Exergetic and exergoeconomic analyses of Eucheuma cottoni residue biorefinery for co-production of polylactic acid and electricity

Yee Kai Lim, Inn Shi Tan, Henry Chee Yew Foo, Yie Hua Tan, Man Kee Lam and Mee Kee Wong

Energy, 2024, vol. 300, issue C

Abstract: This research evaluates the thermodynamic performance of three polylactic acid (PLA) biorefinery scenarios, utilizing Eucheuma cottoni residue (ECR), as raw material. The thermodynamic properties of three biorefinery scenarios were obtained through Aspen Plus® V14 to conduct exergy analysis. Ultrasonic-assisted molten salt hydrates minimized the amount of ECR needed by 80.8 % to produce 1000 kg/h of PLA. The fermentation unit exhibited the highest destroyed exergy in Scenarios 1 and 2, while it was the combined heat and power (CHP) unit for Scenario 3. Scenario 3, integrated with power generation and a proper waste management system, had the highest functional exergy efficiency (22.33 %). Exergoeconomic analysis was conducted after obtaining results from exergy analysis. The unit exergoeconomic cost of PLA was 188 USD/GJ in Scenario 1, while it was 187.88 USD/GJ in Scenarios 2 and 3. The unit exergoeconomic cost of electricity and fertilizer is 35.91 USD/GJ and 250.31 USD/GJ, respectively. Pretreatment and hydrolysis unit had the highest exergoeconomic factor. LA recovery unit of all biorefinery was found to have an adequate level of exergoeconomic factor.

Keywords: Polylactic acid; Exergy analysis; Macroalgae waste; Exergoeconomic; Biorefinery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224013719
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:300:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224013719

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131598

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().