Scope for process design through the integration of 1G bio-ethanol

production and 2G multi-product biorefinery

Oral Presentation
Date: 30/9
Time: 15:00-15:20
Room:
METITERRANEE2

A. D. Mountraki (1,2), B. Benjelloun- Mlayah (1), A. C. Kokossis (2)

(1) Compagnie Industrielle de la Matire Vgtale (CIMV), 109, Rue Jean Bart - Diapason A - F-31670 Labge, France
(2) School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 9, Iroon Polytechniou, Athens, GR-15780, Greece
a.mountraki@cimv.fr / mountrak@central.ntua.gr

Challenges towards a Bio-based economy

Methodology

Develop technology for sustainable and holistic biomass use.

The 3 layer approach [2], enriched in our case with the

Development and implementation of sustainable value chains.

retrofit options:

Technology development and biorefinery scale-up using best practices.

Process Synthesis to screen products and paths

Profitability is the main barrier for the transition towards a Bio Economy [1].
First Generation Biorefineries (1G)

respect to raw material and energy use, and

Use renewable feedstock but they compete for food and water
resources.
Lower environmental impact compared with the conventional
refineries
Exist in full industrial scale plants but produce mainly a single
product

Process Integration to target performance with

Modeling at different levels to produce mass and
energy balances for provisioning the other layers with
the necessary information

The minimization of modifications depends heavily on what is installed.

The design integration depends on the product portfolio selected.

The challenge in integrating with 2nd generation biorefinery

Second Generation Biorefineries (2G)

Valorize feedstock that is not competitive with food, including also
more options.

Large product portfolio

Offer several options of product portfolios through thermochemical and bio-chemical routes.

The

different

treatment

of

key

products (C6, C5 and lignin) gives

Industrial scale plants started to emerge.

options to different valorization paths

Objectives

Different integration design with

Use second generation technology to update the existing industries.

Existing industrial infrastructures can be the starting point of
developing biorefineries.

1G gives different product portfolio

*

Minimize energy under minimum modifications.

Find the optimal and detailed design.

*Biolignin TM: lignin product of CIMV

Integrated Design 2: Three main products Ethanol, Biolignin & Xylose

Case Study
Upgrade an existing 1G process [3] by integrating a 2G multi-product biorefinery technology
(CIMV Process TM).

Different
Integration options
Different design
options
Different product
options

Ferment glucose in the existing

installation of 1G plant.
More

production

of

1st

generation ethanol.

Heating: 313,4 MW
Cooling: 215,0 MW
Ethanol 99,5% :
16,8tn/hr

Results
Integrated Design 3: Four main products Ethanol, Biolignin, Xylose
& Glucose

Stand alone processes

Heating: 186,7 MW
Cooling: 153,0 MW
Ethanol 99,5% :
10tn/hr

Heating: 161,3 MW
Cooling: 145,0 MW
Ethanol 99,5% :
10tn/hr

Integrated Design 1: Two main products Ethanol & Biolignin

Production of 1st generation

ethanol and 2nd generation
key-products (glucose, xylose
and Biolignin TM).
More value chain options.

Heating: 257,4 MW
Cooling: 171,8 MW
Ethanol 99,5% :
10tn/hr

Key Conclusions
2G co-hydrolysis, co-fermentation
of C5 and C6 sugars into 2G
ethanol.
Use

the

process
ethanol.

for

existing
the

downstream

purification

of

Numerous options for different design patterns and different number of products.
Heating: 347,0 MW
Cooling: 242,3 MW
Ethanol 99,5% :
20tn/hr

More products with less energy (counter-intuitive).

Process integration is critical to efficiency and profitability.
Process integration depends on product portfolio.
Biorefinery gains credits as it becomes larger.

References
[1] Jrgensen H. (2015). IEA Bioenergy, The role of industry in a transition towards the BioEconomy in relation to biorefinery, Task 42 Biorefining.
[2] Mountraki A.D., Nikolakopoulos A., Mlayah B.B., Kokossis A.C. (2011) BIOCORE- A systems integration paradigm in the real-life development of a lignocellulosic biorefinery. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 29 , pp. 1381-1385
[3] Dias MOS (2008) Simulation of ethanol production processes from sugar and sugarcane bagasse, aiming process integration and maximization of energy and bagasse surplus [Simulao do processo de produo de etanol a partir do acar e do
bagao, visando a integrao do processo e a maximizao da produo de energia e excedentes do bagao] (in Portuguese). MSc Dissertation (Chemical Engineering), School of Chemical Engineering, University of Campinas

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Financial support from the Consortium of Marie Curie project RENESENG (FP7-607415) is gratefully acknowledged.