Minimum Selling Price Research Articles

Techno-economic analysis of ionic liquid pre-treatment integrated pyrolysis of biomass for co-production of furfural and levoglucosenone

In the current work, a techno-economic analysis of pyrolysis of choline glycinate pre-treated biomass has been presented for the co-production of furfural and levoglucosenone along with hemicellulose, lignin and biochar as other byproducts. The mass balance suggested that the 1800 kg/h dry sugarcane straw biorefinery plant could produce about 260 kg/h furfural and 65 kg/h levoglucosenone. The minimum selling price of furfural and levoglucosenone were also estimated and the values were 1640 and 3590 AU$/tonne at 11.1 % biomass loading with 99 % ionic liquid recycling for furfural and levoglucosenone as the target products, respectively. The base case analysis suggested around 6.9 MAU$ NPV with a payback period of 15.4 years. The sensitivity analysis suggested that biomass loading, ionic liquid recycling and cost, waste heat recovery, furfural yield, interest rate and capital cost are the major influential factors for both the minimum selling price of furfural and levoglucosenone.

Microalgae Commercialization Using Renewable Lignocellulose Is Economically and Environmentally Viable.

Conventional phototrophic cultivation for microalgae production suffers from low and unstable biomass productivity due to limited and unreliable light transmission outdoors. Alternatively, the use of a renewable lignocellulose-derived carbon source, cellulosic hydrolysate, offers a cost-effective and sustainable pathway to cultivate microalgae heterotrophically with high algal growth rate and terminal density. In this study, we evaluate the feasibility of cellulosic hydrolysate-mediated heterotrophic cultivation (Cel-HC) for microalgae production by performing economic and environmental comparisons with phototrophic cultivation through techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment. We estimate a minimum selling price (MSP) of 4722 USD/t for producing high-purity microalgae through Cel-HC considering annual biomass productivity of 300 t (dry weight), which is competitive with the conventional phototrophic raceway pond system. Revenues from the lignocellulose-derived co-products, xylose and fulvic acid fertilizer, could further reduce the MSP to 2976 USD/t, highlighting the advantages of simultaneously producing high-value products and biofuels in an integrated biorefinery scheme. Further, Cel-HC exhibits lower environmental impacts, such as cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, than phototrophic systems, revealing its potential to reduce the carbon intensity of algae-derived commodities. Our results demonstrate the economic and environmental competitiveness of heterotrophic microalgae production based on renewable bio-feedstock of lignocellulose.

Low carbon hydrogen production in Canada via natural gas pyrolysis

Large scale, low cost, and low carbon intensity hydrogen production is needed to reduce emissions in the energy and transportation sectors. We present a techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of natural gas pyrolysis technologies for hydrogen production, with carbon black (CB) as a co-product. Four designs were considered based on the source of heat to the pyrolysis system, the combustion medium, and use of carbon capture (CC) technology. The oxygen-fired-CB design with CC is the most attractive from financial and environmental perspectives, superior to a conventional steam methane reformer (SMR) process with CC. The estimated pre-tax minimum hydrogen selling prices for the pyrolysis technologies range between $1.08/kg and $2.43/kg when natural gas (NG) costs $3.76/GJ. Key advantages include near-zero onsite GHG emissions of the oxygen-fired-CB design with CC and up to 41% lower GHG emissions compared to the SMR + CC process. The results indicate that natural gas pyrolysis may be a feasible pathway for hydrogen production.

INFLUENCE OF BIOMASS PRETREATMENT ON SUBSEQUENT PYROLYSIS AND HYDRODEOXYGENATION IN BIO-BASED TRANSPORT FUELS AND CHEMICALS PRODUCTION: A CRITICAL REVIEW

The present article aims to review the influence of various biomass pretreatments on the production of bio-based transportation fuel and chemicals via pyrolysis and hydrodeoxygenation (HDO). The article includes the influence of different thermochemical pretreatments such as dry torrefaction (DT), wet torrefaction (WT), steam explosion treatment (SET), hot water extraction (HWE), acid treatment (ACT), and alkali treatment (AKT) on bio-oil yield and bio-oil properties. HDO primarily includes dehydration, hydrogenolysis, decarbonylation, and hydrogenation. HDO can be classified based on stages (single and two-stage HDO), reaction pressure (high and low), and hydrogen presence (ex situ and in situ). The recent developments, advantages, and drawbacks associated with different types of HDO processes have been included. The article includes recent studies on designing various catalysts based on HDO conversion of different bio-oil compositions or selective model compounds to targeted bio-based products. The various biomass pretreatments impact the concentration of certain families of organic compounds present in bio-oil. Hence, the present review article also includes recommendations of specific biomass pretreatments for various HDO catalysts designed for selective model compounds or different bio-oil compositions. Few praiseworthy techno-economic analysis (TEA) studies on the influence of different biomass pretreatments on the minimum selling price (MSP) of bio-based products obtained at various production stages have been discussed.

