Published in

Elsevier, Journal of Cleaner Production, 13(19), p. 1395-1404

DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.04.018

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Integration of solid oxide fuel cell in a sugar-ethanol factory: analysis of the efficiency and the environmental profile of the products

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Postprint: archiving forbidden
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The effect of the integration of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology in a sugar–ethanol factory on the environmental profile/footprint of the products (sugar, ethanol, electricity) is evaluated. The sugarcane is the primary feedstock and sugar, ethanol and electricity are the main products of the system, where the functional unit is defined as 9.86 ton/h of sugar, 2.195 ton/h of hydrated ethanol (96% w/w) and 847 kWh of electricity. A detailed set of material and energy inputs and outputs was obtained from a local factory and was completed using simulation data by Aspen Plus®.The environmental impacts (greenhouse gases and air pollution), exergy efficiency and a renewability parameter have been considered as indicators for the comparative assessment with conventional sugar, ethanol and electricity production technologies. The results show that the use of a SOFC technology involves a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (52–55%) and non-renewable resources (60–64%) when compared with the conventional integrated sugar and ethanol plant. The higher renewability index (0.93) and exergy efficiency (38%) are noticed for the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell technology integrated in the sugar–ethanol factory than conventional sugar–ethanol plant.