(470g) Evaluation of Ethanol Production From Renewable Cellulosic Resources Using Process Simulation Tools

Over the past three decades there has been intense investigation on the development of fuel producing processes that are based on the use of renewable agricultural materials as feedstock. This activity is driven primarily by the quest for fuel self-reliance and carbon oxides emission reductions. The main effort has been concentrated on bio-ethanol and bio-diesel which have been shown to give motor engine performance similar to that of conventional petroleum based fuels. In addition to product characteristics, however, process economics play an equally important role in any successful product commercialization. In this work, realistic process simulation models have been developed in order to analyze the economics of corn-stover to ethanol conversion. The evauation indicates the the raw materials dominate the cost for this process. The process displays an economy of scale with a trade off off capital and operating costs. This poster presentation will illustrate how such models can guide R&D work and facilitate process optimization.