title: Novel integrated mechanical biological chemical treatment (MBCT) systems for the production of levulinic acid from fraction of municipal solid waste: A comprehensive techno-economic analysis.
abstract: This paper, for the first time, reports integrated conceptual MBCT/biorefinery systems for unlocking the value of organics in municipal solid waste (MSW) through the production of levulinic acid (LA by 5wt%) that increases the economic margin by 110-150%. After mechanical separation recovering recyclables, metals (iron, aluminium, copper) and refuse derived fuel (RDF), lignocelluloses from remaining MSW are extracted by supercritical-water for chemical valorisation, comprising hydrolysis in 2wt% dilute H2SO4 catalyst producing LA, furfural, formic acid (FA), via C5/C6 sugar extraction, in plug flow (210-230°C, 25bar, 12s) and continuous stirred tank (195-215°C, 14bar, 20min) reactors; char separation and LA extraction/purification by methyl isobutyl ketone solvent; acid/solvent and by-product recovery. The by-product and pulping effluents are anaerobically digested into biogas and fertiliser. Produced biogas (6.4MWh/t), RDF (5.4MWh/t), char (4.5MWh/t) are combusted, heat recovered into steam generation in boiler (efficiency: 80%); on-site heat/steam demand is met; balance of steam is expanded into electricity in steam turbines (efficiency: 35%).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK. Electronic address: jhumasadhukhan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jhuma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadhukhan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK.
authors.forename: Kok Siew
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinez-Hernandez
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry; D005735:Garbage; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D059027:Recycling; D062611:Solid Waste; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D007982:Levulinic Acids; D008670:Metals; D062611:Solid Waste; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; C540010:biochar; C036909:lignocellulose; D002606:Charcoal; D008031:Lignin; C033158:sulfuric acid
keywords: Biorefinery process simulation in Aspen Plus©; Circular economy; Combined heat and power (CHP); Metal and energy and material resource recovery from MSW; Municipal solid waste management; Refuse derived fuel (RDF) and compost like output (CLO); Value analysis and discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis