Feasibility of the Conversion of Sugarcane Molasses to Levulinic Acid: Reaction Optimization and Techno-Economic Analysis

Autor(es)

Lopes, Emilia Savioli ^[1] ; Leal Silva, Jean Felipe ^[1] ; do Nascimento, Leticia Araujo ^[2] ; Cuadros Bohorquez, Jose Fernando ^[1] ; Lopes, Melina Savioli ^[3] ; Tovar, Laura Plazas ^[2] ; Maciel Filho, Rubens ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Chem Engn, BR-13083852 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Chem Engn, BR-09913030 Diadema, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Alfenas, Dept Chem Engn, BR-37715400 Pocos De Caldas, MG - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research; v. 60, n. 43, p. 15646-15657, NOV 3 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

The levulinic acid chemical platform is still unfeasible due to the lack of a cost-competitive process. Therefore, this work investigates the conversion of sugarcane molasses to levulinic acid. A design of experiments was used to optimize temperature, sulfuric acid loading in aqueous solution, and the ratio of sulfuric acid solution to sugarcane molasses via a genetic algorithm-based multiobjective optimization. Optimized results indicated that a yield of levulinic acid of 83.8 mol % is attainable with a concentration of 129 g L-1. Based on these optimized conditions, a biorefinery was simulated to produce sugar, ethanol, electricity, and levulinic acid (all sugarcane molasses converted to levulinic acid). A techno-economic analysis of the simulation results showed that an internal rate of return of 33.1% is attainable at the current market price of levulinic acid, and the calculated minimum selling price of levulinic acid (\$0.679 kg(-1)) indicates that many other applications might be possible for this renewable chemical. Overall, the results showed that using sugarcane molasses in the production of levulinic acid is both cost-competitive and technically feasible. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/20630-4 - Desenvolvimento integrado de biorrefinaria e planta de bioetanol de cana-de-açúcar com emissão zero de CO2: rotas para converter recursos renováveis em bioprodutos e bioeletricidade
• Beneficiário: Rubens Maciel Filho
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 15/17592-3 - Otimização da produção e obtenção do ácido levulínico a partir do bagaço e melaço de cana-de-açúcar
• Beneficiário: Emília Savioli Lopes
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 16/10450-1 - Desenvolvimento do processo de conversão de cana-de-açúcar a levulinato de etila: uma rota para um aditivo de biodiesel viável
• Beneficiário: Jean Felipe Leal Silva
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado