Tk14 Revised Assignment1

UNIVERSITAS INDONESIA
CELLULOSIC ETHANOL PRODUCTION
Report Assignment 1
GROUP 14
GROUP PERSONNEL :
AGUS AMANDA TANOYO
(1206254113)
CLAUDIA HARFIAN
(1206239876)
DENA PRESTIA HALLATU
(1206202141)
ERICCO JANITRA
(1206249845)
ERWIN FIRMANSYAH
(1206202053)
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING UNIVERSITAS INDONESIA
DEPOK
SEPTEMBER 2015
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Production of ethanol (bioethanol) from renewable materials such as

biomass or specifically lignocellulosic materials has the potential to reduce world
dependency on petroleum or fossil fuel. People interest to produce bioethanol
from cheap materials such as lignocelluloses from agriculture waste, forestry, and
plants which have high biomass contents are also increasing. Cellulosic ethanol
comes from biomass that contains cellulose. Because cellulose makes up nearly
half of all plant biomass, cellulosic ethanol is considered as the largest potential
source of biofuel in the near future.
Ethanol is used in alcohol industry, cigarettes, plastics, and primarily as
biofuel. Ethanol, unlike gasoline, is an oxygenated fuel that contains 35% oxygen,
which reduces particulate and NOx emissions from combustion. Cellulosic
resources are in general very widespread and abundant. In our plant, we use rice
straw as raw material because Indonesian people primary food are rice, therefore
it has a lot of farm waste and we can use it as our raw material. One of
lignocellulose source that is very abundant in Indonesia is obtained from rice
straw. Rice straw can either be used alone or mixed with other biomass materials
in direct combustion. The plant location is in Indramayu, West Java. It chosen
because Indramayu is one of the biggest rice production area and also with several
consideration factor that affect the investment of our plant.
The cellulosic ethanol will produce either by biochemical conversion or
thermochemical conversion. Based on the scoring process, the thermochemical
conversion is the chosen process. The process detail comes from biomass
gasification catalytic synthetic process ethanol. In this alternative, the main
processes are gasification and catalytic synthetic. Meanwhile, the gasification
technology used is indrectly heated gasifier with fluidized bed and the synthetic is
mixed alcohol synthetic.
The rice straw is handling first through the reduction size the drying before
enter the gasification reactor. In the gasification process biomass is convert into
syngas with other product like tars, and solid char which needed to be cleaned.
thThe clean gas will goes to the synthesis process that is known as mixed alcohol
ii
Universitas Indonesia
synthesis in plug flow reactor with CuO/ZnO as it catalyst. The synthesis process
is produce the mixed of alcohol which needed to next separation by using
separator until got the pure ethanol.
The capacity of the plant will determine the mass and energy balance in
the process.The calculate our plant mass and energy balance for each process and
then overall are done. By calculating it, it give that our ethanol mass efficiency is
53.76%, overall mass efficiency is 69.85%, and energy efficiency is 88.02%.
iii
LIST OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................... ii

LIST OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................... iv
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................. vi
LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. vii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 1
1.1 Background............................................................................................... 1
1.2 Basic Theory............................................................................................. 4
1.2.1
Lignocellulosic Biomass ................................................................... 4
1.2.2
Rice Straw ......................................................................................... 5
1.2.3
Bioethanol ......................................................................................... 6
1.2.4
Usefullness of Bioethanol ................................................................. 6
1.3 Analysis .................................................................................................... 8
1.3.1
Market and Demand Analysis ........................................................... 8
1.3.2
Capacity Analysis.............................................................................. 9
1.3.3
Raw Material Analysis .................................................................... 10
1.3.4
Plant Location Analysis .................................................................. 12
CHAPTER 2 PROCESS SELECTION ............................................................ 12
2.1 Alternative Process ................................................................................. 12
2.1.1
Biochemical Process Conversion .................................................... 15
2.1.2
Thermochemical Process Conversion ............................................. 17
2.2 Process Selection .................................................................................... 20
2.3 Technology Selection ............................................................................. 22
2.4 Process Description ................................................................................ 29
2.4.1
Feed Handling and Preparation ....................................................... 29
2.4.2
Gasification ..................................................................................... 29
2.4.3
Gas Cleanup .................................................................................... 32
2.4.4
Alcohol Synthesis............................................................................ 33
2.4.5
Alcohol Separation .......................................................................... 36
2.4.6
Heat and Power ............................................................................... 38
2.4.7
Cooling Water ................................................................................. 38
2.5 Equipment and Technology Selection .................................................... 38
2.5.1
Hammer Mill ................................................................................... 39
2.5.2
Rotary Dryer.................................................................................... 39
2.5.3
Fluidized Flow Gasification and Char Combustor ......................... 40
2.5.4
Cyclone ........................................................................................... 40
2.5.5
Tar Reformer Unit and Catalyst Regeneration................................ 40
2.5.6
Syngas Quench & Scrubbing System ............................................. 41
2.5.7
Compressor and Inter stage cooler ............................................... 41
2.5.8
Tubular Reactor Synthesis Catalyst ................................................ 42
2.5.9
Heat Exchanger ............................................................................... 42
2.5.10 Acid Gas Removal System.............................................................. 42
2.5.11 Flash Separator ................................................................................ 43
2.5.12 Molecular Sieve System .................................................................. 43
2.5.13 Distillation Column ......................................................................... 43
2.5.14 Pump ............................................................................................... 44
iv
2.5.15 Storage Vessel Ethanol and Higher Alcohol ................................... 44

CHAPTER 3 MASS AND ENERGY BALANCE ............................................ 51
3.1 Process Simulation ................................................................................. 51
3.2 Mass Balance .......................................................................................... 55
3.2.1
Mass Balance of Each Process ........................................................ 55
3.2.2
Overall Mass Balance ..................................................................... 60
3.3 Energy Balance ....................................................................................... 60
3.3.1
Energy Balance of Each Process ..................................................... 60
3.1.1
Overall Energy Balance .................................................................. 62
3.4 Mass and Energy Efficiency ................................................................... 63
CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION ............................................................................ 65
REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 66
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1 Worlds bioethanol production (1975 2005) ..................................... 1
Figure 1.2 Structure of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in plant cell ................ 4
Figure 1.3 Indramayu area .................................................................................... 12
Figure 1.4 Plant location ....................................................................................... 13
Figure 2.1 Alternative process diagram .................................................................. 2
Figure 2.2 Conceptual flow diagram of gasification............................................. 18
Figure 2.3 The result of process ............................................................................ 20
Figure 2.4 Flow diagram direct gasifier ................................................................ 23
Figure 2.5 Flow diagram indirect gasifier ............................................................. 24
Figure 2.6 Counter current fixed bed, counter current fixed bed .......................... 26
Figure 2.7 Fluidized bed gasifier .......................................................................... 27
Figure 2.8 Entrained bed gasifier .......................................................................... 27
Figure 2.9 Simplified process flow diagram of gasification area ......................... 30
Figure 2.10 Simplified process flow diagram of gas cleanup area ....................... 32
Figure 2.11 Simplified process flow diagram of alcohol synthesis area............... 34
Figure 2.12 Simplified flow diagram of the H2S/CO2 removal and sulfur ........... 35
Figure 2.13 Simplified process flow diagram of alcohol separation area ............. 37
Figure 2.14 Block flow diagram of cellulosic ethanol production........................ 45
Figure 2.15 Process flow diagram of pre-treatment and gasification process ...... 46
Figure 2.16 PFD of tar reforming, syngas cleanup, and compression .................. 47
Figure 2.17 PFD of alcohol synthesis, acid gas removal, sulfur recovery ............ 48
Figure 2.18 PFD of alcohol purification ............................................................... 49
Figure 2.19 PFD of steam system and power generation...................................... 50
Figure 3.1 Process simulation ............................................................................... 51
Figure 3.2 Hypothetical components of rice straw biomass ................................. 51
Figure 3.3 Conversion reactor for tar reformer modelling in Unisim ................... 53
vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 Composition of lignocellulosic biomass ................................................. 6

Table 1.2 Bioethanol producer in Indonesia (2006)................................................ 8
Table 1.3 Bioethanol production, export, import, and demand .............................. 9
Table 1.4 Production capacity calculation ............................................................ 10
Table 2.1 Alternative process routes ..................................................................... 15
Table 2.2 Alternative process scoring ................................................................... 22
Table 2.3 Indirect versus direct gasifier ................................................................ 24
Table 2.4 Gasification technology scoring............................................................ 25
Table 2.5 Gasification reactor scoring .................................................................. 28
Table 3.1 Empirical coefficient for BCLs lab equation for indirect gasifier ....... 52
Table 3.2 Tar reformer conversion........................................................................ 53
Table 3.3 Kinteic parameters in mixed alcohol synthesis ..................................... 54
Table 3.4 Reactor design parameter for alcohol synthesis .................................... 54
Table 3.5 Gasification unit mass balance .............................................................. 55
Table 3.6 Tar reformer unit mass balance ............................................................. 56
Table 3.7 Alcohol synthesis unit mass balance ..................................................... 57
Table 3.8 Separator mass balance ......................................................................... 57
Table 3.9 T-100 mass balance ............................................................................... 58
Table 3.10 Distillation mass balance .................................................................... 59
Table 3.11 Overall mass balance .......................................................................... 60
Table 3.12 Energy balance each components ....................................................... 60
Table 3.13 Overall energy balance........................................................................ 62
vii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
Cellulosic ethanol comes from biomass that contains cellulose. Almost
every stem, leaf and tree trunk in the world qualifies, from farm wastes to grass
clippings and recycled newspaper. Because cellulose makes up nearly half of all
plant biomass, cellulosic ethanol is considered as the largest potential source of
biofuel in the near future (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, 2010).
Cellulosic resources are in general very widespread and abundant. For example,
forests comprise about 80% of the worlds biomass. Being abundant and outside
the human food chain makes cellulosic materialsrelatively inexpensive feedstocks
for ethanol production (P.C. Badger, 2002). Bioethanol is an environmentally
friendly alternative energy and being most produced rather than other alternative
energy, such as biodiesel. Worlds ethanol production is increasing along with the
fluctuations of oil price, as we can see in Figure 1.1 below.
Figure 1.1 Worlds bioethanol production (1975 2005)

