Methods and systems enabling validation of material data associated with input material(s) entering a production

Abstract

The disclosure relates to sustainable industrialization, specifically monitoring chemical and physical properties of input materials in production, such as chemical manufacturing. It covers methods, apparatuses, and computer elements for validating material data, adjusting material properties, and monitoring critical substances in production. Additionally, it addresses monitoring and controlling chemical production processes. The disclosure includes a material linked to a certificate of analysis and an optional digital credential. These credentials can be used for tracking critical substances in production. It also introduces decentralized validation and composition adjustment services for verifying input material data and modifying material properties before production.

Description

[0001] METHODS AND SYSTEMS ENABLING VALIDATION OF MATERIAL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH INPUT

[0002] MATERIAL(S) ENTERING A PRODUCTION

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The disclosure relates to the field of sustainable industrialization, in particular, the monitoring of chemical and / or physical properties associated with input materials entering a production, such as a chemical production. The disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses, and computer elements for validating material data associated with material(s) to be used to produce one or more output product(s). The disclosure further relates to methods, apparatuses, and computer elements for adjusting at least one chemical and / or physical property of a material to be provided to a chemical production. The disclosure further relates to methods, apparatuses, and computer elements for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production. The disclosure further relates to methods, apparatuses, and computer elements for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production. The disclosure further relates to a material associated with the certificate of analysis and optionally associated digital credential generated by the methods and apparatuses disclosed herein. The disclosure further relates to a use of the certificate of analysis data and associated digital credential(s) as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production. The disclosure further relates to decentral validation service(s) configured to validate input material data associated with an input material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s), according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses or systems disclosed herein. The disclosure further relates to decentral composition adjustment service(s) configured to adjust at least one chemical and / or physical property of an input material to be provided to a chemical production according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses or systems disclosed herein.

[0005] TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0006] Chemical production processes are complex processes performed in large scale plants requiring the feed of input material(s) fulfilling narrow specifications. To ensure that such specifications are met, the input material(s) are often analyzed prior to feeding them to the chemical production. This is, in particular, performed for non-fossil input material(s) with varying chemical and / or physical properties to avoid damage to large scale plants. This hampers efficient use of input material(s), such as non-fossil input materials, within chemical production processes.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In one aspect disclosed is a method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output product(s), the method comprising: • providing the material data including at least one digital identifier associated with the material, property data associated with the material, and entity data associated with the entity generating the property data, providing target property data per material or material type and target entity data associated with at least one predefined entity generating property data associated with materials,

[0009] • validating at least a part of the provided property data by matching said property data to provided target property data and validating at least part of the provided entity data by matching said entity data to the provided target entity data,

[0010] • based on the validated property data and the validated entity data, generating a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data, and / or generating at least one digital credential certifying compliance of at least part of the provided material data and / or at least part of the digital asset with the target property data and the target entity data,

[0011] • providing the generated digital asset and / or the digital credential(s).

[0012] In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output product(s), the apparatus comprising:

[0013] • a material data providing interface configured to provide the material data including at least one digital identifier associated with the material, property data associated with the material, and entity data associated with the entity generating the property data,

[0014] • a target property data providing interface configured to provide target property data per material or material type and target entity data associated with at least one predefined entity generating property data associated with materials,

[0015] • a validating interface configured to validate at least a part of the provided property data by matching said property data to provided target property data and validating at least part of the provided entity data by matching said entity data to the provided target entity data,

[0016] • a generator configured to generate - based on the validated property data and the validated entity data - a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data, and / or configured to generate at least one digital credential certifying compliance of at least part of the provided material data and / or at least part of the digital asset with the target property data and target entity data,

[0017] • a providing interface configured to provide the generated digital asset and / or the digital credential(s).

[0018] In another aspect disclosed is a method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production, the method comprising the steps of:

[0019] • providing digital identifiers associated with different batches of the material,

[0020] • gathering property data associated with the different batches of the material based on the provided digital identifiers,

[0021] • providing target property data per industrial process or industrial operation, determining - based on the gathered property data and the target property data - adjustment data to adjust the provided property data to at least a part of the provided target property data,

[0022] • providing the determined adjustment data for adjusting the property data of the material.

[0023] In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production, the apparatus comprising:

[0024] • an identifier providing interface configured to provide digital identifiers associated with different batches of the material,

[0025] • a data gathering interface configured to gather property data associated with the different batches of the material based on the provided digital identifiers,

[0026] • a target property data providing interface configured to provide target property data per industrial process or industrial operation,

[0027] • an adjustment data generator configured to determine - based on the gathered property data and the target property data - adjustment data to adjust the provided property data to at least a part of the provided target property data,

[0028] • an adjustment data providing interface configured to provide the determined adjustment data for adjusting the property data of the material.

[0029] In another aspect disclosed is a method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input material(s) provided to a production, the method comprising the steps of:

[0030] • collecting data related to the production of the input material(s), wherein the data related to the production of the input material(s) includes digital asset(s) associated with the input material(s) and optionally digital credential(s) associated with the input material(s) as generated by the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein, wherein the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s) relate to substances critical for the production of the output product(s) from at least one of the input material(s);

[0031] • providing one or more decentral identifier(s) associated with the input material(s);

[0032] • generating access data related to the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s);

[0033] • generating an access element including the one or more decentral identifier(s) and the access data or updating existing access element(s) with the generated access data;

[0034] • providing the access element to a decentral network for access to the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s) under control of a data providing network node associated with the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s). In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input material(s) provided to a production, the apparatus comprising:

[0035] • a collecting interface configured to collect data related to the production of the input material(s), wherein the data related to the production of the input material(s) includes digital asset(s) associated with the input material(s) and optionally digital credential(s) associated with the input material(s) as generated by the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein, wherein the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s) relate to substances critical for the production of the output product(s) from at least one of the input material(s);

[0036] • an identifier providing interface configured to provide one or more decentral identifier(s) associated with the input material(s);

[0037] • an access data generating interface configured to generate access data related to the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s);

[0038] • an access element generator configured to generate an access element including the one or more decentral identifier(s) and the access data or an access element updater configured to update existing access element(s) with the generated access data;

[0039] • an access element providing interface configured to provide the access element to a decentral network for access to the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s) under control of a data providing network node associated with the digital asset(s) and optionally the associated digital credential(s).

[0040] In another aspect disclosed is a method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output product(s) from one or more input material(s) by a production, the method comprising the steps of:

[0041] • providing the one or more input material(s),

[0042] • gathering - based on at least one digital identifier associated with the provided input material(s) - input material data including digital asset(s) associated with the input material(s) and optionally digital credential(s) associated with the input material(s) as generated according to the methods or apparatuses disclosed herein,

[0043] • validating the gathered input material data using a rule-based engine including target digital credential data per input material or input material type,

[0044] • based on the validated input material data, generating monitoring and / or control data for producing the one or more output product(s).

[0045] In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output product(s) from one or more input material(s) by a production, the apparatus comprising:

[0046] • an input material(s) provider configured to provide the one or more input material(s),

[0047] • a data gathering interface configured to gather - based on at least one digital identifier associated with the provided input material(s) - input material data including digital asset(s) associated with the input material(s) and optionally digital credential(s) associated with the input material(s) as generated according to the methods or apparatuses disclosed herein,

[0048] • a rule-based engine including target digital credential data per input material or input material type configured to validate the provided input material data,

[0049] • a monitoring and / or control data generator configured to generate - based on the validated input material data - monitoring and / or control data for producing the one or more output product(s).

[0050] In another aspect disclosed is a method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a production, the method comprising the steps of:

[0051] • providing the one or more material(s),

[0052] • gathering - based on at least one decentral identifier associated with the material(s) - material data including digital asset(s) associated with the material and as generated according to the methods or apparatuses disclosed herein;

[0053] • providing candidate operation data per material or material type and target property data per material or material type,

[0054] • determining - based on the gathered digital asset(s), the candidate operation data and the target property data - at least one target operation to be performed on the material,

[0055] • based on the determined target operation(s), generating monitoring and / or control data to perform the determined target operation(s) on the material,

[0056] • providing the generated monitoring and / or control data for monitoring and / or controlling the determined target operation(s) on the material,

[0057] • optionally providing processed material resulting from performing at least one target operation on the material to the production to produce one or more chemical output product(s) using said material.

[0058] In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a production, the apparatus comprising:

[0059] • a material(s) provider configured to provide the one or more material(s)

[0060] • a data gathering interface configured to gather - based on at least one decentral identifier associated with the material(s) - material data including digital asset(s) associated with the material and as generated according to the methods or apparatuses disclosed herein;

[0061] • a data providing interface configured to provide candidate operation data per material or material type and target property data per material or material type,

[0062] • a target operation determination unit configured to determine - based on the gathered digital asset(s), the candidate operation data and the target property data - at least one target operation to be performed on the material, • a monitoring and / or control data generator configured to generate - based on the determined target operation(s) - monitoring and / or control data to perform the determined target operation(s) on the material,

[0063] • a data providing interface configured to provide the generated monitoring and / or control data for monitoring and / or controlling the determined target operation(s) on the material,

[0064] • optionally a refined material provider configured to provide processed material resulting from performing at least one target operation on the material to the production to produce one or more chemical output product(s) using said material.

[0065] •

[0066] In another aspect disclosed is a material associated with a digital asset and digital credential(s), wherein the digital asset and the digital credential(s) are generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein. In another aspect disclosed is a use of a digital asset and optionally digital credential(s) as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production.

[0067] In another aspect disclosed is / are decentral validation service(s) configured to validate material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0068] In another aspect disclosed is / are decentral adjustment service(s) configured to adjust property data associated with an input material to be provided to a chemical production according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0069] In yet another aspect the present disclosure relates to a computer element with instructions, which when executed on one or more computing node(s) is configured to carry out the steps of the method(s) of the present disclosure or configured to be carried out by the apparatus(es) of the present disclosure.

[0070] Any disclosure, embodiments and examples described herein relate to the methods, the apparatuses, uses, materials, decentral validation service(s), decentral adjustment service(s), and computer elements lined out above and below. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any of the embodiments and examples equally apply to all other embodiments and examples.

[0071] Embodiments

[0072] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be outlined by ways of examples. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to said embodiments and / or examples. Productions, in particular chemical productions, are exposed to dynamic changes regarding the properties of materials fed to such productions. To reliably enable the use of non-fossil input material(s) with varying chemical and / or physical properties, monitoring of said chemical and / or physical properties is crucial to avoid a negative impact on production processes performed within the productions, such as steam cracking performed within a chemical production.

[0073] To reliably monitor the chemical and / or physical properties of material(s) provided to such productions, property data associated with such material (material property data) may be validated and a digital asset including at least a part of the validated property data and / or digital credential(s) may be generated and linked via a digital material identifier to such material upon successful validation. The digital asset may be considered as digital certificate of analysis (also denoted as CoA hereinafter). By validating the property data associated with such material, it can be ensured that the actual property data associated with said material complies with target property data defined for the material or material type by the entity operating the production (e.g. that the actual property data fulfils specification(s) provided by the entity using said material to produce output product(s)), hence avoiding additional analysis of the material prior to production of output product(s) to ensure compliance with such specification(s). The digital credential(s) may certify compliance of at least part of the provided material data and / or at least part of the digital asset with the target property data and target entity data and may hence be used by the material supplier to certify the property data included in the CoA fulfils specifications, such as technical specifications, provided by the entity using said material. Such certification may improve the trustworthiness and reliability of the property data included in the CoA and may allow the entity using the material to operate the production based on such property data without having to perform additional analysis prior to using said material. This may enhance the use of sustainable feedstocks, such as recycled material, biobased material, renewable material, having varying compositions due to the varying composition of waste material used to generate such feedstocks within chemical operations requiring feedstock fulfilling given specifications. Improved use of sustainable feedstock may improve the environmental impact of the produced chemical products.

[0074] By generating a digital asset including at least a part of the validated property data and / or digital credential(s) upon validation of the property data and providing such digital asset and digital credential(s) linked via the digital material identifier to the material, such digital asset and digital credential(s) may be presented to a downstream participant upon entry of the material to the production of such downstream participant to proof compliance of the material property data associated with the provided material with target property data defined for the material or material type by the downstream participant operating the production. The digital asset and digital credential(s) may be accessed via a decentral network by the recipient of the material using access element(s) stored in decentral registries and being associated with said digital asset and digital credential(s). The decentral provision of the digital asset and digital credential(s) via the access element(s) allows to store the digital asset and digital credential(s) in a dedicated storage associated with or under control of the data owner of the digital asset and the holder of the digital credential(s) (such as the material producer) and to control access to such stored digital asset and digital credential(s) by the data owner. This ensures transfer of the digital asset and digital credential(s) in a controlled and secure manner and avoids storage of such digital asset and digital credential(s) in storage locations not being associated with or under control of the data owner and holder.

[0075] By validating the property data, adjustment data allowing to modify or adjust property data of a produced material may be generated in case property data associated with a given batch of material cannot be validated, e.g., at least a part of the property data does not conform to target property data defined for the material or material type by the entity operating the production. The adjustment data allows to adjust produced material not fulfilling target property data according to the adjustment data such that the adjusted property data associated with the resulting adjusted material fulfils such target property data. This avoids generation of waste material batches which cannot be processed and must be disposed. Blending of such batches allows to reduce the environmental impact associated with the production and use of such materials. Moreover, generation of adjustment data allows to use materials as input materials to chemical productions requiring narrow material specifications despite fluctuating compositions of the material. Hence, also recycled materials having fluctuating material compositions may be reliably used as input material for the chemical production, allowing to produce chemical products having a reduced environmental impact. This may enable chemical productions to use more sustainable feedstock despite narrow specifications required for input materials.

[0076] By comparing digital credential(s) associated with an input material and demonstrating compliance with target property data and target entity data defined for such material or material type by the downstream participant operating the production with target digital credential data per input material or input material type, the feed of materials to the production can be monitored and / or controlled based on such digital credential(s) in a reliable manner, hence ensuring that the input material(s) to be fed to the production meet the requirements of plants used within the production in terms of property data of used production input(s).

[0077] By determining target operation(s) to be performed on a material not fulfilling target digital credential data and / or target property data, such material may be refined to allow the use of such refined material within the chemical production to produce one or more chemical products from such refined material. This may allow to improve the environmental impact associated with the produced chemical products and may enable to use of sustainable feedstock materials with fluctuating material compositions as input material in chemical productions. By determining target operation(s) to be performed on a material not fulfilling target digital credential data and / or target property data, the chemical production may be more efficiently operated by determining appropriate operations to be performed on the material, hence allowing a more efficient use of materials entering the chemical production based on the associated property data. Various units, entities, nodes, or other computing components may be described as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. Configured to shall recite structure meaning “having circuitry that” performs the task or tasks on operation. The units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components can be configured to perform the task even when the unit / circuit / component is not operating. The units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components that form the structure corresponding to “configured to” may include hardware circuits and / or memory storing program instructions executable to implement the operation. The units, circuits, entities, nodes or other computing components may be described as performing a task or tasks, for convenience in the description. Such descriptions shall be interpreted as including the phrase “configured to.”

[0078] In general, the methods, apparatuses, systems, computer elements, nodes or other computing components described herein may include memory, software components and hardware components. The memory can include volatile memory such as static or dynamic random-access memory and / or nonvolatile memory such as optical or magnetic disk storage, flash memory, programmable read-only memories, etc. The hardware components may include any combination of combinatoric logic circuitry, clocked storage devices such as flops, registers, latches, etc., finite state machines, memory such as static random-access memory or embedded dynamic random-access memory, custom designed circuitry, programmable logic arrays, etc.

[0079] The one or more material(s) may be used for producing one or more output product(s). The material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant of the product ecosystem and may be provided to a downstream participant operating the production (e.g. a material user or processor) for production of one or more output product(s). The product ecosystem may include different stages including manufacturing, use and re-use. In these stages one or more ecosystem participant(s) may contribute to the manufacture, use or re-use of the product. For example, the manufacturing stage may include raw material manufacturers, chemical product manufactures and / or end-product manufacturers. Further for example, the use stage may include a product user, product maintainers and / or product distributors. Further for example, the re-use stage may include collectors, sorters, dismantlers, recyclers, restorers and / or re-furbishers. The material may be used as an input or feedstock for the production, such as the chemical production. Materials provided to the production to be used as input or feedstock to the production may be denoted as input material or feedstock. The material may be a raw material, a recycled material, an intermediate chemical product, a chemical product, a part or component or a component assembly or an end-of-life product. The material may natural, organic and / or inorganic material(s). The material may refer to a fossil and / or a non-fossil material. Fossil materials may include crude oil, natural gas or coal. Non-fossil materials may include renewable materials, bio-based materials and / or recycled materials. Recycled materials include pyrolysis oil.

[0080] The material (e.g. input material or feedstock to be used for the production) may be associated with or linked to a digital identifier. The digital identifier may comprise any digital identifier uniquely associated with the physical entity of the material. The digital identifier may be a material name, a material ID, a batch number, a LOT number or a combination thereof. The digital material identifier may be associated with a single batch of the material and / or a sample thereof. The digital identifier may be associated with multiple physical entities of the material. The digital identifier may be associated with a continuous or semi-continuous stream of material. The digital identifier may be associated with a stream of the material e.g. over a certain time period or from a certain supplier. The digital identifier may be linked or connected to material data in particular at least one measured chemical and / or physical property of the material and / or at least one physical and / or chemical property of the material determined from measured data. This way material data may be provided per material.

[0081] An identifier element may be associated with or connected to the material. The identifier element may be associated with or connected to the material at least on production of the material. Through the identifier element a digital twin of the material may be accessible through the decentral network. The identifier element may uniquely relate to the material. The identifier element may uniquely relate to the digital identifier. The identifier element may encode the digital identifier.

[0082] The digital identifier may be associated with one or more decentral identifier(s) uniquely related to the material. The digital identifier may include one or more decentral identifier(s) uniquely related to the material. The decentral identifier(s) may signify the digital twin of the physical entity of the material. The decentral identifier may be a digital identifier of or for a decentral network. The decentral identifier may be a digital identifier provided to the decentral network and participant nodes of the decentral network. The decentral identifier may hence signify physical entities of materials in the decentral network and participant nodes may be able to interpret the relation of the decentral identifier to the physical entities of materials.

[0083] The decentral identifier may comprise any unique identifier uniquely associated with the producer of the material and the material. The decentral identifier may include one or more Universally Unique Identifier(s) (UUID(s)) or one or more Digital Identifier(s) (DID(s)). The decentral identifier may be issued by a central or decentral identity issuer. The decentral identifier may include authentication information. Via the decentral identifier and its unique association with the with the producer of the material and the material, access to the digital asset and associated digital credent! al(s) may be controlled by the producer of the material. This contrasts with central authority schemes, where identifiers are provided by such central authority and access to data is controlled by such central authority. Decentral in this context refers to the usage of the identifier as controlled by the data owner. The data owner may refer to the owner of the digital asset and associated digital credential(s). The data owner may correspond to or be related to the entity producing the material. The digital asset and associated digital credential(s) may be stored in dedicated storage(s) associated with or accessible by or controlled by the data owner. This contrasts with decentral systems based on distributed ledger technology (DLT), where data stored in the distributed ledger is replicated over various nodes of the distributed network, hence the distributed ledger as data storage may not be under control of a data owner of the data stored in such distributed ledger. The decentral identifier may include one or more identifier(s) used in the decentral network and allowing for data exchange via the decentral network. Data exchange may include discovery of the decentral identifier for network nodes of the decentral network, authentication of network nodes of the decentral network and / or authorization of data transfers via a peer-to-peer communication between network nodes of the decentral network. The decentral identifier may be associated with participants of a material chain, particularly the material loop, including chemical product producer, intermediate chemical producer, intermediate part producer, component producer, component assembly producer, end product producer, used end product collector, used end product sorter, used end product re-user and / or used end product recycler. The chemical product producer, intermediate chemical producer, intermediate part producer, component producer, component assembly producer and / or end product user, may be regarded as end product users. The decentral identifier may be associated with material entities of a material chain, particularly the material loop, including chemical product(s), intermediate chemical product(s), intermediate part(s), component(s), component assembly, and / or end product. Participants of the material chain may operate, e.g., provide material(s) and / or product output product(s) on behalf of further entity / entities. Such further entity may not provide material(s) and / or produce output product(s). Such further entity may enable participant(s) of the material chain to operate, for example by transferring technology to such participant(s).

[0084] The participants of the material chain or material loop may be connected via the decentral network. The decentral network may include one or more decentral network node(s) configured to perform data transactions. The decentral network node(s) may be associated with participants of the material chain associated with the end product, particularly a material loop associated with the end product. The data transactions may be based on a transaction protocol including authentication and / or authorization mechanism(s). Based on the authentication and / or authorization mechanism(s) a peer-to-peer network between decentral network node(s) of the decentral network may be established. The one or more authentication mechanism(s) may be associated with or linked to the decentral identifier(s). The one or more authentication mechanism(s) associated with the decentral identifier(s) may be provided to decentral network node(s). The one or more authentication mechanism(s) associated with the decentral identifier(s) may be accessible by decentral network node(s). The decentral configuration allows for more efficient use of computing resources and strengthens control by each data owner of the decentral network.

[0085] Data providing network node(s) may be configured to provide access to data stored in a dedicated storage associated with the respective data providing network node(s). The data providing network node may be associated with a participant of the production chain of the material, such as the producer of the material. The data providing network node may be associated with an entity or service performing validation of material data. Data, such as material data, CoA data and associated digital credential(s), may be provided by the data providing network node to the decentral network, in particular for access by data consuming network node(s). The access to the data may be under control of the data providing network node associated with said data. The data providing network node may be configured to authenticate the data consuming network node and / or to authorize access to the data by the data consuming network node.

