Techno-economic and environmental analysis of bio-oil production from forest residues via non-catalytic and catalytic pyrolysis processes

• Published in: Energy conversion and management Vol. 213; p. 112815
• Main Authors: van Schalkwyk, Dominique L., Mandegari, Mohsen, Farzad, Somayeh, Görgens, Johann F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Bio-oil; Biochar; Biomass; Biomass burning; Biorefinery; Burning; Charcoal; Clearcutting; Climate change; Crude oil; Economic analysis; Economic conditions; Economies of scale; Forest biomass; Forest fires; Forest residues; Forests; Gas oil; Global warming; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle assessment; Life cycles; Oil; Petroleum production; Pyrolysis; Residues; Sensitivity analysis; Techno-economic analysis; Vacuum; BFD; CEPCI; NC-300; NC-200; GWP100; NC-100; GHG; IRR; CHP; BFP; PFD; Techno-economic analysis; BFW; TDC; NPV; ISBL; Bio-oil; HHV; COD; RFO; LHV; Life cycle assessment; C-100; GGE; NC-157; COP; FCC; hP; LCA; MSP; Biochar; C-300; LCIA; C-200; FCI; E. grandis; C-224; TEA; Forest residues; DCFROR; Biorefinery; TCI; db; GC/MS; KZN; VGO
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2020.112815

[Display omitted] •Co-produced bio-oil and biochar via intermediate pyrolysis of forest residues.•Investigated scenarios for 100, 200 and 300 km biomass collection radius.•Investigated economic feasibility of upgrading crude bio-oil with CaO catalyst.•Lowest minimum selling price of crude/upgraded bio-oil was $0.27/L/$0.77/L.•Conducted life-cycle assessment for crude and upgraded bio-oil production. Forest residues pose a fire risk as woody biomass remaining in forests after thinning or clear-felling. Instead of in-field burning, forest residues can be converted into products such as bio-oil and biochar through pyrolysis. Insitu catalytic pyrolysis can be implemented to upgrade bio-oil for co–processing with Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO). In this study, process simulations were developed in Aspen Plus® for non–catalytic and catalytic pyrolysis to investigate the economic feasibility of bio-oil production for co–processing 5 wt% crude or 10 wt% upgraded bio-oil, and considering 100, 200 and 300 km biomass collection radii. The Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of bio-oil (22% IRR) for co–processing was $1.09/L (crude) and $1.46/L (upgraded), respectively. However, economy-of-scale showed a clear benefit as the lowest MSP of bio–oil was $0.75/L (crude) and $1.35/L (upgraded) at 300 km. Furthermore, the MSP of bio-oil decreased to $0.71/L (crude) and $1.25/L (upgraded) at 300 km for improved bio-oil and biochar product recovery as evaluated through the process sensitivity analysis. Life Cycle Assessment results for Global Warming Potential (GWP100) of bio–oil production corresponded to −0.30 (crude) and −0.14 (upgraded) kg CO2eq/MJ, while GWP100 of VGO production ranged from 0.0052 (crude-oil) to 0.013 (diesel) kg CO2eq/MJ.