Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 9:00 AM
4-03
Techno-economic analysis of biomass-to-hydrocarbons via the MixAlco process
MixAlco is a robust process that converts biomass to fuels and chemicals. A key feature of the MixAlco process is the fermentation, which employs a mixed culture of acid-forming microorganisms to convert biomass components (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) to carboxylate salts. Subsequently, these intermediate salts can be chemically converted to industrial chemicals (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, ethers, aldhehydes, primary alcohols, secondary alcohols, olefins, aromatics) or hydrocarbon fuels (gasoline, jet fuel, diesel). The process does not require aseptic conditions, which lowers capital costs and improves operability. The microorganisms produce their own enzymes – a type of consolidated bioprocessing – which reduces operating costs compared to traditional enzymatic pathways.
To make hydrocarbon fuels, the MixAlco process has the following steps: (1) pretreatment with lime, (2) fermentation with a mixed culture of acid-forming microorganism to obtain carboxylate salts, (3) dewatering with a high-efficiency vapor-compression evaporator, (4) thermal conversion of salts to ketones, (5) hydrogenation of the ketones to mixed alcohols, and (6) oligomerization of alcohols to hydrocarbons using zeolite catalysts.
This work focuses on process synthesis, simulation, integration, and cost estimation of several MixAlco process configurations using Aspen Plus (process design) and Aspen Icarus (capital cost). Sensitivity analysis was performed using key parameters such as feedstock types and costs, hydrogen supply and price, and plant capacity. Some scenarios indicate that without subsidies, biomass-derived hydrocarbon fuels can compete with petroleum-derived hydrocarbons when crude oil sells for about $70/bbl.
To make hydrocarbon fuels, the MixAlco process has the following steps: (1) pretreatment with lime, (2) fermentation with a mixed culture of acid-forming microorganism to obtain carboxylate salts, (3) dewatering with a high-efficiency vapor-compression evaporator, (4) thermal conversion of salts to ketones, (5) hydrogenation of the ketones to mixed alcohols, and (6) oligomerization of alcohols to hydrocarbons using zeolite catalysts.
This work focuses on process synthesis, simulation, integration, and cost estimation of several MixAlco process configurations using Aspen Plus (process design) and Aspen Icarus (capital cost). Sensitivity analysis was performed using key parameters such as feedstock types and costs, hydrogen supply and price, and plant capacity. Some scenarios indicate that without subsidies, biomass-derived hydrocarbon fuels can compete with petroleum-derived hydrocarbons when crude oil sells for about $70/bbl.
Web Page: terrabon.com
PDF file
See more of Hydrocarbon and Algae-based Biofuels
See more of General Submissions
See more of The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (April 19-22, 2010)
See more of General Submissions
See more of The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (April 19-22, 2010)