Techno-economic analysis of production of octane booster components derived from lignin

In this study, a comprehensive process for production of an environmentally friendly octane booster (acetophenone) from lignin is presented, along with a detailed techno-economic analysis. Recognizing that much of the prior research on octane boosters has been confined to experimental lab-level investigations, this study develops comprehensive process design to unravel the intricacies of large-scale acetophenone production. The acetophenone production process involves catalytic hydrogenolysis, which also yields phenol as a valuable side product. Based on the process flow diagram, mass and energy balances were developed, revealing significantly improved yields and purity of acetophenone compared to industry standards, reaching 0.74 kg acetophenone per kg of lignin and 99 wt%. In the techno-economic analysis, calculations involving fixed capital investment (FCI), operating costs, and working capital were conducted based on a feed of 100 kg/h of dry lignin. The results indicate FCI at 2.72 million USD, operating costs at 1.09 million USD per year, and working capital at 0.57 million USD. Assuming a 20-year operational lifespan, the payback period is estimated at 6.09 years, as depicted by the cumulative cash flow diagram. Moreover, techno-economic analysis demonstrates a net present value (NPV) of 3.24 million USD at a 10% discount rate, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 22.73%, and a return on investment (ROI) of 34.39%. These positive outcomes underscore the robust profitability of the proposed acetophenone production plant derived from lignin. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis on the IRR indicates that increasing the production capacity could further enhance profitability, reaffirming the feasibility of the plant’s operation. Crucially, this study highlights the potential for sustainable and economically viable production of acetophenone, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to toxic octane boosters and advancing the development of sustainable fuel additives. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Bread waste valorization: a review of sustainability aspects and challenges

Bread waste (BW) poses a significant environmental and economic challenge in the United Kingdom (UK), where an estimated 20 million slices of bread are wasted daily. BW contains polysaccharides with great potential for its valorization into building block chemicals. While BW valorization holds tremendous promise, it is an emerging field with low technology readiness levels (TRLs), necessitating careful consideration of sustainability and commercial-scale utilization. This review offers a comprehensive assessment of the sustainability aspects of BW valorization, encompassing economic, environmental, and social factors. The primary objective of this review article is to enhance our understanding of the potential benefits and challenges associated with this approach. Incorporating circular bioeconomy principles into BW valorization is crucial for addressing global issues stemming from food waste and environmental degradation. The review investigates the role of BW-based biorefineries in promoting the circular bioeconomy concept. This study concludes by discussing the challenges and opportunities of BW valorization and waste reduction, along with proposing potential strategies to tackle these challenges

Integrated biorefinery for bioethanol and succinic acid co-production from bread waste: techno-economic feasibility and life cycle assessment

In this study, an advanced decarbonization approach is presented for an integrated biorefinery that co-produces bioethanol and succinic acid (SA) from bread waste (BW). The economic viability and the environmental performance of the proposed BW processing biorefinery is evaluated. Four distinctive scenarios were designed and analysed, focusing on a plant capacity that processes 100 metric tons (MT) of BW daily. These scenarios encompass: (1) the fermentation of BW into bioethanol, paired with heat and electricity co-generation from stillage, (2) an energy-optimized integration of Scenario 1 using pinch technology, (3) the co-production of bioethanol and SA by exclusively utilizing fermentative CO2, and (4) an advanced version of Scenario 3 that incorporates carbon capture (CC) from flue gas, amplifying SA production. Scenarios 3 and 4 were found to be economically more attractive with better environmental performance due to the co-production of SA. Particularly, Scenario 4 emerged as superior, showcasing a payback period of 2.2 years, a robust internal rate of return (33% after tax), a return on investment of 32%, and a remarkable net present value of 163 M$. Sensitivity analysis underscored the decisive influence of fixed capital investment and product pricing on economic outcomes. In terms of environmental impact, Scenario 4 outperformed other scenarios across all impact categories, where global warming potential, abiotic depletion (fossil fuels), and human toxicity potential were the most influential impact categories (−0.344 kg CO2-eq, −16.2 MJ, and −0.3 kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DB)-eq, respectively). Evidently, the integration of CC unit to flue gas in Scenario 4 substantially enhances both economic returns and environmental sustainability of the biorefinery.NER

MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF INTEGRATED EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH BASED BIOREFINERY TOBIOCHEMICALSPRODUCTION

Empty fruit bunch (EFB) valorization to marketable chemical products poses an economically attractive and sustainable alternative to waste management in palm oil industries. Five potential high revenue biochemical products (xylitol, levulinic acid, succinic acid, guaiacol, and vanillin) are selected to be produced from EFB, wherein each chemical conversion technologies are modeled and simulated using Aspen Plus. An integrated biorefinery configuration is then designed by considering sustainability pillars; economic, environmental, and safety aspects

MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF INTEGRATED EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH BASED BIOREFINERY TOBIOCHEMICALSPRODUCTION

Empty fruit bunch (EFB) valorization to marketable chemical products poses an economically attractive and sustainable alternative to waste management in palm oil industries. Five potential high revenue biochemical products (xylitol, levulinic acid, succinic acid, guaiacol, and vanillin) are selected to be produced from EFB, wherein each chemical conversion technologies are modeled and simulated using Aspen Plus. An integrated biorefinery configuration is then designed by considering sustainability pillars; economic, environmental, and safety aspects

Integrated Biorefinery of Empty Fruit Bunch from Palm Oil Industries to Produce Valuable Biochemicals

Empty fruit bunch (EFB) utilization to produce valuable bio-chemicals is seen as an economical and sustainable alternative to waste management in palm oil industries. This work proposed an integrated biorefinery configuration of EFB valorization considering sustainability pillars—namely, economic, environmental, and safety criteria. Techno-economic analysis, life cycle assessment, and hazard identification ranking methods were used to estimate annual profit, global warming potential (GWP), fire explosion damage index (FEDI), and toxicity damage index (TDI) of the proposed integrated biorefinery. A multi-objective optimization problem was then formulated and solved for simultaneous maximization of profit and minimization of GWP, FEDI and TDI. The resulting Pareto-optimal solutions convey the trade-off among the economic, environmental, and safety performances. To choose one of these optimal solutions for implementation, a combined approach of fuzzy analytical hierarchy process and a technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution was applied. For this selection, the economic criterion was more preferred, followed by the safety and environmental criterion; thus, the optimal solution selected for integrated biorefinery configuration had the highest annual profit, which was at the maximum capacity of 100 ton/h of EFB. It can fulfill the global demand of xylitol (by 55%), levulinic acid (by 98%), succinic acid (by 25%), guaiacol (by 90%), and vanillin (by 12%), and has annual profit, GWP, FEDI, and TDI of 932 M USD/year, 284 tonCO2-eq, 595, and 957, respectively