[0086] Data consuming network node(s) may be configured to request access to data stored in a dedicated storage associated with the data providing network node(s). Data consuming network node(s) may be configured to determine access elements associated with the material, for example by querying the decentral network, in particular decentral registries storing access elements. The data consuming network node may be associated with a consumer of the material, such as a chemical product producer using the material, such as the recycled material, to produce chemical product(s). The data consuming network node may be associated with the entity or service validating the material data. Generated data, such as the material data, digital assets and associated digital credential(s), may be accessed by the data consuming network node(s) upon authentication and / or authorization.

[0087] The output material(s) may be produced from one or more input material(s) by the production. The output product(s) may include intermediate chemical product(s), chemical product(s), part(s) or component(s), component assembly / ies, end product(s). The production may be a chemical production. The chemical production may produce one or more chemical intermediate products or chemical products. The chemical production may chemically and / or physically convert one or more input material(s) to output product(s). The conversion may take place via chemical intermediates. The chemical production may be a chemical production network that chemically converts input materials via chemical intermediates to chemical products (e.g., output products) that exit the chemical production network. The chemical production network may include a complex production network producing multiple chemical products in multiple production or value chains. A production or value chain may include one or more process(es) configured to produce one chemical product or chemical product class from one or more input material(s). The chemical production network may include connected, interconnected and / or non-connected production chains. The production chains included in the chemical production network may be defined by the physical system boundary of the chemical production network. The system boundary may be defined by location or control over production processes. The system boundary may be defined by the value chain with staggered production processes to an end product (or final product), which may be controlled by multiple entities jointly or separately. The chemical production network may include a waste collection and sorting step, a recycling step such as pyrolysis, a cracking step such as steam cracking, a production step to produce chemical products or intermediates from provided inbound material(s), a separation step to separate intermediates of one process step and further processing steps to convert such outputs to chemical product(s) leaving the system boundary of the chemical production network. The chemical production network may produce from input materials multiple intermediates and from intermediates one or more chemical products. Input material may enter the chemical production network at entry points. The input material may be fed to the chemical production network at the start of the production process or at any intermediate stage of the production process, e.g., of the production chain producing the output material. Chemical products may leave the production network at exit points (or feed-out points). The production may be a discrete production. The discrete production may produce one or more discrete product(s) from one or more input material(s).

[0088] Material data may refer to any data characterizing material(s) to be used to produce one or more output product(s). Material data may also be denoted as input material data hereinafter. Material data may relate but is not limited to material name, material composition, emission data of the material and / or material production data. Material data may include property data of the material. The material data may be signed by the entity generating the property data using a private key associated with said entity or a representative thereof. The property data may include chemical property data associated with chemical property / ies of the material and / or physical property data associated with physical property / ies of the material. Chemical properties may describe the change of the material’s chemical composition given a specific set of conditions. Chemical properties may include flammability, (eco-) toxicity , acidity, reactivity, combustibility, concentrations of components including contaminants or the like. Property data may relate to physical properties. Physical properties may be used to describe the physical characteristics of the material. Physical properties may be observed or measured without changing the identity of the material. Physical properties may include color, density, hardness, a boiling point or boiling range, flashpoint, melting point, and / or pour point or the like. Chemical and / or physical properties may relate to any chemical and / or physical property of the material that may be relevant and / or critical for following downstream processing steps and / or further use of material(s).

[0089] The property data may include at least one measured chemical and / or physical property and / or at least one chemical and / or physical property determined from measurement data. Measurement data may refer to quantitative property data. Measurement data may be generated by analyzing material(s). Measurement data of the material(s) may be generated by analyzing physical samples of the material(s). This may include collecting sample(s) from the material, processing and / or acquiring measurement data from the collected sample(s) and determining at least one chemical and / or physical property from the obtained measurement data. The measured at least one physical and / or chemical property may be obtained by sensor(s) configured to measure the respective at least one physical and / or chemical property. The sensor(s) may be included in a measuring device. The sensor(s) may correspond to the measuring device. For analyzing physical samples one or more analytical instruments may be used such as analysis equipment, spectrometer and / or calorimeters. The sensor data may be interrelated with the digital identifier associated with the material. The chemical and / or physical property data determined from the sensor data may be interrelated with the digital identifier associated with the material.

[0090] Entity data associated with the entity generating the material data may relate to data being indicative of such entity. For instance, such data may include a digital identifier uniquely identifying such entity. Such data may further include certification(s) associated with certificate(s) of such entity. Such data may further include data associated with authorized person(s) performing the material analysis or approving the chemical and / or physical property data. Such data may further include the public key associated with a private key used to sign the material data to allow verification of the signature, for example upon validation. Such entity may correspond to an institute, company, association, governmental body or individual analyzing material sample(s) using one or more test methods. The test methods may correspond to standard test methods. The test methods may correspond to predefined test methods. Data on predefined test methods may be provided to the entity by the producer of the material. For instance, the producer of the material may provide physical sample(s) of the material and data associated with test methods to be performed on such sample(s). The sample(s) may be transported from the producer of the material to the entity determining the material data. The certificate(s) may certify that the entity performs sample analysis according to defined rule sets, such as standards. Such certificate(s) may be issued by a certification body to indicate that the entity and / or operations, such as measurements, performed by the entity conforms to the requirements of the certification system. The certificate may serve as evidence that the entity and / or their services has been audited by an independent third-party certification body and has been found to comply with the relevant standards and requirements. The certificate may include information such as the name and address of the certified entity, the scope of the certification (e.g., which services, such as measurement services are covered), the name of the certification body, the date of issue, and the date of expiration. The certificate may be valid for a specific period of time and may require ongoing audits or surveillance to maintain certification. The certificate may demonstrate a commitment to quality and compliance with industry standards. The certificate may indicate that the material data generated by such an entity is credible and trustworthy.

[0091] The target property data per material or material type may relate to target chemical and / or physical property(ies) (e.g. specification(s)) for the material and / or material type. The target property data may be generated by the downstream participant of the product ecosystem processing the material produced by the material producer (e.g. the associated upstream participant of the product ecosystem). The target property data may be provided by the entity processing the material. The target property data may be provided by the entity generating the material data. The target property data may be provided by the entity producing the material. The target property data per material or material type may include property data, such as chemical and / or physical property data, critical for one or more subsequent processing step(s) of the material by one or more downstream participant(s) of the product ecosystem. Chemical and / or physical property data critical for subsequent processing step(s) may signify chemical and / or physical property data that impedes at least one subsequent processing steps and / or at least one plant performing a subsequent processing step and / or the quality of the output product resulting from at least one subsequent processing step. Chemical and / or physical property data critical for subsequent processing step(s) may relate to the subsequent processing and / or the use of the output product(s) obtained from such processing step(s). Critical chemical and / or physical property data associated with the material, such as recycled material, in particular pyrolysis oil, may relate to the further processing of such material, for example in a steam cracker and / or a syngas plant associated with a downstream participant. Critical chemical and / or physical property data associated with pyrolysis oil may include halogen content data such as chlorine content data, data on the content of contaminants (such as Hg, Fe, Si, Zn, V, N), boiling range data, distillation range data, ash content data, flash point data, pour point data, auto-ignition temperature data, data associated with the number of phases present within the pyrolysis oil, density data, calorific value data and / or data specifying the corrosiveness of the pyrolysis oil.

[0092] The material type may relate to a type or class of the material, a use of the material and / or the feedstock used to produce the material. The type or class of the material may relate to the name of the material and / or a material identifier assigned according to a predefined rule set. The name of the material may relate to the production of the material. The material identifier may relate to the CAS number, EC number, REACh registration number etc. The feedstock used to produce the material may have an influence on the chemical and / or physical property(ies) of the resulting material, for instance on the chemical composition of the resulting material. Hence, different specifications for materials produced from different feedstocks may be needed to ensure efficient processing of such materials. The feedstock for producing pyrolysis oil may, for example include vegetable oil from food production, oil from a specific location, mixed plastics waste and / or tires.

[0093] The target entity data may define one or more entity(ies) and / or one or more valid certifi cate(s) required by entity(ies) providing material data. The entity(ies) may be defined using the digital identifier uniquely identifying such entity(ies). For instance, the name of the entity, the address of the entity, an entity ID or a combination thereof may be used to define an entity. This allows to define trustworthy entities, e.g., entities known to provide reliable and trustworthy material data via said predefined entity data. The required certificate(s) may be defined using digital identifier(s) uniquely identifying such certificate(s). For instance, the name of the certificate, the certification company and / or authority, validity of the certificate or a combination thereof may be included in the predefined entity data.

[0094] The digital asset may include the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data associated with the material. The digital asset may include the digital identifier(s), at least a part of the property data and data indicating at least the non-validated property data may be generated. The digital asset may further include entity data associated with the entity providing the material data. The digital identifier(s) may be associated with or related to an identifier element physically attached to the material. This may allow to link the digital asset to the physical entity of the material. The digital asset including validated property data may be associated with digital credential(s), for example via the digital identifier(s), e.g., the digital identifier(s) included in the digital asset may be included in the digital credential(s) or vice versa. The digital asset may further include data on test methods used to measure and / or determine the chemical and / or physical property(ies). The digital asset may further include data being indicative of the producer of the material, such as the name, address and / or producer ID. The digital asset data may further include at least part of the provided entity data. The digital asset may be signed, for example by a private key associated with the entity generating the digital asset and / or the material data. The private key may be generated by the entity or service performing the inventive methods. The digital asset may include the public key associated with the private key to allow verification of the signature. The digital asset may indicate the quality of the material and may be used to demonstrate that the material conforms to target specification(s).

[0095] A digital credential may refer to a data set including one or more claims, e.g. assertion(s), about a subject, made by an issuer of the digital credential. The subject may refer to the physical entity of the material, such as a batch of produced material, about which claim(s) are made. The subject may refer to property data of the material about which claim(s) are made. The claim(s) may be related to at least part of the provided entity data being valid. The digital credential may include a claim per property data point being valid. The digital credential may include a claim per group of property data points being valid. For instance, the digital credential may include a claim per chemical property data points being valid and a claim per physical property data points being valid. The digital credential may include a claim that the property data included in the CoA conforms to the target property data and may list the property data that conforms to the target property data. The digital credential may further include a claim that the entity providing the material data conforms to given specifications, e.g. holds given certifications. The issuer may assert one or more claim(s) about the subject, may generate the digital credential and may issue the generated credential to a holder, such as the material producer. The issuer may be an entity, such as a legal entity. The issuer may be a device or a network node, such as a network node of a decentral system. The data set may include an identifier associated with the digital credential (e.g. a credential identifier), issuer data, issuance data, expiration data and data on the credential subject. The data set may further include proof data. Issuer data may include a URI, such as a URL, pointing to the data associated with the issuer, such as the issuer name, issuer ID, issuer address. The data on the credential subject may include the digital identifier of the material associated with the validated material data and one or more claim(s) on the subject. The claim(s) may include the validated properties, such as validated chemical and / or physical properties of the material. The claim(s) may include the validated entity data, such as validated certification(s) associated with the entity generating the material data.

[0096] The material may be associated with an access element via the decentral identifier associated with the material. The access element may include access data and one or more decentral identifier(s) associated with the material. The access data associated with the digital asset and associated digital credential(s). The access data may include a locator or pointer, such as am url or uri, to a dedicated storage, such as a dedicated storage address, storing the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s). The storage location may be associated with or under control of the data owner of the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s). The pointer or locator may point directly to the dedicated storage. The pointer or locator may point to a data providing network node associated with the dedicated storage. This may increase data security since the dedicated storage address is not published to further participants of the decentral network hence avoiding the risk of direct access of the dedicated storage without access control via the decentral data providing network node. The access data may include one or more digital link(s) or endpoint address(es) pointing to the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s) of the material. The access element may include one or more authentication mechanisms associated with the decentral identifier(s) and the access data. The access element may relate to one or more authorization mechanisms associated with the decentral identifier(s) and the access data. The one or more authorization mechanisms may include authorization rules determining if access to the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s) is granted. The one or more authorization mechanisms may be associated with the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s). The one or more authorization mechanisms may define decentral data consuming nodes allowed to access the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s). This may allow to filter data consuming nodes requesting access to such data based on the authorization mechanisms.

[0097] The access element may be provided to a decentral registry storing access elements. The decentral registry may be associated with a data providing network node. The decentral registry may be associated with or controlled by the data owner of the data the access elements stored in said registry are associated with. For instance, the decentral registry may be associated with or controlled by the data owner of the digital asset(s) and optionally digital credential(s) the access elements stored in said registry are associated with. This may allow the data owner to control access to such decentral registry and retrieval of access elements stored therein. This contrasts with decentral networks based on distributed ledger technology (DLT) where the distributed ledger serving as such decentral registry is stored in multiple node(s) of the network such that the decentral registry is no longer under control of the data owner of access elements stored in such distributed ledger. The data providing network node may be associated with the data owner of the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s) which are associated with or linked to the respective access elements stored in such decentral registry. This may allow to control access to such registry and access to access element(s) stored in such registry via the data providing network node. The decentral registry may be associated with a participant of the decentral network, e.g. at least a part of the participants may operate one or more decentral registry(ies). The decentral registry may be part of the decentral network but may not be associated with a particular participant of the decentral network, e.g. may be regarded as infrastructure node of the decentral network. A query may be sent via a data consuming network node to the decentral registry to determine whether the decentral registry stores access element(s) matching the query data. The query data may include the digital identifier(s) associated with the material and / or the decentral identifier(s) associated with the material. The query may be sent to a data providing network node associated with the registry to ensure that only authenticated data consuming network node(s) can query the data contained in the decentral registry.

[0098] A rule-based engine may be used to verify at least part of the gathered input material data. The rule-based engine may be a software or software component that applies one or more rules to at least part of the gathered input material data. The rule-based engine used to verify at least part of the gathered input material data may include target digital credential data per input material or per input material type. Target digital credential data may be associated with individual data point(s) to be included in the gathered input material data, multiple data points to be included in the gathered input material data, a whole data set to be included in the gathered input material data and / or digital credential type(s) to be included in the gathered input material data. Target digital credential data associated with individual data point(s) may include one or more rule(s) defining mandatory individual data points to be present with the gathered input material data. The individual data points may correspond to attribute(s) defining the digital credential type, attribute(s) defining the digital credential issuer, attribute(s) defining the validity of the digital credential, attribute(s) defining the input material or input material type and / or attribute(s) defining claims or assertions included in the digital credential. Target digital credential data associated with multiple data points may include one or more rules defining allowable combination of data points. Target digital credential data associated with the whole input material data may include one or more rules defining data to be contained within the gathered input material data.

[0099] A batch of material may refer to defined volume or quantity of the material. Such defined volume or quantity may also be denoted as LOT. The defined volume or quantity of the material may be packaged within a packaging unit or a storage means, such as a tank, a container, a bag, a bottle or the like. The packaging unit or storage means may comprise a defined volume. The defined volume or quantity of the material may be obtained from a single production run. In addition to or alternatively, the defined volume or quantity may correspond to material produced under the same conditions and within a specified time frame of a continuous production.

[0100] In an embodiment, the material is a recycled material. The recycled material may be obtained by performing at least one recycling process on an end-of-life product or a component thereof. The recycled material may be pyrolysis oil. The pyrolysis oil may be obtained by pyrolyzing end-of-life products or components thereof, such as mixed plastic waste or tires.

[0101] In an embodiment, the property data includes at least one measured chemical and / or physical property of the material and / or at least one physical and / or chemical property of the material determined from measured data. The measured and / or determined chemical and / or physical property may include halogen content, such as chlorine content, content(s) of contaminant(s), such as Hg, Fe, Si, Zn, V and / or N content, boiling point, a distillation range, ash content , flash point, pour point, auto-ignition temperature, density, calorific value(s), biogenic content, visual evaluation of the material ,the corrosiveness of the material and / or data related to the compatibility with packaging material(s) and / or storage means. Packaging material(s) and / or storage means may include containers, tanks, bags, bottles or the like. The respective data may include a single value or a range. Data related to the compatibility of the material with packaging materials may include a classifier discriminating between compatible and noncompatible. The classifier may be associated with the respective packaging material or combinations thereof. The classifier may signify the respective packaging material or combinations thereof as compatible or non-compatible. This data may avoid contamination of the material upon storage of the material within the packaging material. In another embodiment, the property data includes certificate of analysis data. The certificate of analysis data may include at least one measured chemical and / or physical property of the material and / or at least one physical and / or chemical property of the material determined from measured data. The certificate of analysis data may further include issuance data, issuer data (e.g. data associated with the entity issuing the CoA) and proof data associated with the issuer. The certificate of analysis data may be generated by the entity producing the material and may be provided along with entity data associated with the entity producing the material to the validation service for validation of the generated certificate of analysis data.

[0102] In an embodiment at least a part of the property data is validated if said part is included in the provided target physical property data of the material. Validation may include matching at least a part of the provided property data with the target property data. The provided property data may be valid or validated if at least a part of said data, in particular the complete property data, matches the target physical property data. The validation may be performed per property data point contained in the provided property data. For instance, each data point included in the provided property data may be matched or compared to the respective data point included in the target property data. Validation allows to determine whether the provided property data associated with the material fulfils target property data, e.g. fulfils specification(s) with respect the material defined by a consumer of said material, such as a downstream participant consuming the material produced by a material producer (e.g. the respective upstream participant).

[0103] In an embodiment, at least a part of the property data is validated if said part is correlating to provided entity data. Validation may include correlating at least part of the property data to certification data included in the entity data. Validation may include determining the plausibility of the property data with respect to the entity data, such as certification data included in the entity data. For instance, the plausibility of the presence of biogenic content data within the property data may be determined by determining whether the entity data includes certification data associated with the use of biobased materials from which such biogenic content results. The biogenic content data may be validated if such certification data associated with the use of biobased materials is included in the entity data.

[0104] In an embodiment, the entity data is validated if the at least part of the entity data is included in the target entity data. Validation may include matching at least a part of the entity data included in the provided material data with the target entity data. The provided entity data may be valid or validated if said data matches at least in part, in particular fully matches, the target entity data. The validation may be performed per data point contained in the provided entity data. For instance, the certificate data included in the provided entity data may be matched to target certificate data included in the target entity data. This may ensure that the analysis of the material to obtain property data associated with the material has been performed by the entity in accordance with predefined rule set(s), such as predefined standards. Compliance with such predefined rule set(s) during analysis of the material may indicate that the property data obtained from such an analysis is reliable and trustworthy.

[0105] In an embodiment, validation includes acceptance of at least part of the provided material data. Acceptance may include accepting at least part of the provided material data to be reliable and trustworthy.

[0106] In an embodiment, validation further includes comparing the provided material data with previously provided material data being associated with the same material type. This allows to determine whether the provided material data appears to be plausible and avoids that the same material data can be provided for different materials or that material data for the same material is provided twice. This ensures that generation of the certificate of analysis data and associated credential(s) is not based on the same material data for different batches of a material, since such batches normally vary in their chemical and / or physical properties due to production conditions and properties of production input(s) used. In addition, this avoids that certificate of analysis data and associated digital credential(s) are repeatedly generated for the same material data. The previously provided material data may be stored in a data storage. The previously provided material data may be interrelated with the digital identifier(s), the material type and / or entity data.

[0107] In an embodiment, the validated property data included in the generated digital asset is indicated by a classifier or by matching target property data. The classifier may be a binary classifier discriminating between validated and non-validated property data. The validated property data may be associated with a classifier indicating validated property data. Validated property data may be indicated by the classifier “validated”. Associating validated property data with matching target property data allows comparison between the property data and the respective target property data to determine that the property data matches the respective target property data.

[0108] In an embodiment based on the validated property data and on a rejection of at least a part of the provided entity data, the digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data is generated. No digital credential may be generated if at least a part of the provided entity data is rejected. At least part of the provided entity data may be rejected if such data does not match to the target entity data. For instance, provided entity data may be rejected if such data does not include certificate data defined in the target entity data. Lack of such certificate data may indicate that the property data may have been obtained by an analysis of the material not complying to required predefined rule set(s), such as required standard(s). Hence, lack of such certificate data may indicate that the property data have not been obtained according to defined or established methods and hence may not be considered trustworthy and reliable.

[0109] In an embodiment the provided property data is not validated if at least a part of the provided property data does not match the provided target property data per input material or input material type. In an embodiment based on a non-validation of the provided property data, a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the non-validated property data is generated. No digital credential may be generated if at least a part of the provided property data is rejected. The digital asset may further include validated property data. The non-validated property data may be indicated by a classifier. Likewise, the validated property data may be indicated by a classifier. The classifier may be a binary classifier discriminating between validation and non-validation. The non-validated property data may be indicated by association of such non-validated property data with respective target property data. This may allow a comparison between the respective property data and the target property data and hence allows to determine whether the property data can be regarded as “validated” or as “non-validated”. Generation of such a digital asset may trigger adjusting the composition of the material, for example by mixing the material with other batches of the same material such that the property data of the adjusted composition (e.g. adjusted property data) fulfils the target property data.

[0110] In an embodiment, the digital credential(s) include or correspond to one or more verifiable credential(s). The verifiable credential may refer to a tamper-evident credential that has authorship that can be cryptographically verified. For instance, the verifiable credential may contain proof data. The proof data may be generated using the private key associated with the issuer. The proof data which may be cryptographically verified using the public key associated with said private key.

[0111] In an embodiment, the digital credential(s) include a material identifier, data being indicative that the property data included in the associated digital CoA is validated property data and data being indicative that the entity issuing the associated digital CoA fulfils predefined rules. Data being indicative that the property data included in the associated digital CoA is validated property data may include an identifier of the target property data, a name of the target property data, a version of the target property data, the validated property data and / or a hash value of such validated property data and / or a hash value of the associated digital CoA. Data being indicative that the entity issuing the associated digital CoA fulfils predefined rules may include an identifier associated with the entity, an identifier of the target entity data, a name of the target entity data, a version of the target entity data and certification data associated with certifications held by the entity. In an embodiment, the generated digital asset and / or the digital credential(s) are provided to a decentral data consuming network node associated with the producer of the material. The digital asset and digital credential(s) may be provided by a decentral data providing network node associated with the device or service generating the digital asset and / or digital credential(s). Likewise, the generated digital asset may be provided to a decentral data consuming network node associated with the producer of the material. The digital asset may be provided by a decentral data providing network node associated with the device or service generating the digital asset. In an embodiment of a method for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production, digital identifiers associated with different available batches of the same material are provided. Available batches may be batches of the material not having been provided to consumers of the material. The digital identifiers and associated availability data may be stored in a data storage and such data storage may be queried to provide digital identifiers associated with available batches. Availability data may indicate whether or not the material is sold and / or ordered by a customer of the material producer.

