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Synthesis of augmented biofuel processes using solar energy
Author(s) -
Mallapragada Dharik S.,
Tawarmalani Mohit,
Agrawal Rakesh
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.14456
Subject(s) - process engineering , carbon fibers , solar energy , hydrodeoxygenation , biomass (ecology) , process integration , biofuel , electricity generation , chemistry , environmental science , thermodynamics , waste management , computer science , power (physics) , engineering , organic chemistry , physics , algorithm , catalysis , oceanography , electrical engineering , composite number , selectivity , geology
A method for synthesizing augmented biofuel processes, which improve biomass carbon conversion to liquid fuel (η carbon ) using supplemental solar energy as heat, H 2 , and electricity is presented. For a target η carbon , our method identifies augmented processes requiring the least solar energy input. A nonconvex mixed integer nonlinear programming model allowing for simultaneous mass, heat, and power integration, is built over a process superstructure and solved using global optimization tools. As a case study, biomass thermochemical conversion via gasification/Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and fast‐hydropyrolysis/hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is considered. The optimal process configurations can be categorized either as standalone (η carbon ≤ 54%), augmented using solar heat (54% ≤ η carbon ≤ 74%), or augmented using solar heat and H 2 (74 ≤ η carbon ≤ 95%). Importantly, the process H 2 consumption is found to be close to the derived theoretical minimum values. To accommodate for the intermittency of solar heat/H 2 , we suggest processes that can operate at low and high η carbon . © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 60: 2533–2545, 2014