(Source: Eny Ida Riyanti. Biomassa sebagai Bahan Baku Bioetanol. Jurnal LItbang Pertanian
28(3), 2009)
Production of ethanol (bioethanol) from renewable materials such as

biomass or specifically lignocellulosic materials has the potential to reduce world
dependency on petroleum or fossil fuel. The prices of fossil fuel that keep on
increasing and limited reserves encourage people to find alternative energy.
People interest to produce bioethanol from cheap materials such as

lignocelluloses from agriculture waste, forestry, and plants which have high
biomass contents are also increasing. Ethanol is highly soluble in water and
biodegradable, the consequences of large fuel spills are far less environmentally
threatening than those associated with spills of crude oil. The most important part
is the use of bioethanol will decrease net emissions of carbon dioxide, the
principal greenhouse gas. Ethanol, unlike gasoline, is an oxygenated fuel that
contains 35% oxygen, which reduces particulate and NOx emissions from
combustion (P.C. Badger, 2002).
Ethanol can be created from a variety of source materials and through a
number of methods. The production of ethanol becomes more difficult when
starting with more complex carbohydrates from plant materials. In Indonesia,
most of ethanol is still used as alcohol industry, cigarettes, or plastics. There
should be a policy that arrange ethanol industry to domestic needs or Domestic
Market Obligation (DMO) and use of ethanol as a replacement for fossil fuel (Eny
Ida Riyanti, 2009).
The reducing amount of available cheap fossil energy, conventional
material sources and the need for sustainable, production technologies have led to
a renewed interest in the utilization of biomass. Biomass is an abundant,
renewable, and natural source, which is more evenly spread over the world in both
terrestrial and aquatic environments than conventional fossil resources. In this
twenty-first century, organic chemicals manufacturing industry based on
petroleum refining will be replaced new organic industry based on biomass.
Indonesia is very rich on biomass, its potential is estimated up to 50 GW (ESDM,
2011).
One kind of biomass is lignocellulose. Lignocellulose is composed by
cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Lignocellulose source mainly obtained from
waste or residual biomass, such as crop residues and sawmill residues. One of
lignocellulose source that is very abundant in Indonesia is obtained from rice
straw. Rice straw can either be used alone or mixed with other biomass materials
in direct combustion. The energy content of rice straw is around 14 MJ per kg at
10 percent moisture content. The chemical composition of feedstock has a major
influence on the efficiency of cogeneration. The low feedstock quality of rice

straw is primarily determined by high ash content (1017%) as compared with
wheat straw (around 3%) and also high silica content in ash. On the other hand,
rice straw as feedstock has the advantage of having a relatively low total alkali
content, whereas wheat straw can typically have more than 25% alkali content in
ash.
Rice straw can either be used alone or mixed with other biomass materials
in direct combustion. The energy content of rice straw is around 14 MJ per kg at
10 percent moisture content. The chemical composition of feedstock has a major
influence on the efficiency of cogeneration. The low feedstock quality of rice
straw is primarily determined by high ash content (1017%) as compared with
wheat straw (around 3%) and also high silica content in ash. On the other hand,
rice straw as feedstock has the advantage of having a relatively low total alkali
content, whereas wheat straw can typically have more than 25% alkali content in
ash. The straw harvesting equipment determines whether the straw will be in
small square bales, big square bales, or large round bales. This may affect the cost
of straw harvest, handling, storage and transport.
There are two primary routes for the production of cellulosic ethanol
biochemical and thermochemical routes. The biochemical route relies primarily
on the use of enzymes and other microorganisms, while the thermochemical route
relies on the application of heat and chemical synthesis. Both routes have their
advantages and disadvantages. Thermochemical conversion operates under the
following premise: Rather than breaking down starch or cellulose into their
constituent sugars, the biomass is converted to a mixture of gases at high
temperatures, and these gases are then fed to a reactor equipped with catalysts that
convert the gases into ethanol and other products . Traditionally, thermochemical
conversion was developed for use with coal, but any carbonaceous feedstock can
be used in this process. Thus, any of the cellulosic feedstocks could be
implemented in this process.
1.2
Basic Theory
1.2.1
Lignocellulosic Biomass
Lignocelluloses are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin,
extractives, and several inorganic materials. Cellulose or -1-4-glucan is a linear

polysaccharide polymer of glucose made of cellobiose units. The cellulose chains
are packed by hydrogen bonds in so-called elementary and microfibrils. These
fibrils are attached to each other by hemicelluloses, amorphous polymers of
different sugars as well as other polymers such as pectin, and covered by lignin.
The microfibrils are often associated in the form of bundles or macrofibrils. This
special and complicated structure makes cellulose resistant to both biological and
chemical treatments.
Figure 1.2 Structure of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in plant cell

(Source: www.cropstechnology.wordpress.com)
The largest potential feedstock for bioethanol is lignocellulosic biomass,

which includes materials such as agricultural residues (Corn stover, rice straw and
bagasses), herbaceous crops (alfalfa, switchgrass), short rotation woody crops,
forestry residues, waste paper and other wastes. Bioethanol production from
lignocellulosic feedstocks could be an attractive alternative for disposal of these
residues. Importantly, lignocellulosic feedstocks do not interfere with food
security. Economically, lignocellulosic biomass has an advantage over other
agriculturally important biofuels feedstocks such as corn starch, soybeans, and
sugar cane, because it can be produced quickly and at significantly lower cost than
food crops. Lignocellulosic biomass is an important component of the major food
crops; it is the non-edible portion of the plant, which is currently underutilized,
but could be used for biofuel production.
1.2.2
Rice Straw
Rice straw is a by-product of rice production and great bio resource. It is
the one of the abundant lignocellulosic waste materials in the world. It is annually
produced about 731 million tons, asia 667,6 million tons and europe 3,9 million.
Rice straw can potentially produce 205 billion liters bioethanol per year. It is the
largest amount from a single biomass feedstock. Rice straw predominantly
contains cellulose, hemicellulose,lignin and ash.
The moisture contents of the rice straw are between 10% - 20% which
harvested in summerwill be lower than that of rice harvested in fall. For rice straw
having high moisture contents, some problems may be countered during firing.
High moisture contents can lead to poor ignition, reduce the combustion
temperature. Which in turn hinders the combustion of the reaction products and
consequently affects the quality of combustion. The large quantity of flue gas is
formed during the combustion of high moisture content fuels which eventually
leads to large dimensions of the equipment for flue gas treatment.
The rice straw has low bulk densities around 50 -120 kg/m3. It is vey low
compared with the bulk densities of coals, which are in range of 560 600
kg/m3for brown coals and between 800 and 900 kg/m 3for bituminous coal. The
low densities of the rice straw complicate their processing, transportation, storage
and firing. Rice straw differs from most crop residues in its high content of
silicone dioxide (SiO2). Ash content on a dry weight basis ranges from 0,1% to
0,7%, varying according to the state of conservation of the straw after harvest.
Compares with coals and other agricultural residues, rice straw is
characterized by higher contents of volatile matter up to 85% dry basis. This
indicates that the rice straw is easier to ignite and to burn, although the
combustion is expected to be rapid and difficult to control. Experience showed
that the high volatile matter contents significantly affect the combustion process.
Table 1.1 Composition of lignocellulosic biomass
(Source: www.scielo.br)
1.2.3
Bioethanol
Bioethanol has been used human since prehistoric times as a drunk in
alcoholic liquor. A mixture of bioethanol near purity for the first time discovered
by Jabir ibn Hayyan, Al- Kindi, and Al-Razi who developed the process of
distillation bioethanol. Jabir ibn Hayyan mentioned that steam from wine boiling
flammable. Al-Kindi with firm to explain about the process of distillation wine.
While bioethanol absolute obtained in the 1796 by Johann Tobias Lowitz using
distillation a sieve charcoal.
Bioethanol is an ethanol derived from a source of biodiversity like,
glucose, starch and cellulose. Bioethanol is a clear, volatile, flammable and
colourless liquid. Bioethanol is a straight chain alcohol and its molecular formula
is C2H5OH. Bioethanol can be produced by biochemical or thermochemical
pathways. Production bioethanol through biochemical consist of several step such
as pretreatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation to convert biomass feed become
bioethanol. While, thermochemical ways convert biomass feed to syngas and then
syngas use to make bioethanol.
Bioethanol can produced from agriculture plant such as corn, sugarcane or
sweet sorghum. nowadays, bioethanol can derived from non food sources that
contain cellulose like trees and grasses. Bioetanol can be produced from different
raw materials in Indonesia, so it is very potential for processed and developed
because Indonesia is a agraris country.
1.2.4
Usefullness of Bioethanol
Bioethanol used as one of alternative fuel for vehicle because alcohol has a
high octane rating enabling high engine compression ratios that increase engine
efficiency and performance. Low percentage bioethanol blends can be used by

most conventional petrol engines and may even slightly improve their
performance.
Nowadays,bioethanol worn widely in Brazil and The United States. All
Vehicles in Brazil, now use fuel containing at least 20% ethanol. In The United
States,more than 1 trillion miles have been taken by vehicles that uses fuel and
bioethanol around 10%. The use of bioethanol as fuel actually has been known
long time ago, in 1880, Henry Ford made a car quadracycle and since 1908 a ford
model have been can use bioethanol as fuel. But at that time, the use of bioethanol
as fuel vegetable not got good respond because the presence of oil fuel which
cheap and abundant. Now, the supply of fuel oil that decrease make bioethanol
begin to used as alternative energy.
If bioethanol used as fuel, there are some advantages and disadvantages.
The exhaust gases of ethanol are much cleaner because the combustion of fuel is
more complete. The uses of bioethanol-blended can reduce the net emissions
greenhouse gases by as much as 37,1% which is a significant amount. The net
effect of bioethanol use results in an overall decrease in ozone formation because
the emissions produced by burning ethanol are less reactive with sunlight than
those produced by burning gasoline, which results in a lower potential for forming
the damaging ozone. It reduces the amount of high octane additives.
While, a shortage of bioetanol as fuel is about land problem, a large
amount of arable land is required to grow crops. Then, there is concern that due to
the lucrative prices of bioethanol some farmers may sacrifice food crops for
biofuel production which will increase food prices around the world. The energy
content of the petrol is much higher than bioethanol, burning 1 litre of ethanol
gives 34% less energy than burning the same amount of petrol.
Bioethanol is a good organic solvents. Bioethanol have many uses such as
a solvent perfume, paint, varnish and antiseptic. Bioethanol also canbe converted
into isopropyl alcohol for commercial purposes. In daily life, we can find
bioethanol on spiritus, in alcohol households and in alcoholic beverages (beer,
wine and whisky).
1.3
Analysis
1.3.1
Market and Demand Analysis

Market analysis is the most fundamental in the design of a factory. This
analysis needs to be done to determine the potential of the product in the market.
Market analysis will determine capacity of the plant which will also affect the size
and amount of equipments, amount of raw materials, materials and energy
balance, and economic aspect of the product. Market analysis based by supply and
demand which consists of development in production, export, and import every
year. There are several companies in Indonesia that produce ethanol, which are:
Table 1.2 Bioethanol producer in Indonesia (2006)
Company
Salim Group
Medco
EN3 Korea
Angel Product
Sorini Tbk
RNI, PTPN
Mitsui Petrobras
Sampoerna
Molindo
Wilmar Group
Sugar Group
Sungai Budi
Location
South Sumatera
Lampung, West Java,
Kalimantan
South Sulawesi
North Sulawesi
North Sulawesi
North Sumatera, Lampung,
South Sulawesi, Java, NTT
Papua, Kalimantan
Madiun, Pawonsari
Lampung, Pacita, Kediri
Lampung, South Sumatera
Lampung, South Sumatera,
Kalimantan
Lampung
Production (KL/year)
70,000
270,000
180,000
10,000
200,000
200,000
500,000
375,000
100,000
70,000
500,000
120,000
(Source: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). 2008)
Ethanol is used as solvent, antiseptic, intoxicant, synthesis of other

chemicals, and ethanol fuel (mainly as biofuel, as known as bioethanol). Ethanol
has a good prospect in Indonesia, because demands of ethanol keep on increasing.
One of the reasons are because the impact due to publication of Ministry of
Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Regulation No. 25 in 2013, which require
the industrial sector, transportation, and power plant to use 10% biofuel (BBN) in
2014. Because ethanol is considered as biofuel (bioethanol), therefore, the demand
of general ethanol will also increase. Based on data Ministry of Industrial
(Kementrian Perindustrian Indonesia), the production of ethanol, especially

bioethanol is estimated to decrease for about 8.3% since 2006. Indonesia also
becomes the importer and exporter of ethanol. Indonesia export ethanol to Japan,
China, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and other countries.
Import of ethanol is estimate to grown for about 75% per year, and the export of
ethanol is estimate to decrease about 4.5% per year. From data that we have, the
forecast for future bioethanol production, import, export, and demand can be
calculated. Demand of bioethanol can be calculate using data from production,
import, and export. Because we cannot get the population data for 2016, we have
to forecast the population based on data in year 2000. The result that we have is in
Table 1.3.
Table 1.3 Bioethanol production, export, import, and demand
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Production
(KL/year)
1,254,753
1,254,753
1,254,753
1,254,753
836,502
767,072
703,405
645,023
591,486
542,392
497,374
Export
(KL/year)
665,164
688,444
506,971
524,715
532,319
508,365
485,489
463,642
442,778
422,853
403,824
Import
(KL/year)
39,324
38,144
81,303
97,558
150,160
199,779
215,114
396,450
486,287
668,502
904,878
Demand
(KL/year)
628,913
604,453
829,085
827,596
454,343
458,487
433,031
577,831
634,995
788,042
998,428
(Source: Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin). 2012. Reproduced)
1.3.2
Capacity Analysis
For determining the production capacity of our plant, we have to consider
and calculate the demand and supply of our product first, which has in the section
before. Our plant will be build approximately in 2016, therefore we will fulfill
several percentage of bioethanol demand in 2016. Based on the table, we know
that the demand of bioethanol for Indonesia in 2016 is 210,519 kilolitres per year.
Our plant will fulfill for about 35% of the demand in Indonesia, and we can
calculate our plant capacity.
10
Table 1.4 Production capacity calculation
Working Time
10% of the demand
Production Capacity
335 days per year

24 hours per day
100,000 kilolitres per year
300 kilolitres per day
(Source: Authors personal data)
We also did benchmarking with one of three largest ehanol company in

Indonesia, PT Sampoerna TG Ethanol. They produce ethanol for about 19% of
Indonesian ethanol demand. Based on data from Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources (ESDM), they produce about 375,000 kilolitres per year, or about
1,200 kilolitres per day. Because we are still a new player in bioethanol industry,
taking 73% of production capacity from one of the market leader ethanol
company in Indonesia is considerably logic. And we want to fulfill for about 10%
of ethanol demand in Indonesia, which also logic because PT Sampoerna TG
Ethanol (which is a mature company) is fulfilled 19% of ethanol demand in
Indonesia. Ethanol production in Indonesia will basically used domestically, only
few of it that will be exported. This happens because many industry in Indonesia
use ethanol as it materials, such as bioethanol fuels, chemical industry,
pharmaceutical, smoke, cosmetics, ink industry, and many more.
1.3.3
Raw Material Analysis

There are some options of biomass feedstock to produce ethanol. The
source of biomass used in this plant design is rice straw. Tayeb (2012) reported
that rice straw contains 12.4% ash, 39.2% cellulose, 23.5% hemicellulose, 36.1%
lignin and 1.83% moisture. Generally, rice straw is a lignocellulosic biomass
because of high lignin and cellulose content. Lignocellulosic compounds
structure is a complex form of hemicellulose and cellulose which bonded in lignin
molecules. Lignocellulose has high availability, especially as agricultural waste.
Rice straw and husks offer an immense potential to create bioenergy, an
alternative renewable source of power, said Dr. Stephan Haefele, senior
researcher at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). He and his scientific
team have been exploring ways to turn rice residues into useful and valuable by
11
products to support more efficient, productive, profitable, and sustainable rice

farms. This explain the future use of agricultural residues as a source of biofuel.
Indonesia, as an agrarian nation, has very high rice production. Based on
BPS data, Indonesia produced 70.83 million tons of rice in 2014. BPS also
predicted that this number will arise by 6.64% in 2015. According to Kim and
Dale (2004), rice straw ratio to harvested rice is 1.4. Therefore, 99.16 million tons
of rice straw produced in 2014. With this high number of rice straw production,
rice straw is an attractive source of biomass for producing ethanol in Indonesia.
A lot of study about rice straw biomass as biofuel source have been
published in recent years. This number of this kind of study arose because of
steady increasing energy consumption. The studies concluded that biomass based
fuel can be a solution of the issue of difficulty ofconventional energy source in
matching the steady increasing energy demands. This studies also moved the other
researcher to develop an efficient process to convert the biomass into biofuel.
Nowadays, there are quite a lot of studies in processing biomass into biofuel
(biogas, bio-ethanol, bio-diesel, etc.).
Generally, there are two kinds of process to convert this biomass into
ethanol, biological process -which involve hydrolysis and fermentation- and
chemical process which involve gasification and alcohol synthesis from gasifiedbiomass. These two processes need different pre-treatment. In the biological
process, the biomass needs to be hydrolyzed to separate cellulose monomers from
the lignin molecule. This is because lignin cannot be fermented by bacteria.This
biological process is a batch process. Which means the fermentation is not a quick
process. The other process, the thermochemical one, can overcome this
disadvantages. Thermochemical process involve continuous processes. There are
other combinations of processes also to convert rice straw into ethanol based on a
lot of preliminary studies. With this much options to convert rice straw into
ethanol, we can make sure that rice straw is an ideal source of lignocellulosic
ethanol especially in agrarian nation like Indonesia.
12
1.3.4
Plant Location Analysis

The plant location selection has to consider several factors that affect the
investors to build a plant, such as capital and operating costs. The plant location is
also affects the continuity of the plant production, meanwhile the right chosen
location is the location where the unit cost of production and distribution either
raw materials or product will be low. In other hand, the price and volume sales of
our ethanol products will be able to generate maximum profits for our company.
Figure 1.3 Indramayu area

(Source: www.republika.co.id)
Therefore, we decide to build the plant in Indramayu, West Java. It is the

district where the biggest rice production in Indonesia, which means produce the
highest rice straw too. The consideration is also goes to some factors, there are
primary and secondary factors to be considered.
a. Primary Factor
Communication and electricity infrastructure

There is some industrial district in Indramayu, West Java, actually in
Losarang. It means the communication and electricity is already provided
Availability of raw material

The material chosen to be our main raw material is rice straw. Indonesia is
one of the biggest rice productions in Asia which is also produce the rice
straw too. In Indonesia, the district where the biggest rice production is
located in West Java, especially Indramayu regency. The rice straw
production reach until 12 to 15 ton per hectare per harvest, but it will be
varied depends on location and variety type of the rice plant.
13
Transportation
There are potential industrial areas in Indramayu, likes Losarang,
Kadanghaur. In industrial area, transportation infrastructure will be
provided. In the presence of subway Cipali (Cikopo-Palimanan) it helps
the mode of transportation around the Java Island.
Labor
As a potential industrial area, Indramayuhas a reserve of human resources
reliable in quality and quantity.In addition, the availability of labor from
the area around and outsideIndramayu is also relatively large. Secondary
Factor
Government policy
Because of our plant location is in industrial area, the permits of plant
construction will be managed by the owner. In Indramayu the zone of
industry has been persistent and all of the administration in Bappeda
Physical aspects of location

According to geography data, Indramayu regency is located in 1070 52 1080 36 East Longitude and 60 15 - 60 40 South Latitude. From the
topography observation, Indramayu almost plain or slightly area with the
land declination average in 0-2%.
Based on these criteria, it can be concluded that the area of Losarang,
Indramayu, West Java is the most strategic location to build our plant, and Figure
1.4 shows the location of our plant.
Figure 1.4 Plant location

(Source: www.maps.google.com)
CHAPTER 2
PROCESS SELECTION
2.1
Alternative Process
Cellulosic ethanol is made from the cellulose, commonly in form of
biomass. In a source of biomass there is not contains cellulose only but also
contains lignin and hemicellulose. The cellulose could be converted to ethanol in
two main pathways either by biochemical or thermochemical conversion. In
biochemical process specialized enzyme or microbes is needed. The biomass goes
to pretreatment first to separate the lignin from cellulose and hemicellulose while
with the thermochemical conversion the biomass is processed into gaseous by
gasification process. In Figure 2.1 shows the alternative ways to process the
biomass into cellulosic ethanol.
Figure 2.1 Alternative process diagram

