Commodity Production Costs Report
Bio-Butanol Production from Corn
Butanol Operating Costs & Plant Construction Costs
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.
Key reference(s): ?
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.
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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
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Other Butanol Production Cost Reports
Butanol Production from Propylene and Syngas
This report presents an economic analysis of n-Butanol production from propylene and syngas, assuming a plant located in the United States. The process under analysis is similar to the LP OXO technology jointly licensed by JM Davy and Dow, employing Selector 30 catalyst. This process comprises hydroformylation of propylene and n-butyraldehyde hydrogenation.
Details: 120 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue D | From $799 USD
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
Butanol Production from Butyraldehyde
This study analyzes the costs for n-Butanol production from butyraldehyde. In this process, n-butyraldehyde is hydrogenated generating n-Butanol. The economic analysis is based on a plant constructed in the United States.
Details: 160 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue E | From $799 USD
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