[0112] In an embodiment of a method for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production, target property data specifies constraints or boundaries for the one property or more properties of the material to be used by an industrial process. The target property data may be associated with one property or more properties of the material for at least one industrial operation. The target property data may be pre-defined per industrial process. The target property data may specify one property or more properties of the material for at least one industrial operation type. The industrial operation may be related to one or more materials specified to be suitable for the industrial operation. The industrial operation may by characterized by the industrial operation type. The industrial operation type may relate to chemical, mechanical and / or thermal processing operations. The industrial operation may relate to an entry process of a chemical production such as stream cracking, refining, synthesis gas production, or partial oxidation. The industrial operation may relate to a recycling process. The industrial operation may relate to an entry or exit process of a recycling system such as mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and / or thermal recycling system.

[0113] In an embodiment of a method for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production, the adjustment data includes machine-readable instructions for monitoring and / or controlling the preparation of an adjusted material associated with the adjusted property data, wherein the adjusted material is prepared based on the adjustment data. The adjustment data may specify material batches to be mixed and provided to the at least one industrial operation. The adjustment data may relate to instructions for preparing the mixture. Preparation of an adjusted material may include mixing at least two different material batches specified in the adjustment data.

[0114] In an embodiment of a method for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production, adjustment data is generated by determining weighted quantities of the material batches depending on the property data per material batch and the target property data. Generating adjustment data may include determining weighted quantities of material batches depending on the property data per material batch. Generating adjustment data may include determining weighted quantities of material batches depending on the target property data for multiple industrial operations(s), wherein the adjustment data is provided per industrial operation. The weighted sum of at least part of property data points per material batch may be lower than or equal to at least part of the property data points included in the target property data for at least one industrial operation. The adjustment data may be provided for multiple industrial processes, wherein adjustment data is provided per industrial process. The weighted quantities may define a mixing ratio. This may enable to adjust a material associated with property data being out of specification (e.g. not being validated) by mixing such material with further batches of the material associated with different property data, such as validated property data. Since different batches of a material may be associated with different property data, property data of a particular batch of the material may be adjusted by mixing that particular batch with one or more further batches of the same material associated with different property data, such as validated property data.

[0115] In an embodiment of the method for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from a material provided to a production, the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s) is accessed by one or more data consuming network node(s) associated with the consumer of the material. The consumer of the material may use the material as input material for the production operated by said consumer. The digital asset and optionally the associated digital credential(s) may be accessed via access element(s) associated with said digital asset and optionally digital credential(s). For instance, the identifier element physically attached to the material (e.g. input material) may be associated with the digital identifier associated with the material. The digital identifier associated with the material may be determined from the identifier element and may be used to gather the access element(s) associated with said material via the decentral network. The access element(s) may include the digital identifier, hence allowing to query the decentral network for such access element based o the determined digital identifier. The access data contained in the gathered access element(s) may be used to access the digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s) linked to said access element(s). The digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s) may be requested via the decentral data consuming network node from the decentral data providing network node associated with a dedicated storage storing said digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s).

[0116] In an embodiment of the method for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from a material provided to a production, the access element relates to authorization mechanisms providing access to the digital asset and optionally the associated digital credential(s) depending on a decentral participant identifier. The participants of the decentral network may be associated with decentral participant identifiers. Each participant of the decentral network may be associated with one or more decentral participant identifier(s). The decentral participant identifier may comprise any identifier uniquely associated with a participant of the decentral network and / or with a production site of the participant of the decentral network. The decentral participant identifier may include letters and / or numbers. The decentral participant identifier may include one or more Universally Unique Identifier(s) (UUID(s)) and / or one or more Decentralized Identifier(s) (DID(s)). The decentral participant identifier may be associated with or may include a verifiable claim or credential. The verifiable claim may be issued by a central or decentral identity issuer making one or more claims about a subject, such as a consumer entity being a trustworthy participant of the decentral network. The verifiable credential may be presented by the decentral data consuming network node and may be used by the decentral data providing network node to verify that the decentral participant associated with the decentral data consuming network node is a trusted entity within the decentral network prior to providing access to the digital twin, hence ensuring that the requested data can be exchanged in a secure and controlled manner within the decentral network. In an embodiment of a method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production, the input material may not be provided to the chemical production if the gathered input material data is rejected. Rejection the gathered input material data may include non-validation of the gathered input material data. The input material data may be rejected if at least a part of the gathered input material data is not validated. The gathered input material data is rejected if the input material data does not include at least a part of the target digital credential data per input material or input material type. For instance, the gathered input material data may be rejected if such gathered data does not contain one or more digital credential type(s) defined by the target digital credential data. This may ensure that only input material data complying with given specifications, such as input material data associated with target digital credential(s), is validated, hence ensuring that the input material(s) entering the production fulfil the specification (s) required by production step(s) performed within the production. This avoids a negative impact on the production resulting from insufficient quality, e.g. property data of the input material not matching the required specification(s), e.g. target property data, for input materials to be processed by the production.

[0117] In an embodiment of a method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production, the input material data may include a digital credential presentation including one or more digital credential(s) associated with the material and / or the material supplier. The presentation may be a verifiable presentation. A verifiable presentation may refer to a tamper-evident presentation encoded in such a way that authorship of the data can be trusted after a process of cryptographic verification. The digital credential presentation may be generated by selecting one or more digital credential(s) associated with the material and generating the digital credential presentation based on the selected digital credential(s). The selected digital credential(s) may include digital credential(s) associated with the material and being generated by the methods disclosed herein (e.g. certifying compliance of at least part of the provided material data and / or at least part of the digital asset with the target property data and target entity data) and / or digital credential(s) associated with the material producer and certifying at least partial compliance with a predefined rule set(s) which is not defined by the material consumer. The predefined rule set may be defined by a government, a standard setting organization, a certification body or the like. The predefined rule set may include regulations that need to be fulfilled by entities requesting certification according to the regulations. For example, digital credential(s) certifying at least partial compliance with a predefined rule set(s) may include digital credential(s) certifying at least partial compliance with ISCC standard or ISCC+ standard, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standard. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standard and / or Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standard.

[0118] In an embodiment of a method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production, the rule-based engine operates on individual data points present within at least part of the digital credentials included in the gathered input material data, multiple data points present within at least part of the digital credentials included in the gathered input material data and / or the whole digital credential(s) included in the gathered input material data. The rule-based engine may be configured to match digital credential data included in the gathered digital credential(s) to target digital credential data associated with the input material or input material type. The target digital credential data may include rule(s) for individual data point(s), combination of data point(s) and / or the whole data contained in the digital credential. The target digital credential data may be associated with a given input material or a given input material type. The rule-based engine may be configured to determine target digital credential data matching the input material or input material type the gathered in put material data is associated with. For instance, the rule-based engine may be configured to parse the gathered digital credential(s) to determine attribute(s) included in the digital credential(s) and being related to or associated with the input material or input material type. Based on such attribute(s), respective target digital credential data may be determined, for example by matching such attribute(s) to attribute(s) included in the target digital credential data.

[0119] The rule-based engine may operate on the individual data point(s) present within the digital credential(s), combinations of data points present within the digital credential(s)and / or the whole digital credential(s) set the target digital credential data as previously described. For instance, the rule-based engine may apply target digital credential data to individual data point(s), multiple data point(s) and / or the whole data set to determine whether the digital credential(s) include mandatory data point(s), mandatory combinations of data point(s) and / or a mandatory data content. If the rule-based engine determines that the individual data point(s), multiple data point(s) and / or the whole data set matches the respective target digital credential data, said digital credential may be regarded as verified.

[0120] In an embodiment of the method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production, the operation includes mixing of different batches of the material, removing at least one chemical compound present within the material, reducing the amount of at least one chemical compound present within the material, incinerating the material or rejecting the material (e.g. not providing the material to any production process performed within the chemical production). The chemical compound(s) may be critical for one or more subsequent operation(s) performed within the chemical production. For instance, halogen and / or contaminants included in the material may be critical for one or more subsequent operations. Different refining operations may be combined to ensure that the predefined chemical and / or physical properties are fulfilled. Mixing operations, removal of chemical compound(s) and reduction of chemical compound(s) may be referred to as refining operations. Refining operations may allow to adjust the property data of the material such that the property data associated with the refined material fulfils target property data. This avoids a negative impact on the operations performed within the chemical production as well as a disposal of such material as waste. In addition, this allows to use material, such as recycled material, renewable material and / or bio-based material (e.g. sustainable feedstock) with fluctuating material composition as feedstock for chemical production, allowing to reduce the environmental impact of chemical products produced from such feedstock. Hence, this may help in reducing the amount of fossil feedstock and increasing the amount of sustainable feedstock used within chemical productions without negatively influencing the operations and quality of the resulting chemical products.

[0121] In an embodiment of the method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production, candidate operation data may include operation identifiers per candidate operation, threshold value(s) for property data per candidate operation, a material identifier or material type identifier per candidate operation and / or adjustment data per property data and per candidate operation. Candidate operations may refer to operations that may be performed on materials entering the chemical production prior to using such materials within production processes performed within the chemical production. Threshold value(s) may be associated with upper and / or lower limits included in the property data. The threshold value(s) may be given for at least a part of the property data point(s) included in the property data. The threshold value(s) may be based on the upper or lower limits of chemical and / or physical properties of materials that are processable within said refining operation. The adjustment data may be associated with the degree of adjustment of the property data achieved by the respective refining operation. The adjustment data may be given as relative value. The adjustment data may be given for at least a part of the property data point(s) included in the property data.

[0122] In an embodiment of the method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production, determining at least one target operation to be performed on the material includes determining non-validated property data included in the gathered digital asset(s), determining preliminary target operation(s) based on the non-validated property data and the candidate operation data, determining adjusted property data resulting from the determined preliminary target operation based on the candidate operation data and the non-validated property data and determining the target operation(s) by comparing the adjusted property data to the target property data.

[0123] The non-validated property data may be signified within the digital asset(s) by a classifier indicating non-validation. The non-validated property data may be signified within the digital asset(s) by associated target property data. Determining non-validated property data included in the gathered digital asset(s) may include parsing the gathered digital asset(s) to identify the classifier indicating non-validation. Determining non-validated property data included in the gathered digital asset(s) may include parsing the gathered digital asset(s) to identify the property data and associated target property data and matching the identified property data and target property data. Non-validated property data may be identified property data not matching the identified target property data. Preliminary target operation(s) may be determined by matching the non-validated property data with the candidate operation data. For instance, non-validated property data may be matched to threshold value(s) for property data per candidate operation included in the candidate operation data.

[0124] Adjusted property data may be determined using adjustment data per property data and per candidate operation included in the candidate operation data. Based on the non-validated property data, adjusted property data may be determined by applying the adjustment data associated with the determined preliminary target operation(s) to at least a part of the non-validated property data.

[0125] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0126] In the following, the present disclosure is further described with reference to the enclosed figures. The same reference numbers in the drawings and this disclosure are intended to refer to the same or like elements, components, and / or parts. The description of drawings is provided for illustrative purposes and shall not be considered limiting. The embodiments and examples are illustrative embodiments and examples to further line out the concepts lined out herein. The figures include schematic illustrations and shall not be considered limiting. Other embodiments and examples that fall under the concepts lined out herein are possible and may not be explicitly described herein.

[0127] FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a circular material loop including material participants connected through a decentral network with decentral network nodes associated with material participants.

[0128] FIG. 2A illustrates a first example system for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0129] FIG. 2B illustrates a further example system for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0130] FIG. 2C illustrates yet a further example system for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0131] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of an example of a method for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a digital asset generated according to the method illustrated in FIG. 3 and / or by the systems illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C.

[0133] FIG. 5A shows a schematic illustration of a digital credential generated according to the method illustrated in FIG. 3 and / or by the systems illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. FIG. 5B shows a basic JSON structure of a digital credential generated according to the method illustrated in FIG. 3 and / or by the systems illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. FIG. 5C shows a schematic illustration of a digital credential presentation of the digital credentials illustrated in FIG. 5A and Fig. 5B.

[0134] FIG. 5B shows a basic JSON structure of a digital credential presentation of the digital credentials illustrated in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B.

[0135] FIG. 6A illustrates a first example system for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0136] FIG. 6B illustrates a further example system for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0137] FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0138] FIG. 8A illustrates a first example system for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0139] FIG. 8B illustrates a further example system for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0140] FIG. 9 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0141] FIG. 10 illustrates a first example of a digital access element including DID owner data and DID document data and being associated with a decentral identity infrastructure in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0142] FIG. 11 illustrates a further example of a digital access element associated with a decentral identity infrastructure in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0143] FIG. 12 illustrates an example system for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0144] FIG. 13 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0145] FIG. 14 illustrates an example system for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 illustrates schematically an embodiment of the operation data generator of FIG. 14.

[0146] FIG. 16 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0147] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0148] FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a circular material loop 130 including material participants 102 to 112 connected through a decentral network 134 including decentral network nodes 128 to 126 associated with the material participants 102 to 112.

[0149] The participant network shown in FIG. 1 may be a material chain network. The material chain network may include one or more linear material chain(s), such as production chain(s) and / or recycling chain(s). The linear material chain(s) may include a material production chain(s), in which the material is produced by a material producer 102 and used to produce an end product, for example by an original equipment manufacturer such as chemical product user 104. The linear material chain(s) may include a material recycling chain, in which the produced end product is collected, sorted and recycled up to a recycler 112 and the recyclate is used to produce new material by the material producer 102. The material chain may include one or more production and / or recycling chain(s). The material chain may include one or more connected production and / or recycling chain(s). One or more linear material chain(s) may be connected to the material loop 130.

[0150] The material chain network may include a material loop network 130 including the use of recycled material(s) to produce new materials. One or more material loop(s) 130 may allow to use materials resulting from recycling of end-of-life products to produce new products, such as chemical intermediate products or chemical products, associated with one or more material chain(s). The material chain network, preferably the material loop 130, may include the production, use and / or recycling of physical materials or products containing such materials. The product may be a material, a chemical product, an intermediate chemical product, a discrete component containing material, a discrete component assembly, an end product, an end-of-life product, a product to be recycled, a recycled product or a recyclate. The chemical product may include chemical intermediate products and chemical products.

[0151] Material or chemical product may refer to a chemical compound, a chemical ingredient, a chemical molecule, a chemical composition, a chemical mixture, a chemical formulation, an intermediate chemical product, or a chemical base material that may be used to produce discrete products. Chemical material or product flows may include nondiscrete material flows that may be further processed to produce discrete products or components. Chemical material or product flows may include liquids, pellets, beats, powders or the like. The discrete product may refer to a discrete component, a discrete component assembly, an end product, an end-of-life product, a product to be recycled, or a recycled discrete product. The chemical material or product may be produced using raw materials and / or recyclate. The recyclate may refer to a mechanically or chemically recycled material. Recyclate or recycled material flows may include non-discrete material flows that may be further processed to produce new materials or chemical products. Recyclate or recycled material flows may include liquids, pellets, beats, powders or the like. The raw materials may refer to starting materials used to produce the material or chemical product, such as virgin raw material(s). Virgin raw material may be unused raw material that has not been subjected to any processing other than for its production.

[0152] End product may refer to a product that is the result of a material chain. End product may refer to a product that is used by the end product user. End-of-life (EoL) product may refer to a product that has been used by end product user. End-of-life product may refer to a product that does no longer fulfil the requirements for its use. End-of-life product may refer to any substance or object which the holder discards, intends to discard or must discard. The holder may discard the substance or object if the holder consigns the substances or objects to recycling, to disposal or relinquishes actual control over them and ceases to use them for any other purpose. End-of-life product may refer to a product that is no longer required. End-of-life products may be products disposed in waste, such as plastic waste. End-of-life products may form waste, such as waste streams. A recycled product may refer to any product or material that has been produced using end-of-life product(s). A recycled product may refer to a new product or material that has been produced using end-of-life product(s).

[0153] The material loop 130 illustrated in FIG. 1 may include multiple participants 102 to 112 forming the material loop 130. The material loop 130 may include all stages of the material from production of the material via use of the material to re-use of the material. The material may hence flow in a closed loop from production of constituents, the end product via use to re-use. Re-use may include re-purposing of the end-of-life product, re-furbishing of the end- of-life product and / or recycling of the end-of-life product to refeed recyclate into material production.

[0154] The participant(s) 102 to 1 12 of the material loop may be associated with the production of any material or product and / or recycling of any material or product. The participant(s) of the material loop 130 may include the chemical product producer 102, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) 104, the end product user 106, maintenance shops for the end product 108, the EOL product collector and / or sorter 110, the recycler 112 or combinations thereof. The participant(s) may include various participant(s) of the material chain or loop not shown in FIG. 1 .

[0155] The participant(s) 102 to 1 12 of the material loop 130 may be connected through material flow(s) 136. The loop material flow 136 may correspond to the flow of product or material from one participant 102 to 1 12 of the material loop to the downstream participant 102 to 112 of the material loop 130. The loop material flow 136 may refer to a continuous or a discontinuous flow of product or material. The flow of product or material may include any means of transportation suitable to transport the product from one participant 102 to 112 to another downstream participant 102 to 112. The means of transportation may include pipes, containers, barrels, packages or the like. The material flow 204 may be a one-sided flow, such as a directional loop material flow 136. The loop material flow 136 may flow from the up-stream participant 102 to 1 12 to the downstream participant 102 to 1 12 of the material loop 130, such as the loop material flow 136 from the recycler 1 12 to the chemical product producer 102. The material flow may include reverse loop material flow 136 from the downstream participant 102 to 112 to the upstream participant 102 to 1 12 of the material loop 130. For example, material may loop material flow 136 from the chemical product producer 102 to the recycler 1 12, e.g. when the recycled product or recyclate does not adhere to quality specifications and needs further treatment.

[0156] The loop material flow 136 may be associated with raw materials used to produce the material or chemical product, such as virgin raw material(s). Instead of or in addition to virgin raw material(s) the loop material flow 136 may include recycled material(s). The raw and recycled materials may be provided to the chemical product producer for producing material(s), chemical product(s) and / or intermediate chemical product(s) (not shown).

[0157] The material loop 130 illustrated in FIG. 1 may be based on the example of feedstocks for chemical production and their circular loops. The chemical production may produce one or more chemical products (e.g. output products) from one or more materials (e.g. input materials) entering the chemical production. The output product may be an intermediate chemical product. The output product may be a chemical product. Feedstocks for chemical production may include any type of feedstock entering chemical productions. The feedstock may include raw materials used to produce the chemical product, such as virgin raw material(s). The feedstock may include fossil and / or non-fossil feedstock. Examples of fossil feedstock include crude oil, naphtha, methane or the like. Examples of non-fossil feedstock include recycled, bio-based or renewable feedstock. Examples of recycled feedstock include pyrolysis oil, pyrolysis gas, mechanically recycled polymer material or chemically recycled polymer material. Examples of biobased or renewable feedstock include bio-based pyrolysis oil, bio-based pyrolysis gas, bio-based synthesis gas, bio-based hydrogen, bio-based naphtha, bio-based methane, bio-based ethane, bio-based propane, bio-based chemicals, renewable pyrolysis oil, renewable pyrolysis gas, renewable synthesis gas, renewable hydrogen, renewable naphtha, renewable methane, renewable ethane, renewable propane or renewable chemicals or any combinations thereof.

[0158] The chemical product may be produced by the chemical product producer 102 from one or more materials / feedstocks. Materials may include recycled material, such as pyrolysis oil, supplied by recycler 112 and / or virgin material(s) supplied by virgin material producer 138. The produced chemical product may be provided to a chemical product user 104. The chemical product user 104 may use the received chemical product(s) to produce one or more discrete products, such as tires. The discrete product(s) may be provided to an end product producer 106. The end product producer may produce one or more end product(s), such as vehicles, from discrete product(s) received from chemical product user 104. The end product may be provided to an end product user 108. End product user 108 may use the end product. At the end-of-life of the end product or part(s) thereof, such as the tires, the end product or parts thereof may be disposed by the end product user 108. The disposed end product or parts thereof may be provided to the waste collector and / or sorter 110. The waste end product or parts thereof may be collected by EOL product collector / sorter 110. The collected waste end product or parts thereof may be sorted by EOL product collector / sorter 1 10. The collected waste end product or parts thereof may be provided to a sorter for sorting fractions of the end products or parts thereof, such as tires, to be recycled. The sorted fractions may be provided to a recycler for recycling the fraction(s), such as tires. The recycled material produced by recycler 1 12 may be provided to the chemical product producer 102 for producing new chemical products thus closing the material loop 130. The loop material flow 136 may close the loop between the material participants.

[0159] The material participants may include the chemical product producer 102, chemical product user 104, end product producer 106, end product user 108, such as the retailer or end product consumer, EOL product collector / sorter 110, recycler 112 and validation service 1 14. Validation service 114 may be configured to validate material data received from recycler 1 12 and to generate certificate of analysis data and optionally a digital credential, for example as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C.

[0160] In addition to the connection through loop material flow 136 the material participants 102 to 112 of the circular material loop 130 may be connected through data flow 132 via the decentral network 134. The decentral network 134 may include one or more decentral network nodes 128 to 126 associated with material participants 102 to 112 of the material loop 130. In a decentralized or decentral network 134, the decentral network nodes 128 to 126, in contrast to a centralized network, do not exclusively rely on a central network node. In other words, no single entity is the sole authority of the network. The decentral network 134 may include decentral and central network nodes. The decentral network 134 may include central network nodes that may control and / or monitor the decentral network nodes 128 to 126. For example, central network node(s) may provide authentication information, which allow at least two decentral network nodes 128 to 126 to establish a peer-to-peer communication channel between respective decentral network nodes 128 to 126.

[0161] The network nodes 128 to 126 may be computing nodes. The computing node may be any device or system that includes at least one physical and tangible processor, and a physical and tangible memory capable of having thereon computer-executable instructions that are executed by a processor. Computing nodes are now increasingly taking a wide variety of forms. Computing nodes may, for example, be handheld devices, monitoring systems, control systems, laptop computers, desktop computers, mainframes and / or data centers. The memory may take any form and depends on the nature and form of the computing node. The decentral network nodes 128 to 126 may be connected via a wired and / or wireless connection such as one of Ethernet, USB, LAN, WLAN and the like. Wireless communication may use, for example, WLAN, Wi-Fi, cellular, and / or Blue-tooth. The decentral network nodes 128 to 126 may be configured to perform peer-to-peer data transactions, illustrated by the arrows 132 indicating data flow. The decentral network nodes 128 to 126 may be configured as data consuming and / or providing network nodes. The decentral network nodes 128 to 126 may be configured to provide data to other network node(s) of the decentral network 134 and / or to consume data from other nodes of the decentral network 134. For instance, the decentral network node 116 associated with the chemical product producer 102 may be configured to provide machine fluid data and / or monitoring data associated with properties of the machine fluid and / or the used machine fluid to downstream participants such as the end product user 108, or the recycler 112. Further for instance, the decentral network node 1128 to 126 associated with the EOL product collector / sorter 1 10 or the recycler 1 12 may be configured to access data from the network node 128 to 126 associated with upstream participants such as the chemical product producer 102.

[0162] The decentral network node(s) 1 16 to 128 may be configured as data consuming and / or providing network nodes. The decentral network node(s) 116 to 128 may comprise computer-executable instructions configured to provide, consume and / or process data, such as data associated with the materials produced or processed within the circular material loop 130. The network node(s) may run a data providing service configured to provide data to another decentral network node 116 to 128 of the decentral network 134. The decentral network node(s) 116 to 128 configured to provide data may be associated with a data owner or a data generating node associated with a material or product produced or processed within the circular material loop 130. The decentral network node(s) 116 to 128 may be connected to one or more dedicated data storage(s) storing the data associated with material or product produced or processed in the circular loop 130 (see for example FIG. 12. The dedicated data storage(s) may be under control of the data owner or data generating node associated with the material or product produced or processed in the circular loop 130. The data owner may be the respective participant 102 to 112 of the circular loop 130, the data generating node 116 to 128 is associated with. The data generating node 116 to 128 may have access to the dedicated data storage(s). Access to data associated with material or product produced or processed within the circular loop 130 may hence be under control of the data owner the respective decentral network node 116 to 128 is associated with. This allows to retain full control over data associated with material or product produced or processed within the circular loop 130 by the data owner. At the same time this enables sharing of data associated with material or product produced or processed within the circular loop 130 under controlled conditions, for example by using appropriate protocols including authorization and authentication mechanisms or schemes to establish peer- to-peer communication.

[0163] The decentral network node 1 16 to 128 configured to consume data may comprise computer-executable instructions for accessing and / or processing data within the decentral net-work decentral network 134, such as data associated with material produced or processed within the circular loop 130 and provided by a decentral data providing network node 1 16 to 128. The decentral data consuming network node 116 to 128 may be controlled or owned by or associated with any upstream or downstream participant of the circular material loop 130. For instance, the decentral data consuming network node 1 16 may be associated with chemical product producer 102 to allow access to material data associated with the recycled material supplied by recycler 1 12 through the decentral data providing network node 126 associated with the recycler 1 12.

[0164] The decentral network 134 may include further decentral network nodes. The further decentral network nodes may not be associated with further participants of the circular loop 130. The further nodes may be decentral infrastructure service nodes (not shown in FIG. 1). The decentral infrastructure service nodes may provide services for decentral participant nodes 128 to 126, such as verifying the identity of the decentral network participant nodes 116 to 128 prior to performing a data ex-change. The decentral network participant node(s) 116 to 128 may be associated with or include certificate(s), such as X.509 certificate(s). The certificate(s) may be associated with an identity manager including e.g. a certificate issuing service and / or a dynamic provisioning service providing dynamic attribute tokens (e.g. OAuth Access Tokens). This way the decentral network node(s) 128 to 126 may be associated or connected to a unique identifier embedded in a X.509 certificate that identifies the respective decentral network node(s) 116 to 126. The information required to verify the certificate may be provided via an authentication registry associated with the certificate issuing service and / or a dynamic provisioning service. For instance, in the IDSA Reference Architecture Model, Version 3.0 of April 2019, a decentral data providing network node associated with the data owner, a Certification Authority (CA), a Dynamic Attribute Provisioning Service (DAPS) and a decentral data consuming network node associated with the data consumer are used to verify the identity prior to performing a data exchange (not shown).

[0165] The material or product produced by participant(s) 102 to 1 12 of the circular loop 130 may be associated with material or product data associated with properties of the material or product produced by participant(s) 102 to 112 of the circular loop 130. The material or product data may be provided for access by the decentral data providing network node 1 16 to 128 associated with the material or product producer. Access to the material or product data may be controlled by the decentral data providing network node 116 to 128. The material or product data may be accessed by decentral data consuming network node(s) 1 16 to 128 associated with further participants 102 to 112 of the material loop 130, such as any downstream participant 102 to 1 12.

[0166] The data flows 132 between decentral network nodes 116 to 128 may be directly or indirectly associated with the loop material flows 136 between the participants 102 to 112 of the material loop 130. For instance, the data flow 132 may be directly associated with the loop material flow 136 if data associated with a chemical product provided from the chemical product producer 102 to the chemical product user 104 is accessed by a decentral data consuming network node 1 18 associated with said chemical product user 104. For instance, the data flow 132 may be indirectly associated with the loop material flows 136, if data associated with a chemical product produced by chemical product producer 102 is accessed by a decentral data consuming network node 126 associated with recycler 112. Data transactions between decentral network nodes 116 to 128 may be based on a decentral identifier associated with the material or product data to be accessed. The decentral identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the material or product. The decentral identifier may be uniquely associated with the physical entity of the material or product. The decentral identifier may uniquely identify the material or product within the decentral network 134. The decentral identifier may be associated with further decentral identifier(s), such as decentral identifier(s) of material(s) or product(s) used to produce the end product. This may allow to track the material(s) or product(s) used to produce a product, such as an end-product. The decentral identifier(s) may be associated with digital credential(s) generated upon validating the material data. The decentral identifier may be included in an access element associated with the material or product as is described in more detail in the context of FIG. 8A to FIG. 11 .

[0167] In particular, the generation of access elements associated with digital credentials allows for reliable, secure and simple validation of chemical and / or physical properties of input material(s) entering a chemical production, hence improving the environmental impact of the circular material loop 130 by allowing to use recycled material as input material in chemical production without a negative impact on the operation of the chemical production.

[0168] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C illustrate example systems for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The material may include recycled material, renewable material or bio-based material. The material may include a recycled content, a renewable content and / or a bio-based content. The recycled material may include pyrolysis oil. The material may be produced by a production from one or more input(s) entering the production. Input(s) may include waste material, such as end-of-life material or components thereof. Input(s) may include waste fraction(s) produced by sorters, for example as described in the context of FIG. 1. Input(s) may include waste tires and / or waste plastic fraction(s).

[0169] The system may include a production 204. The production 204 may be associated with a decentral network participant, such as the recycler 112 described in the context of FIG. 1 . For producing one or more material(s) 206, different input(s) 202 (also called input material(s) 202 hereinafter) may be provided as physical inputs from material providers or suppliers. The physical inputs provided to the production 204 may include waste material(s), such as waste fraction(s). The input material 202 may be fed into the production 204 at any entry point. The input material 202 may be fed into the production 204 at the start of the production 204. The input materials may be considered input for the production 204.

[0170] The production 204 may include multiple production steps. The production steps included in the production 204 may be defined by the system boundary 216 of the production 204. The system boundary 216 may be defined by location or control over production processes. The system boundary 216 may be defined by the site of the production 204. The system boundary may be defined by production processes controlled by one entity or multiple entities jointly. The system boundary may be defined by value chain with staggered production processes to an end product, which may be controlled by multiple entities separately.

[0171] The production 204 may convert inbound material 202 to one or more material(s) 206 that exit the production 204. The production may include a pyrolysis step. The pyrolysis step may pyrolyze input material, for example according to methods known in the state of the art. The conversion may be a chemical reaction or any other processing step, such as physical processing. The chemical reaction may result in a mixture of different chemical product(s). Chemical reactions may therefore be characterized by a one-to-many or many-to-many relationship between starting materials and resulting reaction products. This is in contrast to discrete manufacturing, where a many-to-one relationship between parts / components and assemblies is existing, e.g. the result of a discrete manufacturing step is a concrete and predictable assembly. Such mixtures typically require separation of the different chemical products contained in said mixture. Separation may include distillation, washing, extraction, crystallization and recrystallization. The resulting mixture may contain desired material(s) 206 to be supplied to upstream participants of the product ecosystem, such as chemical product producer 102 (see FIG. 1). The resulting mixture may contain waste chemical product(s), e.g. chemical product(s) which cannot be used any further and which need to be disposed, for example by burning. Waste chemical products may be produced from undesired chemical side reactions.

[0172] The production 204 may comprise a measurement service measurement service 208. Sample(s) 218 of the material(s) 206 produced by production 204 may be provided to the measurement service 208. The sample 218 may be representative of the produced material(s) 206. The measurement service 208 may be configured to gather at least one chemical and / or physical property of the sample 218. The measurement service 208 or measurement unit may include one or more sensor(s). The sensor(s) may be configured to measure at least one chemical and / or physical property of the material(s) 206 produced by the production 204. The sensor(s) may be configured to collect data related to the at least one chemical and / or physical property of the material(s) 206. Sensor(s) may include one or more analytical instruments such as analysis equipment, spectrometer and / or calorimeters. The chemical and / or physical properties may then be determined from such collected data. Measurement service 208 may be configured to determine the at least one chemical and / or physical property from the collected data. Measurement service 208 may be configured to generate material data including the measured or determined property / properties. The material data may further include a digital identifier associated with the material(s) 206. The digital identifier may be a unique identifier, such as a batch number, a LOT number or a combination thereof. The material data may further include digital identifier(s) associated with sample(s) 218 of the material(s) 206. This may allow to further link the material data to respective sample(s) 218.

[0173] Measurement service 208 may be coupled via a communication interface to operating system 230. Measurement service 208 may be configured to provide the generated material data to a database, such as database 210. Database 210 may be part of the operating system 230 of the production 204. The database 210 may further include entity data associated with measurement service 208. The operating system 230 may monitor and / or control the production 204 based on operating parameters associated with the different processes performed by the production 204. One process step monitored and / or controlled may be the feed of inbound materials 202 or the release of produced material(s) 206. Another process step monitored and / or controlled may be the separation of chemical product(s) contained in mixtures resulting from chemical reactions performed within the production 204. Another process step monitored and / or controlled may be the validation of material data associated with produced material(s) 206, for example as described in the context of FIG. 3. The operating system 230 may include a validation service 114. The validation service 1 14 may be configured to perform the method described in the context of FIG. 3. The validation service 114 may include validation engine 220. Validation engine 220 may be configured to validate material data stored in database 210 using target property data stored in database 212. Upon successful validation of the material data, the validation service 114 may be configured to generate a digital asset including digital identifier(s) associated with the produced material 206 associated with the material and at least a part of the validated property data, such as a digital asset illustrated in FIG. 4. The validation service 114 may be configured to store the generated digital asset in a database, such as database 214. The validation service 114 may be configured to provide the generated digital asset to a further validation service (not shown, see for example FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C) configured to generate digital credential(s) by validating received digital asset(s) and entity data, for example as described in the context of FIG. 3. The further validation service may provide the generated digital credential(s) to validation service 1 14. The validation service 1 14 may be configured to store the received digital credential(s) in database 214.

[0174] In contrast to FIG. 2A, the validation service 114 is part of a decentral network, such as decentral network 134 illustrated in FIG. 1 , in the system illustrated in FIG. 2B. The operating system 230 may include the material data. The material data may be provided via a data providing service, such as node 126A, associated with the entity operating production 204, such as recycler 1 12, to validation service 1 14. The data providing service may be associated with the operating system 230 of the production 204. Validation service 114 may be associated with a data consuming service, such as node 114B, configured to consume material data received from data providing nodes, such as node 126A. Validation service 114 may further be associated with a data providing service, such as node validation service 1 14A, configured to provide generated digital asset(s) and associated digital credential(s) via the decentral network to a data consuming service, such as node 126B, associated with the entity operating production 204. The data consuming service may be associated with the operating system 230 of production 204. In contrast to FIG. 2B, the measurement service 208 is an external service in FIG. 2C, e.g. measurement service 208 is located outside of the system boundary 216 of the production 204. The measurement service 208 may receive physical samples of material(s) 206 produced by production 204. Measurement service 208 may be configured to measure physical and / or chemical property data of the sample(s) using one or more sensor(s) 222. In addition or alternatively, measurement service 208 may be configured to determine physical and / or chemical property data of the sample(s) from data acquired by sensor(s) 222. Measurement service 208 may be configured to store the measured and / or determined physical and / or chemical property data of the sample(s) in database 224. Measurement service 208 may be associated with a data providing service, such as node 228. Data providing service 228 may be configured to provide property data stored in database 224 and entity data stored in database 226 as material data to validation service 1 14. The property data and / or the entity data may be signed prior to providing such data via the decentral network to validation service 114. Signature may be performed using a private key associated with the measurement service 208. Validation service 114 may be configured to validate the received material data and to provide generated digital asset(s) and associated digital certification(s) via the decentral network to the entity producing the material as described in the context of FIG. 2B.

[0175] The systems shown in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C are mere examples concerning the location of the validation service and / or the measurement service. The validation service may, for instance, also be located within the operating system associated with the downstream production consuming material(s) 206.

[0176] Validating the material data associated with material(s) 206 may ensure that the chemical and / or physical properties associated with the material(s) 206 match target material properties required by downstream participants of the material loop, such as chemical product producer 102, to use such material(s) 206 as feedstock within chemical productions. Generation of a digital asset linked to the respective produced material(s) 206 and including at least a part of the validated property data may allow to provide such validated property data digitally when providing the material physically, allowing the consumer of the material to digitally access the validated property data and to use the validated property data to control the production of the chemical product(s) from such material. The digital credential(s) may serve to certify that the property data was acquired and / or determined in a trustworthy and reliable manner, hence allowing downstream participants of the material loop to trust in the property data included in the digital asset and to control their industrial operations based on such property data included in the digital asset. By validating the property data associated with the material, it may be ensured that such property data fulfils target property data required by downstream participants (e.g. possesses a sufficient quality) to process such material, allowing to avoid costly and time consuming analysis of materials by such downstream participants to ensure that the property data of material fulfils target property data required for further processing. This allows to operate industrial processes involving the use of recycled material more efficiently prone to fluctuating material composition based on the use of fluctuating waste material composition used to prepare the recycled material. In addition, this allows to use recycled material prone to fluctuating material composition as feedstock while ensuring that such recycled material can be processed within the production with a negative influence on the operations performed within the production and / or the quality of products produced from such material.

[0177] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of an example of a method for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output material(s) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The material may include recycled material, renewable material or bio-based material. The material may include a recycled content, a renewable content and / or a bio-based content. The recycled material may include pyrolysis oil. The material may be produced by a production from one or more input(s) entering the production. Input(s) may include waste material, such as end-of-life material or components thereof. Input(s) may include waste fraction(s) produced by sorters, for example as described in the context of FIG. 1. Input(s) may include waste tires and / or waste plastic fraction(s). The method illustrated in FIG. 3 may be implemented by the systems of FIG. 2A to FIG. 20, for example by the validation service 114 illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C.

[0178] Material data associated with the material may be provided (see block 302). The material data may include digital identifier(s) associated with the material, property data, and entity data. The material data may further include data related to an industrial operation the material is to be processed or used within. The industrial operation may be associated with a downstream participant using the material as input material to produce one or more output products. The data related to an industrial operation may include an industrial operation identifier, a downstream participant identifier or a combination thereof. Such data may allow to determine appropriate target property data upon validation of the provided material data. The property data may include chemical and / or physical property data associated with the material. The property data may include at least one measured chemical and / or physical property of the material and / or at least one physical and / or chemical property of the material determined from measured data. The chemical and / or physical property / properties may be determined and / or measured by a measurement service, such as measurement service 208 illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The property data may include halogen content data, such as chlorine content data, data related to the content(s) of contaminant(s), such as Hg, Fe, Si, Zn, V and / or N content data, boiling point data, distillation data, such as a distillation range, ash content data, flash point data, pour point data, auto-ignition temperature data, density data, calorific data, such as calorific value(s), biogenic content data, data related to an visual evaluation result of the material and / or data related to the corrosiveness of the material. The respective data may include a single value or a range. The property data may include certificate of analysis data. The certificate of analysis data may include chemical and / or physical property data associated with the material as previously described. The certificate of analysis data may be generated by the producer of the material, for example as described in the context of FIG. 2A.

[0179] Entity data may be associated with the entity generating the material data. For instance, entity data may be associated with measurement service 208 generating the material data. Entity data may include a digital identifier uniquely identifying such entity. Entity data may further include certification data associated with certification (s) of the entity. Such data may further include data associated with authorized person(s) performing the material analysis or approving the chemical and / or physical property data. Such data may further include the public key associated with a private key used to sign the material data to allow verification of the signature, for example upon validation. Such entity may correspond to an institute, company, association, governmental body or individual analyzing material sample(s) using one or more test methods. The test methods may correspond to standard test methods. The test methods may correspond to predefined test methods. Data on predefined test methods may be provided to the entity by the producer of the material. For instance, the producer of the material may provide physical sample(s) of the material and data associated with test methods to be performed on such sample(s). The sample(s) may be transported from the producer of the material to the entity determining the material data. The certificate(s) may certify that the entity performs sample analysis according to defined rule sets, such as standards. Such certificate(s) may be issued by a certification body to indicate that the entity and / or operations, such as measurements, performed by the entity conforms to the requirements of the certification system. The certificate may serve as evidence that the entity and / or their services has been audited by an independent third-party certification body and has been found to comply with the relevant standards and requirements. The certificate may include information such as the name and address of the certified entity, the scope of the certification (e.g., which services, such as measurement services are covered), the name of the certification body, the date of issue, and the date of expiration. The certificate may be valid for a specific period of time and may require ongoing audits or surveillance to maintain certification. The certificate may demonstrate a commitment to quality and compliance with industry standards. The certificate may indicate that the material data generated by such an entity is credible and trustworthy.

[0180] The material data may be generated and signed by the entity generating said data using a private key associated with said entity or a representative thereof. The material data may be provided from a database storing such data. For instance, validation service 114 may receive an indication or request to validate material data. The indication or request may include digital identifier(s) associated with the material. The digital identifier(s) may be used by validation service 114 to gather material data associated with such digital identifier(s) from a database storing such material data. Gathering may include mapping the digital identifier(s) included in the received request or indication to digital identifier(s) included in the database and gathering material data associated with a digital identifier(s) matching the digital identifier(s) included in the received request or indication. The material data may be provided by a user, for example by sending material data to an API of the validation service 1 14.

[0181] Target property data and target entity data may be provided (see block 304). The target property data may be generated by the downstream participant of the product ecosystem processing the material produced by the material producer (e.g. the associated upstream participant of the product ecosystem). The target property data may be provided by the entity processing the material. The target property data may be provided by the entity generating the material data. The target property data may be provided by the entity producing the material. The target property data may include industrial process data, material type data and target chemical and / or physical property / ies: The target property data may further include data associated with the entity providing the target chemical and / or physical property data. The target property data per material or material type may include target property data critical for one or more subsequent processing step(s) of the material by one or more downstream participant(s) of the product ecosystem. Target property data critical for subsequent processing step(s) may refer to property data which impedes at least one subsequent processing steps and / or at least one plant performing a subsequent processing step and / or the quality of the output product resulting from at least one subsequent processing step. Target property data critical for subsequent processing step(s) may relate to the subsequent processing and / or the use of the output product(s) obtained from such processing step(s). Critical property data associated with the material, such as recycled material, in particular pyrolysis oil, may relate to the further processing of such material, for example in a steam cracker and / or a syngas plant associated with a downstream participant. Critical property data associated with pyrolysis oil may include but is / are not limited to halogen content data such as chlorine content data, data associated with the content of contaminants (such as Hg, Fe, Si, Zn, V, N), boiling point data, distillation range data, ash content data, flash point data, pour point data, auto-ignition temperature data, data associated with a visual evaluation of the material, density data, calorific data and / or data indicating the corrosiveness of the pyrolysis oil. The target entity data may define one or more entity(ies) and / or one or more valid certificate(s) required by entity(ies) providing material data. The entity(ies) may be defined using the digital identifier uniquely identifying such entity(ies). For instance, the name of the entity, the address of the entity, an entity ID or a combination thereof may be used to define an entity. This allows to define trustworthy entities, e.g. entities known to provide reliable and trustworthy material data via said predefined entity data. The required certificate(s) may be defined using digital identifier(s) uniquely identifying such certificate(s). For instance, the name of the certificate, the certification authority, validity of the certificate or a combination thereof may be included in the predefined entity data.

[0182] At least a part of the provided property data and at least a part of the provided entity data may be validated (see block 306). Validation may include selecting target property data based on the provided material data. Target property data may be selected from the provided candidate target property data based on the provided material data by matching data related to the industrial operation included in the material data to industrial operation data included in the provided candidate target property data. This may allow to select appropriate target property data to be used for validation from the provided target property data, hence ensuring a reliable and correct validation result. Selection of appropriate target property data from a plurality of candidate target property data allows to validate material data associated with materials used as production input within a variety of different industrial operations requiring different target properties of such materials.

[0183] At least a part of the property data is validated if said part is included in the provided target property data of the material. Validation may include matching at least a part of the provided property data to the target property data. The provided property data may be valid or validated if said data matches the target property data. The validation may be performed per property contained in the provided property data. For instance, each data point included in the provided property data may be matched or compared to the respective data point included in the target property data. Validation allows to determine whether the provided property data fulfils target property data, e.g. fulfils specification(s) with respect the material defined by a consumer of said material, such as a downstream participant consuming the material produced by a material producer (e.g. the respective upstream participant). At least a part of the entity data is validated if such part is included in the target entity data associated with at least one predefined entity generating the material data. Validation may include matching at least a part of the entity data included in the provided material data with the target entity data. The provided entity data may be valid or validated if said data matches the target entity data. The validation may be performed per data point contained in the provided entity data. For instance, the certificate data included in the entity data may be matched to target certificate data included in the target entity data. This may ensure that the analysis of the material to obtain measured and / or determined chemical and / or physical properties has been performed by the entity in accordance with predefined rule set(s), such as predefined standards. Compliance with such predefined rule set(s) during analysis of the material may indicate that the measured and / or determined chemical and / or physical properties obtained from such an analysis are reliable and trustworthy.

[0184] At least a part of the property data may be validated if said part is correlating to provided entity data. Validation may include determining the plausibility of the property data with respect to the entity data, such as certification data included in the entity data. For instance, the plausibility of the presence of biogenic content data within the property data may be determined by determining whether the entity data includes certification data associated with the use of biobased materials from which such biogenic content results. The biogenic content data may be validated if such certification data associated with the use of biobased materials is included in the entity data.

[0185] Validation may further include comparing the provided material data with previously provided material data being associated with the same material type. This allows to determine whether the provided material data appears to be plausible and avoids that the same material data can be provided for different materials or that material data for the same material is provided twice. This ensures that generation of the digital asset and associated creden tial(s) is not based on the same material data for different batches of a material, since such batches normally vary in their chemical and / or physical properties due to production conditions and properties of used production input(s). In addition, this avoids that the digital asset and associated digital credent! al(s) are repeatedly generated for the same material data. The previously provided material data may be stored in a data storage. The previously provided material data may be interrelated with the digital identifier(s), the material type and / or entity data.

[0186] It may be determined whether at least a part of the property data and at least a part of the provided entity data was validated, e.g. was successfully validated (see decision block 308).

[0187] If at least a part of the property data is validated but at least a part of the entity is rejected (e.g. not validated), a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) included in the provided material data and at least a part of the validated property data may be generated without generating digital credential(s) (see block 318). With reference to FIG. 4, the digital asset may correspond to a data set including one or more data points. The digital asset may include one or more key-value pair(s). The digital asset may include structured data. The digital asset may include the digital identifier(s) included in the material data, such as a material identifier 404 and a sample identifier. The digital identifier included in the digital asset may be linked with the physical entity of the material. The digital identifier included in the digital asset may be associated with the physical entity of the material. The digital identifier my be included in, associated with or related to an identifier element physically attached to the material. This may allow to link the digital asset to the physical entity of the material. The digital identifier included in the digital asset may include or be associated with decentral identifier(s). This may allow to provide the digital asset via a decentral network to downstream participants consuming the material associated with the digital asset in a secure and controlled manner. The digital asset may further include data associated with the entity measuring and / or determining chemical and / or physical properties. The digital asset may include metadata, such as issuance data. The digital asset may further include one or more validated chemical and / or physical property / ies. The digital asset may further include one or more test method(s) used to determine the validated chemical and / or physical properties. The digital asset may be signed with a private key of the entity generating the digital asset, such as validation service 1 14. The signature data may be included in the digital asset as proof data. The proof data may contain data related to the public key linked to the private key used to generate the signature. This may allow the entity receiving the digital asset to verify the signature data included in the digital asset and hence the authenticity of the signing party (e.g. the party generating the digital asset).

[0188] At least part of the entity data may be rejected if such data does not match to the target entity data. For instance, entity data may be rejected if such data does not include certificate data defined in the target entity data. Lack of such certificate data may indicate that the material data may be obtained by performing an analysis of the material not complying to required target rule set(s), such as required standard(s). Hence, lack of such certificate data may indicate that the measured and / or determined chemical and / or physical property(ies) have not been obtained according to defined or established methods and hence may not be considered trustworthy. The digital asset may include the digital identifier(s) included in the provided material data and at least a part of the validated chemical and / or physical property data as previously described.

[0189] If at least a part of the property data and at least a part of the entity data is validated, a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data and / or digital credent! al(s) may be generated (see block 310). The digital credential(s) may be associated with digital asset(s) associated with the material via the digital material identifier(s). For instance, the digital asset and the digital credential(s) may include digital material identifier(s) associated with the material. The digital credential(s) may include or correspond to one or more verifiable credential(s). With reference to FIG. 5A, the digital credential 502 may include digital credential data 504, claim (s) about a subject 506 and proof data 508. The subject may be the material the digital credential is associated with. Claim(s) may correspond to certifications or assertions concerning the validation of provided property data and / or entity data with respect to target property data and target entity data. The proof data 508 may contain a signature value generated using the private key associated with the issuer of the digital credential. The signature value may be cryptographically verified using the public key associated with said private key. With reference to FIG. 5B, the digital credential data 504 may include key-value pairs signifying a credential identifier, a credential type, the credential issuer, the issuance date and the expiration date. The claim(s) about the subject 506 (e.g. the credentialsubject property in the JSON data structure illustrated in FIG. 5B) may include key-value pairs signifying the credential subject (e.g. the material via digital identifier(s) included in the provided material data) and one or more claim(s) made about the credential subject. The claim(s) may signify that material data been successfully validated against target data, e.g. the material data fulfils target property data and target entity data. The claim(s) may signify the validated property data and the target property data. The claim(s) may further signify the target entity data and validated entity data.

[0190] If the provided material data is not validated, e.g. if the provided property data and the provided entity data is not validated (e.g. does not match the provided respective target data), a digital asset including the digital identifier(s), at least a part of the property data and data indicating at least the non-validated property data may be generated (see block 314). No digital credential(s) may be generated. The digital asset may further include data indicating target property data. The data indicating the non-validated property data may be a classifier. The classifier may be a binary classifier indicating validation of the respective property data or non-validation of the respective property data. The data indicating non-validated property data may include respective target property data. This may allow a comparison between the respective property data and the target property data and hence allows to determine whether the property data can be regarded as “validated” or “non-validated”. Generation of such a digital asset may trigger adjustment of the composition of the material, for example by mixing the material with other batches of the same material such that the adjusted property data of the adjusted material fulfil the target property data. Adjustment may be performed as described in the context of FIG. 6A to FIG. 7.

[0191] The generated digital asset and / or the digital credential(s) may be provided (see block 312, 316, 320). The generated digital assets and / or the digital credential(s) may be provided to the entity producing the material, for example via a decentral network (see FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C). The generated digital assets may be provided to the entity consuming the material, for example via a decentral network (see FIG. 12 and FIG. 13).

[0192] By validating the material data, blending ratios of different batches of materials may be determined in case the material data cannot be validated, e.g. the material data does not conform to at least one chemical and / or physical property defined for the material or material type by the entity operating the production, for example as described in the context of FIG. 8A to FIG. 9. This allows to produce a new batch of material having chemical and / or physical properties fulfilling the target properties and hence avoids waste materials which cannot be processed and have to be disposed of. The physical and / or chemical properties of the produced new batch may be validated according to the method illustrated in FIG. 3 and a digital asset and / or digital credential(s) may be generated and linked via a digital material identifier to the produced new batch upon successful validation. By generating a digital asset upon validation of the material data and providing such digital asset linked via the digital material identifier to the material, the digital asset or parts thereof may be gathered by a downstream participant upon entry of the material to a production of the downstream participant of the material loop to determine compliance of properties of the received material with target chemical and / or physical properties defined for the material or material type by the downstream participant operating such production. The digital asset or parts thereof may be accessed via a decentral network by the recipient of the material using access element(s) stored in a decentral registry and being associated with said digital asset or parts thereof. The decentral provision of the digital asset or parts thereof via the access element allows to control access to such digital asset or parts thereof by the data owner of the digital asset, hence ensuring transfer of the digital asset or parts thereof in a controlled and secure manner.

[0193] By generating digital credential(s), a proof may be provided which certifies that the property data included in the digital asset fulfils given target property data and was determined by a trustworthy entity (e.g. an entity holding predefined or target certification(s)), hence allowing downstream participants of the material loop to trust in the chemical and / or physical property data included in the associated digital asset and to control their industrial operations based on such data included in the digital asset without having to perform any further analysis of the properties of the received material.

[0194] FIG. 6A illustrates a first example system for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The material may include recycled material, renewable material or bio-based material. The material may include a recycled content, a renewable content and / or a bio-based content. The recycled material may include pyrolysis oil. The material may be produced by a production from one or more input(s) entering the production. Input(s) may include waste material, such as end-of-life material or components thereof. Input(s) may include waste fraction(s) produced by sorters, for example as described in the context of FIG. 1 . Input(s) may include waste tires and / or waste plastic fraction(s). The chemical production may be a chemical production network including multiple interlinked processing steps. The chemical production network may be an integrated chemical production network with interrelated production chains. The chemical production network may include multiple different production chains that have at least one intermediate product in common. The chemical production network may include multiple stages of the chemical value chain. The chemical production network may include multiple production chains that produce from one or more inbound material(s) as input chemical products as output. The chemical production network may include multiple tiers of a chemical value chain. The chemical production network may include a physically interconnected arrangement of production sites. The production sites may be at the same location or at different locations. In the latter case, the production sites may be interconnected by means of dedicated transportation systems such as pipelines, supply chain vehicles, like trucks, supply chain ships or other cargo transportation means. The system may include a production, for example production 204 described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The production 204 may be associated with a decentral network participant, such as the recycler 112 described in the context of FIG. 1 . For producing one or more material(s) 206, different input(s) 202 (also called input material(s) 202 hereinafter) may be provided as physical inputs from material providers or suppliers to the production 204. The production 204 may convert inbound material 202 to one or more material(s) 206 that exit the production 204 as described in the context of FIG. 2A.

[0195] The production 204 may comprise a measurement service measurement service 208. Sample(s) 218 of the material(s) 206 produced by production 204 may be provided to the measurement service 208. The sample 218 may be representative of the produced material(s) 206. The measurement service 208 may be configured to measure and / or determine at least one chemical and / or physical property of the sample 218 as described in the context of FIG. 2A. Measurement service 208 may be coupled via a communication interface to operating system 230. Measurement service 208 may be configured to provide the generated property data to a database, such as database 610. Database 610 may be part of the operating system 230 of the production 204.

[0196] The operating system 230 may further include an adjustment service 608. The adjustment service 608 may be configured to generate adjustment data to adjust the provided property data to at least a part of the provided target property data, for example as described in the context of FIG. 7. The adjustment data may be generated by adjustment data generator 604 of adjustment service 608. Adjustment data generator 604 may be configured to generate adjustment data, for example as described in the context of FIG. 7. Adjustment data may be generated based on property data of available produced material(s) and target property data stored in a database, such as database 212. Available material(s) 206 may refer to material(s) 206 which are not yet provided to and / or sold to a downstream participant. For example available material may refer to material being present within a storage facility of production 204 which has not yet been sold to or ordered by a downstream participant. Available material(s) 206 may refer to material(s) 206 which are not yet consumed by chemical production 612 to produce chemical product(s) 618. For example, available material may refer to material being present within a storage facility of chemical production 612.

[0197] Adjustment service 608 may be configured to provide the generated adjustment data to a mixer 602 of production 204. The mixer 602 may be controlled based on the adjustment data. The mixer 602 may mix - based on the adjustment data - different batches of produced material(s) 206 to adjust the chemical and / or physical properties of the resulting mixture to produce output material(s) 206. The sample(s) 218 of the produced mixture may be provided to measurement service 208 to generate material data. The generated material data may be validated by a validation service 1 14, for example as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3. By generating adjustment data allowing to modify or adjust chemical and / or physical properties of a produced material such that the adjusted chemical and / or physical properties meet target chemical and / or physical properties the generation of waste material which cannot be processed by a downstream participant can be avoided. Instead, produced material not meeting target chemical and / or physical properties may be adjusted according to the adjustment data such that the adjusted material meets such target properties. The measured and / or determined chemical and / or physical properties of such adjusted material may be validated to generate a digital asset.

[0198] FIG. 6B illustrates a further example system for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The material may include recycled material, renewable material or bio-based material. The material may include a recycled content, a renewable content and / or a bio-based content. The recycled material may include pyrolysis oil. The material may be produced by a production from one or more input(s) entering the production. Input(s) may include waste material, such as end-of-life material or components thereof. Input(s) may include waste fraction(s) produced by sorters, for example as described in the context of FIG. 1 . Input(s) may include waste tires and / or waste plastic fraction(s). The chemical production may be a chemical production network including multiple interlinked processing steps as described in the context of FIG. 6A.

[0199] In contrast to FIG. 6A, the adjustment service 608 may be associated with a downstream chemical production 612 using the material 206 produced by the upstream participant, such a recycler 1 12, as production input to produce one or more chemical product(s) 618.

[0200] Materials 206 produced by upstream participants of the chemical product producer 102 may be provided to a chemical production operated by said chemical product producer 102. The material(s) may be stored within tanks prior to using said materials as production inputs within chemical production 612. The received material(s) 206 may be associated with material data. The material data may represent at least a part of a digital twin of the physical entity of the material. The digital twin may be a digital representation of the physical entity. The digital representation may correspond to a defined semantic description of said physical entity. The digital twin may hence represent a digital version of said physical entity. Once created, the digital twin may be used to represent the physical entity of the material in a digital representation of a real-world system. The digital twin may contain one or more data set(s) (also called assets or aspects herein after). The data set(s) may represent a part of the digital twin. The data set(s) may be associated with a decentral data set identifier to allow identification of the respective data set within the digital twin.

[0201] The decentral system may be used to gather material data associated with materials entering chemical production 612. The decentral system may be used to determine decentral identifier(s) associated with materials entering the chemical production 612. The materials may be associated with an access element including a decentral identifier and access data allowing access to respective material data. The access element may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 8A to FIG. 9. Examples of such access elements are illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11. The access element may further include or relate to authentication and / or authorization information linked to the decentral identifier. The access element may be provided to a decentral registry. The decentral registry may store access elements and may be queried using query data to identify desired material data.

[0202] The participants of the decentral network may be associated with decentral participant identifiers. Each participant of the decentral network may be associated with one or more decentral participant identifier(s). The decentral participant identifier may comprise any identifier uniquely associated with a participant of the decentral network and / or with a production site of the participant of the decentral network. The decentral participant identifier may include letters and / or numbers. The decentral participant identifier may include one or more Universally Unique Identifier(s) (UUID(s)) and / or one or more Decentralized Identifier(s) (DID(s)). The decentral participant identifier may be associated with or may include a verifiable claim or credential. The verifiable claim may be issued by a central or decentral identity issuer making one or more claims about a subject, such as an entity being a trustworthy participant of the decentral network. For instance, the issuer may make a claim about a consumer (e.g. the entity operating data consuming network node(s)) or a provider (e.g. the entity operating data providing network node(s)) the decentral participant identifier is associated with. The verifiable claim may include those claim(s) as well as proof instructions to prove that claim(s) have not been tampered with and were indeed issued by the claims issuer. The verifiable claim may also include duration information metadata that defines a period of time that the verifiable claim is valid for use or that defines a specific number of times that the verifiable claim is authorized for use. The verifiable claim may also include a DID of the claims issuer and / or the subject, such as an entity. The verifiable claim may be signed by the claims issuer. The claims issuer may provide the verifiable claim to a claims holder, such as the entity, for presentation to any relying party that relies upon the veracity of those claims, such as a decentral data provider. The signature of the verifiable claim may be validated with a public key associated with the claims issuer to determine that the respective entity is a trusted entity within the decentral network. The verifiable credential may be presented by a decentral data consuming network node and may be used by a decentral data providing network node to verify that the decentral participant associated with the decentral data consuming network node is a trusted entity within the decentral network prior to providing access to data, such as product data, hence ensuring that the product data can be exchanged in a secure and controlled manner within the decentral network. Upon entry of the material provided by an upstream participant to the chemical production 612, an ID reader 606 may be configured to read an identification element physically connected to the material. The data acquired by ID reader 606 may be used to gather material data by a data consuming service, such as consumer node 1 16, associated with the entity operating chemical production 612. Consumer node 116 may be configured to receive data from provider node 126. Consumer node 116 may be configured to request data from provider node 126. Consumer node 116 may be configured to gather data stored within the decentral network, such as endpoint(s) of provider node(s), access element(s) stored within decentral registries and / or data stored with a dedicated storage 610 associated with the provider node 126 of the data owner. Consumer node 116 may be configured to determine - based on an identifier, such as a product identifier - provider node(s) being associated with the producer of the material associated with the identifier. For instance, consumer node 116 may be configured to query an infrastructure environment (not shown in FIG. 6B) using the identifier to determine the decentral participant identifier associated with the identifier. The determined decentral participant identifier may then be used by consumer node 116 to query an infrastructure environment to determine provider node(s) associated with said decentral participant identifier. The determined provider node(s) may then be queried by consumer node 116 for access elements associated with the data received from ID reader 606. Provider node(s) associated with access element(s) associated with such data received from ID reader 606 may respond with decentral identifier(s) associated with such access elements. Consumer node 116 may be configured to gather access element(s) using such decentral identifier(s). Consumer node 1 16 may provide the gathered access element(s) to operating system 620 and operating system 620 may be configured to parse the access element(s) to determine access data associated with the material data. Consumer node 116 may be configured to request such material data based on the access data determined by operating system 620. In response to a request received from consumer node 116, provider node 126 may be configured to gather material data from dedicated storage 610 associated with provider node 126. The gathered property data may be provided to consumer node 116. Provider node 126 may be configured to perform authentication and / or authorization steps with consumer node 1 16. Material data may be provided by provider node 126 upon successful authorization and / or authentication. Successful authorization may include signature of an electronic contract. The property data received from provider node 126 may be stored in a database associated with operating system chemical production 620, such as database 610.

[0203] Adjustment service 608 may use property data stored in database 610 and predefined data stored in database 212 to determine adjustment data as described in the context of FIG. 6A and FIG. 7. The adjustment data may be used to control mixer 626. Mixer 626 may be configured to mix material(s) 206 received from upstream participants according to adjustment data received from adjustment service 608. Mixing may result in a mixture fulfilling chemical and / or physical properties required for input material(s) to be used within chemical production 612.

[0204] FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for adjusting property data associated with a material to be provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The material may be produced by a production from one or more input(s) entering the production. Input(s) may include waste material, such as end-of-life material. Input(s) may include waste fraction(s) produced by sorters, for example as described in the context of FIG. 1 . Input(s) may include waste tires and / or waste plastic fraction(s). The material may represent input material for the chemical production 612. The chemical production may be a chemical production network including multiple interlinked processing steps as described in the context of FIG. 6A. The method may be implemented by adjustment service 608 described in the context of FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B. Digital identifier(s) associated with different batches of the material (e.g. digital material identifiers) may be provided (see block 702). Digital identifier(s) may include material identifier(s) as described in the context of FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B. Digital identifier(s) may be associated with or relate to decentral identifier(s) associated with the material, for example as described in the context of FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B. Digital identifier(s) may be provided from a database storing such digital identifier(s). Digital identifier(s) may be associated with status data of the material. The status data may signify a validation result associated with the validation of the property data as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3. The validation may include a classifier indicating whether the property data was successfully validated or not. The status data may further signify the availability of the material for mixing. The availability may include a classifier indicating whether the material is already sold to downstream participants. Digital identifiers may be provided based on target status data. The target status data may include constraints regarding the availability of the materials. For instance, digital identifiers may be gathered based on target status data signifying the material as “available” for mixing.

[0205] Digital identifier(s) may be provided based on an identifier element physically attached to the material. The identifier element may encode the digital identifier(s). The identifier element may be associated with or relate to the digital identifier(s). A sensor, such as an ID reader, may read such identifier element and may provide the determined data, for example as described in the context of FIG. 6B. The material may include material(s) present within the system boundary 614 of chemical production 612. The material may include material(s) stored within storage facilities of chemical production 612. The material may include material(s) not yet consumed by chemical production 612 to produce chemical product(s) 618.

[0206] Property data may be gathered per provided digital identifier (see block 704).

[0207] The property data may be gathered based on the provided digital identifier(s). The property data may be gathered from a database. The database may be associated with the system implementing the method. With reference to FIG. 6A, the database may be associated with operating system 230 performing the method illustrated in FIG. 7. The property data may be gathered after production of the product by production 204. The property data may be gathered via a decentral network, for example as described in the context of FIG. 6B. The property data may be gathered upon entry of the material to the chemical production 612, e.g. upon passing the system boundary 614 of chemical production 612. The property data may be associated with the respective batch of material. The property data may signify chemical and / or physical properties of the respective batch of material.

