Ways to make Silicon carbide
2 routes in the Atlas, side by side per the same functional unit. Whether they compare is computed from their data, criterion by criterion; a warning sits next to each route it concerns.
Not comparable as they standReference product (grade, state): differs. The rows say which route each warning concerns.
Per 1 kg of Silicon carbide: inventory from each route's LCI dataset, unallocated; footprints per the functional unit of their own LCA.
| Route | Tier, design maturity, review status | Geography, year | Energy | Feedstocks | Key emissions | Footprint | Comparability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon carbide by the Acheson process (5000 kg/h crude SiC, concept)Acheson batch resistance furnaces (silica sand and green petroleum coke, graphite core), gas burn-off over the charge, ingot cooling, breaking and sorting with recycle of the unreacted mix, crushing and screening; 5000 kg/h crude SiC | flowsheet or hand-writtenDesign maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedDataset review: unreviewed | GLO, 2026 |
|
|
| 2.03 kg CO2-eq1.48 to 2.87 (95 %)Climate change per 1 kg silicon carbide |
|
| Silicon carbide by the Acheson process (5000 kg/h crude SiC, concept)Acheson batch resistance furnaces (silica sand and green petroleum coke, graphite core), gas burn-off over the charge, ingot cooling, breaking and sorting with recycle of the unreacted mix, crushing and screening; 5000 kg/h crude SiC | flowsheet or hand-writtenDesign maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedDataset review: unreviewed | GLO, 2026 | a co-product of a multi-output dataset (product:SIC besides it): its share needs the allocation of the LCI database build | no footprint |
| ||
How comparability is checked
- Allocation
- same (same allocation method: shares)
- Background data (impacts)
- not applicable (same background data and boundary behind the impact numbers (only routes with a footprint))
- System boundary
- same (same system boundary of the inventory (the dataset's boundary): gate-to-gate foreground of the plant)
- Data quality (TfS DQR)
- same (data quality: every route states a TfS DQR, none more than 1 above the best)
- Functional unit
- same (same functional unit (amount and unit of the reference product): 1 kg)
- Reference product (grade, state)
- differs (same reference product: registry grade and state: no grade (basis mass, component SiC, pressure 1.01325, purity 0.88, temperature 50.0), no grade (basis mass, component SiC, pressure 1.01325, purity 0.98, temperature 50.0))
- System model
- same (same system model (docs/system-model.md): cutoff)
ISO 14044 requires a critical review (by a panel of interested parties, ISO/TS 14071) of a comparative assertion intended to be disclosed to the public. These routes are listed side by side for screening; a statement that one is better than another needs that review. None of these routes has had such a review.