Avaliação bioeconômica da terminação de ovinos sob pastejo utilizando torta de mamona

Abstract This study evaluates the economic viability of sheep finishing systems on irrigated Tamani grass pasture under continuous stocking, using castor bean cake. Four production systems were simulated: sheep supplemented with soybean meal on pasture fertilized with urea (SMUR), sheep supplemented with detoxified castor bean cake on pasture fertilized with urea (CCdUR), sheep supplemented with soybean meal on pasture fertilized with in natura castor bean cake (SMCC) and sheep supplemented with detoxified castor bean cake on pasture fertilized with in natura castor bean cake (CCdCC). A minimum unit of 3 hectares and an average slaughter weight of 28 kg were considered. A minimum selling price, at which the least profitable system would become profitable, was stablished: US$ 2.38 and US$ 4.45/kg per kilogram of body weight and carcass weight equivalent, adopting a minimum rate of return of 3.5% per year, based on the Selic rate. The costs for organic fertilization were 46.01% higher than in systems using chemical fertilization. The selling of live animals was not attractive in any of the systems evaluated, and the opposite was observed for the selling of carcasses and non-carcass components. System SMUR proved to be more profitable, with a gain of US$ 0.53 per kg carcass.

Random misplacement and production process reliability: A sustainable industrial approach to deal with the discrepancy and deficiency

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>Inventory inaccuracy emerges as a significant management issue, leading to profit losses within the supply chain network. This study focused on randomly misplaced inventory. Here an integrated inventory model has been constructed with two-stage production with two manufacturing units. The first manufacturer produces semi-finished goods, while the second manufacturer produces the finished items. The reliability becomes a concern if the first manufacturer's production capacity is higher than that of the second one. Hence, process reliability has been considered to make the model more realistic. Proper handling of used products has been considered for sustainability purposes, and these items are either remanufactured or repaired. The manufacturer bears the stock out, and the remanufactured items are supposed to deal with the absence of material. Moreover, as the repairing may be cost-effective while remanufacturing, the manufacturer opts to repair the remaining items and resell them in the secondary market. The discrepancy resulted in a two-way loss to the retailer, as it reduced the product's business accessibility and built up the holding cost of the material. It is investigated with stochastic misplacement at the retailer's end, following the first kind's beta distribution. Idle time costs have also been considered. An analytical approach uses to derive the best policy for the provided model, and the numerical analysis illustrates the managerial perspicacity. The model's limitations have also been discussed, and a linear relationship is built between production cost and minimum selling price using the curve fitting least square method.</p>

Sustainable keratin recovery process using a bio-based ionic liquid aqueous solution and its techno-economic assessment

A sustainable process for keratin recovery from chicken feathers using a bio-based ionic liquid was developed. The minimum selling price calculated for keratin is 22 $ per kg, suitable for biomedical and cosmetic applications.

Circularity in polymers: addressing performance and sustainability challenges using dynamic covalent chemistries.

The circularity of current and future polymeric materials is a major focus of fundamental and applied research, as undesirable end-of-life outcomes and waste accumulation are global problems that impact our society. The recycling or repurposing of thermoplastics and thermosets is an attractive solution to these issues, yet both options are encumbered by poor property retention upon reuse, along with heterogeneities in common waste streams that limit property optimization. Dynamic covalent chemistry, when applied to polymeric materials, enables the targeted design of reversible bonds that can be tailored to specific reprocessing conditions to help address conventional recycling challenges. In this review, we highlight the key features of several dynamic covalent chemistries that can promote closed-loop recyclability and we discuss recent synthetic progress towards incorporating these chemistries into new polymers and existing commodity plastics. Next, we outline how dynamic covalent bonds and polymer network structure influence thermomechanical properties related to application and recyclability, with a focus on predictive physical models that describe network rearrangement. Finally, we examine the potential economic and environmental impacts of dynamic covalent polymeric materials in closed-loop processing using elements derived from techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment, including minimum selling prices and greenhouse gas emissions. Throughout each section, we discuss interdisciplinary obstacles that hinder the widespread adoption of dynamic polymers and present opportunities and new directions toward the realization of circularity in polymeric materials.

