High-value chemicals production via eco-industrial park: heat integration, safety, and environmental analysis

Abstract

The rapid depletion of fossil fuels in the last decade has negatively impacted the quality of the environment. This research exposes the simulation of two biorefinery scenarios to obtain high-value chemical products: Ethanol (scenario 1) and methanol, propylene, and ethylene (scenario 2) were analysed as alternatives for the possible implementation of an eco-industrial park. Heat integration analysis, safety profiles, and environmental assessment were applied to analyse the scenarios. Using energy integration methodologies, the potential of energy consumption reduction was estimated higher in Scenario 2. After the safety analysis, Scenario 1 results were inherently more secure than those of Scenario 2. Therefore, this biorefinery needed to include the recovery of effluents from unwanted streams to enhance the production of high-value chemicals. Finally, the results showed that it is possible to successfully connect the biorefinery scenarios through an eco-industrial park to improve the competitiveness of intermediate sectors

Keywords

• biorefinery; high-value products; simulation; energy integration; environmental and safety analysis