Concept evaluations

Concept evaluations
FuBio Seminar
28.8.2013
Eemeli Hytönen, Lotta Sorsamäki, Marja Nappa, Juha Leppävuori
(VTT Technical Research Center of Finland)
Hanna Kalanne, Jukka Seppänen, Jari Aittakari (GloCell Oy)

216.5.2013
Eemeli Hytönen, Concept evaluations, FuBio Seminar, 27.8.2013
Motivation
Many focus areas of FuBio research
Research topic
PHWE
ILs
Composites
Barriers
Hydroxy acids
All – Combination
Examples of concepts
• HWE at a saw mill, Kraft pulp mill, TMP plant, or
CTMP/soda plant
• Extraction of high or low molecular weight hemicelluloses
• Extraction of sawdust or chips
• Kraft pulp to acetate-grade dissolving pulp
• Wood to TMP pulp-like pulp
• Wood to kraft pulp-like pulp
• Internally, externally or unmodified (using internal
plastization, chemicals, enzymes)
• Different lignin-fibre-plasticizer ratios
• PHWE-xylan
• Modification of GGM
• TOFA hybrid polymers
• Fatty acid cellulose esters
• Reactive milling
• Cellulose-polymer blends
• HA separation technologies (separate & combined): a)
Electrodialysis, b) Ion-exchange, c) Chromatography, d)
Acidification, e) Cooling crystallization
• Products: a) Hot glues, b) Chelating agents
Ideas TBD

316.5.2013
Motivation
 FuBio concepts often at idea-level  process design work = screening out non-
promising alternatives
 Large amount of potential concepts can be built around the idea and high degree of
uncertainty exists, BUT a systematic analysis can help identifying important factors
to consider in building sustainable concepts from the experimental research
Concept
demonstration
Pre-feasibility Feasibility
Engineering for
definition
Detailed
engineering
Engineering process design steps
Screening out
process-product
alternatives
Number of
process-
product
alternatives
Process
creation
Many
Few
One
Selection of technological
solutions, refinement of
alternatives
Order of
magnitude
/
High
+ 5%
/
Low
Design
precision
/
Degree of
uncertainty
* E. Hytönen and P. Stuart "Techno-Economic Assessment and Risk Analysis of Biorefinery Processes" in Integrated Biorefineries: Design, Analysis, and Optimization. M. M.
El-Halwagi and P. R. Stuart, Eds.: CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, December 2012

416.5.2013
Outline
 Motivation
 Objective
 Methods
 Overall concept evaluation approach of FuBio JR2
 Preliminary screening of ideas – Light techno-economic analysis
 Quantitative economic modelling of concepts
 Example results
 Preliminary screening process
 Hot water extraction
 Ionic liquids fractionation
 Preliminary screening and quantitative economic modelling
 Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor
 Conclusions
 Acknowledgements

516.5.2013
Objective
To illustrate the concept evaluation approach
 Light techno-economic analysis of research ideas (Generation of
comparable economic screening data)
 Quantitative economic modelling
To show results of some evaluated ideas and concepts

616.5.2013
Methods – Overall concept evaluation approach of FuBio JR2
Concept development & screening for quantitative and qualitative analysis
• Concept = feedstock + process + product(s) + capacity
• Concept alternatives created and screened with
industry experts
 Concept
Concept
alternative
creation
Screening &
setting
boundaries
A – Process
Modelling and Value Chains
C – Qualitative
Opportunity
Assessment Model
B – Quantitative
Economic Model
D – Analysis and Report
with Key Findings
A – The selected concept is modelled at suitable level of detail for
obtaining balances for cost estimation
B – Quantitative modelling of costs and profitability under
uncertainties in process parameters and prices
C – Technical and economic feasibility are combined with other
qualitative factors impacting the opportunities of the case (including
e.g. political, environmental factors) and combined to a opportunity
score of the case
D – Iteration back to the beginning if the case assumptions need to
be adjusted
Concept
Non-attractive alternatives
Screening Analysis

716.5.2013
Methods – Preliminary screening of ideas
Light assessment
 M&E Balances
 ”INPUT-OUTPUT” -model
 Spreadsheet balancing – no simulation
model
 Included
 Feedstocks
 Yields
 Main product
 By-product(s)
 Heating, cooling and electricity
 Main chemicals (with recycling
rate)
 Water and main waste streams
 Variable costs based on input-output
balances and publicly available
price/cost information
 Fixed costs
 Labour (cost/person – 70 000 €/a)
 Maintenance (1.5 % of total capital
cost estimate)
 Other (3 % of sales)
 Capital charges (10% of total capital
cost estimate)
 Capital cost estimate
 Bridgewater, Zevnik & Buchanan *
methods used
 Values systematically evaluated for
all new concepts
 Order of magnitude values obtained
 Methods seem to give results within
+25% of detailed CAPEX estimates
fro biomass-based processes
* Holland, F.A. & Wilkinson, J.K., Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, section 9
(Process Economics), McGraw-Hill, 1999