Development of integrated screening, cultivar optimization, and verification research (DISCOVR): A coordinated research-driven approach to improve microalgal productivity, composition, and culture stability for commercially viable biofuels production

To address major knowledge gaps and barriers to the commercial development of algal biomass for biofuels and co-products, a collaborative consortium, Development of Integrated Screening, Cultivar Optimization, and Verification Research (DISCOVR), was established in 2016. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), this consortium constitutes a partnership between four DOE national laboratories - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) - and the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI) at Arizona State University.To address the barriers of strain selection for achieving high seasonal productivities with a suitable composition and culture resilience, a tiered strain down-selection pipeline is implemented. At Tier I, the temperature and salinity tolerance of strains is determined in flask cultures; at Tier II, the areal biomass productivity and composition is determined in climate-simulation photobioreactors; at Tier III, the productivity and culture stability are determined in outdoor raceways. The top performing strains move forward to long-term testing at the algae testbed site at AzCATI to generate annual biomass productivity data.Concurrent to the strain down-selection in the DISCOVR pipeline, hypotheses for increasing biomass productivity, shifting biomass composition to enhance intrinsic value, and improving culture stability and resistance to pests are also tested. Techno-economic analyses are carried out to determine whether promising findings from laboratory studies or proposed modifications in outdoor pond cultivation conditions translate into reductions in the minimum biomass selling price (MBSP). In the three years following the launch of DISCOVR, annual biomass productivity has increased from 11.7 to 17.6 g m−2 day−1, resulting in an MBSP decrease from 824 to 611 $ ton−1.

Development of a hybrid biorefinery for jet biofuel production

Jet biofuel (JBF) is identified as an essential solution to mitigate the carbon footprint of the aviation sector. Since aeroplanes rely solely on liquid fuels, the development of pathways that generates JBF as a major product has become crucial. Thus far, seven pathways to produce JBF have been developed and certified over the past decade. Each of these pathways accommodates a specific type of biomass. However, the availability, sustainability and feasibility of feedstocks to fulfil the growing demand on jet fuel remains an issue. As such, this study presents a holistic approach for the design of a state-of-the-art hybrid biorefinery that accommodates multiple biomass feedstocks across different categories including energy crops (i.e., Jatropha energy crop), dry biomass (i.e., municipal solid waste) and wet biomass (i.e., livestock manure). A Qatar-based industrial scale biorefinery was modelled in Aspen Plus® considering a pre-defined geospatial distribution of biomass and the optimal biorefinery site in the country. The hybrid system integrated advanced technologies such as hydroprocessing, Fischer-Tropsch, gasification, dry-reforming and hydrothermal liquefaction. While biomass optimal insertion streams were evaluated using a prediction model. Besides, intensive materials, heat, water and power integrations were performed to maximise JBF production, mitigate its environmental impact and control its cost. The system generated 328, 94 and 44 million litres of JBF, gasoline and diesel, respectively. Produced JBF was characterised and found to comply with all international standards. The generated JBF can substitute 15.3 % of Qatar’s jet fuel needs, while it can power around one third of its fleet considering a maximum allowable jet biofuel blend of 50 %. The proposed model achieved a minimum selling price of JBF at 0.43 $/kg, which is 22 % lower than the market price of conventional Jet-A fuel (2019). In addition, the environmental analysis of the model indicated a 41 % mitigation in greenhouse gas emissions achieved by JBF throughout its lifecycle, relative to Jet-A fuel.

Techno-economic analysis of an integrated biorefinery to convert poplar into jet fuel, xylitol, and formic acid

