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Minimization of the nonrenewable energy consumption in bioethanol production processes using a solar‐assisted steam generation system
Author(s) -
Brunet Robert,
GuillénGosálbez Gonzalo,
Jiménez Laureano
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.14267
Subject(s) - biofuel , process engineering , nonlinear programming , energy consumption , pinch analysis , minification , production (economics) , environmental science , profitability index , engineering , renewable energy , waste management , process integration , mathematical optimization , nonlinear system , mathematics , economics , physics , electrical engineering , finance , quantum mechanics , macroeconomics
The multiobjective optimization of a corn‐based bioethanol plant coupled with a solar‐assisted steam generation system with heat storage is described. Our approach relies on the combined use of process simulation, rigorous optimization tools, and economic and energetic plant analysis. The design task is posed as a bicriteria nonlinear programming problem that considers the simultaneous optimization of the plant profitability and the energy consumption. The capabilities of the proposed methodology are illustrated through a 120,000,000 kg/year corn‐based bioethanol plant considering weather data of Tarragona (Spain). © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J 60: 500–506, 2014