816.5.2013
Methods – Quantitative economic modelling of concepts

916.5.2013
Outline
 Motivation
 Objective
 Methods
 Preliminary screening of concepts – Light techno-economic analysis
 Example results
 Conclusions

1016.5.2013
Example results – Preliminary screening process
Hot water extraction
 Products identified with WP1 for the hemicelluloses:
high MW hemicellulose for barriers, animal feed,
chemicals, ethanol
 Processing of solid fraction not included
 Total 32 concepts
Hot water
extraction
(Yield, DC)
Purification &
concentration
Chips
Sawdust
(Spruce,
birch)
Crude extract
Fuel
Fibre for composite
Polymeric hemis
Oligomeric hemis
Monomeric hemis
 Host process capacities as
basis for production capacity
 Sawmill – 14 000 bdt
sawdust/a
 Powerplant – 50-100-200
MW feedstock (100 000-
200 000-400 000 bdt/a)
 TMP plant – 250 000 bdt
chips/a
 Soda/Kraft pulping plant –
250 000-500 000 bdt
chips/a

1116.5.2013
-4000
-2000
0
2000
4000
6000
8000 838t/ahemi(15%yield),Fuel
838t/ahemi(15%yield),Feed
3974t/ahemi(10%yield),Fuel
9930t/ahemi(10%yield),WW
3074t/ahemi(25%yield),Sawmill
85469t/ahemi(20%yield),Powerplant
52638t/ahemi(25%yield),TMP
105276t/ahemi(25%yield),Soda
2951t/ahemi(30%yield),Sawmill
55657t/ahemi(20%yield),Powerplant
50523t/ahemi(30%yield),TMP
101045t/ahemi(30%yield),Soda
Sawdust Sawdust Chip Chip Chip Sawdust Sawdust Chip Chip Chip Sawdust Chip Sawdust Chip
Sawmill Powerplant TMP Soda Sawmill Powerplant TMP Soda
Spruce Birch Spruce Birch
High MW hemicellulose Sugar
Costsandby-productcredits(€/bdtmainproduct)
Credits
from by-prod
Other fixed
Labour
Capital charges
Wastes
Energy
Chemicals
Water
Feedstock
total
Selling price
Hot water extraction concepts – cost estimates
Indicative prices:
• High MW hemi –
1200 €/bdt
• Sugar – 300 €/bdt
SUGARHigh MW hemicelluloses

1216.5.2013
IL fractionation methods
IL #1 IL #2 IL #3
Raw material Birch kraft pulp birch spruce
Products Dissolving pulp 76% "kraft-like” pulp 57% ”CTMP-like” pulp 90-95%
Hemicellulose 24 % lignin, hemi 43% Pectin, hemi, lignin 5-10%
Ionic liquid [Emim]OAc Switchable ionic liquid [Emim]Me2PO4
(and water) DBU, MEA, CO2/SO2
Antisolvent water ethanol Isopropanol
Antisolvent recovery
method evaporation distillation evaporation
Production scale 150 000 adt/a 700 000 adt/a 250 000 adt/a
• Total 11 concepts

1316.5.2013
IL fractionation concepts – cost estimates
1 175 1 112
860
1 068
720
935
1 214
872
1 035
844
1 004
-1000,00
-500,00
0,00
500,00
1000,00
1500,00
2000,00
standalone
integrated
bleachedkraftandhemi&lignin
bleachedkraftandenergy
unbleachedkraftandhemi&lignin
unbleachedkraftandenergy
hemi&ligninandenergy
BCTMPandlignin&pectin
BCTMP
CTMPandlignin&pectin
CTMP
IONCELL SIL pulping IL fibrillation
€/adt
Credits
from by-prod
Other fixed
Labour
Capital charges
Wastes
Energy
Chemicals
Water
Feedstock
Total
Selling price
IL #1 IL #2 IL #3

1416.5.2013
Outline
 Motivation
 Objective
 Methods
 Example results
 Conclusions

1516.5.2013
Example results – Preliminary screening and quantitative economic modelling
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – Case definition
 Pulp mill production capacity 700 000 adt/a
 Theoretical hydroxy acids (HA) yield 15 % of pulping raw material (includes
mono and dihydroxyacids)
 1/3rd of BL processed  HA production 35 000 t/a (50 kg/adt), 50% DC
 Volatile (formic and acetic) acids yield 7% of pulping raw material
 H2S handling and volatile acids recovery excluded
 Pulp mill integration
 Cooking variables (effective alkali and sulfidity) kept constant by NaOH makeup
and fly ash purge
 Black liquor (25% TDS) is taken to HA separation
 Liquor from separation is fed back to evaporation plant (including added water
and chemicals)
 HA product is concentrated in a separate evaporator

1616.5.2013
ED
CO2/
UF
NaOH
to green liquor dilution
Water
Lignin
to evaporation or recovery boiler
to foul condensate
VA
EVAP CHR
HA
EVAP
Intermediate
black liquor
to foul condensate
UF
Lignin
Intermediate
black liquor
CHR
Water
IEX
H2SO4
EVAP
VA to foul condensateWater
Na2SO4
UF
Lignin
Intermediate
black liquor
CHR
Water
EVAP
VA To foul condensate
ED
Water
NaOH
CO2+
H2SO4
Lignin
Intermediate
black liquor
COOL
CRST
Inorganics
EVAP/
NF
CHR EVAP
To foul condensate
ISA
HA
ISA
HA
ISA
HA
ISA
to foul condensate
VA
CO2
H2SO4CO2
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – Case definition

1716.5.2013
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
€/t
Maintenance (€/t)
Steam (€/t)
Fly ash disposal (€/t)
NaOH (€/t)
H2SO4 (€/t)
CO2 (€/t)
Electricity (€/t)
Electrodialysis
Chromatography
Cooling crystallization
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – Preliminary screening cost estimates

1816.5.2013
 Separation of hydroxy acids (HA) from black liquor
 LMW (lactic, glycolic, 2-hydroxy-butyric acid)
 HMW (glucoisosaccharinic, xyloisosaccharinic acid)
 Applications
 Hot melts in non food contact cardboard packaging (LMW and HMW)
 Chelating agents in water purification (HMW)
Pulp mill
Hydroxy acids
separation*
HMW
LMW and HMW
Hot Melts
Chelating agents
Cardboard
packaging
Water
purification
* Two separation technologies
• UF + CHR + IEX
• UF + CHR + ED
Hydroxy acid polymer
HMW hydroxy acids
(Reference EDTA)
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – concepts for more detailed analysis

1916.5.2013
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – Integration impact assessment
 Pulp mill reference
model (WinGems-
simulation software) *
 Capacity 700 000 adt/a.
Process water usage ~
15 m3/adt. Based on
BAT technologies
SPLIT
dust dump
141
M IX
M i x30
30
M IX
M i x26
26
BLEACHING
Bl eachi ng
25
WW-T REAT
Ef f l uent
tr eatment
24
ST ORE
Par ameter s
23
DEBARKIN
Debar ki ng
22
M IX
21
SUM
Steam 4.2 bar
20
T RACOM P
Addi ng of
tr ace
components
16
M IX
15
PID
Pi d14
14
SUM
Steam 13 bar
13
ST ORE
Pr oducti on
12
DRYEND
Dr yer secti on
11
SPLIT
Spl i t1010
T URB_PLANT
T ur bi ne pl ant
6
EVAPO
Evapor ati on
5
BOILERS
Boi l er pl ant
4
ST ORE
Wood
par am
i nput
3
RECOVERY_SK
Whi te l i quor pr epar ati on
2
DELIGNIFICA
Cooki ng and oxygen d
1
348t/h
42 t/h
123 t/h
Effluent 1740 t/h
0 t/h
Shaft power 95.1 MW
Floor channel 120 t/h, TDS 5 g/l
Wood properties:
1) I:Wood temp.[C]15
2) I:Dry contentofwood [%]50
3) I:Cellulose in wood [%]44.1
4) I:Hemicellulose in wood [%]30.7
5) I:Lignin in wood [%]23.9
6) I:Extractives in wood [%]1.6
102 t/h
Water 100 t/h
Pyrolysis gas
properties
69 t/h
71 t/h
Bark 46 t/h,
30 °C, 40 %
104 t/h, TDS 11 g/l
Wood 404 t/h,
15 °C, 49 %
Sootblowing steam 16 t/h, 30 bar
LP 6 t/h
MP 71 t/h
MP 76 t/h
195 t/h
LP 91 t/h
MP 32 t/h
MP 16 t/h
LP 26 t/h
227 t/h
Acidic filtrate 867 t/h, TDS 4 g/l
Cond. B 278 t/h
Saltcake 5 t/h
Bio-sludge 0 t/h
0 %
Alkaline filtrate 649 t/h, TDS 8 g/l
900 t/h
636 t/h
Air 695 t/h
24 °C
CTO 0 t/h
Water 351 t/h
BL 933 t/h,
TDS 132 kg/t
Pulp 100 t/h, 75 °C, 90 %
1:Bark contentofwood:10 w-%
2:Wood LHV:19.35 MJ/kgDS
3:Wood HHV:19.3 MJ/kgDS
4:Notin use
5:Bark Dry content:40 %
6:Carbon fraction in bark:0.5159
7:Oxygen fraction in bark:0.4069
8:Hydrogen fract.in bark:0.0577
9:Sulfur fraction in bark:3.000E-04
10:Ash fraction in bark:0.0192
11:Gasification lost:6 %
Water
LP 104 t/h
Cond. A 421 t/h
Boiler blow-down 6 t/h, 103 bar, 313 °C
BFW 604 t/h, 120 bar, 187 °C
13bar
4.2bar
7bar0t/h
Chips 355 t/h, 15 °C, 50 %
Saltcake 1.4 t/h
LP-condensate 267 t/h
Pyrolysis gas
180 t/h, 66 °C, 50 %
HP -steam 598 t/h, 103 bar, 505 °C
Flue gas 806 t/h
183 °C
Smelt 63 t/h
Bark parameters
Oxidised WL
WL 346 t/h, AA 113 g/l
BL156t/h,
TDS822kg/t
MP-condensate 140 t/h
* Kangas, Kaijaluoto and Määttänen (2013), Evaluation of Future Pulp Mill Concepts – Reference Model of Modern Nordic Kraft Pulp Mill, to be submitted to NPPRJ

2016.5.2013
All sales to hotmelt (750 – 1500 €/t)
Split sales to hotmelt (750 – 1500 €/t)
and chelating agent (500 – 800 €/t)
UF + CHR + ED
ROI: 90% probability to be positive ROI: 46% probability to be positive
UF + CHR + IEX
ROI: 38% probability to be positive ROI: 0,1% probability to be positive
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – Feasibility and uncertainty

2116.5.2013
Outline
 Motivation
 Objective
 Methods
 Example results
 Conclusions

2216.5.2013
Conclusions
 2-step method used in FuBio JR2 programme for biorefinery design
was illustrated
 Preliminary screening useful for identifying promising feedstock-process-
product combinations for more detailed analysis of e.g. integration
implications, markets, and quantitative and qualitative performance of the
concepts
 More detailed case study evaluations are being done with focus on
 Uncertainties
 Variable and fixed costs
 Qualitative performance
 Results of light techno-economic assessment and quantitative
economic modelling of three sets of ideas was presented
 Hot water extraction of hemicelluloses integrated into different biomass
processing plants
 IL fractionation of biomass
 Hydroxy acids separation from Kraft black liquor

2316.5.2013
Acknowledgements
 FIBIC Ltd.
 Industrial tutors of FuBio Joint Research 2 –programme
 Research groups involved in the experimental research of the
concepts in FuBio Joint Research 2 –programme
 Researchers involved in the concept evaluation

2416.5.2013
VTT creates business from technology

2516.5.2013
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – key process input variables

2616.5.2013
 Increased fly ash disposal and NaOH makeup (IEX)
 Decreased electricity generation (IEX and ED)
 Increased evaporation requirement at evaporation plant
 LP steam used in HA product condensation (separate evaporator)
 Increased electricity usage (IEX and ED)
 Reduced lime circulation (IEX and ED)
reference IEX ∆ED ∆
Electricity
Generation 1440 1320 -8 % 1220 -15 %kWh/adt
Usage 600 621 4 % 770 28 %kWh/adt
Out 840 700 -17 % 450 -46 %kWh/adt
H2SO4 5 69 1306 % 5 0 %kg/adt
NaOH 30 96 220 % 30 0 %kg/adt
Fly ash 13 122 838 % 13 0 %kg/adt
Lime circulation 0.24 0.19 -21 % 0.22 -8 %kg/adt
Evaporation plant 3 3.8 27 % 3.5 17 %GJ/adt
Hydroxy acids separation from black liquor – Integration impact assessment

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