Plenary Lecture

Technical Systems Sustainability Approach to Framing
Industrial Ecosystems

Professor Cornelia Aida Bulucea
Electrical Machines and Environmental Engineering Department
Faculty of Electromechanical and Environmental Engineering
University of Craiova
ROMANIA
E-mail: abulucea@gmail.com

Abstract: This study is an attempt to demonstrate that the conceptual framework of Industrial Ecology offers a new direction for identifying and implementing the strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of equipments and processes associated with industrial systems. The present industrial metabolism, based on Earth resources depletion and environmental destruction, should be critically reassessed from a sustainability perspective. Within the industrial society we face a future of threats, frustrations, limitations, and, still, hopes. The humans further challenges are doubtless related to sustainable industrial metabolism, an emphasis on harmoniously integrating industrial activity into ecological systems. An approach of technical systems (created by humans) and ecological systems (created by Nature) as parts of the same system, the industrial ecosystem, could provide a holistic view of the interactions and symbiosis interrelationships among human activities, industrial practices and ecological processes. Consequently, in this study will be pointed out the key concepts and tools suitable for the electrically driven systems analysis within the ecosystems models framework. By tracing the flows diagrams of energies and materials during manufacturing processes, achieving the exergy balance equations for different stable states of the electrically driven system and modeling the system operation regimes, one could attempt to minimize the environmental impacts and optimize the efficiency of material and energy use within the industrial ecosystems. Further on, the concepts and tools of Industrial Ecology would offer a correct orientation to replace the present industrial culture with a sustainable development culture that will be economically, socially and environmentally acceptable. There are our moral obligations to accept that the industry is partly the problem, as well as Science and techniques are the solution for an economical development based on an industry in harmony with the environment.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Cornelia Aida Bulucea is currently an Associate Professor in Electrotechnics, Electrical Machines and Environment Electrical Equipments in the Faculty of Electromechanical and Environmental Engineering, University of Craiova, Romania. She is graduate from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Craiova and she received the Ph.D degree from Bucharest Polytechnic Institute. In Publishing House she is author of four books in electrical engineering area. Research work is focused on improved solutions for electrical networks on basis of new electric equipments and environmental impact of energy and electric transportation systems. She has extensive experience in both experimental and theoretical research work, certified by over 50 journal and conference research papers and 13 research projects from industry. She has held in the Association for Environment Protection OLTENIA and she is a regular invited keynote lecture for environmental engineering symposia organized by Chamber of Commerce and Industry OLTENIA. Due to WSEAS recognition as huge scientific Forum she participated in five WSEAS International Conferences, presenting papers and chairing sessions. She was Plenary Lecturer in the WSEAS International Conference on POWER SYSTEMS, held by the University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain, September 23-25, 2008. She is very proud of her 10 papers published in the WSEAS Conferences Books and 3 papers published in WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, and in WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION.