 102 can convert the input feedstock 100 into one or more output substances, particularly specific chemical products 104, through chemical conversion.

[0080] The input feedstock 100 may be fed into the chemical production network 102 at any input. The input feedstock 100 may be fed into the chemical production network 102 at the beginning of the chemical production network 102. The input feedstock 100 may be, for example, a feedstock for a steam cracker. The input feedstock 100 may include non-fossil input feedstocks, such as bio-based or recycled feedstocks, and / or fossil input feedstocks for the production of chemical intermediates and chemical output materials, particularly specific chemical products 104.

[0081] The chemical production network 102 may include multiple manufacturing steps. The manufacturing steps included in the chemical production network 102 may be defined by the system boundary of the chemical production network 102. The system boundary may be defined by the location or control of the manufacturing process. The system boundary may be defined by the location of the chemical production network 102. The system boundary may be defined by the manufacturing process controlled by one entity or multiple entities jointly. The system boundary may be defined by a value chain with a staggered manufacturing process to a final product, which value chain may be controlled individually by multiple entities. The chemical production network 102 may include waste recovery and sorting steps, recycling steps such as pyrolysis, cracking steps such as steam cracking, separation steps to separate intermediates of one process step, and further process steps to convert such intermediates into output materials, in particular specific chemical products 104, that exit the system boundary of the chemical production network 102.

[0082] The manufacturing operations system 106 of the chemical production network 102 may be configured to monitor and / or control the chemical production network 102 based on different process operating parameters. One process step that may be monitored and / or controlled may be the supply of input raw materials 100 or the release of output materials, particularly specific chemical products 104. Another process step that may be monitored and / or controlled may be the registration of environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials 100 that are input to the system boundary of the chemical production network 102. Yet another process step that may be monitored and / or controlled may be the association of environmental attributes to output materials, particularly specific chemical products 104, produced through the chemical production network 102. Yet another process step that may be monitored and / or controlled may be the management of environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials 100 and output materials, particularly specific chemical products 104, of the chemical production network 102.

[0083] The manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to register inbound environmental attributes and assign outbound environmental attributes. The manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to access data related to the input materials 100, processes, and / or output materials, particularly specific chemical products 104, used in the chemical manufacturing network 102. For example, the manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to register the recycled or bio-based content of one or more input materials 100 used in the chemical manufacturing network 102 as an environmental attribute. The manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to assign the environmental attribute to at least one balance account associated with the recycled or bio-based content of the input materials 100. The manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to assign at least a portion of the environmental attributes from the at least one balance account to at least one output material, particularly specific chemical products 104.

[0084] The manufacturing operations system 102 may be configured to handle environmental attributes related to the input materials 100 and output materials, particularly the specific chemical products 104, of the chemical production network 102. For example, the manufacturing operations system 106 may be configured to determine environmental attributes associated with the use of the input materials 100 that affect the environmental characteristics of the chemical production network 102 and the output materials, particularly the specific chemical products 104 produced by the chemical production network 102. More particularly, the manufacturing operations system 102 may be configured to determine environmental attributes associated with the output materials, particularly the specific chemical products 104. In this manner, the manufacturing operations system 102 may be configured to save the environmental attributes in or withdraw the environmental attributes from a balance account. The environmental attributes may thus be considered as credits saved in or withdrawn from an account related to the input materials and output materials, particularly the specific chemical products, of the chemical production network 102. In this manner, the environmental impact of the production may be tracked and / or traced back.

[0085] A number of value chains may be linked in the chemical production network 102. Additionally, different input materials 100 or chemical processes may be used that affect the environmental characteristics of the output materials, in particular the specific chemical products 104, produced by the chemical production network 102. Examples of input materials 100 that affect at least one environmental characteristic of the output materials, in particular the specific chemical products 104, produced from such input materials 100 are recycled, renewable or bio-based input materials 104. Examples of chemical processes that affect the environmental characteristics include chemical processes using environmentally friendly technologies such as carbon capture, carbon utilization, heat pumps, etc.