As seen in Figure 2.1 there are three alternative processes to convert the
biomass into cellulosic ethanol, but in hydrolysis process there is alternative to be
chosen. Those are with enzyme or acid to hydrolysis process. Therefore, the
alternative process is become to four and for help to know each process in Table
2.1 is listed the process route.
14
15
Table 2.1 Alternative process routes
Alternative
Process Route
Biomass pretreatment enzyme hydrolysis fermentation

distillation ethanol
Biomass pretreatment acid hydrolysis fermentation

distillation ethanol
Biomass gasification fermentation distillation ethanol
Biomass gasification catalytic synthetic process ethanol
The process listed in table 2.1 would goes to selection process by scoring
each alternative in some criteria. Actually, the main different process to be
selected is in the conversion process, by biochemical conversion or
thermochemical conversion. The conversion is the key of this process pathway, it
would be differentiate the way to produce an ethanol.
2.1.1
Biochemical Process Conversion

The cellulose would be converted to ethanol by biochemical process which
is known as fermentation. During the fermentation, specialized microorganism

(primarily fungi and bacteria) is used to convert the glucose in biomass to ethanol.
Before the fermentation, cellulose is pretreatment first and would be converted
into glucose by hydrolysis. Fermentation is helped by yeast, the microorganism
containing an enzyme which acts as a catalyst. Fermentation works in warm
condition, between 18 and 35C and at a neutral or acidic pH between 4 and 7.
As seen as table 2.1, the alternative used the biochemical conversion as
process is in the alternative A, B and C. The alternative A and B have mostly
common pathways to produce the ethanol, they differ in hydrolysis process. By
using the alternative A and B the biomass would goes to pretreatment in the
beginning. This pretreatment would separate the lignin and hemicellulose from the
cellulose, because only the cellulose is could be converted to ethanol. In other way
alternative B gives the process which the lignin and hemicellulose didnt need to
be separated but it converted into gaseous.
16
In the alternative A and B, the separated cellulose is broke into the simple
molecule glucose by hydrolysis. The alternative A and B differ in here, the
alternative A used enzyme while the alternative B used acid in hydrolysis process.
a. Hydrolysis
Cellulose is one of polymer form from glucose, which the glucose unit is
connected each other. The cellulose need to be hydrolyzed before produce the
ethanol. There are two basic type of hydrolysis, using enzyme or acid. The
cellulosic material is converts into sugar first and the second reaction would
convert the sugar to other chemicals. Most of acid processes are limited to a
sugar recovery efficiency of round 50%. The advantage of acid processes is
their fast rate of reaction, which facilitates continuousprocessing yet low sugar
yield. Another process is by using enzymes. Enzymes are naturally occurring
plant proteins that cause certain chemical reactions to occur. However, for
enzymes to work, they must obtain accessto the molecules to be hydrolyzed.
For enzymatic processes to be effective, some kind of pretreatment process is
thus needed to break the crystalline structure of the lignocellulose and remove
the lignin to expose thecellulose and hemicellulose molecule. Depending on
the biomass material, either physical or chemical pretreatment methods may
be used.
b. Fermentation
Ethanol fermentation is the biological process in room temperature and
atmosphere condition.The main objective process is converts the glucose into
ethanol by using the microorganism like Saccharomyces cerevisia. that
classified to the yeast types. It common used in industry of ethanol production
and it has the good prosperity in ethanol fermentation. The fermentation of
carbohydrates into alcohol is one of the oldest known chemical processes.
The fermentation process is started by mixing the source of sugar, water,
and yeast and the yeast to act in an oxygen free environment. Bacterial
fermentation of CO, CO2 and H2 to ethanol using clostridium ljungdahlii
gives thefollowing equations
6 CO + 3 H2O C2H5OH + 4 CO2
G = -216 kJ/mol
(2.1)
6 H2+ 2 CO2C2H5OH + 3 H2O
G = -97 kJ/mol
(2.2)
17
The fermentation takes place in a fermentor. In this equipment the

bacteria must be able to convert syngas in ethanol and after this the product
(ethanol) has to be removed from the rest of the stream.
2.1.2
Thermochemical Process Conversion

The conversion with thermochemical process use heat and chemicals to
break cellulose into syngas (CO and H2) and reassemble it into products such as
ethanol. The cellulose with lignin-rich parts cannot be easily converted
biochemically. Cellulose in biomass is burned into syngas. This process is called
as gasification which also forms tar and sulfur. The gases formed then go to tar
reformer to be cleaned to get closer to pure CO and H2. The cleaned gas compress
and run across a catalyst that will make the gases back up into molecules likes
ethanol or hydrocarbons.
The process conversion biomass into ethanol is in catalytic synthesis
process. This process were differentiated the biochemical and thermochemical
conversion. The main different with biochemical is in catalyst used, the
biochemical conversion used the microorganism as catalyst while the
thermochemical conversion used the chemical catalyst. In the alternative, there is
only alternative D used the thermochemical conversion, but it has the same way
with the alternative C to form the syngas from biomass. With those alternative
gives the high capacity of ethanol that would be produced.
2.1.2.1 Gasification
The cellulose in form of biomass would be dried and goes to gasification
process. Biomass gasification means combustion of biomass resulting in
production of combusting gases consist of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2)
and traces of methane (CH4). This mixture is called produces gas. Actually this
produces gas contain other contaminants too likes tar and sulfur, that must be
treated. The gasification process takes place at temperatures of about 1000C and
reactor used is called gasifier. The production of these gases from gasification
process is by reaction of water vapor and carbon dioxide through a glowing layer
of biomass. Thus the key to gasifier design is to create conditions such that
18
biomass is reduced to biomass and biomass is converted at suitable temperature to

produce CO and H2.
Figure 2.2 Conceptual Flow Diagram of Gasification based Biomass to Fuel System
(Source: U.S Department of Energy, PNNL-19009)
The following major reactions take place in combustion and reduction

zone. The syngas produced is collected from the top of gasifier and then cleaned
to remove tar and ash.There are four distinct processes take place in a gasifier as
the fuel makes its way to gasification. They are drying of fuel, pyrolysis,
combustion and reduction. Gasification of biomass could be considered as two
stage processes, begin with pyrolysis which then is followed by gasification.
The gasifier is the most important part in the process of turning biomass
into syngas: the gasifier turns the feed into syngas. In this section first the
requirements, which the gasifier must meet, are stated. Then several types of
gasifiers will be discussed and the advantages and disadvantages are compared in
order to make an appropriate choice for a gasifier. In the last part of this section
the energy necessary for the gasification-process and the efficiency of the gasifier
will be reviewed.There are several types of gasification process list below
Steam Gasification
The steam gasification reaction is endothermic which is requires heat input for
the reaction to proceed in its forward direction. This reaction is typical
19
combined with other gasification reactions in practical applications while The

H2-to-CO ratio of the product syngas depends on the synthesis chemistry as
well as process engineering. Reaction of steam gasification is shown below.
C + H2O CO + H2
H298K = 131.3 kJ/mol
(2.3)
Carbon Dioxide Gasification

The carbon dioxide gasification is endothermic, similar to the steam
gasification reaction.Reaction of carbon dioxide gasification is shown below.
C + 2 CO2 CO
H298K = 172.5 kJ/mol
(2.4)
The reverse reaction is a carbon deposition reaction that is a major culprit of

carbon
fouling
on
many
surfaces,
such
as
process
catalyst
deactivation.However, this reaction in practical gasification applications is

almost never attempted as a solo chemical reaction, because of a variety
of factors including low conversion, slow kinetic rate, low thermal efficiency,
unimpressive process economics, etc.
Hydrogasification
The hydrogasification process is direct addition of hydrogen to biomass under
high pressure forms methane.
C + 2 H2 CH4
H298K = 172.5 kJ/mol
(2.5)
This reaction is exothermic and is thermodynamically favored at low

temperatures therefore the high temperature is needed for the kinetic.
Partial Oxidation
Partial oxidation reaction is known as combustion process. The reactions for
partial oxidation are shown as follows.
C + O2 CO
H298K = -111.4 kJ/mol
(2.6)
C + O2 CO2
H298K = -393.5 kJ/mol
(2.7)
Partial oxidation involves a complex reaction mechanism that depends on how

fast and efficiently combustion processes. The presence of both gas phase
homogenous reactions and heterogeneous reaction between gaseous and solid
reactants make the reaction pathway is further complicated.
20
2.1.2.2 Catalytic Synthesis

To convert syngas into ethanol could be two different process, using
catalysts and by fermentation. Fermentation process is explained above. Catalytic
synthesis is the main process to convert the syngas into ethanol in
thermochemical. The clean syngas enters reactor where it is converted to mixed
alcohols with a metallic catalyst. Many catalysts could be used in this process,
most of them containing iron, nickel, cobalt, and rhodium in various amounts.
This catalytic synthesis use a metallic catalyst like modified methanol catalysts
(Cu/Zn and Cu/Mn based), modified molybdenum sulfide catalysts, modified
molybdenum oxide catalysts, rhodium-based catalysts and modified FischerTropsch catalysts. Gasification of biomass to synthesis gas, followed by catalytic
conversion of syngas, produces ethanol, plus C3-C4 alcohols.
Figure 2.3 The result of process

(Source: NREL 2007b)
From the Figure 2.3, we know the majority product conversion is ethanol. With
this conversion process the ethanol produced is about 70%.
2.2
Process Selection
In subchapter before in Table 2.1 there are the alternative process would
goes to be chosen. For the process selection we need some criteria to assess each
alternative process into get the best way to produce the cellulosic ethanol. As a
21
consideration, we make the criteria in engineering and economic aspect. The

engineering aspect likes the maturity of each process, complexity of the process,
treatment process needed, yield product and the product capacity. Meanwhile, the
economic aspects consider the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational
expenditure (OPEX) for each process. The value of scoring is value of scoring are
1 : worse, 2 : bad, 3 : equal, 4 : better, 5 : very good.
Maturity
Maturity means the process we choose is proven and has been used in real
industry.
Product Conversion
The best process has a high conversion. It means the feeds which goes to the
process would be form the product, ethanol. Product conversion is the one of
selecting factor. When the conversion reach 80%, it means the process has
high conversion and would be given score 5.
Capacity
Sum of the feed or raw materials that could be processed is meaning of
capacity. The higher capacity that would form into the ethanol would be
chosen process.
Treatment Process
Some of the alternative needed an extra treatment before goes to process and
some of other produces the unneeded components like sulfur and tar which
needed to be removed. The extra treatment process and removal process may
give the adding of equipment, and impacts the cost needed.
Simplicity
Simplicity is how easy the process to convert the feed or raw materials to
become the final product, ethanol. The more complex the process, the
equipment needed to install and impact the all of the cost spent. If we see in
the step of each alternative, the process D has the few steps compare to the
other alternative. Alternative A and B have goes to pretreatment first before
the main process. It means the process A and B is more complex than another.
22
Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)

