Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of industrial production of ammonia via bio-oil conversion

Ji-Lu Zheng, Ya-Hong Zhu, Yan-Yan Dong, Yue Chen and Ming-Qiang Zhu

Energy, 2023, vol. 280, issue C

Abstract: This work assess the economic feasibility and environmental burdens of ammonia generation via distributed bio-oil production from corn stover and a central bio-oil reforming pathway or a central bio-oil partial oxidation pathway. The total capital investment is $1,254, 702, 937 for the reforming pathway and $1,273, 047, 866 for the partial oxidation pathway, respectively. The minimum selling price is separately $0.992/kg ammonia for the reforming pathway and $1.05/kg ammonia for the partial oxidation pathway, assuming a standard discount rate of 10%. A sensitivity and optimal analysis shows that the optimal minimum selling price could be as low as $0.39/kg ammonia for the steam-reforming pathway. Global warming potential is 1.11 kgCO2-eq/kg ammonia for the steam-reforming pathway and 1.66 kgCO2-eq/kg ammonia for the partial oxidation pathway, respectively. In this life cycle assessment study, other two categories including eco-indicator 99 and cumulative energy demand were also considered. Finally, the cost for buying or utilizing 1 MJ of biohydrogen contained in ammonia carrier is only 2% of that for buying or utilizing 1 MJ of biohydrogen stored in high pressure tanks. Overall, ammonia production via bio-oil conversion, especially bio-oil steam-reforming, could be more environmental-friendly than ammonia production via petrochemical synthesis, suggesting the economically attractive process in the near future.

Keywords: Bio-oil; Ammonia production; Techno-economic analysis; Life cycle assessment (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:280:y:2023:i:c:s0360544223016171

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.128223

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