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Title: Analysis of internal and external energy flows associated with projected process improvements in biomass ethanol production

Abstract

Possible improvements in biomass ethanol production are described involving heat-pumped distillation, steam-cycle heat integration, elimination of seed fermenters, pretreatment heat integration, advanced pretreatment, thermophilic DMC, and increased carbohydrate yield to 90% of theoretical. Relative to the current state-of-the-art National Renewable Energy Laboratory process design, the futuristic process has 101% higher electricity revenue, 31% higher ethanol revenue, and 35-39% higher overall revenue depending on the assumed ethanol value. The overall first-law thermodynamic efficiency is 43% for the current NREL design and 59% for the futuristic process. A general consideration of the costs associated with the process improvements examined indicates that: (1) Elimination of seed reactors, advanced pretreatment, and thermophilic DMC all have large potential cost reductions independent of their benefits with respect to increased surplus electricity; (2) Steam cycle improvements and pretreatment heat integration are expected to have modest cost benefits that are dependent on increased electricity revenues; and (3) The relative cost of heat-pumped distillation depends on scale, capital recovery, and electricity value, but is generally similar to the already low cost of conventional distillation provided that the fermentation broth has a reasonably high ethanol concentration. A comparison of utilizing biomass for ethanol-electricity coproduction and utilizing biomass for dedicated electricitymore » production indicates that these two alternatives have approximately equal economic benefits. At the electricity yields associated with the futuristic process, every 1% displacement of US transportation demand is accompanied by a 0.29% displacement of electricity demand, underscoring the potential significance of electricity coproduced with ethanol in meeting energy needs.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (United States)
  2. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
150442
Report Number(s):
CONF-940526-
CNN: Contract RD-1-11068;Contract XAE-3-13005-01-104386;Grant BCS-9058392; TRN: 95:007973-0055
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 16. symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals, Gatlinburg, TN (United States), 9-13 May 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Sixteenth symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals; Davison, B.H. [ed.] [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)]; Wyman, C.E. [ed.] [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)]; PB: 823 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; BIOCONVERSION; NET ENERGY; ETHANOL PLANTS; INPUT-OUTPUT ANALYSIS; TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT; ELECTRICITY; COGENERATION; ENERGY ACCOUNTING; ENERGY YIELD

Citation Formats

Stone, K, and Lynd, L R. Analysis of internal and external energy flows associated with projected process improvements in biomass ethanol production. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Stone, K, & Lynd, L R. Analysis of internal and external energy flows associated with projected process improvements in biomass ethanol production. United States.
Stone, K, and Lynd, L R. 1995. "Analysis of internal and external energy flows associated with projected process improvements in biomass ethanol production". United States.
@article{osti_150442,
title = {Analysis of internal and external energy flows associated with projected process improvements in biomass ethanol production},
author = {Stone, K and Lynd, L R},
abstractNote = {Possible improvements in biomass ethanol production are described involving heat-pumped distillation, steam-cycle heat integration, elimination of seed fermenters, pretreatment heat integration, advanced pretreatment, thermophilic DMC, and increased carbohydrate yield to 90% of theoretical. Relative to the current state-of-the-art National Renewable Energy Laboratory process design, the futuristic process has 101% higher electricity revenue, 31% higher ethanol revenue, and 35-39% higher overall revenue depending on the assumed ethanol value. The overall first-law thermodynamic efficiency is 43% for the current NREL design and 59% for the futuristic process. A general consideration of the costs associated with the process improvements examined indicates that: (1) Elimination of seed reactors, advanced pretreatment, and thermophilic DMC all have large potential cost reductions independent of their benefits with respect to increased surplus electricity; (2) Steam cycle improvements and pretreatment heat integration are expected to have modest cost benefits that are dependent on increased electricity revenues; and (3) The relative cost of heat-pumped distillation depends on scale, capital recovery, and electricity value, but is generally similar to the already low cost of conventional distillation provided that the fermentation broth has a reasonably high ethanol concentration. A comparison of utilizing biomass for ethanol-electricity coproduction and utilizing biomass for dedicated electricity production indicates that these two alternatives have approximately equal economic benefits. At the electricity yields associated with the futuristic process, every 1% displacement of US transportation demand is accompanied by a 0.29% displacement of electricity demand, underscoring the potential significance of electricity coproduced with ethanol in meeting energy needs.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/150442}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Conference:
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