Technoeconomic study on steam explosion application in biomass processing.
This work is based on the data collected during trials of a continuous steam explosion (SE) plant, with a treatment capacity of about 350 kg/h, including the biomass fractionation section. The energy and water consumption, equipment cost, and manpower needed to run this plant have been used as the base case for a techno-economic evaluation of productive plants. Three processing plant configurations have been considered: (I) SE pretreatment only; (II) SE followed by the hemicellulose extraction; (III) SE followed by the sequential hemicellulose and lignin extractions. The biomass treatment cost has been evaluated as a function of the plant scale. For each configuration, variable and fixed cost breakdown has been detailed in the case of a 50,000 t/y plant.
Zimbardi
Francesco
F
ENEA--Renewable Energy Division, Policoro (MT), Italy. zimbardi@trisaia.enea
Ricci
Esmeralda
E
Braccio
Giacobbe
G
D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004867:Equipment Design; D007558:Italy; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013227:Steam
D011134:Polysaccharides; D013227:Steam; C007916:hemicellulose