[0208] Target property data may be provided (see block 706). Target property data may be provided per industrial process or industrial operation. Target property data may be stored in a database, such as database 212 (see FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B). Target property data may be gathered from such database based on a material identifier and / or material type identifier associated with the material. The target property data may specify constraints or boundaries for the one property or more properties of the input material to be used by subsequent processing step(s). The target property data may specify constraints or boundaries for at least one chemical and / or physical property of the material critical for one or more processing step(s) of the material by chemical production 612. Chemical and / or physical property(ies) critical for subsequent processing step(s) may impede at least one subsequent processing steps and / or at least one plant performing a subsequent processing step and / or the quality of the output product resulting from at least one subsequent processing step. Chemical and / or physical property(ies) critical for subsequent processing step(s) may relate to the subsequent processing and / or the use of the output product(s) obtained from such processing step(s). Critical chemical and / or physical property(ies) associated with the material, such as recycled material, in particular pyrolysis oil, may relate to the further processing of such material, for example in a steam cracker and / or a syngas plant associated with a downstream participant. Critical chemical and / or physical property(ies) associated with pyrolysis oil may include but is / are not limited to halogen content such as chlorine content, content of contaminants (such as Hg, Fe, Si, Zn, V, N), boiling point, distillation range, ash content, flash point, pour point, auto-ignition temperature, single-phase oil, density, calorific value and / or corrosiveness of the pyrolysis oil. Subsequent processing step(s) may include chemical, mechanical and / or thermal processing operations on materials used as input material(s) within the subsequent processing step(s). The subsequent processing step may relate to an entry process of the chemical production 612 such as stream cracking, refining, synthesis gas production, or partial oxidation. The subsequent processing step may be connected to an upstream recycling process. The subsequent processing step may be connected to an exit point of a recycling system such as mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and / or thermal recycling system. The subsequent processing step may be associated with a storage facility or tank farm. The subsequent processing step may be associated with a mixing system. The mixing system may be associated with the storage facility or tank farm. The subsequent processing step may be associated with an exit process of a material stream from a mixing system.

[0209] Adjustment data may be determined (see block 708). Adjustment data may include digital identifier(s) associated with different batches of material and associated amount data. Adjustment data may specify multiple different batches of material to be mixed by mixer 602. Multiple material batches may include two or more different material batches.

[0210] Adjustment data may be determined by determining from the gathered property data the mixture that lies within the constraints provided by the predefined chemical and / or physical property data. Adjustment data may be generated based on available quantities of the different batches of material. Adjustment data may be generated based on the capacity of the subsequent processing step(s). Adjustment data may be generated depending on the subsequent processing step(s), capacity of the subsequent processing step(s) and / or available quantities of the different batches. Adjustment data may be generated based on diluent data associated with diluents. Diluents may include chemical compound(s) miscible with the material (e.g. input material or feedstock) which reduce the concentration of one or more ingredients contained within the material. The diluent data may be gathered from a database. The diluent data may be gathered if - based on the property data associated with the different batches of material - no adjustment data can be generated that lies in the constraints or boundaries defined by the target chemical and / or physical property data. The diluent data may be associated with the properties of one or more diluent(s) including fossil input material or specific chemical compounds. The adjustment data may be generated based on the gathered property data, the target chemical and / or physical property data and / or the diluent data.

[0211] Adjustment data may be generated by determining weighted quantities of different material batches depending on the one gathered property data per material batch and the target property data. Generating adjustment data may include determining weighted quantities of material batches depending on the property data per material batch. Generating adjustment data may include determining weighted quantities of material batches depending on the target property data for multiple subsequent processing step(s), wherein adjustment data is provided per subsequent processing step. The weighted sum of at least part of the property data points included in the property data per material batch may be lower than or equal to at least part of the data points included in the target property data for at least one subsequent processing step. The adjustment data may include the fractions of material batches and associated digital identifier(s).

[0212] The mixture data may be generated based on the full set or a subset of gathered property data. For example, the gathered property may be checked with regard to the properties provided per digital identifier and the properties specified by the target property data per subsequent processing step. The digital identifiers relating to properties specified by the target property data per subsequent processing step may be selected for the adjustment data. The digital identifiers relating to specified properties required according to the target property data per subsequent processing step may be selected for the adjustment data. This way unsuitable materials signified by the unsuitable property data or incomplete data sets may be disregarded from the adjustment data making the method more reliable and speeding up the mixture generation. In other words, the property data may be validated with respect to the properties provided per digital material identifier. Such validation may include the matching of properties specified per digital material identifier and the target chemical and / or physical property data per subsequent processing step. The digital material identifiers relating to specified properties required according to the target chemical and / or physical property data per subsequent processing step may be validated and selected for the adjustment data generation.

[0213] For generating the adjustment data different approaches and options exist. The adjustment data may be generated based on scoring approaches, optimization approaches, physiochemical modelling approaches, data-driven modelling approaches and / or hybrid approaches combining physiochemical and data-driven modeling. The scoring approach may include determining a score per material batch and per subsequent processing step. For the scoring, the properties required for the subsequent processing step may be selected and optionally prioritized. The score per material batch may include determining a score per property of the material batch and the perspective property specified by the target property data that measures the distance of the property of the material batch to the respective target property specified by the target chemical and / or physical property data. Based on the per property score an accumulated and optionally normalized score per digital material identifier and subsequent processing step may be determined. The per property scores may further include a penalty depending on the relevance of the specific property for the subsequent processing step, e.g. if the property is required or optional. Based on the penalized score the accumulated score may be determined. Based on the accumulated score the material batches suitable for the subsequent processing step may be selected for mixing. The scores may be normalized e.g. to a relative scale of percentage.

[0214] The optimization approach may include determining weighted quantities of material batch(es) depending on the properties per digital material identifier depending on or under the constraints of the target property data. Depending on or under the constraints of the target property may refer to the weighted sum of at least part of the properties of the material batches complying at least in part with the target properties of the feed required for the at least subsequent processing step. Based on the weights of the materials suitable for the subsequent processing step and the quantity of batch of the material determined by the weight may be selected for mixing. In mathematical terms an objective function or cost function may be minimized under defined constraints: u,- = 1

[0215] Default value for •1

[0216] Output: vector of weights i chemical and / or physical properties of the material batch samples eno e e material batch samples

[0217] : Matrix of chemical and / or physical properties for material batch samples t .

[0218] J: Vector of allowed properties in the mixture according to the target chemical and / or physical property data

[0219] Outputs:

[0220] J: fraction of material batch(es) for generation of mixture The physiochemical modelling approach may include determining adjustment data by using a first principles calculation to determine based on the properties per material batch the properties of the material mixture. The data- driven approach may include determining the adjustment data by providing the properties per material batch to a data-driven model parametrized based on historical data including adjustment data, target chemical and / or physical property data and property data of material batches, such as properties per material batch.

[0221] Additionally or alternatively, hybrid approaches or multi-criterial approaches may be used to determine adjustment data. In addition to the properties per material batch, further parameters such as the available quantity per material batch may be included in any of the approaches for generating adjustment data as lined out herein.

[0222] The adjustment data may include machine-readable instructions for monitoring and / or controlling the preparation of the mixture by mixer 602 based on the adjustment data. The adjustment data may relate to instructions for preparing the mixture by mixer 602.

[0223] The adjustment data may be provided for monitoring and / or controlling a mixer 602 generating the mixture based on the received adjustment data. The adjustment data may be provided to an operator e.g. via a display for monitoring and / or controlling the mixer 602. The adjustment data may be provided to a monitoring and / or controlling interface of the mixer 602. The adjustment data may include monitoring and / or controlling instructions that specify the mixture operation to produce the mixture.

[0224] FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B illustrate example systems for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The input materials may be produced as material(s) 206 by a production, for example as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The systems may be configured to perform the method illustrated in FIG. 9. The input material(s) may be recycled material(s). The input material(s) may be associated with digital asset(s) and optionally digital credential(s) relating to the one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from such input material(s).

[0225] A production 204 may produce one or more material(s) 206 from one or more production input(s) 202. The production 204 may be associated with a recycler 112. The production 204 may produce the material(s) 206 as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. Material data associated with the produced material(s) 206 may be generated, for example as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The generated material data may be provided to validation service 114 configured to validate received material data. Validation service 1 14 may validated the received material data as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 8AA, validation service 1 14 may be part of the operating system of production 204 (see FIG. 2A). Validation service 1 14 may be associated with the production 204. Upon successful validation of the received material data, validation service 1 14 may provide the generated digital asset including digital identifier(s) associated with the material and at least a part of the validated material data and generated associated digital credential(s) to access element generator 802. Upon partial validation (e.g. upon validation of the property data only), validation service 1 14 may provide the generated digital asset to access element generator 802.

[0226] In contrast to FIG. 8A, validation service 1 14 may be part of a decentral network 134 in FIG. 8B. The decentral network may be a decentral network as described in the context of FIG. 1 . Upon successful validation of the received material data, validation service 1 14 may provide the generated digital asset including digital identifier(s) associated with the material and at least a part of the validated material data and generated associated digital credential(s) via the decentral network 134 to access element generator 802. Upon partial validation (e.g. upon validation of the property data only), validation service 114 may provide the generated digital asset to access element generator 802. Validation service 1 14 may provide such data via associated decentral data providing network node 128A to a decentral data consuming network node 126B associated with the entity operating access element generator 802. The decentral data consuming network node 126B receiving the data may be connected to access element generator 802 and may be configured to provide such received data to access element generator 802.

[0227] Access element generator 802 may be associated with production 204. Access element generator 802 may be part of an operating system of production 204. Access element generator 802 may be coupled to or associated with an operating system of the production 204. Access element generator 802 may be configured to generate access element(s) associated with digital asset(s) and digital credential(s). Examples of access elements generated by access element generator 802 are illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 .

[0228] With reference to FIG. 9, data related to the production of the input material may be collected. Data related to the production of the input material may be collected by production data collector 804 of access element generator 802. Data associated with the production of the material may include digital asset(s) and optionally associated digital credential(s) received from validation service 114. The digital asset(s) and optionally associated digital credential(s) may be received via decentral network 134. The digital asset(s) may be received via decentral network 134. Data associated with the production of the material may include digital material identifier(s), production data associated with the material 206, emission data associated with the material 206, material declaration data, material safety data, recyclate content data associated with the recyclate content of the material 206, biobased content data associated with the biobased content of the material 206, renewable content data associated with the renewable content of the material 206 or combinations thereof. Production data may relate to the production of the material 206. Production data may include monitoring and / or control data associated with the production of the material 206. Production data may be collected by one or more sensor(s). Production data may be collected prior, upon and / or after production of the product 206. Emission data may comprise any data related to environmental footprint. The environmental footprint may refer to a particular material 206 and its associated environmental footprint. Emission data may include data relating to the carbon footprint of the material 206 or a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF). Emission data may include data relating to greenhouse gas emissions e.g. released in production of the chemical product. Emission data may include data related to greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions may include emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, methane (CH4) emission, nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) emission, perfluorocarbons (PFCs) emission, sulphurhexafluoride (SFe) emission, nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) emission, combinations thereof and additional emissions. Emission data may include data related to greenhouse gas emissions of an entities or companies own operations (production, power plants and waste incineration). Scope 2 may comprise emissions from energy production which is sourced externally. Scope 3 may comprise all other emissions along the value chain. Specifically, this may include the greenhouse gas emissions of raw materials obtained from suppliers. Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) may sum up greenhouse gas emissions and removals from the consecutive and interlinked process steps related to a particular material 206. Cradle-to-gate PCF may sum up greenhouse gas emissions based on selected process steps: e.g. from the extraction of resources up to the factory gate where the product leaves the company. Such PCFs may be called partial PCFs. In order to achieve such summation, each company providing any products may provide the scope 1 and scope 2 contributions to the PCF for each of its products.

[0229] With continued reference to FIG. 10, one or more decentral identifier(s) associated with the material may be provided. The decentral identifier(s) may be provided by decentral ID provider 806 of access element generator 802. Decentral ID provider 806 may be configured to generate and provide one or more decentral identifier(s) associated with the material and the digital asset. Decentral ID provider 806 may be configured to generate and provide one or more decentral identifier(s) associated with the material and digital credential(s). The decentral identifier(s) may comprise unique identifier(s) uniquely associated with the producer of the material and the material. The decentral identifier may include one or more Universally Unique Identifier(s) (UUID(s)) or one or more Digital Identifier(s) (DID(s)). The decentral identifier may include authentication information. Via the decentral identifier and its unique association with the with the producer of the material and the material, access to digital asset(s) and associated digital credential(s) may be controlled by the producer of the material.

[0230] Decentral ID provider 806 may be configured to gather existing decentral digital twin identifier(s) associated with a digital twin of the material. The digital twin of the material may be a digital representation of a physical entity of the material with a defined semantic description of said physical entity of the material. The digital twin of the physical entity of the material is hence a digital version of said physical entity. Once created, the digital twin can be used to represent the physical entity of the material in a digital representation of a real-world system. The digital twin may be uniquely linked to the physical material via at least the decentral digital twin identifier. The digital twin may be created such that it is identical in form and behavior of the corresponding material. Additionally, the digital twin may mirror the properties of the material during its lifetime. For example, sensors may capture real-time (or near realtime) data, such as transport data or use data, from the physical material to relay it back to a remote digital twin. The digital twin may then be updated to maintain its correspondence to the physical entity of the material. Hence, the digital twin may at any time represent the current state of the physical entity of the material. The digital twin may contain a decentral digital twin identifier. The decentral digital twin identifier may be associated with a physical entity of the material the digital twin is associated with. The decentral digital twin identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the material the digital twin is generated for. The decentral digital twin identifier may be associated with decentral identifiers of production input(s) used to produce the material. The decentral digital twin identifier may or may be assigned to a physical identifier connected to the material. The physical identifier may be any identifier for the produced material, such as a batch number and / or a LOT number. The physical identifier may comprise a passive or active element, e.g. bar code, QR-code, RFID-tag, but is not limited thereto. The physical identifier may include markers embedded in materials or similar physical arrangement that allows to digitally identify the material. The digital twin may further contain a digital material identifier. The digital twin may contain material data. The material data may include at least a part of the data associated with the production. The material data may include the digital asset and / or digital credential(s). The digital twin may include one or more data set(s). The data set(s) may signify part of the material data. Data set(s) may include digital asset(s) provided by validation service 1 14. Data set(s) may include digital credential(s) provided by validation service 1 14.

[0231] With continued reference to FIG. 10, access data relating to the digital asset(s) and optionally associated digital credential(s) may be provided. Access data may be provided by access data generator 808 of access element generator 802. Access data generator 808 may be configured to generate access data associated with digital asset(s) and / or digital credential(s) included in the gathered data associated with the production for material(s) 206 produced by production 204. The access data may be generated per digital asset and per digital credential. The access data may include a locator or pointer to a dedicated storage address of a dedicated storage associated with or accessible by the data owner of the digital asset and digital credential(s). The access data may further include a material identifier. The material identifier may relate to or may correspond to a physical identifier physically attached to the material. For instance, the access data may include a batch number and / or a LOT number physically attached to the material. This may allow to query the decentral network for access elements based on physical identifiers physically attached the material, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. The data owner may be the entity operating production 204. The data owner may be the producer of material(s) 206. The dedicated storage may be associated with or may be accessible by the data owner. The data owner may control access to the digital asset and digital credential(s) associated with the respective access data. The pointer or locator may point directly to the dedicated storage address. The pointer or locator may point to a data providing network node associated with the dedicated storage. This may increase data security since the dedicated storage address is not published to further participants of the decentral network hence avoiding the risk of direct access of the dedicated storage without access control via the decentral data providing network node. The digital representation may include one or more digital link(s) pointing to the status data. The access data may include a locator or pointer, such as am url or uri, to a dedicated storage address associated with the material producer and storing the digital asset(s) and digital credential(s).

[0232] With continued reference to FIG. 10, digital access elements including the provided decentral identifier(s) and the access data may be generated. With continued reference to FIG. 10, access element(s) existing in decentral registry 812 may be updated with the generated access data. Such existing access element(s) may be determined using the provided decentral identifier(s). The digital access element(s) may be associated with the physical entity of the material. For instance, the digital access element(s) may include a material identifier associated with or included in a physical identifier physically attached to the material. Access elements may be generated by access element generator 810 of access element generator 802. Access element generator 802 may be configured to update access elements associated with the material and already existing (e.g. stored) in decentral registry 812. Updating may include adding or updating access data generated by access data generator 808 to existing access element(s). The access data may be added by determining access element(s) associated with the material based on a mapping of the decentral digital twin identifier included in the access element and the decentral digital twin identifier associated with the respective material. An access element may be generated per data set included in the digital twin. For instance, an access element may be generated per digital asset associated with the material and per digital credential associated with the material. An access element may be generated for a plurality of data set(s) included in the digital twin of the material. For instance, an access element may be generated for a digital asset and associated digital credential(s) included in the digital twin of the material. The access element may include the provided decentral identifier(s) and the access data. The access element may relate to authorization rules that provide access to a digital asset and associated digital credential(s) depending on a participant identifier associated with a participant of the decentral network. The access element may be provided for access to the digital asset and digital credential(s) depending on the participant identifier by one or more data consuming network node(s) associated with one or more material consumer(s) executing one or more industrial operations using the material as input material. This way access to sensitive data relating to the properties of the produced material(s) 206 can be restricted to specific network nodes for which the data access is relevant, such as the chemical product producer 102.

[0233] With continued reference to FIG. 10, the generated access element(s) may be provided to a decentral network for access by one or more participants of the decentral network. The access element may be provided by access element generator 810 to decentral registry 812. The decentral registry 812 may be associated with a decentral data providing network node, such as node 126B, associated with the producer of the material(s) 206. The decentral registry may be associated with or controlled by the data owner of the data associated with access elements stored in such registry. For instance, the decentral registry may be associated with or controlled by the data owner of digital assets and digital credential(s) associated with access elements stored in such registry. The data owner may be the material producer. The access element may be accessible by other participants of the decentral network, such as chemical product producer 102, via an associated decentral data consuming network node, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. Access to such registry may be controlled by the data owner via the associated decentral data providing network node. This contrasts with decentral networks based on distributed ledger technology (DLT), where the distributed ledger serving as decentral registry is replicated over a plurality of network nodes such that access to each copy of the distributed ledger can no longer be controlled by the data owner of data stored in such distributed ledger. Access element(s) stored within decentral registry 812 may be queried by decentral data consuming network node(s) via associated decentral data providing network node(s). The query may be performed based on query data. The query data may include a physical identifier physically attached to the material, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12.

[0234] Access to access elements stored in decentral registry 812 may be controlled by a decentral data providing node, such as node 126B, associated with the decentral registry 812. For instance, decentral registry 812 may only be queried by predefined decentral data consuming network node(s). Such predefined decentral data consuming network node(s) may be predefined via associated decentral participant identifier(s).

[0235] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a digital access element including DID owner data, DID document data and decentral identity infrastructure.

[0236] The decentral identifier may include a Decentralized Identifier (DID). The decentral identifier-based digital access element may in this case be a DID document 1004 associated with the DID. Besides the DID document 1004 serving as digital access element, FIG. 10 shows a DID owner data element 1002 including decentral identifier-based owner data. Generally, the decentral identifier-based owner data may include the decentral identifier associated with a subject such as chemical product data set(s) and may include one or more authentication mechanism(s). The decentral identifier-based owner data 1002 may include owner data that is electronically owned and controlled by the DID owner. In this context electronically owned may refer to data that is stored in an owner repository or wallet. Such data may be securely stored and / or managed on an organizational server or client device. The decentral identifier-based owner data 1002 may include a DID, a private key and a public key. The DID owner may own and control the DID that represents an identity associated with the DID subject, a private key and public key pair that are associated with the DID. DID may be understood as an identifier and authentication information associated with or uniquely linked to the identifier.

[0237] The DID subject may be a material used as a production input within a subsequent industrial operation. The DID subject may be a machine, a system, or a device used for producing the input material, or a collection of such machine(s), device(s) and / or system(s). The DID owner may be a supply chain participant or a manufacturer such as a chemical manufacturer producing chemicals. The DID owner may be an upstream participant of chemical product producer 102 such as a supplier that supplies raw chemical products or precursors to produce the machine fluid. The DID owner may be a downstream participant of the chemical product producer 102 such as a customer that consumes chemical products to produce an intermediate product, the component, the component assembly or the end product. The DID owner may be any participant of the product ecosystem including raw chemical product supplier, intermediate chemical products manufacturer, intermediate part manufacturer, component manufacturer, component assembly manufacturer, end product manufacturer, end product user, maintenance operation performer, EOL collector or recycler.

[0238] The DID may be any identifier that is associated with the DID subject and / or the DID owner. Preferably, the identifier is unique to the DID subject and / or DID owner. The identifier may be unique at least within the scope in which the DID is anticipated to be in use. The identifier may be a locally or globally unique identifier for the input material; the machine, the system, or the device used for producing the input material or the collection of such machine(s), device(s) and / or system(s); the entity producing the input material or a collection thereof.

[0239] The DID may be any identifier that is associated with the DID subject and the DID owner. Preferably, the DID is unique to the DID subject and / or DID owner. The DID may be unique at least within the scope in which the DID is anticipated to be in use. The DID may be a locally or globally unique identifier for any of the above mentioned possible DID subjects. The DID may also be a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) such as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Moreover, the DID may be an Internationalized Resource Identifier (IRI). The DID may be a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) such as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The DID may be an Internationalized Resource Identifier (IRI). The DID may be a random string of numbers and letters for increased security. In one embodiment, the DID may be a string of 128 letters and numbers e.g. according to the scheme did:method name: method specific-did such as did:example:ebfeb1 f712ebc6f1 c276e12ec21 . The DID may be decentralized ID independent of a centralized, third-party management system and under the control of the DID owner.

[0240] The digital access element as DID document data DID document data 1004 may be associated with the DID, i.e. the DID included in the decentral identifier-based owner data 1002. Accordingly, the digital access element may include a reference to the DID, which is associated with the DID subject that is described by the DID document data 1004. The DID document 1004 may also include an authentication information such as the public key. The public key may be used by third-party entities that are given permission by the DID owner / subject to access information and data owned by the DID owner / subject. The public key may also be used for verifying that the DID owner, in fact, owns or controls the DID. The DID document may include authentication information, authorization information e.g. to authorize third party entities to read the DID document or some part of the DID document e.g. without giving the third party the right to prove ownership of the DID.