[0086] The processing of chemicals in continuous or semi-continuous production and the complexity of the chemical production network 102 may hinder the traceability of input materials through the network. In such a scenario, equivalent environmental attributes, indicative of the impact on the environmental properties of the output materials produced by the chemical production network, in particular the specific chemical products 104, may be assigned to balance accounts and allocated to one or more output materials, in particular the specific chemical products 104, of the chemical production network 102. The environmental attributes may thus be separated from the physical material flows within the chemical production network 102. The separation may be based on a material balance model such that the equivalents allocated to one or more output materials, in particular the specific chemical products, do not exceed the equivalents provided by the input materials or the process. If an equivalent is assigned to a virtual account of a type of environmental attribute, it will not be assigned twice to another virtual account of that type of environmental attribute. The types of environmental attributes are recycled, bio-based, renewable, etc. The environmental attributes may be provided in the form of a digital asset or a specific chemical product passport attached to the physical entity of the specific chemical product.

[0087] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example of linking environmental attributes associated with an input material 100 to an output material, specifically a particular chemical product 104 of a chemical production network 102 .

[0088] 1, the chemical production network 102 and its operations can be monitored and / or controlled by a manufacturing operations system 106. The manufacturing operations system 106 can be configured to track environmental attributes from the input materials 100 provided to the chemical production network 102 to the output materials, particularly the specific chemical products 104, produced by the chemical production network 102. For tracking purposes, the operations system 106 can be configured to register environmental attributes associated with the input materials 100 provided to the chemical production network 102 and to link the environmental attributes to the output materials, particularly the specific chemical products 104, produced by the chemical production network 102.

[0089] An input material 100, such as pyrolysis oil, bio-naphtha or biogas (particularly biomethane), may be fed to a chemical production network 102. The input material 100 may be fed to the chemical production network 104 at an input, such as a steam cracker or a syngas plant. The input material 100 may be used in the chemical production network 102 to produce one or more output substances, particularly specific chemical products 104, from the input material 100. The output substances, particularly specific chemical products 104, are obtained at the output of the chemical production network 102. Further output substances may be MDI, TDI, PA6, EPS, PC, polyols, caprolactam, adipic acid, HMD, polyamide.

[0090] Once the input raw materials 100 are input, input raw material data 108 may be provided to a computing interface of the manufacturing operations system 106 via a communication network. A data provider, such as a QR code reader, may be configured to provide the raw material data 108 relating to one or more input raw materials 100 and their respective environmental attributes 108 to a computing interface configured to assign the environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials 100. The raw material data 108 may include an input raw material identifier and an environmental attribute associated with the input raw material 100. The input raw material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input raw material 100 input to the chemical manufacturing network 102. The raw material data may be provided at, before, or after the one or more input raw materials are provided at an inlet to the chemical manufacturing network 102.

[0091] The input feedstock identifiers may be linked to environmental attributes associated with each input feedstock 100, the quantity of the input feedstock 100, and a certificate attesting to the environmental attributes. The quantity of the input feedstock may be a measured amount of the input feedstock 100 provided to a plant or storage of the chemical production network 102 to produce one or more output substances, particularly a particular chemical product 104, from the input feedstock 100. The input feedstock identifiers associated with each input feedstock 100, the environmental attributes associated with each input feedstock 100, and the quantity of the input feedstock 100 provided to the chemical production network 102 may be provided to the manufacturing operations system 106. Such data may be provided via a communication network at the time of input to the chemical production network 102, or the data may be transferred from a computing system to the manufacturing operations system 106.

