Optimal design of algae-based biorefineries using CO2 from different industrial facilities
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abstract
This work proposes an optimization approach for the carbon dioxide sequestration from different industrial facilities to yield an algae-based biorefinery. The proposed approach is based on a distributed system to account for the economies of scale and it involves the site selection for the processing facilities as well as the transportation cost. Additionally, the model considers the optimization for the technologies used in each facility for the CO2 sequestration, for the algae growth, harvesting, lipid extraction, and different technologies to yield several products like biodiesel, methane, ethanol, between others, depending on the customer demand. The proposed approach considers the mass exchange between different industrial facilities, because the algae from one plant can be used to produce products used in the same or in a different plant. The optimization model considers the maximization for the total net profit, which includes the sales of products plus the tax credit for reduction of CO2 emissions minus the capital and operational costs for the different processing stages minus the overall transportation costs associated to the system. The constraints for the model include the mass balances for the system, design and operational constraints for the processing units and constraints for the demands for the products. The proposed model is a mixed integer non linear programming model and this was coded in the software GAMS. Finally, two case studies from Mexico were analyzed and the results show several economic and environmental benefits simultaneously.