BackgroundThe overall goal of the present study is to investigate the economics of an integrated biorefinery converting hybrid poplar into jet fuel, xylitol, and formic acid. The process employs a combination of integrated biological, thermochemical, and electrochemical conversion pathways to convert the carbohydrates in poplar into jet fuel, xylitol, and formic acid production. The C5-sugars are converted into xylitol via hydrogenation. The C6-sugars are converted into jet fuel via fermentation into ethanol, followed by dehydration, oligomerization, and hydrogenation into jet fuel. CO2 produced during fermentation is converted into formic acid via electrolysis, thus, avoiding emissions and improving the process’s overall carbon conversion.ResultsThree different biorefinery scales are considered: small, intermediate, and large, assuming feedstock supplies of 150, 250, and 760 dry ktonne of poplar/year, respectively. For the intermediate-scale biorefinery, a minimum jet fuel selling price of $3.13/gallon was obtained at a discount rate of 15%. In a favorable scenario where the xylitol price is 25% higher than its current market value, a jet fuel selling price of $0.64/gallon was obtained. Co-locating the biorefinery with a power plant reduces the jet fuel selling price from $3.13 to $1.03 per gallon.ConclusionA unique integrated biorefinery to produce jet fuel was successfully modeled. Analysis of the biorefinery scales shows that the minimum jet fuel selling price for profitability decreases with increasing biorefinery scale, and for all scales, the biorefinery presents favorable economics, leading to a minimum jet fuel selling price lower than the current price for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The amount of xylitol and formic produced in a large-scale facility corresponds to 43% and 25%, respectively, of the global market volume of these products. These volumes will saturate the markets, making them infeasible scenarios. In contrast, the small and intermediate-scale biorefineries have product volumes that would not saturate current markets, does not present a feedstock availability problem, and produce jet fuel at a favorable price given the current SAF policy support. It is shown that the price of co-products greatly influences the minimum selling price of jet fuel, and co-location can further reduce the price of jet fuel.

Effect of biomass liquefaction on glucose and xylose prices predicted by National Renewable Energy Laboratory biochemical sugar model

AbstractThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published a model in 2017 that enables the minimum selling price of lignocellulosic sugar to be calculated. The model can be modified to suit any biomass feedstock and operational design. In the present case, the model is used to understand the economics of a process configuration that incorporates liquefaction as a preprocessing step in corn‐stover‐fed biorefinery. This study demonstrates a quantitative approach utilizing an existing biorefinery setup to simulate the biomass liquefaction technique while estimating the price of the resulting sugar product. The objective is to understand whether the addition of liquefaction methodology – and the substitution of acid pretreatment – can reduce the cost of lignocellulosic sugars. The reason for setting up a liquefaction unit at the start is to reduce the yield stress of biomass slurry so that the flow remains unrestricted downstream. The liquefaction process is also unique because it uses no chemicals and saves the cost of pretreatment. The pretreatment step is bypassed because the output of liquefaction can be fed into enzyme hydrolysis just after simple cooking. The liquefaction process can be performed in three modes: enzyme, enzyme mimetic, and a combination of enzyme and enzyme mimetic. The results from the BC1707 model indicate the minimum cost for the enzyme liquefaction route. © 2022 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Techno-economic assessment of jet fuel production using the Fischer-Tropsch process from steel mill gas

In order to reduce human-made global warming, the aviation industry is under pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from steel mill gases could help reduce the emissions intensity of jet fuel. This study presents a simulation, techno-economic assessment, and GHG emissions assessment of a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process using two steel mill gases (coke oven gas and blast furnace gas) as feedstock. The process was analysed both with and without carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce process emissions. The minimum viable selling price (MVSP) was determined to be 1,046 €/tonne for the standard scenario and 1,150 €/tonne for the CCS scenario, which is higher than the fossil-fuel-based benchmark (325–1,087 €/tonne since 2020), although similar to the lowest costs found for other SAF benchmarks. The GHG emissions intensity was found to be 49 gCO2-eq./MJ for the standard scenario and 21 gCO2-eq./MJ with CCS, far lower than the 88 gCO2-eq./MJ average for the conventional benchmark and in the mid-lower range of found emissions intensities for other SAF benchmarks. When a CO2 tax of 130 €/tonne is considered, the MVSP for the standard scenario increases to 1,320 €/tonne while the CCS scenario increases to 1,269 €/tonne, making them cost-competitive with the fossil-fuel benchmark (797–1,604 €/tonne). The studied process offers economically viable small-to-medium scale SAF plants (up to 50 kt/y SAF) at a CO2 tax of 190 €/tonne or higher for the CCS scenario and 290 €/tonne or higher for the standard scenario.

Economic and environmental analysis of plastics pyrolysis after secondary sortation of mixed plastic waste

Plastic usage has quickly grown in recent years as plastics have become an essential material in everyday life. Unfortunately, recycling rates have not matched the increased growth, with the majority of waste plastic currently landfilled in the United States. New chemical recycling technologies, i.e. pyrolysis, are needed to increase the recycling rates of waste plastics. However, pyrolysis is challenged with bridging of feed into the hot reactor and in the high cost of waste plastic feedstock. In this work a novel liquid-fed pyrolysis process, designed to eliminate bridging, was modeled through process simulation and assessed over a range of processing conditions. A secondary sortation of inexpensive mixed plastic waste from material recovery facilities provided a low-cost feedstock (PE, PP) for pyrolysis. A techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment found favorable economic and environmental results for pyrolysis oil when compared to fossil naphtha ($561/t, 0.52 kg CO2 eq./kg). A sensitivity analysis found the economic results most responsive to waste plastics feedstock costs, pyrolysis gas sales, operating capacity, and waste disposal costs. Furthermore, it is recommended to recover and sell sorted PET from the mixed plastic bale and implement heat integration in pyrolysis, which in our study achieved lower minimum selling price and greenhouse gas emissions for pyrolysis oil then for fossil naphtha.

Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of poly (butylene succinate) production using food waste

In this present study, the production of poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) from food waste was investigated and critical factors were evaluated. The economic feasibility of the process was investigated, as well as the minimum selling price (MSP) of PBS and sensitivity analysis of economic factors based on critical input parameters. 1,4-butanediol price and solvent usage in PBS purification significantly impacted economics during the process. In this process, the MSP of PBS was 3.5 $/kg. The Monte Carlo simulation technique was used to determine the uncertainty in the MSP of PBS. The plant’s return on investment (ROI), payback period, internal rate of return (IRR), and net present value (NPV) were 15.79 %, 6.33 years, 16.48 %, and 58,879,000 USD, respectively. The environmental impact factors were evaluated. The results showed the GHG emission from the process was 5.19 kg CO2-eq/kg of PBS which is low than conventional PBS production.

On the green hydrogen production through gasification processes: A techno-economic approach

Green hydrogen rises in the world energy scenario as one of the most promising non-carbon-based fuels capable of replacing fossil fuels. Biomass gasification is emerging as a cleaner and sustainable process of producing green hydrogen. Green hydrogen can be obtained by resorting to different biomass gasification processes. Moreover, techno-economic studies are essential to determining the viability of these processes and are missing in the literature. The novelty of this study is the identification of the gasification process that produces the highest hydrogen yields and the presentation of the viability conditions for three gasification plants aiming to produce green hydrogen. The methodology followed is based on the development of three models of biomass gasification processes (conventional, plasma, and supercritical water) in Aspen Plus® to estimate maximum hydrogen yields through a parametric study. The economic study was conducted based on economic indicators (net present value and payback) to assess the viability of each gasification process for green hydrogen production. The results suggest that supercritical water gasification is the most suitable process for hydrogen production, with hydrogen yields of 0.844 Nm3/kgbiomass. Hydrogen yields of 0.828 Nm3/kgbiomass, and 0.758 Nm3/kgbiomass were achieved for the conventional gasification and plasma gasification processes, respectively. From the economic assessment, it was concluded that none of the gasification processes are viable under the determined optimal operating conditions. A sensitivity analysis, however, revealed that conventional gasification is viable for steam-to-biomass ratios <3. Process intensification techniques were applied, revealing that supercritical water gasification can be viable for feed concentrations between 15 and 25%. A minimum selling price of 7 €/kg, 10 €/kg, and 13 €/kg were obtained for green hydrogen generated by the conventional, supercritical water, and plasma gasification processes, respectively. The results obtained in this study are of paramount importance for the hydrogen economy. However, this research should be supplemented by further intensifying the gasification processes in order to bring green hydrogen production costs down to a more competitive level.

Conceptual design and techno-economic assessment of coupled hydrothermal liquefaction and aqueous phase reforming of lignocellulosic residues