[0241] The digital access element 1004 may include one or more representations that digitally link to digital twin data included in the digital twin the digital access element is associated with, e.g. by way of service endpoints. A service endpoint may include a network address at which a service operates on behalf of the DID owner. In particular, the service endpoints may refer to services, such as data providing services, of the DID owner that give access to digital twin data. Such services may include services to read or analyze data contained in the digital twin data. Data contained in the digital twin data may include chemical product declaration data, chemical product safety data, certificate of analysis data, emission data, product carbon footprint data, product environmental footprint data, chemical product specification data, product information, technical application data, production data, chemical composition data or combinations thereof.

[0242] The digital access element 1004 may include further identifiers, such as decentral digital twin identifier(s) and a input material identifier(s).

[0243] The digital access element 1004 may include various other information such metadata specifying when the digital access element was created, when it was last modified and / or when it expires.

[0244] The DID and digital access element 1004 may be associated with a data registry node such as a centralized data service system or a decentralized data service system 1006, e.g. a distributed ledger or blockchain or a decentralized file system. The distributed ledger or blockchain may be used to store a representation of the DID that points to the digital access element 1004. A representation of the DID may be stored on distributed computing nodes of the distributed ledger or blockchain 1006. For example, DID hash may be stored on multiple computing nodes of the distributed ledger and point to the location of the digital access element 1004. In some embodiments, the digital access element 1004 may be stored on the distributed ledger 1006. Each of the computing nodes may store a copy of the distributed ledger 1006. In this way, each DID hash can be stored redundantly, thereby allowing for an increased data safety. DIDs associated with a plurality of different digital access element 1004 may be included in the distributed ledger 1006.

[0245] In some embodiments, the digital access element 1004 may be stored on the distributed ledger 1006, i.e. either additionally or alternatively to the associated DID representation being stored on the distributed ledger 1006. In other embodiments, the digital access element 1604 may be stored in a data storage (not illustrated) that is associated with the distributed ledger or blockchain or decentralized file system.

[0246] The distributed ledger or blockchain 1006 may be any decentralized, distributed network that includes various computing nodes that are in communication with each other. For example, the distributed ledger 1006 may include a first distributed computing node, a second distributed computing node, a third distributed computing node, and any number of additional distributed computing nodes (not shown). The distributed ledger or blockchain 1006 may include known technology stacks like Bitcoin (see e.g. Bitcoin documentation of November 11 , 2022 published https: / / en.bitcoin.it / wiki / Protocol_documentation), Ethereum (see e.g. Ethereum documentation of August 15, 2022 published on https: / / ethereum.org / en / developers / docs / ), Solana (see e.g. Solana documentation of November 11 , 2022 published on https: / / spl.solana.com / ), Polygon (see e.g. Polygon documentation of November 11 , 2022 published on https: / / wiki. polygon. technology / ) or other implementations with varying degree of data transactions performed on the distributed ledger. The description of the example framework is only for illustrative purposes and shall not be considered limiting.'

[0247] FIG. 11 illustrates a second example of a digital access element including a decentral identifier and access data. The digital access element may be stored within a decentral registry, such as decentral registry 812 of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B) associated with a participant of the decentral network. The access elements stored in such decentral registry may be retrieved via an associated decentral data providing network node using the decentral identifier.

[0248] The decentral identifier may include one or more Universally Unique Identifier(s) (UUID(s)). The decentral identifier may include a first decentral identifier and a second decentral identifier. The first and the second decentral identifier may be different from each other. The first decentral identifier may signify the decentral identifier associated with the digital twin of the input material while the second decentral identifier may signify a decentral identifier associated with a data set (e.g. aspect, such as digital asset or digital credential) associated with the input material contained within in the digital twin. The input material may be a recycled material. The input material may be any material used by a downstream participant of the value chain to produce further output products. The access element may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.

[0249] The UUID may be unique at least within the scope in which the UUID is anticipated to be in use. The UUID may be a locally or globally unique identifier for a raw material, a basic substance, a chemical product, a component, an end product or a recycled material. In one embodiment, the UUID may be a string of 128 letters and numbers e.g. according to the scheme [0-9a-fA-F]{8}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[0-9a-fA-F]{12}. The UUID may be a decentralized ID independent of a centralized, third-party management system and under the control of the data owner owning the data associated with the UUID.

[0250] The decentral identifier-based digital access element 1102 may be a JSON data structure including the decentral identifier. The JSON data structure may include one or more key-value pairs. The JSON data structure may include one or more arrays. At least a part of the arrays may include one or more object(s). The object(s) may include one or more key-value pair(s).

[0251] The digital access element 1102 may include access data that digitally links to data, such as aspect(s), the digital access element is associated with, e.g. by way of service endpoints. A service endpoint may include a network address at which a service operates on behalf of the data owner. In particular, the service endpoints may refer to services, such as decentral data providing network node(s), of the data owner that give access to product data, such as composition data associated with the end product or the component thereof. Such services may include services to read or analyze data contained in the product data.

[0252] The digital access element 1102 may include various other information such metadata specifying when the digital access element was created, when it was last modified and / or when it expires (not shown in FIG. 11).

[0253] The digital access element 1 102 may be associated with a data registry node such as a decentral registry (not shown, see for example decentral registry 812 in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B). The decentral registry may be a decentral database. The decentral database may be associated with the data owner of the digital twin. The decentral registry may be used to store digital access elements, such as digital access element 1 102.

[0254] FIG. 12 illustrates an example system for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Input material(s) may include input material(s) having a recycled content, a bio-based content or a renewable content. Input materials may include recycled input materials, bio-based input materials or renewable input materials. Input material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant of the entity producing the output products. Input materials may be produced as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The system illustrated in FIG. 12 may be used to implement the method shown in FIG. 13.

[0255] Input material(s) 206 produced by an upstream participant may be provided to the system boundary 614 of the chemical production 612 in association with the digital access element. Input material(s) 206 provided to the chemical production 612 may be associated with a digital access element. The digital access element may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 8A to FIG. 9. The chemical production 612 may be operated by chemical product producer 102. The input material(s) 206 may be stored within tanks prior to using said input materials as production inputs within chemical production 612. The received material(s) 206 may be associated with input material data. The input material data may represent at least a part of a digital twin of the physical entity of the input material as described in the context of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. The input material data may include a digital asset and digital credential(s). The input material may include digital asset(s) and digital presentation(s) including digital credential(s). With reference to FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D, the digital credential presentation 510 may include digital credential presentation data 512 and one or more digital credential(s) 502, such as illustrated in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B. The digital credential presentation 510 may further include proof data 520 as previously described. Digital credential presentation data 512 may include key value pairs signifying a presentation identifier and a presentation type, for example as illustrated in FIG. 5D. The digital credential presentation 512 may include one or more digital credential(s), such as the digital credential illustrated in FIG. 5B within the verifiableCredential property (see FIG. 5D). The digital credential presentation may be generated by selecting digital credential(s) associated with the material and / or the material producer and generating the digital credential presentation based on the selected digital credent! al(s). Digital credential(s) associated with the material producer may include digital credential(s) certifying at least partial compliance with a predefined rule set(s) which is not defined by the material consumer. The predefined rule set may be defined by a government, a standard setting organization, a certification body or the like. The predefined rule set may include regulations that need to be fulfilled by entities requesting certification according to the regulations. For example, digital credential(s) certifying at least partial compliance with a predefined rule set(s) may include digital creden tial(s) certifying at least partial compliance with ISCC standard or ISCC+ standard, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standard. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standard and / or Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standard.

[0256] The digital asset and digital credential(s) may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The input material data may be stored in a dedicated storage 1212 associated with or accessible by the data owner of the input material data, such as recycler 112. The dedicated storage may be accessible by a decentral data providing network node associated with the data owner, such as node 126B. The decentral data providing network node may be part of a decentral network, such as decentral network 134 described in the context of FIG. 1.

[0257] The input material data may be accessible via access element(s) associated with such input material 206. Upon entry of the input material 206 provided by an upstream participant to the chemical production 612, an ID reader 606 may be configured to read an identification element physically connected to the input material 206. The data acquired by ID reader 606 may be used to gather input material data by a data consuming service, such as consumer node 116, associated with the entity operating chemical production 612. Consumer node 116 may be configured to determine - based on an identifier, such as an input material identifier included in the data acquired by ID reader 606 - provider node(s) being associated with the producer of the input material associated with such input material identifier. For instance, consumer node 1 16 may be configured to query an infrastructure environment of decentral network 134 (not shown in FIG. 6B) using the input material identifier to determine decentral participant identifier(s) of data provider(s) associated with the input material identifier. The determined decentral participant identifier(s) may then be used by consumer node 1 16 to query the infrastructure environment to determine endpoints of provider node(s) associated with said decentral participant identifier(s).

[0258] Operating system 620 may be configured to generate query data to query decentral registries, such as decentral registry 812 (see FIG. 8A), associated with the obtained endpoint(s). The query data may include data related to specific aspects (e.g. data set(s)) of the digital twin. A specific asset may include an asset associated with the digital asset or the digital certificate(s). The asset may be included in the digital twin of the input material 206. Data related to specific aspects may include key value pairs defining such aspects in access elements associated with such input materials and stored within the decentral registries. Operating system 620 may be configured to generate a request for gathering the decentral identifier associated with said input materials. The request may include at least a part of the received end point(s) and the query data. The request may be provided to consumer node 116. Consumer node 116 may be configured - in response to the request from operating system 620 - to query the decentral registries of decentral network 134. The queries may include the query data and a decentral participant identifier associated with the consumer node 116. Consumer node 116 may be configured to send such queries to the endpoint(s) included in the request received from operating system 620. The queries may be authenticated. Such authentication may be based on data related to an authentication mechanism. The authentication mechanism may be based on certificate(s) and / or token(s), for example a device certificate (X.509v3), a TLS connection certificate (X.509v3) and a 'Dynamic Attribute Token’ (OAuth Access Token), associated with the respective decentral participant nodes, e.g. consumer node 116 and provider node 126B. If authentication fails, no data may be provided by respective data provider(s).

[0259] Provider node(s) may be configured to query associated decentral registry(ies) 812 to determine whether the associated decentral registry 812 includes decentral identifier(s) related to the query data contained in the queries from the consumer node 1 16. Such query may be performed if the authentication is valid. Provider node(s) not having determined decentral identifier(s) related to the query data may send a respective response to consumer node 116. Provider node(s) not having determined decentral identifier(s) related to the query data may not send any response to consumer node 1 16. Provider node(s) 126B having determined decentral identifier(s) related to the query data may provide usage data associated with the decentral identifier(s) consumer node 116. The usage data may include one or more authorization rule(s) associated with the decentral identifier. The usage data may be provided to operating system 620. Operating system 620 may parse the received usage data to determine the authorization rule(s). The determined authorization rules may be provided to a user for consent. Operating system 620 may be configured to automatically accept authorization rule(s) included in usage data provided by predefined provider node(s). Operating system 620 may provide data being indicative of acceptance of such authorization rule(s), such as a token, to consumer node 116. If the authorization rule(s)are not accepted, operating system 620 may likewise forward data being indicative of declining the authorization rule(s)to consumer node 1 16. Consumer node 116 may forward this data to provider node 126B. Upon declining the authorization rule(s), provider node 126B may terminate the connection and may not provide any data. Use of the usage data ensures that the consumer node 116 and further systems, such as operating system 620, handling the data are complying to at least one authorization rule associated with the transferred data.

[0260] Provider node(s) 126B having determined decentral identifier(s) related to the query data may provide such decentral identifier(s) to consumer node 116. Such identifier(s) may be provided upon acceptance of provided authorization rule(s). Consumer node 116 may provide received decentral identifier(s) to operating system 620. Upon receiving decentral identifier(s), operating system 620 may be configured to generate a request to gather access element(s) associated with at least a part of the received decentral identifier(s). The request may include respective decentral identifier(s). The request may be provided to consumer node 116. Consumer node 116 may be configured to request respective access element(s) from provider node(s) 126B having provided decentral identifier(s) in response to the query. The request to respective provider node(s) 126B may include the decentral identifier(s) and the decentral participant identifier associated with consumer node 1 16. Upon receiving the request, provider node(s) 126B may gather access element(s) from associated decentral registry 812 based on the decentral identifier(s) contained in the received request. The gathered access element(s) may then be provided to consumer node 116. Consumer node 116 may provide the received access element(s) to operating system 620. Operating system 620 may store the access elements in a storage associated with operating system 620.

[0261] Operating system 620 may be configured to parse the received access element(s) (e.g. the received access element data). The access element(s) may include decentral identifier(s) and associated access data as described in the context of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. Operating system 620 may be configured to match aspect data contained in received access elements with data provided by ID reader 606, such as input material identifier(s), to determine decentral identifiers and associated access data matching input material identifier. Upon determining a match, the respective request to retrieve such aspect(s) associated with such decentral identifier(s) may be generated. The request may include the decentral identifier(s) and the associated access data. The request may be forwarded to consumer node 116. Consumer node 116 may generate a request to gather input material data from respective provider node(s). The request may include the decentral identifiers included in the request received from operating system 620 and the decentral participant identifier associated with consumer node 116. The request may be sent by consumer node 116 to the endpoint defined in the access data. Consumer node 116 and provider node 126B may be authenticating as previously described.

[0262] Provider node 126B may determine whether consumer node 1 16 is authorized to access the requested input material data. Provider node 126B may match the decentral participant identifier provided by consumer node 116 to access rule(s) associated with the respective input material data. The access rule(s) may define consumer node(s) allowed to access the input material data via associated decentral participant identifier(s). This may allow to filter consumer nodes requesting access to such input material data based on associated decentral participant identifiers, hence improving security to ensure that no unauthorized consumer nodes can access the input material data. Upon determination that the consumer node 116 is authorized to access the input material data, provider node 126B may provide usage data associated with such input material data with consumer node 116 as previously described. Provider node 126B may gather requested input material data from storage 1212 based on the decentral identifier(s) received from consumer node 116. The input material data may be gathered upon acceptance of authorization rule(s) included in the provided usage data. The peer-to-peer communication channel may be terminated and no input material data may be provided if the authorization rule(s) are not accepted.

[0263] Provider node 126B may apply one or more authorization rule(s)associated with the input material data to the input material data. The authorization rule(s)may define one or more rule(s) for usage of the input material data by data consumer nodes. After applying the authorization rule(s), the resulting input material data may be provided to consumer node 116. Consumer node 116 may forward the received aspect(s) to operating system 620. The received input material data may include digital asset(s) and digital credential(s) associated with the input material. The received input material may include digital asset(s) associated with the input material.

[0264] Operating system 620 may be configured to store the received input material data (e.g. the digital asset(s) and optionally the digital credential(s)) in a data storage 1208. The input material data may be stored according to rule(s) stipulated by the provided authorization rule(s).

[0265] Operating system 620 may comprise validation service 1204. Validation service 1204 may be configured to validate input material data associated with input material(s) 206 provided to the chemical production 612 and gathered via decentral network 134 as previously described. Validation service 1204 may be configured to validate input material data gathered via the decentral network 134 and stored in database 1208. For this purpose, validation service 1204 may gather input material to be validated from database 1208. Validation service 1204 may be configured to validate digital credential(s) included in the gathered input material data. Validation service 1204 may be configured to validate digital credential(s) stored in database 1208. Validation service 1204 may include validation engine 1206. Validation engine 1206 may include target digital credential data per input material or per input material type. Validation engine 1206 may be a software or software component that applies one or more rules included in the target digital credential data to the digital credential(s). Validation engine 1206 may operate on individual data points present within at least part of the input material data, multiple data points present within at least part of the input material data and / or the whole input material data. The rule-based engine may be configured to match input material data, such as digital credential data, to target digital credential data associated with the input material or input material type. The target digital credential data may include rule(s) for individual data point(s), combination of data point(s), data structures, such as digital credentials, and / or the whole data contained in the gathered input material data. The target digital credential data may be associated with a given input material or a given input material type. Validation engine 1206 may be configured to determine target digital credential data matching the input material or input material type the gathered in put material data is associated with. For instance, the validation engine 1206 may be configured to parse the gathered input material data to determine attribute(s) included in contained digital credential(s) and being related to or associated with the input material or input material type. Based on such attribute(s), respective target digital credential data may be determined, for example by matching such attribute(s) to attribute(s) included in the target digital credential data.

[0266] Validation engine 1206 may be configured to generate a validation result. The validation result may include a classifier. The validation result may include a classifier linked to input material data processed by validation engine 1206. The classifier may be a binary classifier signifying validated digital credential(s) and not validated digital credentials. Validation engine 1206 may associate the respective classifier with the digital credential processed by validation engine 1206, for instance by interrelating the classifier with at least part of the digital credential data included in such digital credential, such as the digital credential identifier. Validation engine 1206 may classify the digital credential as “validated” if the gathered input material data fulfils one or more rule(s) included in the respective target digital credential data. Validation engine 1206 may classify the digital credential as “validated” if the gathered input material data fulfils one or more mandatory rule(s) included in the respective target digital credential data. Validation engine 1206 may classify the digital credential as “not validated” if the gathered input material data does not fulfil one or more rule(s) included in the respective target digital credential data. Validation engine 1206 may classify the digital credential as “not validated” if the gathered input material data does not fulfil one or more mandatory rule(s) included in the respective target digital credential data.

[0267] The validation result generated by validation engine 1206 may be provided to control data generator 1210 of operating system 620. Control data generator 1210 may be configured to generate control and / or monitoring data to control and / or monitor the production of chemical products 618 from the input material(s) 206. Control data generator 1210 may be configured to generated control and / or monitoring data based on the validation result received from validation engine 1206. Control data generator 1210 may be configured to generate control and / or monitoring data indicating rejection of the input material associated with non-validated input material data (e.g. input material data linked to the classifier “not validated”). Based on such control and / or monitoring data, such input material may be rejected and may not be used within the chemical production 612 to produce chemical products 618. Such rejected input material may be transported back to the supplier, such as recycler 1 12. Such rejected input material may be transported to an incineration facility configured to incinerate materials to generate energy, such as heat. Control data generator 1210 may be configured to generate control and / or monitoring data indicating analysis instruction(s) associated with analysis operations to be performed on the input material. Based on such control and / or monitoring data, one or more of such analysis operations may be performed to determine the actual chemical and / or physical properties of the input material. Control data generator 1210 may be configured to generate control and / or monitoring data indicating acceptance of the input material. Based on such control and / or monitoring data, such input material may be provided to storage location(s) of the chemical production 612 and / or to one or more production process(es) performed within the chemical production 612. This may ensure that only trustworthy input material data complying with target specifications, such as target chemical and / or physical property data, is validated, hence ensuring that the input material(s) entering the production fulfil the specification(s) required by production step(s) performed within the production. This avoids a negative impact on the production resulting from insufficient quality, e.g. physical and / or chemical properties not matching the required specification(s), of the input material. In addition, this may ensure that the chemical and / or physical properties included in the digital asset associated with the input material are trustworthy, hence allowing to use such input material without requiring any further analysis to ensure that the actual chemical and / or physical properties of the input material match the chemical and / or physical properties included in the gathered input material data. By using a rule-based engine, the input material may be verified against target digital credential data. This allows to determine whether the gathered input material data contains digital credential(s) certifying compliance of the compliance of at least part of the input material data with target chemical and / or physical property data and target entity data. The digital credential(s) may certify that the chemical and / or physical property data included in the associated digital asset is trustworthy, e.g. conforms to the actual chemical and / or physical properties of the respective input material. Verifying the gathered input material data allows to ensure that the associated input materials possess chemical and / or physical properties required for processing within the chemical production 612, hence avoiding damage and reduced production yields upon production of chemical products 618 and allowing a more efficient production of chemical products 618 from input material(s) 206, such as recycled input material(s) 206 prone to fluctuating chemical and / or physical properties.

[0268] FIG. 13 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method illustrated in FIG. 13 may be implemented by the system shown in FIG. 12. For instance, the method illustrated in FIG. 13 may be implemented by the operating system 620 shown in FIG. 12.

[0269] Input material(s) may include input material(s) having a recycled content, a bio-based content or a renewable content. Input materials may include recycled input materials, bio-based input materials or renewable input materials. Input material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant of the entity producing the output products. Input materials may be produced as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3. The input material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant and may be provided to the chemical production in association with the digital access element, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. The input material(s) may be associated with an identifier element. The identifier element may encode an input material identifier, such as a batch number, a LOT number or a combination thereof.

[0270] Decentral identifier(s) associated with the input material(s) may be provided (see block 1302). Decentral identifier(s) may be provided based on the input material identifier. Decentral identifier(s) may be provided via a decentral network, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12.

[0271] Input material data may be gathered based on the provided decentral identifier(s) via the decentral network (see block 1302). The input material data may be gathered via the decentral network as described in the context of FIG. 12. The gathered input material data may include digital asset(s) and optionally digital credential(s). The digital asset and optionally the digital credential(s) may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The gathered input material data may be stored in a data storage, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. At least a part of the gathered input material data may be validated using a rule-based engine (see block 1306). The rule-based engine may include target credential data per input material or input material type. The rule-based engine may be configured to validate at least a part of the gathered input material data, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. The rule-based engine may be configured to generate a validation result, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. The validation result may indicate whether the input material data was successfully validated or not.

[0272] It may be determined whether the input material data is validated (see decision block 1308). This may include parsing the validation result generated by the rule-engine. If the input material data is validated, monitoring and / or control data for producing output chemical product(s) may be generated (see block 1314). The monitoring and / or control data may include storage instructions for storing the input material associated with the validated input material data in storage location(s) of the chemical production. The storage instructions may define the input material to be stored as well as the respective storage location(s). The storage instructions may include computerexecutable instructions allowing storage of the input material in the storage location(s) based on such instructions. The monitoring and / or control data may include production data for producing output chemical products or intermediate chemical products from the input material. The production data may include the input material identifier, input material amount, process identifier, production unit identifier, job identifier or a combination thereof.

