title: Biodiesel and electrical power production through vegetable oil extraction and byproducts gasification: modeling of the system.
abstract: Aim of this work is to introduce an alternative to the standard biodiesel production chain, presenting an innovative in situ system. It is based on the chemical conversion of vegetable oil from oleaginous crops in synergy with the gasification of the protein cake disposed by the seed press. The syngas from the gasifier is here used to produce electrical power while part of it is converted into methanol. The methanol is finally used to transform the vegetable oil into biodiesel. Through a coupled use of ASPEN PLUS(TM) and MATLAB(TM) codes, a rapeseed, soy and sunflower rotation, with a duration of three year, was simulated considering 15ha of soil. This surface resulted sufficient to feed a 7kWel power plant. Simulation outputs proven the system to be self-sustainable. In addition, economical NPV of the investment is presented. Finally the environmental, economical and social advantages related to this approach are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Bio-Energy Efficiency Laboratory, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari', Via Vignolese 905, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: giulio.allesina@unimore.it.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allesina
authors.affiliation: Bio-Energy Efficiency Laboratory, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari', Via Vignolese 905, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: http://www.beelab.unimore.it.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedrazzi
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 2360 East Mall, V6T1Z3 Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tebianian
authors.affiliation: Bio-Energy Efficiency Laboratory, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari', Via Vignolese 905, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: http://www.beelab.unimore.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tartarini
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000191:economics*; D056804:Biofuels; D029741:Brassica rapa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005740:Gases / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D006368:Helianthus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D012984:Software; D013025:Glycine max / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D005740:Gases; D010938:Plant Oils
keywords: Biodiesel; Crop rotation; Gasification; Methanol; Syngas