Bio-Butanol Production from Corn
Butanol Production Costs Report | Issue B | Q3 2024
Report Details |
90 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages |
This report presents a cost analysis of a 90 kta (kilo metric ton per annum) United States-based plant. You can add a customized cost analysis, assuming another location (country), when ordering a premium edition of this report.
Report Abstract
This report presents the economics of bio-based Butanol production from corn in the United States. The process under analysis is a conventional Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) fermentation process. Initially, corn undergoes wet milling to separate starch, which is hydrolyzed in two steps. Glucose is fermented to produce butanol, acetone and ethanol.
The report provides a comprehensive study of Butanol production and related Butanol production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the Butanol production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related Butanol plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective Butanol plant operating costs (Opex).
The Butanol production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The Butanol plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The Butanol plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Process Schematic

The process under analysis comprises three major sections: (1) Pretreatment; (2) Hydrolysis and Fermentation; and (3) Purification.
Pretreatment. Shelled corn is cleaned and soaked in a dilute solution of sulfur dioxide. The solid matter slurry is separated from corn germ through a two-step milling and separation setup. The degerminated slurry is subjected to a fine grinding and screening to separate all starch and gluten from the fiber content. The two compounds are recovered. Finally, starch is washed with process water and sent to next section. In this treatment, corn geam and corn gluten are obtained as by-products.
Hydrolysis and Fermentation. Washed starch is fed to a two-step hydrolysis. First, the starch molecules are randomly broken down by the alpha-amylases and water, producing polysaccharides. Then, the glucoamylase enzyme promotes the hydrolysis of the polysaccharides into glucose molecules. The culture is propagated and mixed with corn steep liquor and saccharified liquor. The fermentation media is continuously fed to the fermentor to account for the consumption of the glucose by the fermenting bacteria. The main fermentation is carried out in a fed-batch mode and under anaerobic conditions in a jacketed fermentor. Acetone, Butanol and ethanol (ABE solvents) are constantly removed from the fermentation medium via a gas stripping technique employed in-situ.
Purification. The stream collected via gas stripping is separated into acetone, ethanol, and n-butanol products by another gas stripping, an extraction column and a series of distillation columns. The off-gas from stripping is diverged to a PSA unit for the recovery of hydrogen as a by-product. The aqueous phase from extraction is directed to wastewater treatment. The purge from PSA unit is partly recycled to the fermentor to strip ABE solvents.
Up-to-date PDF Report
Professional report based on Q3 2024 economic data, ensuring timely evaluations.
Multiple Use Cases
Ideal for investment screening, feasibility studies, cost estimates, and research planning.
Proven Methodology
Developed using a consistent methodology honed over a decade, ensuring reliable cost analyses.
Compact
$799 USD
Production Process Information
Process Consumptions
Labor Requirements
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Operating Cost Summary
Production Costs Datasheet
Pages | Tables | Images
Read-only Online PDF Format
Updated with Q3 2024 Data
DETAILED
$1,599 USD
Production Process Information
Process Consumptions
Labor Requirements
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Operating Cost Summary
Production Costs Datasheet
Plant Capital Cost Details
Operating Cost Details
Pages | Tables | Images
Downloadable PDF Format
Updated with Q3 2024 Data
PREMIUM
MOST POPULAR
$2,699 USD
Production Process Information
Process Consumptions
Labor Requirements
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Operating Cost Summary
Production Costs Datasheet
Plant Capital Cost Details
Operating Cost Details
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Plant Capacity Assessment
Process Flow Diagrams
Costs in Different Countries Add-on
Pages | Tables | Images
Print-enabled PDF Format Add-on
Updated with Q3 2024 Data
Share with Co-workers
Technical Support via Email
Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the Butanol production plant examined
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of Butanol process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the Butanol production plant studied
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different Butanol plant capacities
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL)
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
Other Butanol Production Cost Reports
Butanol Production from Ethanol
The report shows an economic analysis of the construction of an industrial plant in the United States for n-Butanol production. In the process reviewed ethanol is dimerized into n-Butanol via the Guerbet reaction. This reaction is composed by dehydrogenation, aldol condensation and hydrogenation.
Details: 80 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue A From $799 USD
The cost analyses presented in this report target a 80 kta (kilo metric ton per annum per annum) United States-based plant. For those interested in cost analyses considering other plant capacities and/or locations, Intratec offers a customized analysis as an optional feature.
Bio-Butanol Production from Raw Sugar
This report examines a conventional Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) fermentation process. This economic analysis assumes a plant located in Germany using raw sugar as feedstock, which is fermented to Butanol, acetone and ethanol by a novel strain of Clostridium. Each product is separated.
Details: 90 kta Germany-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue C From $999 USD
The cost analyses presented in this report target a 90 kta (kilo metric ton per annum per annum) Germany-based plant. For those interested in cost analyses considering other plant capacities and/or locations, Intratec offers a customized analysis as an optional feature.
Could Not Find the Report You Need?
Obtain a Bespoke Report
Get a report targeting the process in which you are interested
See Offer Details
Understand Bespoke Reports and how you can easily order them
Check Editions & Pricing
Complete a brief form and see a quotation for your Bespoke Report
Other Related Production Cost Reports
Butyl Acrylate Production from Propylene and Butanol
This study concerns the production of n-Butyl Acrylate, starting from propylene and n-butanol. Chemical grade propylene is oxidized to acrolein and then to acrylic acid, which is then fed to an esterification reaction, along with n-butanol to generate Butyl Acrylate. The economic analysis performed is based on a plant located in the United States.
Details: 150 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B From $1,199 USD
The cost analyses presented in this report target a 150 kta (kilo metric ton per annum per annum) United States-based plant. For those interested in cost analyses considering other plant capacities and/or locations, Intratec offers a customized analysis as an optional feature.
Hexamethylene Diisocyanate from HMDA (Non-Phosgene Process)
This report presents a techno-economic analysis of Hexamethylene Diisocyanate (HDI) production from hexamethylene diamine (HMDA) in the United States. The process presented in this report is a non-phosgene process similar to BASF process. Initially, HMDA reacts with urea and butanol generating a carbamate intermediate. Then, the carbamate is thermally cracked producing HDI.
Details: 20 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B From $799 USD
The cost analyses presented in this report target a 20 kta (kilo metric ton per annum per annum) United States-based plant. For those interested in cost analyses considering other plant capacities and/or locations, Intratec offers a customized analysis as an optional feature.
+800 Reports Developed, Targeting +250 Commodities
Best-in-Class Reports
Analysis of capital and operating costs of commodity production processes. Prices starting at $799 USD
Vast Report Library
858 independent and up-to-date reports examining embryonic and established production processes
Free Sample Reports
Quickly understand the structure and depth of content of our professional reports