The capital expenditure (CAPEX) means the cost needed to buy and or make
the equipment. The equipment needed is depends on the step of each
alternative process. The more equipment used so the high CAPEX spent.
Operational Expenditure (OPEX)

While the capital expenditure (CAPEX) means the cost spent in equipment
installation, the operational expenditure (OPEX) means the cost needed in
maintenance process and other operational process.
Table 2.2 Alternative process scoring
Criteria
Maturity
Product
Conversion
Capacity
Treatment
Process
Simplicity
Weight
%
C
Score
Score
Score
Weight
20
Engineering Aspect
5
1
5
1
0.8
0.8
20
0.8
0.8
15
0.6
0.6
0.75
0.75
15
0.45
0.45
0.6
0.6
10
0.4
4
0.4
Economic Aspect
0.4
0.4
Capital
10
Expenditure
Operational
10
Expenditure
Total Score
Score
Score
Weight
Score
Weight
Score
Score
Weight
0.5
0.5
0.3
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.5
4.05
4.05
4.25
4.45
Based on the scoring process, the process with high score is the chosen
process. The process chosen is process D, biomass gasification catalytic
synthetic process ethanol. In this alternative, the main processes are gasification
and catalytic synthetic.
2.3
Technology Selection
The alternative chosen is alternative D with thermochemical conversion
through the gasification technology. It has the other alternative must be chosen,
like the technology used.
23
There are two main types of gasifiers, indirect and direct gasifier. In direct
gasifier the fees is heated directly or partial oxidation gasifier will be generated
the heat required for gasification inside the reactor. Heat would be used from the
partial combustion of the feedstock. In other hand, indirect gasifier transfer heat
from an external source into gasifier. The heat from external source came from the
heat generated through the combustion of by product created during gasification.
In the direct gasifier the heat required is supplied by burning a portion of
biomass with flow of oxygen in the reactor. In order to purify the oxygen, a
pressurized cryogenic air separation unit is needed. The feed into the reactor then
sealed and filled with pressurized CO2recovered from the gas purification and
conditioning section of the plant. The raw untreated gas from the gasifier is sent to
a primary cyclone separator where char is captured and sent to the char
combustor.he char is combusted in char combustor and the hot flue gas is sent to
the biomass drying unit. The gas from the primary separator is then sent to a
secondary cyclone separator to remove the ash and residual fines. The completely
process flow diagram is shown in Figure 2.4.
Figure 2. 4 Flow diagram direct gasifier

The indirect gasifier contains both a gasifier and a separate combustor.

The feed into the low-pressure indirectly heated gasifier while a portion of the
heat required for the gasifier come from the steam in steam cycle. In addition to
24
fulfilled the heat, another heat is supplied by circulating hot olivine particles
between the gasifier and the separate combustorA series of cyclone separators are
used to remove particulates and char from the raw gas leaving the gasifier then the
majority of the olivine, char, and ash is separated in the cyclone separator and
then sent to the char combustor.The gas from the primary gasifier cyclone is sent
to the tar reformer while the char is burned in the char combustor to reheat the
olivine. The flue gas from char combustor is sent to primary combustor cyclone
separator which almost 99.9& of olivine will returned to the gasifier while the flue
gas then sent to a secondary combustor cyclone separator to remove the solid such
as fines and ash. The wet solids are transported to a landfill and the hot gas is then
cooled by boiler in order to use for biomass drying. All of these completely
process can be seen in Figure 2.5.
Figure 2.5 Flow diagram indirect gasifier

Table 2. 3 Indirect versus direct gasifier
Factor
Direct
Indirect
Feed (mtpd)
2200
2200
Products (mmgal/y)
45
43
Power Consumption (MW)
14.5
34.7
Power Generation (MW)
26.8
30.2
25
Table 2. 4 Indirect versus direct gasifier (contd-1)
Factor
Direct
Indirect
Fuel Products
30.1%
28.7%
Thermal Efficiency
44.8%
42.5%
Capital Cost (mm$)
480
356
Operating Cost ($/gal)
3.07
2.71
From the data U.S Department of Energy we can give score to each
technology alternative to get the right chosen. The technology selection through
several criteria, such as yield product, energy consumption, costs needed. The
score is given from 1 to 5.
Table 2.5 Gasification technology scoring
Criteria
Weight %
Product Yields
Energy Efficiency
Equipment Needed
Cost
Total Score
25
25
25
25
Direct Gasifier
Score
Score
Weight
4
1.00
4
1.00
4
1.00
4
1.00
4.00
Indirect Gasifier
Score
Score
Weight
4
1.00
5
1.25
4
1.00
5
1.25
4.5
Based on the scoring process the technology chosen is indirect gasifier.

Although the directly heated gasifier has higher product yields than indirectly
heated gasifier, but by using indirect gasifier lower overall net power for the plant
or in the other way it has good energy efficiency. If we see in economic aspect,
the total equipment cost in direct gasifier is about 36.8% higher that indirect
gasifiersystem, and it make the indirect gasifier is more economically than direct
gasifier. In addition technology by heat supplied, there are several types of
gasifiers can be used to produce syngas from biomass, counter current fixed bed
(updraft), counter current fixed bed (downdraft), fluidized bed and entrained bed.
In a fixed bed reactor, the oxygen or air as the gasifying agent flows up or
down through a fixed pile of biomass. Co-current fixed bed reactor (updraft)
26
gasifier consist of a fixed bed biomass with counter current flow of steam, oxygen
and air flowing upward through the fuel bed while the Co-current fixed bed
reactor (downdraft) gasifier the steam, oxygen and air flows downward with the
fuel. Gas exit temperaturesforn updraft gasifier are low, which improves thermal
efficiency, but increases tar and methane impurities in the gas. In other hand,
because the gas passes through the hot char at the bottom of the bed before exiting
in downdraft gasifier, some impurities such as tars are trapped in the char and the
final product has a higher purity. The exit temperature of the gas is higher,
resulting in a lower overall efficiency.
Figure 2.6 (a) Counter Current Fixed Bed (Updraft), (b) Counter Current Fixed Bed (Downdraft)
(Source: FAO Corporate Document Repository)
In a fluidized bed gasifier, biomass is added to a fluid bed. The bed is

considered as fluidized because behave like a liquid. The fluid bed is small
particles of an inert material compacted in air through the injection of the
gasifying agent. The fluid bed is located in one of region in the reactor and the
particle unable to escape form the fluid bed. Some of particles remain entrained
with the gas so that inert material exits with the syngas, where it is separated each
other by cyclone separator and the particle re-circulated to the reactor. The fuel in
a fluidized bed gasifier is gasified in an oxygen/air and steam mixture. Fuel
throughput is higher than for fixed bed gasifiers, and has the advantage of uniform
temperature distribution achieved in the gasification zone resulting in cleaner
reactions. However, conversion rates are lower, requiring the recycling of part of
the exit gas back to the gasifier.
27
Figure 2.7 Fluidized bed gasifier

In entrained flow gasifiers, the fuel is fed either as a dry pulverized solid
or the fuel slurry in tandem with oxygen or air. Gasification takes place in a dense
cloud of fine particles and is particularly useful for coals which can be easily
pulverized into fine particles. This gasifier has the highest operating temperature
and pressure, which decreases the amount of tars and methane formed during
gasification.Because of the entrainment requirement, high space velocity of gas
stream and fine powdery coal particles are very essential to the operation of this
type of process. Because of the very short residence time (i.e., high space
velocity) in the reactor, a very high temperature is required to achieve
good conversion in such a short period of reaction time. This can also be assisted
by using excess oxygen.
Figure 2. 8 Entrained bed gasifier

28
Each gasifier design has different advantage and disadvantage, such as

cost, tar yield, sensitivity to moisture, and volume potential. Gasifier
manufacturers indicate that of the commercial gasifiers in use, 75% are co-current,
20% are fluidized beds, 2.5% are counter-current, and 2.5% are other designs
(Van Loo, 2003).
Table 2.6 Gasification reactor scoring
Criteria
Weig
Fixed Bed
Fixed Bed
Fluidized
Entrained
(Updraft)
(Downdraft)
Bed
Bed
-ht %
Score
Product
Yields
Energy
Efficiency
Equipment
Needed
Cost
Score
Weight
Score
Score
Weight
Score
Score
Weight
Score
Score
Weight
25
0.75
0.75
0.75
1.00
25
0.75
1.00
1.00
1.00
25
1.00
1.00
1.25
0.75
25
1.00
1.00
1.25
0.75
Total Score
3.50
3.75
4.25
3.50
Overall, fluidized bed reactors have greater potential for use with biomass
conversion than fixed bed reactors or other types of gasifier.The gasification of
carbonaceous biomass occurs via three main reactions, partial oxidation, complete
oxidation, and the water gas reaction
C + O2 CO
H298K = -268 kJ/mol
(2.8)
C + O2 CO2
H298K = -406 kJ/mol
(2.9)
C + H2O CO + H2
H298K = 118 kJ/mol
(2.10)
In addition, the water gas shift reaction plays an important role in the composition
of the CO, CO2, and H2
CO + H2O CO2 + H2
(2.11)
Syngas can also contain a number of other compounds such as methane (CH4),
acetylene, ethylene, ethane, nitric oxide (NO), sulfur dioxide (SO 2), tars, and ash
which can have complex effects on the metal catalyst.
29
2.4
Process Description
2.4.1
Feed Handling and Preparation

