Key factors in designing a robust biorefinery feedstock preprocessing system (original) (raw)
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Data driven decision support for reliable biomass feedstock preprocessing
2017
Biomass feedstock preprocessing through comminution is an essential first step in biofuel production. Chemical, physical and mechanical variability in feedstock prevents the preprocessing plants from assuming constant control parameters. Constant control parameters can lead to suboptimal capability and reliability. However, adapting the control parameters to account for the variabilities is not a trivial task. This paper presents a framework for adapting control parameters through data driven methodologies. The framework named PDU-RS is a decision support system for human in the loop control. PDU-RS is implemented on the Biofuels National User Facility Preprocessing Process Demonstration Unit (PDU), operated by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls, Idaho. PDU-RS aims at ensuring reliability in the overall operations of the PDU while maximizing throughput. Presented implementation of the PDU-RS uses Gaussian Processes (GP) for knowledge extraction from data. This paper elaborates on the PDU-RS and presents the experimental results of implementing the PDU-RS on the real Biomass PDU. The experimental results demonstrated that the PDU-RS is able to produce significantly higher throughputs while ensuring higher reliability when compared to the traditional control methodology used with the system.
2004
Biorefineries combine necessary technologies between biogenic raw material and the industrial intermediates and final products. The paper represents the providing code-defined basic substances (via fractionation for the development of industrially relevant product family trees). The main focus is directed on precursor-containing biomass with preference of the carbohydrate line, in particulary on bulk chemical lactic acid and their sequence products, e.g. polylactic acid. Futhermore potential industrial biorefineries are described, such as lignocellulosic feedstock biorefinery, green biorefinery and whole corn biorefinery.
Early design-stage biorefinery process selection
Tappi Journal
A methodology for the evaluation of biorefinery processes at the early design stage was developed with the goal of screening out less promising options, involving multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) panels. Panel members were asked to express the relative importance of a set of evaluation criteria for biorefinery process implementation at a pulp and paper mill (see: J. Cohen, et al., "Critical Analysis of Emerging Forest Biorefinery (FBR) Technologies for Ethanol Production," Pulp and Paper Canada, vol. 111, pp. 24-30, 2010). Three different panels were carried with this same objective., The main goal of this paper is to compare the results in order to assess the differences between the panels. Two MCDM panels were conducted comprised of biorefinery specialists having similar backgrounds from government and academia, and one MCDM panel was conducted consisting of pulp and paper industry decision-makers. In general, it was found that there was a high degree of consensus b...
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2013
This paper presents a systematic approach to identify the optimal pathway configurations of a biorefinery while incorporating technical, economic, and environmental objectives. This problem is formulated as a generalized disjunctive programming model which accounts for the simultaneous selection of products, feedstocks, and processing steps. The optimal solution can involve multiproduct and multifeedstock biorefineries. The optimization model takes into account two potentially conflicting objectives, the maximization of the net profit and the minimization of the greenhouse gas emissions, while considering the number of processing steps. The environmental criterion is measured using the life cycle assessment methodology. The εconstraint method is used to determine the Pareto curves of this multiobjective optimization problem and to show the trade-offs between the competing objectives. A case study is presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed methodology for the optimal selection of the biorefinery configuration for the conditions of Mexico under several scenarios. The results show that the optimal combination of different feedstocks and products allows for proper trade-off between the economic and environmental objectives. Results also show that bioethanol, biodiesel, and biohydrogen usually appear as products, whereas sugar cane, jatropha, and microalgae appear as feedstocks in the optimal pathways.