Comparative techno-economic analysis of single-step and two-step biodiesel production with supercritical methanol based on process simulation

Abstract

© 2018 Institution of Chemical Engineers Two alternative processes for biodiesel production from used/waste cooking oil, the single-step supercritical transesterification and the two-step process consisting of oil hydrolysis and subsequent supercritical methyl esterification, were designed and simulated using the Aspen Plus 8.8 software and assessed from a techno-economic point of view. Detailed operating conditions, material and energy flows, and equipment designs were provided for biodiesel plants with 15,000 t and 30,000 t annual inlet capacities. Results revealed that both technologies offer a techno-economically viable solution for biodiesel production from low quality feedstocks such as used cooking oil. The two-step process requires milder operating conditions, lower investment and overall production costs per unit of biodiesel produced, however, it has higher process energy requirements. Total capital investments for a 15,000 t capacity plant which applies the single- or the two-step process were estimated as 6.1 million EUR or 5.8 million EUR, respectively, whereas the production cost of biodiesel are estimated as 0.824 EUR/kg and 0.786 EUR/kg for the single- and two-step processes, respectively (at used cooking oil price of 0.500 EUR/kg). Higher plant capacities have lower production and capital costs per unit of biodiesel output. Supercritical transesterification should lead to a clean, flexible and modular method to process used cooking oil for the production of a more valuable product.