Biomass feedstock derived from rice straw will transported from the field
to plant use trucks. Before the feedstock brought to plant, it will feed into the
hammer mill for reduction its size. Biomass feedstock will has a size reduction
use hammer mill until the size is 0,1-0,3 mm.Pneumatics may be integrated into
the hammer mill, which would increase grinder efficiency and provide additional
drying beyond that which is accomplished in the absence of pneumatics. Chips are
ejected from the hammer mill directly into a flat floor chip trailer, and once the
truck reaches capacity the material is taken to the plant.At the plant, the trucks are
weighed and a truck dumper unloads the truck contents into a hopper. A dust
collection system is present during unloading to prevent excessive dust
accumulation and to limit dry matter losses. Before the biomass are converted to
syngas, the feedstock is dried by rotary drum dryer to reduce moisture content
until 10 wt% moisture using hot flue gases from the char combustor and tar
reformer catalyst regenerator.
2.4.2
Gasification
In this stage, biomass feedstocks that already dried will enter gasification
processes to produce syngas. The design includes two parallel gasifier trains, each
with a biomass processing capacity of 1000 dry metric tonnes per day.
Gasification process use heat source from steam so called indirect gasified. The
heat for the gasification reactions is supplied by circulating synthetic olivine sand
that is pre heated in a char combustor and fed to the gasifier. In this case the
medium is synthetic olivine (calcined magnesium silicate) consisting of Enstatite
(MgSiO3), Forsterite (Mg2SiO3), and Hematite (Fe2O3). A small amount of
magnesium oxide (MgO) is added to the fresh olivine. The MgO rejects the
potassium
present
in
biomass
as
ash
by
forming
high
melting
(~2,370F/1,300C) ternary eutectic with the silica, thus sequestering it. Without
MgO addition, the potassium will form glass (K2SiO4) by interacting with the
silica in the system. K2SiO4 has a low melting point (~930F/500C) and its
formation would cause the bed media to become sticky, agglomerate, and
30
eventually de-fluidized. Potassium carry-over from the gasifier to downstream

processes is also significantly reduced with the addition of MgO. The biomass ash
is assumed to contain 0.2 wt % potassium. The MgO molar flow rate is set at 2
times the molar flow rate of potassium. With an expected potassium inlet flow
rate of 0.087 lb-moles per hour, the estimated MgO requirement is 0.174 lb-moles
per hour or 7.0 lb per hour.
The type of gasifier that used is fluidized flow gasifier because it has long
residence time than entrained flow gasifier and ensure high carbon conversion.
First, conveyors and hoppers feed biomass to the low pressure entrained flow
gasifier. Steam is injected into the gasifier to stabilize the flow of biomass and
olivine through the gasifier and to serve as a fluidizing medium and reactan at the
high gasifier temperature. The steam for fluidization medium is supplied by steam
cycle. The steam to feed ratio is set to 0.4 lb of steam per lb of bone dry biomass
feedstock. The gasifier is designed to operate at 18 psig to allow for pressure
drops in subsequent equipment. Theaverage olivine circulation rate is
approximately 27 lb of olivine per lb of bone dry wood. Fresh olivine is added to
compensate for losses from the gasifier and combustor cyclones.
Figure 2.9 Simplified Process Flow Diagram of Gasification Area

(Source: NREL/TP-5100-51400,2011)
The operation of the gasifier and char combustor resembles that of a fluid
catalytic cracker (FCC), a common oil refinery unit operation. Like an FCC, the
gasifier and char combustor will remain in heat balance by producing (gasifier)
31
and burning (char combustor) enough char to satisfy the energy requirements of
the operation. The gasifier and combustor reach thermal equilibrium based on the
amount of char formed in the gasifier. If the gasifier temperature is lower than the
equilibrium temperature, then more char is formed and more heat is generated by
char combustion. This results in more heat transfer from the combustor to the
gasifier, thus bringing the gasifier temperature up toward equilibrium. gasifier
temperature is 1,596F (869C) and the char combustor temperature is 1,808F
(987C). The char combustor is operated with 20% excess air (based on the
stoichiometric requirement) to ensure complete oxidation of char components. The
reactions that occuron indirect gasified are:

+ 2
(2.12)
( ) + 2
(2.13)
( ) + 2
(2.14)
( ) + 2
+ 2
+ 32
2 + 2
(2.15)
4 + 2
(2.16)
There are water gas shift reaction on gasifier which functions to decrease
CO and increase the amount of H2. It is useful to get H2/CO ratio near 2. Within
the gasifier, biomass thermally deconstructs to a mixture of syngas components
(CO,H2,CO2,CH4,etc), tars, and solid char containing residual carbon from the
biomass and coke deposited on the olivine. At the exit of the gasifier, there are
cyclones that separate the char and olivine from the syngas. The solids flow to the
char combustor where the char is burned in air in a fluidized bed, resulting in
olivine temperatures greater than 1800oF (982oC). The hot olivine and residual ash
is carried out of the combustor by the combustion gases and separated using a pair
of cyclones. The first cyclone captures olivine while the second cyclone captures
ash and olivine fines. Hot olivine flows back into gasifier, completing the
gasification loop. The hot flue gas from the char combustor is utilized for heat
recovery and feedstock drying. Ash and olivine fines are cooled, moistened to
minimize dust, and removed as waste.
32
2.4.3
Gas Cleanup
After gasification, there are other components beside syngas like tars,
methane and other hydrocarbons. Those components not needed in bioethanol

production so that component must be cleaned from syngas by cooling, quench,
and scrubbing process. Tars, methane, and light hydrocarbons are reformed to
syngas in a circulating, fluidized, solid catalyst system that resembles a small
scale fluid catalytic cracker (FCC). The water gas shift reaction also occur in the
reformer. The syngas is reacted with tar reforming catalyst in an entrained flow
reactor at a gas hourly space velocity of approximately 2,500 /h. In the reformer,
methane, tars, and other hydrocarbons are converted to CO and H2, and NH3 is
converted to N2 and H2. The base tar reformer operating temperature for this
design is 1,670F (910C) at the reactor outlet.
Figure 2.10 Simplified Process Flow Diagram of Gas Cleanup Area

(Source: NREL/TP-5100-51400,2011)
Similar to the gasification area, the heat for tar conversion is supplied by
circulating catalyst (Ni/Mg/K supported on alumina) between the tar reformer
reactor and the catalyst regenerator. The reactions in tar reformer can be seen in
the below:
10 8 + 102
10 + 142 (Tar Reforming)
4 + 2
+ 32
(2.17)
(2.18)
33
2 6 + 22
2 4 + 22
2 + 52
(2.19)
2 + 42
(2.20)
As we can see, the reaction in tar reformers produce hydrogen more than
carbon monoxide, so the ratio H2/CO will increase. The catalyst regenerator burns
carbon (coke) deposits off the catalyst particles, regenerating the catalyst activity
and providing heat for the tar reforming reactions. Because the rate of coke
formation in the tar reformer is not sufficient to sustain the endothermic reforming
reactions, supplemental combustion gases are supplied to the catalyst regenerator
from various process areas. Air is supplied to the catalyst regenerator by the
combustion air blower to provide the oxygen for combustion.
The spent catalyst from the tar reformer is separated from the syngas in a
two-stage cyclone separator and flows to the catalyst regenerator). The
combustion flue gas and catalyst from the regenerator are sent to a cyclone
separator system. A two-stage cyclone separates the regenerated catalyst from the
combustion gases and the catalyst flows back to the tar reformer. The flue gas is
then utilized for heat recovery before it is mixed with flue gas from the
gasification area. The combined flue gas stream is used for the feed drying system
and then sent to a flue gas scrubber.
Hot syngas from the tar reformer is cooled to 140F (60C) through heat
exchangers, which are used to heat other process streams. A syngas scrubbing
system removes impurities such as particulates, ammonia, halides, and residual
tars. The scrubbing system consists of a venturi scrubber, cyclone separator, and a
quench water circulation system. The syngas exits the quench system at a
temperature of 130F (54C).Scrubber water is purged and treated continuously
an on-site wastewater treatment facility.
2.4.4
Alcohol Synthesis
Cooled low-pressure syngas enters a six-stage centrifugal compressor
system where the pressure is increased to approximately 3,000 psi (207 bar). Each
inter-stage cooler includes water, air, and process stream exchangers. These
exchangers are deliberately oversized to minimize pressure drops to an average of
34
6 psi (0.41 bar) per inter-stage. Minimizing pressure drop in the coolers will
minimize electrical consumption.
Figure 2.11 Simplified Process Flow Diagram of Alcohol Synthesis Area

(Source: NREL/TP-5100-51400,2011)
The compressed fresh syngas is mixed with recycled syngas and methanol
and pre heated to 595oF (313oC) before entering the alcohol synthesis reactor. The
pressurized syngas is fed to the tube sides of two vertical tubular reactors (shell
and tube type) operating in parallel. CuO/ZnO catalyst is packed within the tubes
of the reactor, which is oriented in a down-flow configuration. Then, reactions at
above 570F (300C) convert a portion of the syngas to oxygenate and
hydrocarbon products. The overall stoichiometric reaction for alcohol synthesis is
summarized in equation 2.12 :
35
+ 2 2
(2.21)
2 +1 + 1 2
Light hydrocarbons, methyl esters, and aldehydes are produced in smaller

quantities through similar chemical routes. The stoichiometry suggests an
optimum H2 : CO ratio of 2.0. However, CuO/ZnO catalyst have significant water
gas shift activity and will generate H2 and CO2 from CO and H2O as shown in
equation 2.13
+ 2
(2.22)
2 + 2
Heat from the reactions is removed by steam generation in the shell side of the
tubular reactor. Heat must be removed from the reactors because the synthetic
reaction is exothermic. Steam is generated at 1336 psia and 581 oF (305oC). The
reactor effluent consisting of mixed alcohols, gaseous by-products (such as CO2
and methane), and unconverted syngas is cooled through heat exchanger with
other process streams. As the reactor effluent cools, alcohols and water are
condensed and sent to downstream separation and purification equipment.
Figure 2.12 Simplified Flow Diagram of The H2S/CO2 Removal and Sulfur
(Source: NREL/TP-5100-51400,2011)
Unconverted syngas and gas-phase by-products flow to an acid gas

removal system where a physical solvent (dimethyl ether of polyethylene glycol
or DEPG) removes most of the H2S and a portion of the CO2. The DEPG system
36
requires refrigeration, which is provided by an ammonia-water absorption

refrigeration system. Absorption refrigeration has the advantage of using heat as
the major driver instead of electricity used in conventional refrigeration systems.
Once the H2S and CO2 are removed, the syngas is recompressed to make up for
pressure losses through the reactor and acid gas cleanup system, and is recycled to
the alcohol synthesis reactors. A portion of the unconverted syngas is expanded
through a power recovery turbine and recycled to the gas cleanup and
conditioning section as feed to the tar reformer and fuel for the tar reformer
catalyst regenerator. The CO2 and H2S from the acid gas removal system are
further processed in an amine-based acid gas enrichment unit and a Merichem
LO-CAT sulfur recovery unit where H2S is converted to elemental sulfur and
stockpiled for disposal. An intermediate CO2-rich stream generated from the acid
gas enrichment system is recycled to the reformer catalyst regeneration combustor
to recover heat from residual combustible components in the stream and to
prevent the emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere.
2.4.5
Alcohol Separation
Cooled crude alcohols are de-pressurized and de-gassed in a flash
separator. The evolved gases are recycled to the gas cleanup section as a feed to
the tar reformer. The depressurized liquid stream is dehydrated using a molecular
sieve system. The molecular sieve dehydrator consists of two parallel vessels
containing fixed bedsof porous alumino-silicate pellets, which are designed to
selectivity adsorb water. One molecular sieve vessel is in alcohol drying service
while the material in the other vessel is being regenerated by recycled methanol.
This can be seen in Figure 2.13 below:
37
Figure 2.13 Simplified Process Flow Diagram of Alcohol Separation Area