Hydrothermal liquefaction is a promising technology for producing renewable advanced biofuels. However, some weaknesses could undermine its large-scale application, such as the significant carbon loss in the aqueous phase (AP) and the necessity of biocrude upgrading. In order to deal with these challenges, in this work the techno-economic feasibility of coupling hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) with aqueous phase reforming (APR) was evaluated. APR is a catalytic process able to convert water-dissolved oxygenates into a hydrogen-rich gas that can be used for biocrude upgrading. Two cases were proposed, based on different lignocellulosic feedstocks: corn stover (CS) and lignin-rich stream (LRS) from cellulosic ethanol production. HTL-APR plants operating with the same mass flow (3.6 t/h) at 10 wt% solid loading were herein evaluated, resulting in an input size of 20 MW (LRS) and 16.5 MW (CS). Based on experimental and literature data, the mass and energy balances were performed; subsequently, the main equipment was designed; finally, the capital and operating costs were evaluated. The analysis showed that the minimum selling prices for the biofuel (0% internal rate of return) were 1.23 (LRS) and 1.27 €/kg (CS). The heat exchangers accounted for most of the fixed capital investment, while electricity and feedstock had the highest impact on the operating costs. The implementation of APR was particularly profitable with CS, as it produced 107% of the hydrogen required for biocrude upgrading. In this case, APR was able to significantly reduce the H2 production cost (1.5 €/kg) making it a competitive technology compared to conventional electrolysis.

Feasibility of gasifying mixed plastic waste for hydrogen production and carbon capture and storage

Waste plastic gasification for hydrogen production combined with carbon capture and storage is one technology option to address the plastic waste challenge. Here, we conducted a techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment to assess this option. The minimum hydrogen selling price of a 2000 oven-dry metric ton/day mixed plastic waste plant with carbon capture and storage is US$2.26–2.94 kg−1 hydrogen, which can compete with fossil fuel hydrogen with carbon capture and storage (US$1.21–2.62 kg−1 hydrogen) and current electrolysis hydrogen (US$3.20–7.70 kg−1 hydrogen). An improvement analysis outlines the roadmap for reducing the average minimum hydrogen selling price from US$2.60 to US$1.46 kg−1 hydrogen, which can be further lowered to US$1.06 kg−1 hydrogen if carbon credits are close to the carbon capture and storage costs along with low feedstock cost. The life cycle assessment results show that hydrogen derived from mixed plastic waste has lower environmental impacts than single-stream plastics.

An Economical Boil-Off Gas Management System for LNG Refueling Stations: Evaluation Using Scenario Analysis

The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the transportation sector is increasing, and boil-off gas (BOG) management systems are considered viable options to increase economic efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at LNG refueling stations. The present study proposed an economically optimized method by investigating four refueling station scenarios, including different BOG management systems. Among the four scenarios, the scenario in which compressed natural gas was produced from BOG had the lowest minimum selling price (MSP) and was the most economical. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were conducted for the economically optimal scenario, which identified the factors with the most influential impact and their uncertainties on the MSP. Finally, to determine the feasibility of the business through profitability analysis, the net present value, discounted payback period, and present value ratio due to changes in the discount rate were presented, and the discounted cash flow rate of return was found to be 13.22%. As a result of this study, a BOG management system can contribute to improving the economic feasibility for LNG refueling stations by reliquefying BOG and re-selling it (the most efficient way is scenario 4) and will provide an economical guide for countries with much demand for LNG in the transport sector.

Techno‐Economic assessment for superactive carbon production from side stream lignin

AbstractSuperactive carbon (SAC), having a high surface area of over 2500 m2/g, could be a superior choice for many applications. However, the manufacture of SAC in bulk quantities is challenging. To demonstrate the possibility of SAC manufacturing in large amounts, a techno‐economic assessment was performed. For that purpose, a new method utilizing a mixture of waste lignin, KOH and KCl was employed. The chemicals were recovered after use. The technical assessment was performed based on laboratory‐scale experimental findings, a simplified process diagram, and mass and heat balance calculations. The economic evaluation was assessed through the estimation of capital costs (CAPEX), operational costs (OPEX) and the minimum selling price (MSP). Moreover, to demonstrate the potential costs saving for the water treatment process, the performance of SAC for the removal of natural organic matter was compared with that of commercial active carbon. SAC was obtained at a minimized KOH amount (1 g/g) and chemicals were successfully recovered with a rate of 5–10% losses. The CAPEX, OPEX and MSP were found to be 4–21 million EUR, 1–9 million EUR/year and 4.4–2.9 kEUR/t for a 0.5–5.0 t/year production capacity, respectively, at a profitability requirement of 20% and a less than 5 year payback period. In addition, SAC demonstrated considerably higher adsorptive capacity for natural organic matter (600–900 mg total organic carbon/g) compared with commercial active carbon (40–50 mg total organic carbon/g), which could lead to substantial process savings. SAC manufacture through this method has been validated and the benefit for the potential application is sufficiently clear to promote the successful commercialization of SAC using lignin wastes. © 2022 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd.