Exergo-ecological analysis and life cycle assessment of agro-wastes using a combined simulation approach based on Cape-Open to Cape-Open (COCO) and SimaPro free-software

Daniela Zalazar-Garcia, Anabel Fernandez, Leandro Rodriguez-Ortiz, Erick Torres, Andrés Reyes-Urrutia, Marcelo Echegaray, Rosa Rodriguez and Germán Mazza

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 201, issue P1, 60-71

Abstract: Thermochemical processes to convert bio-wastes into valuable products and bioenergy have been extensively studied in the literature. Experimental and, to a lesser extent, rigorous simulation papers concerning these processes have been widely considered and discussed in the literature. Nonetheless, there is still a gap to fill in providing a fast and reliable simulation scheme. In this paper, an efficient simulation strategy, combining the free-software COCO simulator for the bio-waste slow pyrolysis coupled with commercial SimaPro code to carry out the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), was applied. The pyrolysis product yields at 673, 773, and 873 K were well predicted using mass and energy balances and a proposed reaction scheme from the literature. Simulations were validated using experimental data previously reported. The highest yield was 53.7% for biochar (673 K – stalk of white grape), 32% for bio-oil (773 K - marc of red grape), and 56.3% for gas (873 K - marc of white grape). The results from LCA and cumulative exergy demand (CExD) were useful to detect and reduce environmental impacts in previous stages of the process.

Keywords: Slow pyrolysis; COCO Simulation; Lignocellulosic bio-waste; Bio-energy; Life cycle assessment; SimaPro (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:201:y:2022:i:p1:p:60-71

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.10.084

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