[0092] The inbound allocator 110 may be configured to assign one or more environmental attributes to at least one balance account 112 associated with each environmental attribute. For example, one balance account 112 may relate to environmental attributes from recycled materials and another balance account 112 may relate to environmental attributes from bio-based materials. A balance account may be associated with each environmental attribute type, such as bio-based or recycled. Based on such association, a balance account associated with the environmental attribute type of each input material 100 may be selected. The environmental attributes may be assigned to the selected balance account. For example, an account 112 for recycled materials may be selected and the environmental attributes assigned to that account 122.

[0093] For allocation, the one or more environmental attributes may be converted into balance units and the balance units may be allocated to the balance 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 that quantifies the environmental burden of the environmental attribute. The conversion factor may thus take into account differences when producing chemical products from conventional input feedstocks, when producing chemical products from unconventional input feedstocks, or when producing chemical products from a mixture of conventional and unconventional input feedstocks. The conversion factor may relate to differences in the chemical and / or physical properties of the conventional and unconventional input feedstocks.

[0094] The use of balance accounts 112 ensures that the environmental attributes of a raw material input 100 are only used once to assign to a particular chemical product 104. This avoids double counting of inputs or outputs and ensures that benign environmental impacts are tracked and assigned to a particular chemical product 104.

[0095] The identifier provider 116 may be configured to provide a particular chemical product identifier associated with a particular chemical product produced by the chemical production network 102 and provided at an outlet from the chemical production network 102 .

[0096] The outbound assigner 114 may be configured to assign at least one environmental attribute to a specific chemical product identifier ID2 from at least one balance account 112 associated with each environmental attribute. One or more environmental attributes may be assigned to at least one specific chemical product identifier ID2. The assignment may include de-assignment of one or more environmental attributes from a balance account 112 associated with each environmental attribute type. The assignment may include conversion of one or more balance units to one or more environmental attributes.

[0097] Assigning at least one environmental attribute associated with the input raw material to the specific chemical may include linking a specific chemical identifier ID2 to the environmental attribute. The specific chemical identifier ID2 may be associated with the physical entity of the specific chemical. In this way, a virtual identifier of a substance can be uniquely linked to a physical substance. Such linking may include a physical linking or a virtual linking of an identifier uniquely associated with a physical substance. In the case of physical linking, a tag or code may be physically connected to the raw material, for example by printing a QR code on the packaging. In the case of virtual linking, a different identifier associated with the physical raw material may be linked. For example, an order number, a batch number, a LOT number, or any combination thereof may be linked.

[0098] The outbound signer 114 may be configured to provide the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product to a data consumer, such as a system associated with a user of the particular chemical product. The outbound signer 114 may be configured to provide the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product to a distributed network, as described in the example of Fig. 4. The environmental attributes may be provided via the identity-based schema described above in the form of a digital asset associated with the physical entity of the particular chemical product or a particular chemical product passport.

[0099] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example of linking environmental attributes of a raw material input 100 and a chemical process to a specific chemical product 104 in a chemical production network 102 .

[0100] 1 and 2, the chemical production network 102 and the operation of the chemical production network 102 may be monitored and / or controlled by a production operations system 106. An input feedstock 100, such as pyrolysis oil, bio-naphtha, or biogas (particularly biomethane), may be provided to the chemical production network 102. The input feedstock 100 may be used by the chemical production network 102 to produce one or more specific chemical products 104 from the input feedstock 100.

[0101] Once the input raw materials 100 are input, the input raw material data 108 may be provided to a computing interface of the manufacturing operations system 106 via a communication network. A data provider, such as a QR code reader, may be configured to provide the raw material data 108 relating to one or more input raw materials 100 and their respective environmental attributes 108 to a computing interface configured to assign the environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials 100. The raw material data 108 may include an input raw material identifier and an environmental attribute associated with the input raw material 100. The input raw material identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input raw material 100 input to the chemical manufacturing network 102. The input raw material identifier may be linked to the carbon footprint of the input raw material 100 as an environmental attribute. The raw material data may be provided at the time, before, or after the input of one or more input raw materials at an inlet to the chemical manufacturing network 102.

[0102] The inbound allocator 110 may be configured to obtain one or more environmental attributes and provide such attributes to the carbon footprint (CF) generator 120. The process data provider 122 may be configured to collect process data associated with the chemical processing of the input material 100 to produce a particular chemical product 104. The process data provider 122 may be configured to retrieve energy data associated with the energy consumption of the chemical processing. The process data provider 122 may be configured to provide the process data and the energy data to the CF generator 120.

[0103] The CF generator 120 may be configured to determine a carbon footprint of a particular chemical product produced by the chemical production network. The carbon footprint of the particular chemical product may be determined based on the process data, the energy data, and the carbon footprint of the input materials 100 used to produce the particular chemical product.

[0104] The identifier provider 116 may be configured to provide a particular chemical product identifier associated with a particular chemical product produced by the chemical production network 102 and provided at an outlet from the chemical production network 102 .

[0105] The outbound assigner 114 may be configured to assign the determined carbon footprint to a specific chemical product identifier ID2. As described in the context of FIG. 2, one or more environmental attributes may be assigned to at least one specific chemical product identifier ID2.

[0106] The outbound signer 114 may be configured to provide environmental attributes, in particular the carbon footprint, associated with a particular chemical product to a data consumer, such as a system associated with a user of the particular chemical product. The outbound signer 114 may be configured to provide the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product to a distributed network, as illustrated by the example of Fig. 4. The environmental attributes may be provided via the above-mentioned ID-based schema in the form of a digital asset associated with the physical entity of the particular chemical product or a particular chemical product passport.

[0107] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of a method or apparatus for providing environmental attributes associated with specific chemical products to data consumers (material users) via a distributed network.

[0108] A particular chemical product 104 produced by the chemical production network 102 may be provided in association with a digital asset, as described in the context of Figures 2 and 3. The digital asset may include a particular chemical product identifier. The digital asset may include one or more environmental attributes, such as the carbon footprint of the product, recycled content, or bio-based content. The digital asset may relate to one or more environmental attributes, such as the carbon footprint of the product, recycled content, or bio-based content. The digital asset may include a digital representation of one or more environmental attributes, such as the carbon footprint of the product, recycled content, or bio-based content.

[0109] The digital asset may further include or be associated with authentication and / or authorization information associated with the specific chemical identifier. The authentication and / or authorization information may be provided for authentication and / or authorization of the data providing service 208 and / or the data consuming service 210. The specific chemical identifier may include or be associated with a decentralized identifier uniquely associated with the specific chemical. The decentralized identifier may be associated with a digital representation of the environmental attribute. The digital representation may include a representation for accessing the environmental attribute or a portion thereof. The decentralized identifier may include a universally unique identifier (UUID) or a digital identifier (DID). The decentralized identifier may include any unique identifier uniquely associated with the data owner and / or the specific chemical. The data owner may be the manufacturer of the specific chemical. Through the unique association of the decentralized identifier with the data owner and / or the specific chemical, the data owner may control access to the raw material composition data.

[0110] Digital assets including digital representations of one or more environmental attributes, such as product carbon footprint, recycled content, or bio-based content, may be stored in a distributed database 200. The one or more environmental attributes, such as product carbon footprint, recycled content, or bio-based content, may be stored in a database 202 associated with a data owner, such as a manufacturer of a particular chemical product 104.

[0111] The specific chemical product 104 may be physically delivered to a user of the specific chemical product. The specific chemical product may be associated with a QR code that encodes an identifier for the specific chemical product. The user of the specific chemical product may be able to read the QR code via a QR code reader 206. The particular chemical identifier may be provided to a database 208 associated with a consumer of the particular chemical 104. In another embodiment, the consumer of the particular chemical may obtain the particular chemical identifier via the distributed database 200.