(Source: NREL/TP-5100-51400,2011)
Downstream of the molecular sieve, the dehydrated alcohol stream is

introduced to the crude alcohol distillation column, which separates methanol and
ethanol from higher molecular weight alcohols. The overhead stream from the
crude alcohol column is separated in a second column to a crude methanol stream
and an ethanol product. The methanol overhead stream is split and utilized for the
following purposes:
15% (in the base case design) is sent to the molecular sieve system, which is
adequate to regenerate the molecular sieve beds by flushing the adsorbed
water. The resulting methanol/water mixture is returned to the gasifier as a
source of steam for fluidization.
From 0% to 15% (11% in the base case design) is chilled and mixed with an
H2Srich stream from the sulfur recovery system. H2S dissolves in the cold
methanol and the resulting solution is pumped to the inlet of the alcohol
synthesis reactor, providing sulfur for catalyst activity management. The
amount of H2S is adjusted to maintain an average concentration of 70 ppmv at
the reactor inlet. It should be noted that a range of 0% to 15% is specified
because the required amount of H2S recycle will depend on the amount of H2S
(from sulfur present in the biomass feedstock) entering the alcohol synthesis
reactor with fresh syngas.
A small vapor portion (5 wt % in the base case design) containing some

methanol with gases and volatile compounds is utilized as fuel for the tar
reformer catalyst regenerator.
38
The remaining material (69% in the base case design) is recycled to the
alcohol synthesis reactor to improve ethanol yields.
2.4.6
Heat and Power

A conventional steam cycle produces steam for direct injection into the
gasifier and reformer. Indirect steam is used for distillation, absorption

refrigeration, and the acid gas strippers in the DEPG and acid gas enrichment
units. Electricity is generated using two-stage steam turbines, with intermediate
reheat, to meet the demands of the plant. The first stage turbine drops the steam
pressure from 1321 psia to 350 psia. The second stage turbine drops the pressure
from 345 psia to 3,5 psia and the steam inlets to both turbine stages are preheated
to 1000oF.
As mentioned earlier in the alcohol synthesis section, additional electricity
is generated by sending a portion of the pressurized unreacted gases from the
alcohol synthesis reactor through turbo-expanders. The majority of electricity is
used for syngas compression. The steam cycle is integrated with the biomass
conversion process. Pre-heaters, steam generators, and super-heaters are
integrated within the process design to generate the steam from boiler feed water.
Process condensate is recycled to the steam cycle, degassed, treated, and
combined with makeup water.
2.4.7
Cooling Water
A cooling water system is included to determine the requirements of each
cooling water heat exchanger within the biomass conversion process as well as
makeup water and power requirements. In a version of the design that includes
additional water optimization, process condensate is treated and combined with
the cooling water makeup to reduce fresh water consumption.
2.5
Equipment and Technology Selection

In general, our plant divided into three main process like already described
in process description. They are process biomass to syngas,process syngas to

alcohols and process separation ethanol from other alcohols. In this section the
equipment will be describe briefly.
39
2.5.1
Hammer Mill
Hammer mill is a crusher that can grind, pulverize, and crush a wide range
of materials. In our plant hammer mill used in handling feed section to crushing
the rice straw to size 0.1mm until 0.3 mm. Hammer mills work on the principle
using a simple four step operation:
1. Material is fed into the mills chamber typically by gravity.
2. The material is struck by ganged hammers which are attached to a shaft which
rotates at a high speed inside the chamber. The material is crushed or shattered
by the repeated hammer impacts, collisions with the walls of the grinding
chamber as well as particle impacts.
3. Perforated metal screens or bag grates covering the discharge opening of the
mill retain coarse materials for further grinding while allowing properly sized
materials to pass as finished product.
4. Hard, heavy materials such as glass, stone or metals exit the mill via gravity.
Pneumatic suction us used to assist in the discharge of lighter materials such
as wood, paper or other low bulk density products.
2.5.2
Rotary Dryer
Dryer use to reduce moisture content of biomass feedstock until 10% wt.
Type of waste heat dryer (M-101) that used is rotary drum dryer. Wet biomass
material goes into the feeding hopper by dryer feed screw conveyor (C-101), then
through the feeder goes into the feed pipe. The feed pipe slope is greater than the
natural inclination of the materials, so that the material can inflow the rotary dryer
smoothly. There is supply hot flue gas from char combustor and tar reformer
torotary dryer. The rotary dryer cylinder is tilted slightly compared with
horizontal. Materials and hot flue gas goes into the rotary dryer cilinder from the
higher end. During the rotation of the cylinder, the material by gravity goes into
the lower end. When the wet material is in the process of moving forward in the
rotary dryer cylinder body, the lifting plates inside the rotary dryer cilinder makes
the material up and down to contact with the hot flue gas completely. Thus, the
moisture inside the wet material is evaporated into water vapour, and finally we
get the dried materials.
40
2.5.3
Fluidized Flow Gasification and Char Combustor

It uses finely pulverized biomass particles. The gas or gasifying medium
flows upward through the bed and fluidizes the biomass particles. Owing to the
ascent of particles and fluidizing gas, larger biomass surface area is made
available. It can promote the gas solid chemical reaction, which in turn results in
enhancement in carbon conversion.
This type of reactor allows intimate contact between gas and solid biomass
fines and at the same time providing relatively longer residence times than
entrained flow reactor. We use indirect heat biomass gasifier (R-201) because we
want to produce syngas with high H2/CO ratio. The indirect gasifier also do not
require an air separation unit to separate oxygen and nitrogen. While, the direct
gasifier needs air separation unit because they have partial oxidation reaction
(POX). A source of heat required gasifier in distributed by char combustor (R202). From char combustor, steam may be generated and used for biomass
gasification in gasifier.
2.5.4
Cyclone
Cyclone separators utilize gravity and a vortex to remove particulates from
gaseous streams. Industrial cyclones are used in pollution control applications

most commonly as a first stage, lower cost method for removing larger particulate
matter from effluent gas streams. The pressure drop and maintenance
requirements tend to be low because cyclone separators do not incorporate filter
media or moving parts. Cyclone separators operate by incorporating centrifugal,
gravitional, and inertial forces to remove fine particles suspended in the air or gas.
In our plant, there are several cyclone that used in process section. In
gasified vessel there are two cyclone (S-201) and (S-202), two cyclone in char
combustor (S-203) and (S-204), 2 stage cyclone in tar reformer (S-301) and 2
stage cyclone in catalyst regenerator (S-302).
2.5.5
Tar Reformer Unit and Catalyst Regeneration

Tar reformer unit (R-301) is a unit that have a function to reform tars,
methane, and other hidrocarbons from gasification unit to become syngas. Tar
41
reformer is an entrained flow, fluidized catalytic reactor. Tar reformer use

Ni/Mg/K supported on alumina catalyst. Catalyst regenerator (R-301 A) used to
collect the catalyst and clean it from coke. The heat that produced from
combustion coke transfered to tar reformer to sustain the endothermic reforming
reactions. Air is supplied to catalyst regenerator to provide the oxygen for
combustion. Tar reformer and catalyst regenerator reactor is a vertical vessel.
There are catalyst loader system to provide make up catalyst in tar reformer
2.5.6
Syngas Quench & Scrubbing System

This unit consist of several equipment like syngas venturi scrubber (M-
302), syngas cyclone separator(M-301), and quench water circulating system

pump (HE-302). A syngas scrubbing system removes inmpurities such as
particulates, amonia, halides, and residual tars. The syngas exits the quench
system at a temperature of 130oF (54oC).
2.5.7
Compressor and Inter stage cooler

Compressor is the equipment that used before alcohol synthesis section.
Our type of compressor is centrifugal compressor. Compressor used to compress

syngas after tar reformer unit to pressure 3000 psia. Our plant use six stage
centrifugal compressor (K-401 A, K 104 B, K 104C, K 104 D, K 104 E, K 104 F)
where in each stage there is inter stage cooler. The function of 6 stage
compressor is to increase pressure of syngas gradually because if we use
compressor only one stage, the compressor will vibrating very strong. The
function of inter-stage cooler (H 401 A, H 401 B, H 401 C, H 401 D, H 401 E) is
to decrease the temperature of syngas after its compressed. Each inter stage
cooler includes water, air, and process stream exchangers. These exchangers are
deliberately oversized to minimize pressure drops to an average of 6 psi per interstage. Minimizing pressure drop in the coolers will minimize electrical
consumption as the compressors represent the most significant electrical load on
the system.
42
2.5.8
Tubular Reactor Synthesis Catalyst

The main reactor for synthesis alcohol is alcohol synthesis reactor (R-401)
that form like tubular reactor which has a shell and tube section. The feed will be
fed to tube section which filled with CuO/ZnO packed catalyst. The reaction of
synthesis alcohol is a exothermic reaction that produce heat. The heat will transfer
through surface between shell and tube to generate steam for others process. The
material that used in tubular reactor is SA 213. The operation condition of this
reactor is 570oF (300oC) and the pressure is around 3000 psi (207 bar).
2.5.9
Heat Exchanger
In the plant, heat exchanger have function to help transfer heat in several
section. One of function heat exchanger that used in our plant is cooling the
methanol/water mixture that resulted from the molecular sieve regeneration.
Moreover, we use heat exchanger for tar reformer effluent (HE-301), syngas
quench inlet (HE-302), alcohol synthesis effluent (H-403), ethanol product, higher
alcohols product, steam turbine exhaust, catalyst regenerator flue gas and char
combustor flue gas. The type of heat exchanger is shell and tube.
2.5.10 Acid Gas Removal System

