Process design, simulation, and techno-economic analysis of integrated production of furfural and glucose derived from  empty fruit bunches

Abstract

This study proposes a new process design, simulation, and techno-economic analysis of an integrated process plant that produces glucose and furfural from Malaysian empty fruit bunches (EFB). An Aspen Plus-based simulation has been established to develop a process flow diagram of co-production of glucose and furfural along with the mass and energy balances. For the production capacity of 10 kilotons per year (ktpy) of glucose and 4.96 ktpy of furfural in Malaysia, purity of 98.21 and 99.54% - weight, respectively, was achieved. The plant’s economics is analyzed by calculating the fixed capital income (FCI), operating costs, and working capital. In contrast, profitability is determined using cumulative cash flow (CCF), net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR). The FCI is calculated as Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) 81.61 million, while the working and operating expenses are calculated as MYR 11.29 million and MYR 46.92 million, respectively. This project achieves MYR 31.45 million as NPV with a positive IRR of 14.25% and return on investment (ROI) of 22.06%. As a result, a profitable integrated process plant is established with future upscaling parameters and key cost drivers. The proposed integrated process plant minimizes waste generated from the palm oil mill, resulting in a profitable and sustainable plant.

Renewable Carbohydrates: Advancements in Sustainable Glucose Production and Optimization

“…RSM facilitates sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of factors on the response variable and identify critical process variables. Sensitivity analysis helps researchers understand the relative importance of factors and prioritize their optimization efforts (Muhammad et al, 2022). It also assists in understanding the interactions between factors and their effects on the response, guiding the selection of factors for further investigation (Riaukaite et al, 2019).…”

“…iii. Inhibitor Formation: Acid hydrolysis can generate inhibitory compounds, including furfural, 5hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and organic acids, which can affect subsequent enzymatic or microbial conversion processes (Katarzyna et al, 2020;Muhammad et al, 2022;Sant et al, 2021;Swiatek et al, 2020). Detoxification methods, such as neutralization, washing, or adsorption, may be required to minimize the impact of inhibitors.…”

“…In addition to cost analysis, TEA also considers revenue generation potential. It examines the market demand for glucose and estimates the potential sales volume and pricing (Muhammad et al, 2022).…”

“…It considers factors such as market volatility, regulatory changes, technological risks, and project-specific risks. By identifying and assessing these risks, TEA assists in developing risk management strategies and evaluating the project's resilience against potential challenges (Barba et al, 2022;Muhammad et al, 2022). The primary goal of TEA is to provide decision-makers with comprehensive information and insights to support informed decision-making (Brandt et al, 2018).…”

“…Evaluating these risks helps decision-makers develop contingency plans, diversify feedstock sources, and ensure a stable supply of feedstock at reasonable costs. In addition to cost analysis, it is essential to consider sustainability aspects related to feedstock acquisition (Muhammad et al, 2022). This involves evaluating the environmental impact of different feedstock sources, assessing their renewable or nonrenewable nature, and considering their alignment with sustainable development goals (Cheng et al, 2019).…”