Techno-economic analysis of Castor (Ricinus communis) Oil Refinery Process Simulation

Abstract

Castor (Ricinus communis) plants have been cultivated. Castor oil has been cultivated and has become one of the world’s major commodities, with the leading producer being India. Castor oil’s primary products and derivatives include Hydrogenated Castor Oil (HCO), polymers, lubricants, and biodiesel. Conventional extraction is usually done using a machine or hot water extraction methods. In large industries, extraction is carried out to obtain high purity with the help of solvents. Organic solvents are suitable for extraction, such as methanol, ethanol, and n-hexane, which are the most commonly used. This research aims to obtain techno-economic feasibility through a simulation of castor oil production using SuperPro Designer version 13.0. The extraction process is carried out in two stages: mechanical extraction followed by water degumming, neutralization, and adsorption with activated carbon. Production capacity and technology used are adjusted to existing companies and literature. From the results of the economic analysis, this production process is feasible with an IRR of 32.11%, a PBP of 3.25 years, and a BC Ratio of 1.05.