Process design and economic analysis of a hypothetical bioethanol production plant using carob pod as feedstock

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2012-01, Vol.104, p.324-328
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Segado, S., Lozano, L.J., de los Ríos, A.P., Hernández-Fernández, F.J., Godínez, C., Juan, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioethanol; Biofuels - economics; Biofuels - microbiology; Bioreactors - economics; Bioreactors - microbiology; Carob; Carob pod; Ceratonia siliqua; Computer Simulation; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Economic analysis; Ethanol; Ethanol - economics; Ethanol - isolation & purification; Ethanol - metabolism; Ethyl alcohol; Galactans - economics; Galactans - metabolism; Green Chemistry Technology - methods; Mannans - economics; Mannans - metabolism; Manufacturing engineering; Mathematical analysis; Models, Biological; Models, Economic; Plant Gums - economics; Plant Gums - metabolism; Plants (organisms); Process design; Spain; Transformations
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.10.046

► The process design of a bioethanol production plant from carob pod is carried out and an economic analysis is made. ► Total fixed capital investment estimated for the process is similar to that reported for traditional feedstocks. ► Ethanol production cost for the proposed process is also similar to that reported for traditional feedstocks. ► Feedstock prices lower than 0.188€/kg makes the process profitable. A process for the production of ethanol from carob (Ceratonia siliqua) pods was designed and an economic analysis was carried out for a hypothetical plant. The plant was assumed to perform an aqueous extraction of sugars from the pods followed by fermentation and distillation to produce ethanol. The total fixed capital investment for a base case process with a capacity to transform 68,000t/year carob pod was calculated as 39.61 millon euros (€) with a minimum bioethanol production cost of 0.51€/L and an internal rate of return of 7%. The plant was found to be profitable at carob pod prices lower than 0.188€/kg. An increase in the transformation capacity of the plant from 33,880 to 135,450t/year was calculated to result in an increase in the internal rate of return from 5.50% to 13.61%. The obtained results show that carob pod is a promising alternative source for bioethanol production.