1. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015
www.PosterPresentations.com
PROBLEM STATEMENT & SCOPE OF PROJECT TECHNO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Table 1: Feed Composition and Conditions
Figure 1: Bioconversion Process Overview
The Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass
to Fatty Alcohols
Rose Holbrook, Michael Buckner, Matthew Cackovic, James McCall, Michael Stein
Advisor: Jennifer Markham
Figure 3: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram
Figure 4: Gantt Chart for Bioconversion Process & Reactor Schedule
SUMMARY
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
The purpose of this project is to minimize the production cost of
fatty alcohols using a biological synthesis pathway.
Solubilized Hydrolysate
356000
Insoluble Solids (IS) <0.05%
Soluble Solids (SS) 15%
43
Pressure [atm] 1
Vapor Fraction 0
Free Fatty Acids (FFA) 0
Water 303000
Glucose (SS) 29300
Figure 5: Object Oriented Code Structure
Reactor Effluent
Dodecanol (C12H26O) 5,120
Tetradecanol (C14H30O) 5,120
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 27,400
Water (H2O) 70,600
Cellular Solids (C5H7O2N) 20,800
Bicarbonate (HCO3
-) 935
Ammonium (NH4
+) 276
Glucose (C6H12O6) 2,430
Oxygen (O2) 144
Total 133,000
Table 2: Feed Composition and Conditions
Figure 2: Dodecanol (Fatty Alcohol) Chemical Structure
• Mechanical vapor recompression evaporators (x4)
• Agitated, aerated bioreactors (x20)
• Incremental seed reactors (x5)
• Centrifuge (x16)
• Filter
Equipment Used
Global Selling Price: $2.50/kg
Required Minimum Selling Price: $4.25/kg*
* Best case scenario
Figure 6: Cost Contributors
3 C6H12O6 →6 CO2 + 5 H2O + C12H26O
7 C6H12O6 → 14 CO2 + 12 H2O + 2 C14H30O
0.0125 O2 + 0.03748 C6H12O6 + 0.0425 HCO3
- + 0.0425 NH4
+→0.1825
H2O + 0.055 CO2 + 0.0425 C5H7O2N
PROCESS SIMULATION & DESIGN
RESULTS
Reactor Specifications
Reactor Q (m3/hr) 97.2
Min. Volume (m3) 11,539
Turnaround Time (hr) 10
Accumulated Vol. over
turnaround time (m3)
972
Total Volume (m3) 12,500
Total # of reactors 20
Reaction time (hr) 129
Residence time (hr) 119
• Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant and mostly underutilized
source for fermentable sugars produced via hydrolytic conversion.
• Fatty alcohols can be used as detergents, industrial solvents,
emulsifiers, and may be further refined into biofuels.
• Currently, most fatty alcohols are derived from palm kernel oil, coconut
oil, or petrochemical sources (sustainability issues).
• Process: lignocellulosic hydrolysate → (genetically modified
microorganism) → fatty alcohols
• Economic sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the factors
affecting the selling price and production costs
Table 3: Reactor Specifications
Purchase CostOperating Cost Utilities Cost
MSP vs Feed Cost
Y=5.3x+2.4
MSP vs Productivity vs Yield (gal)
MSP vs Productivity vs Yield (kg) Number of Reactors vs Productivity vs Yield
Productivity
MSP ($) MSP ($)
MSP ($) MSP ($)
Feed Cost
Compressor
Evaporator
Heat X
Reactors
Reactor Aeration
Seed Reactors
Centrifuge
Reactors
Compressor
Centrifuge
Seed Reactors
Feed Cost / Year
General Admin
Expenses
Solids Treatment
Tax / Insurance
Overhead
Maintenance
Labor
Utilities