Comparative techno-economic assessment of production of microcrystalline cellulose, microcrystalline nitrocellulose, and solid biofuel for biorefinery of pistachio shell

Abstract

The biorefinery of pistachio shell (PS) for producing microcrystalline cellulose (MC), microcrystalline nitrocellulose (MNC), and biochar (PSB) was techno-economically assessed. A rapid recyclable nitric acid treatment purely isolated 32–41 % of PS as MC particles (crystallinity index of 86 %) at 80 °C for 90 min. A facile synthesis obtained MNC particles (crystallinity index of 79 %) with a nitrogen content of 10.81 % from the MC. The PSB with the HHV value of 27.82 MJ/kg and 24 % production yield was achieved as biocoal via pyrolysis at 400 °C for 30 min. The incorporation of sulfuric acid pre-dehydration with pyrolysis temperature and time improved the PSB yield up to 28 %, while lowering the HHV to 24.12 MJ/kg. The NPV, IRR, ROI, and payback time indicated that the MC and MNC production from PS could make them suitable for future commercialization; however, the PSB production was not profitable because it could not compete with coal.