Economic Feasibility Assessment of the Thermal Catalytic Process of Wastes: Açaí Seeds (<em>Euterpe oleracea</em>) and Scum from Grease Traps

Abstract

In this work, a techno-economic assessment of the production of bio-oil, coke and gas, via thermo-catalytic pyrolysis followed by distillation, is accomplished. The raw materials were two solid wastes: lipid-based material (residual fat/scum from a fat retention box from the University Restaurant at the Federal University of Pará—UFPA) and a lignin-cellulosic material of açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea Mart.). From the literature, a review is made of the physicochemical analysis of the raw materials, of the bio-oil, and of the chemical composition of the biofuels produced (kerosene, light diesel, and heavy diesel). The bio-oil yields for each experiment of pyrolysis and distillation are also presented and compared with the literature. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: (a) the simple payback criterion, (b) discounted payback, (c) net present value (NPV), (d) internal rate of return (IRR), and (e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of the lipid-based material and unfeasibility for the açai seed (Euterpe oleracea Mart.). The breakeven point obtained was 1.28 USD/L and the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained in this work for the biofuels was 1.34 USD/L). The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).

Keywords

• scum from fat box
• açaí seeds
• thermal processing
• biofuels
• economic analysis
• technical feasibility