Abstract
For the first time, a steady state computational simulation for the production of biodiesel from meat processing dissolved air flotation sludge via an integrated process of in-situ hydrolysis and esterification technologies has been investigated. Important thermophysical properties of the intrinsic lipids of dissolved air flotation sludge were estimated using chemical constituent fragment methods. The environmental performance and the economic performance of the biodiesel production process were assessed via the estimation of the net energy ratio (NER) and the unit production cost, respectively. Since electrical energy requirements may be satisfied via either non-renewable (case A) or renewable sources (case B), the NER was determined for both scenarios. To enhance the robustness of the study results, uncertainties in the NER and the unit cost of the biodiesel production process due to the variability of the underlying study assumptions were also assessed. Uncertainty analysis indicated that the likely range of the NER for the biodiesel production process for cases A and B are 1.76 to 3.32 and 1.82 to 3.36, respectively, at 95% probability. Uncertainty analysis also showed that the likely range of the unit production cost for biodiesel is $US0.41/kg-biodiesel to $US0.71/kg-biodiesel at 95% probability. The results that were obtained in this study therefore provide evidence of both the environmental sustainability and the economic viability of biodiesel production from dissolved air flotation sludge via the proposed integrated process of in-situ hydrolysis and esterification.
Highlights
The utilisation of biodiesel as an alternative fuel has been identified as a practical method of improving the environmental sustainability of energy consuming processes
The poorer economic performance of the biodiesel production process is largely due to the high feedstock cost that characterises the process, with previous studies suggesting that the biodiesel feedstock may account for 60% to 80% of total biodiesel production cost [2]
investment cost (It) has been demonstrated that the mean net energy ratio of the biodiesel production process is 2.54 and 2.59 when electricity is generated from fossil sources and renewable sources, respectively
Summary
The utilisation of biodiesel as an alternative fuel has been identified as a practical method of improving the environmental sustainability of energy consuming processes. In spite of the obvious environmental benefits of biodiesel utilisation, the wider commercialisation of biodiesel production processes has far been limited This is because biodiesel production processes generally present poorer economic performances when compared with existing fossil diesel production processes [1]. In an attempt to counter high feedstock cost concerns, the feasibility of large-scale biodiesel production from cheaper unconventional feedstocks has been extensively investigated via simulation studies in the literature. Examples of such studies include assessments of the large-scale biodiesel production from un-conventional feedstocks of Nannochloropsis salina algae and sewage sludge [3,4]
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