Experimental Optimization with the Emphasis on Techno-Economic Analysis of Production and Purification of High Value-Added Bioethanol from Sustainable Corn Stover

Sara E. AbdElhafez, Tarek Taha, Ahmed E. Mansy, Eman El-Desouky, Mohamed A. Abu-Saied, Khloud Eltaher, Ali Hamdy, Gomaa El Fawal, Amr Gamal, Aly M. Hashim, Abdallah S. Elgharbawy, Mona M. Abd El-Latif, Hesham Hamad () and Rehab M. Ali ()
Additional contact information
Sara E. AbdElhafez: Fabrication Technology Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Tarek Taha: Environmental Biotechnology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Ahmed E. Mansy: Environment and Natural Materials Research Institute (ENMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Eman El-Desouky: Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Ibrahimia 21321, Alexandria, Egypt
Mohamed A. Abu-Saied: Polymeric Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Khloud Eltaher: Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Ibrahimia 21321, Alexandria, Egypt
Ali Hamdy: Environmental Biotechnology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Gomaa El Fawal: Polymeric Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Amr Gamal: Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bek 21568, Alexandria, Egypt
Aly M. Hashim: Central Laboratory, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Abdallah S. Elgharbawy: Materials Science Department, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research (IGSR), Alexandria University, Shatby 21526, Alexandria, Egypt
Mona M. Abd El-Latif: Fabrication Technology Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Hesham Hamad: Fabrication Technology Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Rehab M. Ali: Fabrication Technology Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-33

Abstract: Bioethanol-derived biomass is a green sustainable source of energy that is highly recommended as an efficient alternative to the replacement of fossil fuels. However, this type of bioethanol production is always expensive with very low bioethanol concentration. Therefore, this work aims to represent a facile and green approach for bioethanol production with high concentration and purity as well as reasonable cost from corn stover (CS). The goal of this study is to characterize CS and its treated samples with maleic acid (CSM) using various characterization analyses, such as proximate and ultimate analysis, HHV, TGA, FTIR, SEM, and CHNS. The bioethanol production stages: Pretreatment, enzymatic degradation, fermentation, and finally bioethanol separation and purification via the pervaporation process, which have been investigated and optimized are associated with the economic analysis. The optimum operating condition of the pretreatment process was 2% maleic acid, 1:20 solid-to-liquid ratio at 45 psi, 120 °C, and 1 h of operation in the autoclave. This process contributes to 53 and 45% lignin and hemicellulose removal, 98% cellulose recovery, and a glucose yield of 741 mg/dL. The yeast isolate succeeded in the production of 1230 mg/dL of bioethanol. This isolated yeast strain was close to Pichia nakasei with a similarity of 98%, and its amplified 18S rRNA gene sequence was deposited in GenBank with the accession number MZ675535. Poly (MMA- co -MA) membrane was synthesized, characterized, and its efficiency for increasing the bioethanol concentration was evaluated using the integrated pervaporation technique. The techno-economic analysis is presented in detail to evaluate the process profitability, which achieves a considerable profit for the whole duration of the project without any losses as it reaches a net profit of USD 1 million in 2023, reaching USD 2.1 million in 2047 for a company with a capacity of 32 thousand tons per year. The sequential strategy offers a promising approach for efficient bioethanol production under mild and environmentally friendly conditions that enable its implication industrially.

Keywords: corn stover; pretreatment; maleic acid; delignification; enzymatic degradation; fermentation; membranes; pervaporation; bioethanol; techno-economic analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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