Eco-efficiency analysis and intensification of the biodiesel production process through vapor recompression strategy

Leomário Guedes do Nascimento, Luciane Pimentel Costa Monteiro, Rita de Cássia Colman Simões and Diego Martinez Prata

Energy, 2023, vol. 275, issue C

Abstract: Biodiesel production has increased worldwide with the potential for developing renewable and sustainable energy technologies and its intensification using a vapor recompression strategy is studied in this paper. The conventional process design and the proposed intensification were designed by computer simulation in UniSim Software. A utility plant with cooling water and steam generation sections was also considered for more accurate results regarding water consumption, CO2 emissions, and utility costs. Finally, in order to establish an overall means for performance analysis, such indicators were grouped in a joint evaluation approach using the Comparative Eco-Efficiency Index. The vapor recompression technology applied to biodiesel production from waste cooking oil proved to be a convenient strategy since it significantly improved the original process performance, with reductions of 65.9% in water consumption, 68.4% in CO2 emissions, 56.6% in utility costs, and consequently increased the process' eco-efficiency by 86.9%. This is in accordance with the United Nations' sustainable development goals as well as improves the competitiveness of biodiesel on the market.

Keywords: Acidic transesterification; Eco-efficiency; Process intensification; Review; Sustainable development goals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:275:y:2023:i:c:s0360544223008733

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.127479

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