Abstract
A method for synthesizing augmented biofuel processes, which improve biomass carbon conversion to liquid fuel (ηcarbon) using supplemental solar energy as heat, H2, and electricity is presented. For a target ηcarbon, 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 (ηcarbon≤54%), augmented using solar heat (54%≤ηcarbon≤74%), or augmented using solar heat and H2 (74≤ηcarbon≤95%). Importantly, the process H2 consumption is found to be close to the derived theoretical minimum values. To accommodate for the intermittency of solar heat/H2, we suggest processes that can operate at low and high ηcarbon.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2533-2545 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | AIChE Journal |
Volume | 60 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2014 |
Keywords
- Energy
- Mathematical modeling
- Optimization
- Process synthesis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biotechnology
- Environmental Engineering
- General Chemical Engineering