[0112] The data owner in this example may be the input material producer, output material producer, output material user, or end product producer. The data owner may include any entity that generates data. The data generating node may be tied to the data owner or to the entity that owns or produces the physical product from which or to which the data is generated. The data may be generated by a third party entity on behalf of the entity that owns the physical product from which or to which the data is generated.

[0113] The data consuming service 210 may include computer-executable instructions to access and / or process data, such as specific chemical product data, associated with a data owner. The data providing service 210 may include computer-executable instructions to provide and / or process data, such as specific chemical product data, associated with a data owner for access and / or processing by the data consuming service 214.

[0114] Based on the received chemical identifier, a request may be issued by the data consumption service 210 to access environmental attributes associated with the chemical identifier, as indicated by arrow 212. The chemical identifier may be associated with or provided to a data providing service 214 of the manufacturer of the chemical 104. Additionally, authentication and / or authorization information may be provided.

[0115] The request may be authenticated and / or authorized to access the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical identifier. Based on successful authentication and / or authorization, access to the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical identifier may be granted.

[0116] For access, the specific chemical identifier may be provided to a data providing service 214, as indicated by arrow 212. The data providing service 214 can use the received specific chemical identifier to obtain environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical 104, as indicated by arrows 218 and 220. The environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical 104 provided to the data providing service 214 may be provided to a data consuming service 210, as indicated by arrow 216. The environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical 104 may be stored in a database 208 associated with a user of the specific chemical 104, as indicated by arrow 220.

[0117] Environmental attributes may be uniquely associated with a particular chemical product via an output identifier or a distributed identifier. Via the distributed network, the environmental attributes are transferred between the producers of the particular chemical product and the users of the particular chemical product. In this way, the environmental attributes are uniquely associated with a particular chemical product and can be shared between the parties in the value chain without a direct central intermediary. This allows for transparency of the environmental attributes across the value chain and allows for the tracking of the benign environmental impact of a particular chemical product produced by the chemical production network 102 through the value chain.

[0118] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example of a method or apparatus for providing environmental attributes associated with a particular chemical product across a value chain via a distributed network.

[0119] In the example of Figure 5, a fully connected value chain including a chemical production network is shown. In this example, input providers, specific chemical producers, specific chemical users, and end product producers may be connected in a distributed network as described in the context of Figure 4. Environmental attributes may be provided via an ID-based schema as described in the context of Figures 2-4 in the form of digital assets or specific chemical passports associated with the physical entities of the inputs, specific chemicals, any intermediate products, or the end products.

[0120] An input raw material provider may provide an input raw material such as biogas or pyrolysis oil. The environmental attributes of the input raw material may be provided via a data provision service connected to the distributed network as described in the context of FIG. 4. A specific chemical product manufacturer may produce a specific chemical product from an input raw material provided to the chemical production network. The specific chemical product manufacturer may access the environmental attributes associated with the input raw material via a data consumption service connected to the distributed network as described in the context of FIG. 4. The specific chemical product manufacturer may manage the environmental attributes via a manufacturing operation system as described in the context of FIG. 1-3. The specific chemical product manufacturer may assign environmental attributes associated with the input raw material or environmental attributes associated with the chemical production network such as a carbon footprint to a specific chemical product as described in the context of FIG. 1-3. The specific chemical product manufacturer may provide the environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical product via a data provision service connected to the distributed network as described in the context of FIG. 4. A specific chemical product user or an end product manufacturer may be linked to the environmental attributes associated with the specific chemical product via a data consumption service connected to the distributed network as described in the context of FIG. 4.

[0121] Each data owner in this example may be an input material producer, an output material producer, an output material user, or an end product manufacturer. A data owner may include any entity that generates data. A data generating node may be coupled to a data owner or an entity that owns or produces the physical product from which or to which the data is generated. Data may be generated by a third party entity on behalf of an entity that owns the physical product from which or to which the data is generated.

