A decision support environment for the high-throughput model-based screening and integration of biomass processing paths

Abstract The integration of renewable biomass feedstocks is receiving primal attention in energy and process industries. The conversion of biomass is typically faced with multiple options with respect to feedstocks, processing paths and product portfolios. The options for sustainable bio-based material have been highlighted in Association for the Advances of Industrial Crops Network (AAIC), that promotes the processing of crops towards industrial products. The systematic screening of these options is a major challenge. The paper presents a decision support environment that is capable of rapidly evaluating, screening and integrating biomass processing paths to bio-energy and other renewable products. The environment has built and makes use of an information repository that integrates data from various sources. A modelling environment enables the formulation and techno-economic and environmental assessments of both individual and integrated paths. The analysis involves optimization models for the high-throughput evaluation of options reporting recommendations and integrated paths when appropriate, as well as co-products more prominent to select. The proposed approach has been implemented into a software prototype and tested by industrial users, with the possibility to be extended and used by the wider community in the future. The prototyped modelling environment is outlined and illustrated by several case studies.

[1]  Youn-Sang Choi,et al.  Economic feasibility of producing ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks , 2000 .

[2]  S. Adhikari,et al.  Biorefineries: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Direction , 2006 .

[3]  Carlos A. Cardona,et al.  ANALYSIS OF AN EXTRACTIVE FERMENTATION PROCESS FOR ETHANOL PRODUCTION USING A RIGOROUS MODEL AND A SHORT-CUT METHOD , 2006 .

[4]  Johnathan E. Holladay,et al.  Top Value Added Chemicals From Biomass. Volume 1 - Results of Screening for Potential Candidates From Sugars and Synthesis Gas , 2004 .

[5]  A. Corma,et al.  Synthesis of transportation fuels from biomass: chemistry, catalysts, and engineering. , 2006, Chemical reviews.

[6]  Johan P.M. Sanders,et al.  Bulk chemicals from biomass , 2008 .

[7]  Ayhan Demirbas,et al.  Progress and recent trends in biofuels , 2007 .

[8]  James H. Clark,et al.  Green chemistry for the second generation biorefinery—sustainable chemical manufacturing based on biomass , 2007 .

[9]  Carlos A Cardona,et al.  Process integration possibilities for biodiesel production from palm oil using ethanol obtained from lignocellulosic residues of oil palm industry. , 2009, Bioresource technology.

[10]  B. G. Hermann,et al.  Today’s and tomorrow’s bio-based bulk chemicals from white biotechnology , 2007, Applied biochemistry and biotechnology.

[11]  Antonis C. Kokossis,et al.  On the development of novel chemicals using a systematic synthesis approach. Part I. Optimisation framework , 2000 .

[12]  Lazaros G. Papageorgiou,et al.  Economic optimisation of a UK advanced biofuel supply chain , 2012 .

[13]  Wei Yuan,et al.  A Flexible Framework for Optimal Biorefinery Product Allocation , 2007 .

[14]  Jhuma Sadhukhan,et al.  Value analysis tool for feasibility studies of biorefineries integrated with value added production , 2008 .

[15]  Karsten-Ulrich Klatt,et al.  Perspectives for process systems engineering - Personal views from academia and industry , 2009, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[16]  Aidong Yang,et al.  On the use of systems technologies and a systematic approach for the synthesis and the design of future biorefineries , 2010, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[17]  A. Aden,et al.  Thermochemical Ethanol via Indirect Gasification and Mixed Alcohol Synthesis of Lignocellulosic Biomass , 2007 .

[18]  Christodoulos A. Floudas,et al.  Optimization of complex reactor networks—I. Isothermal operation , 1990 .

[19]  Cardona Alzate,et al.  Energy consumption analysis of integrated flowsheets for production of fuel ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass , 2006 .

[20]  V. Putsche,et al.  Large-Scale Pyrolysis Oil Production: A Technology Assessment and Economic Analysis , 2006 .

[21]  A. McAloon,et al.  A process model to estimate biodiesel production costs. , 2006, Bioresource technology.

[22]  Alexandre C. Dimian.  Renewable raw materials: chance and challenge for computer-aided process engineering , 2007 .

[23]  J. H. Taylor.  The 'process step scoring' method for making quick capital estimates , 1977 .

[24]  A. Corma,et al.  Chemical routes for the transformation of biomass into chemicals. , 2007, Chemical reviews.

[25]  Lazaros G. Papageorgiou,et al.  Optimization-Based Approaches for Bioethanol Supply Chains , 2011 .

[26]  Aidong Yang,et al.  Implementation and initial evaluation of a decision support platform for selecting production routes of biomass-derived chemicals , 2011 .

[27]  F. You,et al.  Optimal design of sustainable cellulosic biofuel supply chains: Multiobjective optimization coupled with life cycle assessment and input–output analysis , 2012 .

[28]  Ignacio E. Grossmann,et al.  Energy, Water and Process Technologies Integration for the Simultaneous Production of Ethanol and Food from the entire Corn Plant , 2011 .

[29]  Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi,et al.  Synthesis of reactive mass-exchange networks , 1992 .

[30]  Fabrizio Bezzo,et al.  A techno-economic comparison between two technologies for bioethanol production from lignocellulose. , 2009 .