PowerPoint Presentation
BIOSYNTH: A software for the automatic generation of
superstructures for biorefineriesNational TechnicalUniversity of
Athens1
RENESENG MTR meeting
1Biomass
14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting2Biomass is abundant
Chemistries converting biomass to useful products are
abundant
Which paths suit the biomass of interest?
Which are the most economic, sustainable and
technically-reliable paths?
Industrial Process Systems Engineering UnitWanting to valorise
biomass but
14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting3No knowledge of technologies and
chemistries-various possible products: chemicals, fuels, energy,
value-added chemicals, building block chemicals etc. -various
technologies (chemical, biological, thermal)
No knowledge of data -cost of equipment, installation -prices of
products, intermediates and raw materials -CO2 emissions from a
particular process -Supply and distribution dataIndustrial Process
Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting4Value chain
trees given feedstock/ product
Evaluation & selection of optimal path
Scope to integrate paths
Models with mass/energy balance
Cost modelsSystems Engineering can offer
Synthesis ModelBio-feedstockAuxiliary materialsEnergy &
UtilitiesProductsWaste/ by-productsIndustrial Process Systems
Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting5How to bring systems
engineering models closer to the non-expert?
Industrial Process Systems Engineering UnitBIOSYNTH platform
overview14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting6Knowledge LayerSynthesis
Model
ChemistriesTechnology modelsBiomass PricesProduct Prices
Technology Ontology
Techno-economic simulating modelIndustrial Process Systems
Engineering UnitHow it works14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting7Possible
products & paths are reviewedValue chains are translated to
synthesis modelsOptimisation is applied to select pathSuitable
technologies are chosen for the selected feedstockValue chains are
automatically developedResults are shared with the
non-expertNon-expert selects feedstockIndustrial Process Systems
Engineering UnitSynthesis Approach14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting8Industrial Process Systems Engineering UnitSynthesis
components14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting9Intermediate Chemicals
Syngas Methanol Biogas Pyrolysis OilProducts EthyleneRaw Materials
Wood Residues Plant Oil Animal FatsProcess Pyrolysis Refirming MTO
SynthesisIndirect GasificationDirect Gasification Cracking
Anaerobic DigestionIndustrial Process Systems Engineering
UnitConnecting Process Concept Blocks14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting10a) A process connectsRaw MaterialsIntermediate Chemicalsb)
A process connectsProductsIntermediate Chemicals ExampleWood
ChipsIndirect GasificationsyngasHydrogenolysisPropylene
GlycolpropyleneIndustrial Process Systems Engineering UnitRaw
materials to final Products14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting11Connecting Process Concept BlocksWood ChipsDirect
GasificationsyngasmethanolMethanol SynthesisSyngas produces
Methanol via methanol synthesisWoodchips produce Syngas via direct
gasificationIndustrial Process Systems Engineering UnitEnable
Synthesis usingOntology Engineering14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting12Industrial Process Systems Engineering
Unit14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting13Wood ChipsDirect
GasificationsyngasmethanolMethanol
SynthesisFeedstockTechnologyIntermediateTechnologyProduct
Synthesis to Ontology EngineeringIndustrial Process Systems
Engineering UnitRelations connecting classes14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting14FeedstockTechnologyIntermediateTechnologyProductis
processedwith has outputproduced byprocessed throughis processed
withhas outputprocessed throughproducesproducescan lead tohas
inputhas inputproduced by
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting15Non-expert user has municipal solid waste (MSW), what
is possible to produce?
?An example Step 1: All possible synthesis paths are first
identified14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting16BiogasSyngasmethanolMTOpropyleneAnaerobic DigestionBiogas
ReformingMethanol SynthesisPath 1Anaerobic DigestionBiogasBiogas
ReformingSyngas
Syngas ReformingNH3Anaerobic DigestionBiogas ReformingSyngas
ReformingPath 2Anaerobic DigestionBiogasBiogas
ReformingSyngasAlcohol SynthesisethyleneMixed Alcohols
Anaerobic DigestionBiogas ReformingAlcohol SynthesisPath
3Anaerobic Digestion
ethyleneBiogasBiogas ReformingSyngasSyngas
fermentationethanolDehydrationAnaerobic DigestionBiogas
ReformingPath 4
MSW
Industrial Process Systems Engineering UnitStep 2: Value Chains
are automatically developped14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting17
MSWAnaerobic DigestionBiogasBiogas ReformingSyngasMethanol
SynthesisSyngas ReformingAlcohol SynthesisSyngas
fermentationmethanolMTOpropyleneNH3ethyleneMixed
AlcoholsethanolDehydration
Industrial Process Systems Engineering UnitThe non-expert user
is informed of:
14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting18
propyleneNH3ethylene1) Possible products derived from MSW2)
Possible intermediates derived from MSW and can act as
productsmethanolBiogasSyngasethanol3) And the full value chain of
MSW to possible products
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting19The user can inquire which is the most economically
viable path to select.
?
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting20Step 3: Value Chains are translated to synthesis
models
propylene
MSWAnaerobic DigestionBiogasBiogas ReformingSyngasMethanol
SynthesisSyngas ReformingAlcohol SynthesisSyngas
fermentationmethanolMTONH3ethyleneMixed
AlcoholsethanolDehydrationTechnologyChemical (feedstock,
intermediate, product)A technology synthesis model requires data
for:
YieldsEnergy requirementsCO2 emissionsCapital & Operating
CostsA chemical synthesis model requires data for:
Chemical pricesCO2 emissions
Data are extracted from linked database
Industrial Process Systems Engineering UnitStep 4: From
Synthesis Models to Optimisation14/10/2015RENESENG MTR
meeting21
Variables
Equations
Parameters
Optimisation achieves the identification of the most
economically viable path.
This is enabled by mathematical programming (MILP)Industrial
Process Systems Engineering UnitStep 5: Results shared with the
user:
14/10/2015RENESENG MTR meeting22
Most optimum path (selected technologies and chemicals)
Total annual cost/ profit
Optimum biomass flowrate
Optimum product flowrate
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting23
DEMOCase ASelecting only raw materials
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting24Case BSelecting only products
DEMO
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting25Case CSelecting raw materials & products
DEMO
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting26Case DSelecting raw materials, products and
intermediates as products
DEMO
Industrial Process Systems Engineering Unit14/10/2015RENESENG
MTR meeting27Thank youWe greatly acknowledge the financial support
by the Marie-Curie Grant RENESENG (ITN-607415).
National TechnicalUniversity of Athens
