Water reuse and recycling according to stream qualities in sugar-ethanol plants

Author(s)

Chavez-Rodriguez, Mauro F. ^[1] ; Mosqueira-Salazar, Klever Joao ^[1] ; Ensinas, Adriano V. ^[2] ; Nebra, Silvia A. ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Mech Engn, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ ABC, Ctr Engn Modelling & Social Sci, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Campinas, Interdisciplinary Ctr Energy Planning, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT; v. 17, n. 5, p. 546-554, OCT 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 13

Abstract

Sugarcane is one of Brazil's most important industries, mainly because of ethanol, one of its products. Ethanol has a low production cost and low GHG emissions per unit of energy produced, as compared to other fossil fuels. However, several authors have expressed concern about the high water consumption expected in the coming years for biofuel production. This work presents a proposal to reduce water consumption in the industrial stage, taking into account demand and supply quality restrictions. A water supply mix is suggested, with direct reuse of 648 L/t of cane, and another 176 L/t of cane covered indirectly by recycled streams. This reduces the required external withdrawal to 405 L/t of cane - a value within the limit mandated for the sugarcane industry in the State of Sao Paulo. (C) 2013 International Energy Initiative. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/51902-9 - Simulation of 1st generation sugarcane biorefinery in EMSO platform
• Grantee: Antonio Maria Francisco Luiz Jose Bonomi
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/05718-1 - Production of second generation biofuels from sugar cane - Modeling and energetic and exergetic assessment of the integrated process.
• Grantee: Reynaldo Palacios Bereche
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral