Computer-aided exergy analysis of a palm based-biorefinery for producing palm oil, kernel oil and hydrogen

Abstract

Palm oil is extracted from fruits of African palm (Elaeis guineensis), which has gain attention as raw material for the production of a huge amount of products in food and cosmetic industry. However, wastes of energy in extraction stage has limited its applicability. This work aims on identifying the major exergy sinks (related to higher useful energy losses) through first and second law of thermodynamics in the production process of palm oil, palm kernel oil and hydrogen. Simulation was performed in a commercial process simulation software, in which physical and chemical exergies of the species involved were quantified. The results showed a production rate of 5.07 t/h of palm oil, 0.5078 t / h of palm kernel oil and 6.8263 t/ h of hydrogen, as well as 0.739 t/h of animal feed from 30 t/h of palm bunches. An overall exergy efficiency of 38% was obtained, while the process of hydrogen separation had the lowest efficiency percentage (0.0078%). For increasing overall exergy efficiency of palm refinery, it is proposed a cleaning treatment to condensation streams leaving the sterilizing stage and its use as dilution water for settling stage.

Evaluación de la producción de aceite crudo de palma y palmiste en el norte de Colombia mediante el análisis de exergía asistido por computador

“…The global exergy efficiency was estimated by 18% which confirms the potential in energy terms of the typical crude palm and kernel oil extraction process modeled for this research. However, the result compared to the overall exergy efficiency of an oil extraction process from microalgae (51%) [16], and a palm biorefinery (38%) [17], is lower which suggests that improvements should be implemented to optimize the process, especially, alternatives to make use of palm rachis and palm fibers. Studies suggest that palm fibers can be used to improve the mechanical properties of panels [18], while rachis can be used for obtaining synthesis gas [19], hydrogen production [17,20], biodiesel production [21], and in the biosorbent preparation for uptaking Cd(II) and Ni (II) [22].…”

Process Synthesis, Analysis, and Optimization Methodologies toward Chemical Process Sustainability

“…Exergy can reveal how a system handles its energy, work, and material flows, seeking process irreversibility sources. The exergy concept directly embodies resource conservation principles, in which a high performance would indicate that the system better uses its current resources . El-Halwagi explained that natural resource conservation, pollution prevention, and contamination mitigation are the primary goals of the sustainable design approach, in which process integration has played an important role.…”

“…The exergy concept directly embodies resource conservation principles, in which a high performance would indicate that the system better uses its current resources. 123 El-Halwagi 237 explained that natural resource conservation, pollution prevention, and contamination mitigation are the primary goals of the sustainable design approach, in which process integration has played an important role. Thus, adding exergetic criterion as a decision-making variable for designing heat and mass exchange networks could involve taking the current methods to the next level, since exergy flows indicate aspects associated with thermodynamic issues, physical− chemical properties of substances, and sources of process inefficiencies, regardless of OPEX and CAPEX minimization.…”

Assessing Exergy Efficiency in Computer-Aided Modeled Large-Scale Production of Chitosan Microbeads Modified with Thiourea and Magnetite Nanoparticles

“…The process operates in steady state and constant flow; • Kinetic and potential exergies were not taken into account, considering that their magnitudes are not significant in comparison with the physical and chemical exergies [38,39]; • Temperature of reference is 298.15 K.…”