IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v185y2017ip2p985-997.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Use of reactive distillation in biodiesel production: A simulation-based comparison of energy requirements and profitability indicators

Author

Listed:
  • Poddar, Tuhin
  • Jagannath, Anoop
  • Almansoori, Ali

Abstract

The advent of biodiesel, as a viable alternative to replace crude-based diesel as transport fuel, has prompted growing interest worldwide due to the need for low-emission fuels. In this work, two reactive distillation processes using soybean oil as main feedstock along with the corresponding downstream separation units are simulated: the first process involves a homogeneous alkali catalyst; whereas the second involves a heterogeneous catalyst. Both processes yield a high purity biodiesel product. In the present work, ASPEN Plus v8.4 is used as the process simulation tool. The energy requirements of both processes were evaluated based on the optimization of the distillation column duties and performing heat integration on the process streams. The optimization of the column duties was performed by analyzing the Column Grand Composite Curves (CGCC). The process streams were heat integrated, and a Heat Exchanger Network (HEN) was designed to minimize utility consumption. Both processes were compared using profitability indicators such as Return-On-Investment (ROI), payback period and unit production cost. The results show that the heterogeneous-catalyzed process is more profitable than the alkali-catalyzed process for biodiesel production. The ROI, payback period and unit production cost were 486%, 0.2years and $0.712 per kg of biodiesel respectively. For the analysis, an annual production capacity of 35.4kilotonnes/year of biodiesel production was assumed.

Suggested Citation

  • Poddar, Tuhin & Jagannath, Anoop & Almansoori, Ali, 2017. "Use of reactive distillation in biodiesel production: A simulation-based comparison of energy requirements and profitability indicators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 985-997.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:185:y:2017:i:p2:p:985-997
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.12.054
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030626191501627X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.12.054?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nguyen, Nghi & Demirel, Yaşar, 2010. "Retrofit of distillation columns in biodiesel production plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 1625-1632.
    2. Chen, Ting & Zhang, Bingjian & Chen, Qinglin, 2014. "Heat integration of fractionating systems in para-xylene plants based on column optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 311-321.
    3. Cossio-Vargas, E. & Hernandez, S. & Segovia-Hernandez, J.G. & Cano-Rodriguez, M.I., 2011. "Simulation study of the production of biodiesel using feedstock mixtures of fatty acids in complex reactive distillation columns," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 6289-6297.
    4. Shahandeh, H. & Ivakpour, J. & Kasiri, N., 2014. "Internal and external HIDiCs (heat-integrated distillation columns) optimization by genetic algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 875-886.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kirill A. Zhichkin & Vladimir V. Nosov & Lyudmila N. Zhichkina & Elena A. Krasil’nikova & Olga K. Kotar & Yuri D. Shlenov & Galina V. Korneva & Anna A. Terekhova & Vadim G. Plyushchikov & Vladimir P. , 2022. "Agronomic and Economic Aspects of Biodiesel Production from Oilseeds: A Case Study in Russia, Middle Volga Region," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Parra, Rony & Di Felice, Louisa Jane & Giampietro, Mario & Ramos-Martin, Jesus, 2018. "The metabolism of oil extraction: A bottom-up approach applied to the case of Ecuador," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 63-74.
    3. Guedes do Nascimento, Leomário & Costa Monteiro, Luciane Pimentel & de Cássia Colman Simões, Rita & Prata, Diego Martinez, 2023. "Eco-efficiency analysis and intensification of the biodiesel production process through vapor recompression strategy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    4. Alejos Altamirano, Carlos Alberto & Yokoyama, Lídia & de Medeiros, José Luiz & de Queiroz Fernandes Araújo, Ofélia, 2016. "Ethylic or methylic route to soybean biodiesel? Tracking environmental answers through life cycle assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1246-1263.
    5. Panchal, Balaji & Bian, Kai & Chang, Tao & Zhu, Zheng & Wang, Jinxi & Qin, Shenjun & Zhao, Cunliang & Sun, Yuzhuang, 2021. "Synthesis of Generation-2 polyamidoamine based ionic liquid: Efficient dendrimer based catalytic green fuel production from yellow grease," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    6. Gómez-Castro, F.I. & Gutiérrez-Antonio, C. & Romero-Izquierdo, A.G. & May-Vázquez, M.M. & Hernández, S., 2023. "Intensified technologies for the production of triglyceride-based biofuels: Current status and future trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    7. Janbarari, Seyed Reza & Ahmadian Behrooz, Hesam, 2020. "Optimal and robust synthesis of the biodiesel production process using waste cooking oil from different feedstocks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    8. Joda, Fatemeh & Ahmadi, Fatemeh, 2019. "Exergoeconomic analysis of conventional and using reactive distillation biodiesel production scenarios thermally integrated with a combined power plant," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 898-910.
    9. Zhang, Heng & Li, Hu & Pan, Hu & Wang, Anping & Souzanchi, Sadra & Xu, Chunbao (Charles) & Yang, Song, 2018. "Magnetically recyclable acidic polymeric ionic liquids decorated with hydrophobic regulators as highly efficient and stable catalysts for biodiesel production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 416-429.
    10. Xia, Hui & Ye, Qing & Feng, Shenyao & Li, Rui & Suo, Xiaomeng, 2017. "A novel energy-saving pressure swing distillation process based on self-heat recuperation technology," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 770-781.
    11. Živković, Snežana B. & Veljković, Milan V. & Banković-Ilić, Ivana B. & Krstić, Ivan M. & Konstantinović, Sandra S. & Ilić, Slavica B. & Avramović, Jelena M. & Stamenković, Olivera S. & Veljković, Vlad, 2017. "Technological, technical, economic, environmental, social, human health risk, toxicological and policy considerations of biodiesel production and use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 222-247.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, X.G. & He, C. & He, C.C. & Chen, J.J. & Zhang, B.J. & Chen, Q.L., 2017. "A new retrofit approach to the absorption-stabilization process for improving energy efficiency in refineries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 1131-1145.
    2. Chen, Ting & Zhang, Bingjian & Chen, Qinglin, 2014. "Heat integration of fractionating systems in para-xylene plants based on column optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 311-321.
    3. Kim, Young Han, 2015. "Energy saving of side-column DWCs for quaternary separation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 617-626.
    4. Liu, K. & Zhang, B.J. & Zhang, Z.L. & Chen, Q.L., 2015. "A new double flash process and heat integration for better energy utilization of toluene disproportionation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 168-177.
    5. Waheed, M.A. & Oni, A.O. & Adejuyigbe, S.B. & Adewumi, B.A. & Fadare, D.A., 2014. "Performance enhancement of vapor recompression heat pump," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 69-79.
    6. Chen, Shiqing & Dong, Xuezhi & Xu, Jian & Zhang, Hualiang & Gao, Qing & Tan, Chunqing, 2019. "Thermodynamic evaluation of the novel distillation column of the air separation unit with integration of liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 341-359.
    7. Bilgili, Faik, 2012. "Linear and nonlinear TAR panel unit root analyses for solid biomass energy supply of European countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(9), pages 6775-6781.
    8. Kazemi, Abolghasem & Mehrabani-Zeinabad, Arjomand & Beheshti, Masoud, 2018. "Recently developed heat pump assisted distillation configurations: A comparative study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 1261-1281.
    9. Khalili, N. & Kasiri, N. & Ivakpour, J. & Khalili-Garakani, A. & Khanof, M.H., 2020. "Optimal configuration of ternary distillation columns using heat integration with external heat exchangers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    10. Cortés-Borda, D. & Guillén-Gosálbez, G. & Jiménez, L., 2015. "Assessment of nuclear energy embodied in international trade following a world multi-regional input–output approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 91-101.
    11. Shahandeh, Hossein & Ivakpour, Javad & Kasiri, Norollah, 2014. "Feasibility study of heat-integrated distillation columns using rigorous optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 662-674.
    12. Khoobbakht, Golmohammad & Kheiralipour, Kamran & Rasouli, Hamed & Rafiee, Mojtaba & Hadipour, Mehrdad & Karimi, Mahmoud, 2020. "Experimental exergy analysis of transesterification in biodiesel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    13. Jahromi, Farid Sadeghian & Beheshti, Masoud & Rajabi, Razieh Fereydon, 2018. "Comparison between differential evolution algorithms and response surface methodology in ethylene plant optimization based on an extended combined energy - exergy analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1114-1134.
    14. Mehrpooya, Mehdi & Moftakhari Sharifzadeh, Mohammad Mehdi & Rosen, Marc A., 2015. "Optimum design and exergy analysis of a novel cryogenic air separation process with LNG (liquefied natural gas) cold energy utilization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P2), pages 2047-2069.
    15. Nguyen, Nghi & Demirel, Yaşar, 2011. "Using thermally coupled reactive distillation columns in biodiesel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 4838-4847.
    16. Gu, Wugen & Huang, Yuqing & Wang, Kan & Zhang, Bingjian & Chen, Qinglin & Hui, Chi-Wai, 2014. "Comparative analysis and evaluation of three crude oil vacuum distillation processes for process selection," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 559-571.
    17. Shahandeh, Hossein & Jafari, Mina & Kasiri, Norollah & Ivakpour, Javad, 2015. "Economic optimization of heat pump-assisted distillation columns in methanol-water separation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 496-508.
    18. Santori, Giulio & Di Nicola, Giovanni & Moglie, Matteo & Polonara, Fabio, 2012. "A review analyzing the industrial biodiesel production practice starting from vegetable oil refining," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 109-132.
    19. Kim, Young Han, 2016. "Energy saving of benzene separation process for environmentally friendly gasoline using an extended DWC (divided wall column)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 58-65.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:185:y:2017:i:p2:p:985-997. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.