A Systematic Framework to Determine Optimal Economic Performance of Biorefineries1-6

摘要

The integrated biorefinery has the potential to provide a strong, self-dependent alternative to the use of fossil fuels for the production of chemicals and energy, but difficulties arise in measuring the potential economic and environmental benefit of the biorefinery. A myriad of products and production pathways are possible in this growing field of biorefining, and the production path with maximum value and minimum environmental impact cannot be determined on heuristics alone. A framework is needed to determine the most optimal route based on measures of economic and environmental performance. Gross profit and net present value are used as economic metrics in the short term and long term respectively, and environmental impact is measured using the WAR algorithm developed by Young and Cabezas [1999]. Top candidates in economic and environmental performance are then subject to process integration techniques in order to minimize mass and energy usage, and these integrated biorefineries are once again analyzed for optimal performance.