[0273] If the input material data is not validated, monitoring and / or control data to reject the input material or to perform analysis operation(s) on the input material may be generated (see block 1310). The monitoring and / or control data may include rejection instructions for rejecting input material. The rejection instructions may include instructions to transport the input material to the supplier supplying such input material. The rejection instructions may include instructions to transport the input material to an incineration facility. The rejection instructions may define the input material, transportation data and destination data. The monitoring and / or control data may include analysis instructions for analyzing the input material. Analyzing the input material may include performing one or more analysis operation(s) defined by the analysis instructions on the input material. The analysis instructions may allow to determine the actual chemical and / or physical properties of the input material.

[0274] The generated monitoring and / or control data may be provided (see blocks 1312, 1316). The generated monitoring and / or control data may be provided computing systems displaying and / or executing the instructions included in such monitoring and / or control data.

[0275] By using a rule-based engine, the input material may be verified against target digital credential data. This allows to determine whether the gathered input material data contains digital credential(s) certifying compliance of the compliance of at least part of the input material data with target chemical and / or physical property data and target entity data. The digital credential(s) may certify that the chemical and / or physical property data included in the associated digital asset is trustworthy, e.g. conforms to the actual chemical and / or physical properties of the respective input material. Verifying the gathered input material data allows to ensure that the associated input materials possess chemical and / or physical properties required for processing within the chemical production 612, hence avoiding damage and reduced production yields upon production of chemical products 618 and allowing a more efficient production of chemical products 618 from input material(s) 206, such as recycled input material(s) 206 prone to fluctuating chemical and / or physical properties.

[0276] FIG. 14 illustrates an example system for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Material(s) may include material(s) having a recycled content, a bio-based content or a renewable content. Materials may include recycled materials, bio-based materials or renewable materials. Material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant of the entity producing the output products. Materials may be produced as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The system illustrated in FIG. 14 may be used to implement the method shown in FIG. 16.

[0277] Material(s) 206 produced by an upstream participant may be provided to the system boundary 614 of the chemical production 612. Material(s) 206 provided to the chemical production 612 may be associated with a digital access element. The digital access element may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 8A to FIG. 9. The received material(s) 206 may be associated with material data. The material data may represent at least a part of a digital twin of the physical entity of the material as described in the context of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. The material data may include a digital asset and optionally associated digital credential(s). The digital asset and associated digital credential(s) may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3. The material data may be stored in a dedicated storage 1410 associated with or accessible by the data owner of the material data, such as recycler 112. The dedicated storage may be accessible by a decentral data providing network node associated with the data owner, such as node 126B. The decentral data providing network node may be part of a decentral network, such as decentral network 134 described in the context of FIG. 1.

[0278] The input material data may be accessible via access element(s) associated with such input material 206. Upon entry of the material 206 provided by an upstream participant to the chemical production 612, an ID reader 606 may be configured to read an identification element physically connected to the material 206. The data acquired by ID reader 606 may be used to gather material data by a data consuming service, such as consumer node 1 16, associated with the entity operating chemical production 612 via decentral network 134 from a data providing node 126B, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. The material data gathered by consumer node 1 16 may be provided to operating system 620. Operating system 620 may be configured to store the received material data (e.g. the digital asset(s) and optionally digital credential(s) associated with the material) in a data storage 1402. The material data may be stored according to rule(s) stipulated by the signed electronic contract. Operating system 620 may include operation data generator 1404. Operation data generator 1404 may be configured to determine at least one operation (e.g. target operation). The operation may include a mixing operation and / or a refining operation to adjust the property data of the material to meet target property data. In addition or alternatively, the operation may include an incineration operation to incinerate the material or a rejection operation to reject the material (e.g. to avoid use of the material within production processes performed within the chemical production). Operation data generator 1404 may be configured to determine the target operation(s) based on the material data stored in database 1402 and candidate operation data and target property data stored in database 1406. The candidate operation data stored in database 1406 may be associated with candidate operations. Candidate operations may refer to operations that may be performed to refine materials, e.g. to adjust chemical and / or physical properties of such materials, to incinerate materials and / or to reject materials. Refining may include removing one or more substances present within the material. Refining may include mixing operations to adjust the properties. Candidate operation data may include operation identifiers per candidate operation, threshold value(s) for property data per candidate operation, a material identifier or material type identifier per candidate operation and / or adjustment data per property data and per candidate operation. Threshold value(s) may be associated with upper and / or lower limits included in the property data. The threshold value(s) may be given for at least a part of the property data point(s) included in the property data. The threshold value(s) may be based on the upper or lower limits of chemical and / or physical properties of materials that are processable within said operation. The adjustment data may be associated with the degree of adjustment of the property data achieved by the respective operation. The adjustment data may be given as relative value. The adjustment data may be given for at least a part of the property data point(s) included in the property data. Operation data generator 1404 may be configured to determine adjusted property data associated with material processed within a respective operation based on the adjustment data and the non-validated property data. Operation data generator 1404 may be configured to compare the adjusted property data to target property data to select target operation(s) from the candidate operations associated with the candidate operation data. Operation data generator 1404 may be configured to determine an order of target operations if more than one target operation is selected. Selecting more than one target operation may allow to adjust the property data of the material to meet the target property data if such adjustment cannot be achieved by performing a single target operation. Operation data generator 1404 may be configured to repeatedly determine target operations based on adjusted property data resulting from a previous step of determining a target operation.

[0279] Operation data generator 1404 may further be configured to generate monitoring and / or control data based on the determined target operation(s) and to provide the monitoring and / or control data.

[0280] With reference to FIG. 15, operation data generator 1404 may include material data collector 1504. Material data collector 1504 may be configured to collect material data, for example from database 1402 storing such material data. Operation data generator 1404 may further include control data generator 1506. Control data generator 1506 may be configured to determine target operation(s), for example as previously described, and to generate monitor and / or control data based on the determined target operation(s). Target operation(s) may be determined by decision trees implemented in executable code executed by control data generator 1506. Examples of such decision trees are listed below.

[0281] If the chlorine content exceeds the threshold for chlorine content defined in the target property data for such material but is below the chlorine content defined in the candidate operation data for upgrading operation, control data generator 1506 may select upgrading operation as preliminary target operation. Control data generator 1506 may determine adjusted chlorine content data based on adjustment data included in the candidate operation data and may compare such adjusted chlorine content data to target chlorine content data included in the target property data (stored in database 1406). If the adjusted chlorine content data fulfils the target chlorine content data, the material may be signified as acceptable, the condition may be signified as upgradable, and control data generator 1506 may select the upgrading operation as target operation. Control data generator 1506 may then generate control data for upgrading the material. Such control data may include the material identifier, upgrading process identifier(s) and the chlorine content data associated with the material. The control and / or monitoring data may further include the target chlorine content for such material. The control data may be provided to a node 1508 associated with an upgrading plant for upgrading the material. Upgrading may be performed according to methods known in the state of the art to remove chlorine content, for example via catalytic dehydrochlorination using catalysts such as iron oxide, iron oxide-carbon composite, ZnO, MgO and Redmud. The success of the upgrading operation may be determined by measuring the chlorine content of the upgraded material. The upgrading operation may be performed until the chlorine content of the upgraded material is below a target threshold, such as a threshold contained in the control data.

[0282] If the sulphur content exceeds the threshold for sulphur content defined in the target property data for such material but is below the sulphur content defined in the candidate operation data for upgrading operation, control data generator 1506 may select upgrading operation as preliminary target operation. Control data generator 1506 may determine adjusted sulphur content data and may compare such adjusted sulphur content data to target sulphur content data included in the target property data. If the adjusted sulphur content data fulfils the target sulphur content data, the material may be signified as acceptable, the condition may be signified as upgradable, and control data generator 1506 may select the upgrading operation as target refining operation. Control data generator 1506 may then generate control data for upgrading the material. Such control data may include the material identifier, upgrading process identifier(s) and the sulphur content data associated with the material. The control and / or monitoring data may further include the target sulphur content for such material. The control data may be provided to a node 1508 associated with an upgrading plant for upgrading the material. Upgrading may be performed according to methods known in the state of the art to remove sulphur content, for example via catalytic upgrading using calcium carbonate and zeolith, oxidative desulfurization or hydrodesulfurization. The success of the upgrading operation may be determined by measuring the sulphur content of the upgraded material. The upgrading operation may be performed until the sulphur content of the upgraded material is below a target threshold, such as a threshold contained in the control data.

[0283] If the chlorine and / or the sulphur content exceeds the threshold for the respective content defined in the target property data for such material as well as the respective content defined in the candidate operation data for upgrading operation, the material may be signified as preliminary unacceptable and the condition may be signified as not upgradable. In this case, control data generator 1506 may select mixing operation as preliminary target operation and may determine adjusted chlorine content data and sulphur content data. The adjusted property data may be determined based on chlorine and sulphur content data included in the provided material data. The adjusted property data may be determined based on adjusted chlorine and sulphur content data resulting from the upgrading operation. The adjusted property data may be determined, for example, as described in the context of FIG. 6A to FIG. 7. Control data generator 1506 may compare the adjusted property data to the target property data. If the adjusted property data fulfils the target property data, the material may be signified acceptable and the condition may be signified as upgradable and mixable or may be signified as mixable, depending on the property data used for determination of the adjusted property data. Control data generator 1506 may select the upgrading operation and subsequent mixing operation as target operations or may select the mixing operation as target operation. Control data generator 1506 may then generate control data for upgrading and mixing or for mixing the material. Such control data may include the material identifier, upgrading process and / or mixing process identifier(s) and the content data associated with the material. The control and / or monitoring data may further include the target content for such material. The control data may further include the order of operations to be performed. The control data may be provided to a node 1508 associated with an upgrading plant for upgrading the material and / or a to a node 1510 associated with a mixing plant for mixing the material or upgraded material.

[0284] If the degree of impurities exceeds thresholds defined for upgrading and mixing operations or if the adjusted property data resulting from upgrading and / or mixing operations does not fulfil target property data, the material may be signified as unacceptable, the condition may be signified as not upgradable and mixable and control data for burning of the material may be generated. Such control data may include the digital material identifier and burning process identifier(s). The control data may be provided to a node 1514 associated with an incineration plant.

[0285] If the degree of impurities exceeds thresholds defined for upgrading and mixing operations or if the adjusted property data resulting from upgrading and / or mixing operations does not fulfil target property data, the material may be signified as unacceptable, the condition may be signified as not upgradable and mixable and control data for rejecting the material may be generated. Such control data may include the digital material identifier and instructions relating to the transportation of the material to the respective supplier. The control data may be provided to a node 1512 associated with the handling of incoming materials and outbound transportation of materials. Via such decision trees, control data for upgrading, mixing, burning or material rejection may be generated by correlating property data of the material to processing properties of one or more apparatus(es) configured to refine the material. In case of upgrading, the degree of impurities as physical property may be correlated to the maximum degree of impurities for upgrading apparatuses and the adjusted degree of impurities achieved by such upgrading. In case of mixing, the degree of impurities as physical property may be correlated to the maximum degree of impurities for mixing apparatuses and the adjusted degree of impurities achieved by such mixing.

[0286] The control data may include machine-readable instructions for handling or treating the material including at least one identifier associated with at least one apparatus configured to perform a handling operation of or treatment operation on the material and at least one digital material identifier associated with the material. The control data may be associated with one or more process step(s) to refine the material. The control data may relate to a chemical and / or physical treatment of the material to remove impurities from the material. The control data may relate to one or more step(s) to incinerate the material. The control data may relate to one or more step(s) to reject the material.

[0287] By generating determining target operation(s) and generating control data to control such determined target operation(s), generation of waste material may be avoided. Refining may allow to use material associated with property data not matching target property data (e.g. out of specification material) as input material within the chemical production without negatively impacting the chemical production and / or the quality of the resulting chemical product. Refining may allow to reliably use recycled materials with fluctuating material compositions as input materials for chemical productions, hence improving the environmental impact of the produced chemical products by allowing the use of recycled materials as input materials despite their fluctuating material compositions while still ensuring efficient production and required quality of the chemical products.

[0288] FIG. 16 illustrates a flow chart of an example method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a chemical production in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method illustrated in FIG. 16 may be implemented by the system shown in FIG. 14. For instance, the method illustrated in FIG. 16 may be implemented by the operating system 620 shown in FIG. 14.

[0289] Material(s) may include material(s) having a recycled content, a bio-based content or a renewable content. Materials may include recycled materials, bio-based materials or renewable materials. Material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant of the entity producing the output products. Materials may be produced as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C. The material(s) may be produced by an upstream participant and may be provided to the chemical production in association with the digital access element, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12. The material(s) may be associated with an identifier element. The identifier element may encode a material identifier, such as a batch number, a LOT number or a combination thereof. Decentral identifier(s) associated with the material(s) may be provided (see block 1602). Decentral identifier(s) may be provided based on the material identifier. Decentral identifier(s) may be provided via a decentral network, for example as described in the context of FIG. 12.

[0290] Material data may be gathered based on the provided decentral identifier(s) via the decentral network (see block 1604). The material data may be gathered via the decentral network as described in the context of FIG. 12. The gathered material data may include digital asset(s). The digital asset may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3. The digital asset(s) may include non-validated property data. The digital asset(s) may further include validated property data. The property data included in the digital asset(s) may be marked as non-validated or validated by a classifier discriminating between non-validated and validated. The property data included in the digital asset(s) may be marked as non-validated or validated by respective target property data. The gathered material data may be stored in a data storage, for example as described in the context of FIG. 14.

[0291] Candidate operation data and target property data may be provided (see block 1606). The candidate operation data may be provided from a database. The target property data may be provided from a database. The candidate operation data may include the data described in the context of FIG. 14. The target property data may include the data described in the context of FIG. 3.

[0292] Target operation(s) to adjust the property data included in the gathered material data may be determined (see block 1608). Target operation(s) may be determined by determining non-validated property data included in the gathered digital asset(s), determining preliminary target operation(s) based on the non-validated property data and the candidate operation data, determining adjusted property data resulting from the determined preliminary target operation based on the candidate operation data and the non-validated property data and determining the target operation(s) by comparing the adjusted property data to the target property data.

[0293] The non-validated property data may be signified within the digital asset(s) by a classifier indicating non-validation. The non-validated property data may be signified within the digital asset(s) by associated target property data. Determining non-validated property data included in the gathered digital asset(s) may include parsing the gathered digital asset(s) to identify the classifier indicating non-validation. Determining non-validated property data included in the gathered digital asset(s) may include parsing the gathered digital asset(s) to identify the property data and associated target property data and matching the identified property data and target property data. Non-validated property data may be identified property data not matching the identified target property data. Preliminary target operation(s) may be determined by matching the non-validated property data with the candidate operation data. For instance, non-validated property data may be matched to threshold value(s) for property data per candidate operation included in the candidate operation data.

[0294] Adjusted property data may be determined using adjustment data per property data and per candidate operation included in the candidate operation data. Based on the non-validated property data, adjusted property data may be determined by applying the adjustment data associated with the determined preliminary target operation(s) to at least a part of the non-validated property data.

[0295] Preliminary target operation(s) may be selected as target operation if the adjusted property data associated with the preliminary target operation(s) fulfil target property data. Target property data may be fulfilled if at least a part of the adjusted property data matches respective data included in the target property data. Preliminary target operation(s) may be determined iteratively, for example if one operation is not sufficient to adjust the property data of the material such that it fulfils the target property data (see also FIG. 14).

[0296] Monitoring and / or control data may be generated based on the determined target operation(s) (see block 1610). The monitoring and / or control data may be generated as described in the context of FIG. 14. The monitoring and / or control data may include the data described in the context of FIG. 14.

[0297] The generated monitoring and / or control data may be provided (see block 1612). The generated monitoring and / or control data may be provided to a node controlling and / or monitoring the respective operation, for example as described in the context of FIG. 14. The control and / or monitoring data may be provided for display.

[0298] By generating determining operation(s) and generating control data to control such operation(s), generation of waste material may be avoided. Refining may allow to use material associated with property data not matching target property data (e.g. out of specification material) as input material within the chemical production without negatively impacting the chemical production and / or the quality of the resulting chemical product. Refining may allow to reliably use recycled materials with fluctuating material compositions as input materials for chemical productions, hence improving the environmental impact of the produced chemical products by allowing the use of recycled materials as input materials despite their fluctuating material compositions while still ensuring efficient production and required quality of the chemical products.

[0299] The present disclosure has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments and examples as well. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the claims. Any steps presented herein can be performed in any order. The methods disclosed herein are not limited to a specific order of these steps. It is also not required that the different steps are performed at a certain place or in a certain computing node of a distributed system, i.e. each of the steps may be performed at different computing nodes using different equipment / data processing.

[0300] As used herein ..determining" also includes ..initiating or causing to determine", “generating" also includes ..initiating and / or causing to generate" and “providing” also includes “initiating or causing to determine, generate, select, send and / or receive”. “Initiating or causing to perform an action” includes any processing signal that triggers a computing node or device to perform the respective action.

[0301] In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” or “including” or similar wording does not exclude other elements or steps and shall not be construed limiting to the elements or steps lined out. The indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation or further elements may be included.

[0302] Providing in the scope of this disclosure may include any interface configured to provide data. This may include an application programming interface, a human-machine interface such as a display and / or a software module interface. Providing may include communication of data or submission of data to the interface, in particular display to a user or use of the data by the receiving entity.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A method for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output product(s), the method comprising: providing the material data including at least one digital identifier associated with the material, property data associated with the material, and entity data associated with the entity generating the property data, providing target property data per material or material type and target entity data associated with at least one predefined entity generating property data associated with materials, validating at least a part of the provided property data by matching said property data to provided target property data and validating at least part of the provided entity data by matching said entity data to the provided target entity data, based on the validated property data and the validated entity data, generating a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data, and / or generating at least one digital credential certifying compliance of at least part of the provided material data and / or at least part of the digital asset with the target property data and the target entity data, providing the generated digital asset and / or the digital credential(s).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the property data includes at least one measured chemical and / or physical property of the material and / or at least one physical and / or chemical property of the material determined from measured data or wherein the property data includes certificate of analysis data including at least one measured chemical and / or physical property of the material and / or at least one physical and / or chemical property of the material determined from measured data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the measured and / or determined chemical and / or physical property includes halogen content data, data related to the content(s) of contaminant(s), boiling range data, distillation data, such as a distillation range, ash content data, flash point data, pour point data, auto-ignition temperature data, density data, calorific data, biogenic content data, data related to a visual evaluation result of the material and / or data related to the corrosiveness of the material and / or data related to the compatibility with packaging material(s) and / or storage means.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a part of the property data is validated if said part is included in the provided target property data and / or wherein at least a part of the entity data is validated if said part is included in the target entity data.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein validation includes acceptance of at least part of the provided material data.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein based on the validated property data and on a rejection of at least a part of the provided entity data, generating a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the provided property data is not validated if at least a part of the provided property data does not match the provided target property data per input material or input material type.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein based on a non-validation of the provided property data, generating a digital asset including the digital identifier(s), at least a part of the property data and data indicating at least non-validated property data.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the digital credent! al(s) include or correspond to one or more verifiable credential(s).

10. An apparatus for validating material data associated with a material to be used for the production of one or more output product(s), the apparatus comprising: a material data providing interface configured to provide the material data including at least one digital identifier associated with the material, property data associated with the material, and entity data associated with the entity generating the property data, a target property data providing interface configured to provide target property data per material or material type and target entity data associated with at least one predefined entity generating property data associated with materials, a validating interface configured to validate at least a part of the provided property data by matching said property data to provided target property data and validating at least part of the provided entity data by matching said entity data to the provided target entity data, a generator configured to generate - based on the validated property data and the validated entity data - a digital asset including the digital identifier(s) and at least a part of the validated property data, and / or configured to generate at least one digital credential certifying compliance of at least part of the provided material data and / or at least part of the digital asset with the target property data and target entity data, a providing interface configured to provide the generated digital asset and / or associated digital credential(s).

11. A material associated with a digital asset and digital credential(s), wherein the digital asset and the digital credential(s) are generated according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 9 or by the apparatus of claim 10 disclosed herein.

12. A use of the digital asset and optionally digital credential(s) as generated according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 9 or by the apparatus of claim 10 for monitoring one or more substance(s) critical for producing output product(s) from one or more input materials provided to a production.

13. A method for monitoring and / or controlling at least one operation to be performed on a material provided to a production, the method comprising the steps of: providing the one or more material(s), gathering - based on at least one decentral identifier associated with the material(s) - material data including digital asset(s) as generated according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 9 or by the apparatus of claim 10; providing candidate operation data per material or material type and target property data per material or material type, determining, based on the gathered digital asset(s), the candidate operation data and the target property data, at least one target operation to be performed on the material, based on the determined target operation(s), generating monitoring and / or control data to perform the determined target operation(s) on the material, providing the generated monitoring and / or control data for monitoring and / or controlling the determined target operation(s) on the material, optionally providing processed material resulting from performing at least one target operation on the material to the production to produce one or more output product(s) using said material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operation includes mixing of different batches of the material, removing at least one chemical compound present within the material, reducing the amount of at least one chemical compound present within the material, incinerating remaining material or rejecting the material.

15. A method for monitoring and / or controlling the production of output products from one or more input material(s) by a chemical production, the method comprising the steps of: providing the one or more input material(s), gathering - based on at least one digital identifier associated with the provided input material(s) - input material data including digital asset(s) associated with the input material and optionally digital credent! al(s) associated with the input material as generated according to the methods or apparatuses disclosed herein,validating the gathered input material data using a rule-based engine including target digital credential data per input material or input material type, based on the validated input material data, generating monitoring and / or control data for producing the one or more output product(s).

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