Optimal technology assessment and product portfolio design for sustainable biorefineries

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2011

Abstract

A systematic framework is presented, where strategic decisions made by a biofuels enterprise can be evaluated. It is an optimization-based model that integrates capital budgeting and operational decisions. The decision making process models the actual corporate structure of the process enterprise. A potential process scheme involving the simultaneous production of biodiesel and ethanol with a centralized utility facility is evaluated. Succinic acid is produced as a co-product of cellulosic ethanol using fermentation-related CO2 emissions. Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel, is fermented to produce ethanol and/or fermented to produce 1,3-propanediol. Despite higher costs, biochemical cellulosic ethanol production has the maximum potential upside and acts as the backbone for the biorefinery. An integrated utility generation facility and co-products streams improve the overall profit margins significantly. The co-products provide waste stream utilization opportunities that reduce the overall environmental load of the facility. Biodiesel production and glycerol fermentation offer tremendous design flexibility as their capacity design depend heavily on the realization of input parameters that affect them. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2011 AIChE Spring Meeting & 7th Global Congress on Process Safety (Chicago, IL 3/13-17/2011).

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

11AIChE - 2011 AIChE Spring Meeting and 7th Global Congress on Process Safety, Conference Proceedings

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