Phase equilibria modeling of biorefinery-related systems: a systematic review

Abstract

The search for sustainable ideas has gained prominence in recent decades at all levels of society since it has become imperative an economic, social, and environmental development in an integrated manner. In this context, biorefineries are currently present as the technology that best covers all these parameters, as they add the benefits of waste reuse, energy cogeneration, and fossil fuel substitution. Thus, the study of the various applicable biological matrices and exploring the technical capabilities of these processes become highly attractive. Thermodynamic modeling acts in this scenario as a fundamental tool for phase behavior predictions in process modeling, design, and optimization. Thus, this work aimed to systematize, using the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews, the information published between 2010 and 2020 on phase equilibria modeling in systems related to biorefineries to organize what is already known about the subject. As a result, 236 papers were categorized in terms of the year, country, type of phase equilibria, and thermodynamic model used. Also, the phase behavior predictions of different thermodynamic models under the same process conditions were qualitatively compared, establishing PC-SAFT as the model that best represents the great diversity of interest systems for biorefineries in a wide range of conditions.