Economic and environmental assessment of cellulosic ethanol production scenarios annexed to a typical sugar mill.
In this work different biorefinery scenarios were investigated, concerning the co-production of bioethanol and electricity from available lignocellulose at a typical sugar mill, as possible extensions to the current combustion of bagasse for steam and electricity production and burning trash on-filed. In scenario 1, the whole bagasse and brown leaves is utilized in a biorefinery and coal is burnt in the existing inefficient sugar mill boiler. Scenario 2 & 3 are assumed with a new centralized CHP unit without/with coal co-combustion, respectively. Also, through scenarios 4 & 5, the effect of water insoluble loading were studied. All scenarios provided energy for the sugarmill and the ethanol plant, with the export of surplus electricity. Economic analysis determined that scenario 1 was the most viable scenario due to less capital cost and economies-of scale. Based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results, scenario 2 outperformed the other scenarios, while three scenarios showed lower contribution to environmental burdens than the current situation.
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. Electronic address: mandegari@sun.ac.za.
Mohsen
M
Ali Mandegari
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
Somayeh
S
Farzad
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
Johann F
JF
Görgens
D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003031:Coal; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004560:Electricity; D004777:Environment; D000431:Ethanol / Q000191:economics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005735:Garbage; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*
D003031:Coal; C036909:lignocellulose; D000431:Ethanol; D002482:Cellulose; D008031:Lignin; C027433:bagasse
Bagasse and trash; Biorefinery; Centralized CHP; Economic evaluation; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); Water insoluble solid (% WIS)