[0122] A data consuming service may include computer-executable instructions to access and / or process data, such as specific chemical product data, associated with a data owner. A data providing service may include computer-executable instructions to provide and / or process data, such as specific chemical product data, associated with a data owner for access and / or processing by a data consuming service.

[0123] In the example of Figure 5, the decentralized identifier may relate to the end product. Such a decentralized identifier may be provided to the value chain participants. Through the end product unique decentralized identifier, data associated with the end product manufactured from a particular chemical product may be collected throughout the production chain and assigned to the end product unique decentralized identifier. For example, one or more environmental attributes associated with the end product may be derived from environmental attributes associated with a particular chemical product, input materials, or any other product entity present in the value chain of the end product.

[0124] In this way, the environmental attributes of input raw materials, selected chemical products, and products manufactured from selected chemical products can be traced through the value chain to the final product. This tracing of the environmental attributes of raw materials allows information to be made transparent throughout the value chain, while allowing supply chain participants to control the flow of information. Also, as explained in the context of Figures 1-3, the environmental attributes can be handled by the manufacturing operations system according to the needs of the individual participants. In essence, such tracing allows the tracing of positive environmental impacts by individual supply chain participants, making the positive environmental impacts transparent and attributable to individual supply chain participants.

[0125] An example of a chemical manufacturing network that produces 1,4-butanediol associated with a digital asset is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 6. The example in Figure 6 is illustrative and should not be considered limiting of the present invention.

[0126] In the example of FIG. 6, biomethane and natural gas (fossil methane) may be provided to a chemical production network to produce 1,4-butanediol, as an example. Biomethane and natural gas (fossil methane) can be input materials as a mixed feedstock in this example. Ethyne and other intermediates can be produced from biomethane and natural gas. 1,4-butanediol and other products, such as intermediates or other substances, can be produced from ethyne and formaldehyde.

[0127] In the example of Figure 6, the biogenic content of biomethane as a non-fossil input feedstock can be tracked. As explained in the context of Figure 2, the biogenic content of biomethane at the beginning of the 1,4-butanediol production chain may be registered via the production operations system 106. The biogenic content of biomethane may then be allocated to a biogenic content balance account 112. The environmental attributes of the biogenic content of biomethane are thus decoupled from the mass flows of chemical processes in the chemical production network 102, as shown in Figure 6.

[0128] To attribute the biomethane's biocontent used in the production of 1,4-butanediol, the biomethane's biocontent can be determined. The biomethane's biocontent that can be attributed to the production of 1,4-butanediol can be based on mass conservation that can be attributed to the 1,4-butanediol produced. For example, only half of the biomethane's biocontent can be attributed to 1,4-butanediol and the other half can be attributed to other products obtained from the biomethane as an input feedstock. The environmental attribute biocontent can be attributed to 1,4-butanediol to the extent described above.

[0129] In the system shown in FIG. 2, by associating a decentralized ID with 1,4-butanediol and assigning the environmental attributes to the decentralized ID, the environmental attributes associated with the production of 1,4-butanediol can be associated with the produced 1,4-butanediol. By linking the ID and the environmental attributes, the environmental attributes can be uniquely linked to the produced 1,4-butanediol. The 1,4-butanediol can be delivered to a user of the 1,4-butanediol. The packaging, such as a loose bag of 1,4-butanediol, can include a QR code. The decentralized ID can be included or encoded in the QR code. In this way, the user of the 1,4-butanediol can access the environmental attributes associated with the 1,4-butanediol via the ID-based protocol described in the context of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0130] As in this example, a chemical manufacturing network that produces 1,4-butanediol associated with a digital asset may be based on the methodology shown in FIG. 3 for carbon footprinting.

[0131] Although the disclosure has been described in conjunction with several preferred embodiments and examples, other variations will occur to those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention upon study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the claims.

[0132] Any steps presented herein may be performed in any order, and the methods disclosed herein are not limited to any particular order of these steps.

[0133] Also, the different steps need not be performed at a particular location or at a particular computing node of the distributed system, ie, each step may be performed at a different computing node using different equipment / data processing. As used herein, the term "determine" includes "initiate or cause a determination," "generate" includes "initiate and / or cause a generation," and "provide" includes "initiate or cause a determination, generation, selection, transmission, and / or reception." "Initiate or cause the performance of an action" includes any processing signal that causes a computing node or device to launch a respective action.

[0134] In the claims and the description, the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage in implementations.

[0135] Any disclosures and embodiments described herein relate to the methods, systems, devices, computer program elements described above, and vice versa. As an advantageous feature, the benefits provided by any of the embodiments and examples apply equally to all other embodiments and examples, and vice versa.

[0136] All terms and definitions used herein are to be broadly understood and have their ordinary meaning.

Claims

1. 1. A system for producing a specific chemical product selected from alcohols, ether oxiranes, alkanes, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic chlorides, organophosphines, organophosphates, and sulfonic acids (specific chemical products) associated with a digital asset, the system comprising: a chemical production network configured to produce said particular chemical product, said particular chemical product being produced from one or more raw material inputs via one or more chemical processes in said chemical production network, said one or more raw material inputs and / or one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes; - providing a distributed identifier associated with the particular chemical product produced; a manufacturing operations device configured to generate the digital asset by linking the decentralized identifier to the environmental attribute; A system including:

2. The specific chemical products associated with the digital assets include methanol, 1-ethynyl-1-cyclohexanol, 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyldodecyn-3-ol, 3-butyn-2-ol, propargyl alcohol, tert.amyl alcohol, 3-methyl-pentyn-1-ol-3, butan-2-ol (particularly (S)-butan-2-ol), 1,2-pentanediol, 1,4-butanediol, butane-2,3-diol, 1,5-pentanediol, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decynediol, 2-butyne-1,4-diol, 3-hexyne-2,5-diol, 1,6-hexanediol, neopentylglycerol hydroxypivalate, 2,2'- Thiobisethanol, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, trimethylolpropane, propylene oxide, isobutylene oxide, tetrahydrofuran, 2,2'-dichlorodiethyl ether, 1,4-dioxane, isobutane, dichlorophenylphosphine, diphenylchlorophosphine, triphenylphosphine, triisobutyl phosphate, 2-ethylhexyl chloride, 1,6-dichlorohexane, methanesulfonate sulfonic acid, hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid, polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 900 to 1100 g / mol and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 1900 to 2100 g / mol and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, epsilon-caprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 450 to 650 g / mol polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with 2,2'-oxydiethanol, polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of propylidine trimethanol with epsilon-caprolactone having a number average molecular weight of 450 to 650 g / mol, polytetrahydrofuran, tetramethylcyclobutanediol, isosorbide, undecane, tridecane, 1-chlorooctane, octanol, ethyne and 4-(1,The system according to claim 1, wherein the hydroxyl group is selected from polymerized alcohols obtained by polymerization with 1-dimethylethyl)-phenol, dimethoxyethane, 1,3-dioxolane, or mixtures thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital assets of the particular chemical product include mass-balanced environmental attributes related to the input material.

4. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more environmental attributes associated with a particular chemical product are provided from at least one balance account configured to store the environmental attributes associated with the input material.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more environmental attributes are associated with at least one characteristic related to the environmental impact of the one or more input materials and / or the chemical process.

6. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing operations device is configured to collect environmental attributes associated with the manufactured particular chemical product before, during, and / or after the manufacture of the particular chemical product by the chemical manufacturing network.

7. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product produced via a chemical process from the one or more input raw materials provided to the chemical production network include the environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials, the chemical process, and / or the chemical production network.

8. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials are provided before, during, and / or after production of the specific chemical product by the chemical production network, and the environmental attributes associated with the input raw materials are assigned to at least one balance account before, during, and / or after production of the specific chemical product by the chemical production network.

9. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product manufactured relate to environmental characteristics generated from process data associated with chemical processing of the input raw materials and / or energy data associated with energy consumption of the chemical processing, and the environmental attributes associated with the particular chemical product manufactured are generated before, during, and / or after production of the particular chemical product by the chemical production network.

10. 1. A method for producing a specific chemical product associated with a digital asset, comprising: - producing a particular chemical product from one or more input materials via one or more chemical processes of a chemical production network, wherein said one or more input materials and / or said one or more chemical processes are associated with environmental attributes; - providing a decentralized identifier associated with the particular chemical product produced and one or more environmental attributes associated with the one or more input materials and / or the one or more chemical processes; By associating the distributed identifier with the one or more environmental attributes, generating the digital asset; - providing the particular chemical product manufactured in association with the digital asset.

11. A particular chemical product associated with a digital asset including a decentralized identifier associated with the particular chemical product and linked to one or more environmental attributes of one or more input materials and / or one or more chemical processes used to produce the particular chemical product.

12. The specific chemical products include methanol, 1-ethynyl-1-cyclohexanol, 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyldodecyn-3-ol, 3-butyn-2-ol, propargyl alcohol, tert. amyl alcohol, 3-methyl-pentyn-1-ol-3, butan-2-ol (particularly (S)-butan-2-ol), 1,2-pentanediol, 1,4-butanediol, butane-2,3-diol, 1,5-pentanediol, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decynediol, 2-butyne-1,4-diol, 3-hexyne-2,5-diol, 1,6-hexanediol, neopentylglycerol hydroxypivalate, 2,2'-thiobisethanol, 2, 5-dimethyl-2,5-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, trimethylolpropane, propylene oxide, isobutylene oxide, tetrahydrofuran, 2,2'-dichlorodiethyl ether, 1,4-dioxane, isobutane, dichlorophenylphosphine, diphenylchlorophosphine, triphenylphosphine, triisobutyl phosphate, 2-ethylhexyl chloride, 1,6-dichlorohexane, methanesulfonic acid, hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid, several Polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone having an average molecular weight of 900 to 1100 g / mol and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone having a number-average molecular weight of 1900 to 2100 g / mol and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone having a number-average molecular weight of 450 to 650 g / mol and 2,2'-oxydiethanol. polycaprolactone obtained by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with a number average molecular weight of 450 to 650 g / mol and propylidine trimethanol; polytetrahydrofuran having a number average molecular weight in the range of 200 to 3000 g / mol; tetramethylcyclobutanediol; isosorbide; undecane; tridecane; 1-chlorooctane; octanol; polymerized alcohol obtained by polymerization of ethyne and 4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol; dimethoxyethane; 1,The specific chemical product according to claim 11, selected from 3-dioxolane or mixtures thereof.

13. 1. A method for generating digital assets associated with a particular chemical product, the particular chemical product being produced from one or more raw material inputs via one or more chemical processes in a chemical production network, the one or more raw material inputs and / or the one or more chemical processes being associated with environmental attributes, the method comprising: - providing a decentralized identifier associated with the particular chemical product produced and one or more environmental attributes of the one or more input materials and / or the one or more chemical processes used to produce the particular chemical product; - linking said distributed identifier with said environmental attributes; providing said digital asset in association with said manufactured specific chemical product, wherein said environmental attributes associated with said specific chemical product are accessible to users of said specific chemical product via said digital asset; A method comprising:

14. 14. A digital asset generated according to the method of claim 13.

15. 14. A method of using the digital asset generated according to the method of claim 13 in the manufacture of a product made from the specific chemical product associated with the digital asset, or a method of using the specific chemical product described in any one of claims 11 or 12 associated with the digital asset to manufacture a product from the specific chemical product and derive a digital asset associated with the product from the specific chemical digital asset.

Images