Acid gas removal system is a system which function to remove H 2S and
CO2 from the unconverted gas. The acid gas removal system consist of four
process such as H2O & CO2 removal, acid gas enrichment, sulfur recovery, and
H2S recycle.
H2O & CO2 removal utilizes a physical solvent, dimethyl ethers
polyethylene glycol (DEPG), to remove nearly all the H2S and a portion of
CO2from the alcohol synthesis reactor effluent. Acid gas enrichment system
utilizes MDEA amine to increase the H2S concentration of the acid gas. The
selective amine absorbs nearly all of the H2S entering from the DEPG stripper offgas while absorbing only a small percentage of the entering CO2.
Sulfur recovery using the system that utilizes by Merichems LO-CAT
technology to remove H2S from the methanol absorber off-gas. LO-CAT process
43
consisting of a venturi pre-contactor (M-401), liquid-filled absorber (T-407), air

blown oxidizer, air blower, solution circulating pump and solution cooler.
2.5.11 Flash Separator

A vapor liquid separator is a device used in several industrial
applications to separate a vapor liquid mixture. For common variety, gravity is
utilized in a vertical vessel to cause the liquid to settle to the bottom of the vessel,
where it is withdrawn. in our plant we use flash separator to separate crude
alcohol after alcohol synthesis process. The temperature of molecular sieve flash
separator (S-505) is 110oF and the pressure is 2,93 psia.
2.5.12 Molecular Sieve System
The molecular sieve dehydration unit (S-503) and (S-504) is an important
process in any plant that uses biomass as a feedstock. Water in the wet gas passed
along into subsequent processes can cause the formation of hydrates or destroy
valuable catalyst. Molecular sieve dehydration is currently the process by which
almost all water is removed from gas. The switching valves (gas in, gas out,
regeneration in, regeneration out, pressuring and depressuring) are critical
components in this process. If these valves do not perform as expected, the drying
process will be compromised and molecular sieve drying unit will not dry the gas
to the required specifications. For regeneration process, methanol/water mixture
flowed to molecular sieve regeneration. The methanol/water mixture resulting
from molecular sieve regeneration cooled to 140 oF (60oC) using a forced air
heat exchanger and separated from the uncondensed vapor in a flash drum
2.5.13 Distillation Column

There are two distillation column in this plant. First distillation column is
crude alcohol distillation column (D-501) that used to separate higher alcohol
with methanol and ethanol. While the second is methanol distillation column (D502) that used to separate ethanol from methanol. This achieved by adding heat to
boil liquid and passing through a series of mixing zones where in this section heat
and mass transfer occurs. In general, each of distillation column consist of trayed
column, overhead condenser and reboiler.
44
2.5.14 Pump
A pump is a device that moves fluids or sometimes slurries by mechanical
action. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method
they use to move the fluid: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps. In our
plant, there are a lot of pump like quench water recirculation pump (P-301), crude
alcohol column reflux pump, methanol column reflux pump, condensed methanol
pump, crude alcohol column bottoms pump,etc. all of pump is centrifugal pump
2.5.15 Storage Vessel Ethanol and Higher Alcohol

Vessel is a closed container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure
substantially different from the ambient pressure. The pressure differential is
dangerous and fatal accidents have occured in the history of pressure vessel
development and operation. Consequently, pressure vessel design, manufacture,
development and operation are regulated by engineering authorities backed by
legislation. For these reason, the definition of a pressure vessel varies from one
country to each others. But involves parameters such as maximum safe operating
pressure and temperature.
In this plant, the vessel have function to storage the ethanol and higher
alcohols for at least 7 days after their produced. With the type of vessel is vertical
cylinder and the material used in this vessel is carbon steel A-285 grade C.
45
2.6
Block Flow Diagram (BFD)
Figure 2.14 Block flow diagram of cellulosic ethanol production

(Source: Author;s personal data)
46
2.7
Process Flow Diagram (PFD)
Figure 2.15 Process flow diagram of pre-treatment and gasification process

47
Figure 2.16 Process flow diagram of tar reforming, syngas cleanup, and compression
48
Figure 2. 17 Process flow diagram of alcohol synthesis, acid gas removal, sulfur recovery
49
Figure 2.18 Process flow diagram of alcohol purification

50
Figure 2.19 Process flow diagram of steam system and power generation
CHAPTER 3
MASS AND ENERGY BALANCE
3.1
Process Simulation
The process mainly involves biomass gasification, tar reforming and
mixed alcohol synthesis. The simulation was done in Unisim Design. This is the
simplified Unisim process flow diagram:
Figure 3.1 Process simulation

The biomass was modeled as hypothetical components based on Wooley and

Putsche (1996) data:
Figure 3.2 Hypothetical Components of Rice Straw Biomass

(Source: Authors personal data and gather from some sources)
51
52
Ash also modeled with hypothetical component as unisims database do not

contain ashs properties data. The other components also added from unisim
database to begin the simulation.
a. Gasifier Unit
The simulation of biomass gasifier was done by using an empirical correlation
from BCLs lab data of biomass indirect gasification. With the empirical
correlation, we can calculate the mole fraction of gases produced along with
the syngas. The correlation as follows:
= + + 2
(3.1)
With X as calculated variable, T is in unit oF and a, b, and c as correlations

coefficient for some chemicals.This equation was tested in gasifying of some
biomass including wood and straw rice. The coefficients and X for this
equation is given as follows:
Table 3.1 Empirical coefficient for BCLs lab equation for indirect gasifier
Variable
X Units
Dry syngas
28.993
-0.043325
0.000020966
scf gas/lb biomass
CO
133.46
-0.1029
0.000028792
mole% dry gas
CO2
-9.5251
0.037889
-0.000014927
mole% dry gas
CH4
-13.82
0.044179
-0.000016167
mole% dry gas
C2H4
-38.258
0.058435
-0.000019868
mole% dry gas
C2H6
11.114
-0.011667
0.000003064
mole% dry gas
H2
17.996
-0.026448
0.00001893
mole% dry gas
C2H2
-4.3114
0.0054499
-0.000001561
mole% dry gas
Tar (C10H8)
0.045494
-1.9759E-05
lb/lb dry biomass
(Source :Batelle Columbus Laboratorys data)
This equation can used in temperature range from 1280-1857 F and pressure
from 2.4 to 14.4 psig. This equation and material balance equation used to
model the gasifier in unisim. Where gasifier modeled as subflowsheet, and the
outlet stream calculated from above equation and material balances.
53
b. Tar Reformer
Tar reformer was modeled using a conversion reactor. In this reactor, some regasification of many components (hydrocarbon of gasifier outlet) occur. The
reaction are as follows:
10 8 + 102
10 + 142
(3.2)
+ 32
(3.3)
2 6 + 22
2 + 52
(3.4)
2 4 + 22
2 + 42
(3.5)
4 + 2
The conversion of the four reactions was set to the value of NREL (National
Renewable Energy Laboratory)s pilot scale conversions in tar reformer under
the same exact conditions as the simulation was. The conversion is as follows:
Table 3.2 Tar reformer conversion
Compound
Conversion
Methane (CH4)
80%
Ethane (C2H6)
99%
Ethylene (C2H4)
90%
Tars (C10H8)
99%
(Source :Process Design and Economics for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol,
NREL)
Figure 3.3 Conversion reactor for tar reformer modelling in Unisim

These conversion data was used in the tar reformer model. The output of this
reactor is tar-free syngas. The gas is then compressed before processed in
54
alcohol synthesis reactor. This conversion reactor also represent the separation
of the ash from the gas after the reactions. Ash were separated in nonvolatile
stream.
c. Alcohol Synthesis Reactor
The reactor modeled in unisim as plug flow reactor with many tubes (tubular
reactor). In this reactor, the synthesis of some alcohols and water gas shift
reaction happened. The catalyst used in this reactor (CuO based) were very
selective to produce ethanol and produce very little the other alcohols. The
reactions are as follows:
+ 22
2 + 42
+ 2
(3.6)
2 5 + 2
(3.7)
2 + 2
(3.8)
The rate of reactions based on Miranda (2015), et al. :

= / 2
(3.9)
= / 2
(3.10)
= / 2
(3.11)
With kinetic parameters:

Table 3.3 Kinteic parameters in mixed alcohol synthesis
Reaction
Ea (J/mol)
A (mol/gcat/h/MPa)
Methanol Synthesis
72190
59.40
2.00
Ethanol Synthesis
81450
268.00
1.50
WGS
144.80
144.80
-0.57
1.00
(Source : Miranda, Julio.Syngas to Higher Alcohols Using Cu-Based Catalyst A Simulation

Approach.2015)
The reactor modeled as tubular reactor with this design parameters:

Table 3.4 Reactor design parameter for alcohol synthesis
Reactor Design Parameters

Reactor Tube Length, ft
60
Total number of Tubess
9579
Reactor Pressure Drop, psi
42.2
55
Table 3.4 Reactor design parameter for alcohol synthesis (contd-1)
Reactor Design Parameters

Tube outside diameter, inches
1.5
Tube wall thickness, inches
0.16
(Source : NREL.Process Design for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol.2011)
The reactor outlet was ethanol mixed with unreacted reactants. Then, the reactor
must be distillated to have the desired product, which is pure ethanol. The first
distillation use 10 stages, and the second one used 15 stages. With
this
distillation, the ethanol product can be obtained.
3.2
Mass Balance
The is calculations of mass balance is determined by the product capacity,
which is 100,000 KL per year. Therefore, the mass balance must require that amount
of capacity:
3.2.1
Mass Balance of Each Process

The calculation of production capacity in the previous section leads to the
discussion of mass balance of ethanol production. From the final result of market
share, the maximum capacity that needs to be prepared for our manufacturing unit is
74,000 KL per year. In this mass balance, will be described details of components
needed to produce in one cycle.
Gasification
Table 3.5 Gasification unit mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
1 - Mass (kg/h)
10,914
83,985
41,026
58,430
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
103,623
0
0
0
3 - Mass (kg/h)
45,449
0
0
0
0
61,756
125,723
0
26,368
1,561
935
56
Table 3.5 Gasification unit mass balance (contd-1)
Components
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalen
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
Selexol
TOTAL
1 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
194,355
2 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
103,623
3 - Mass (kg/h)
13,459
0
0
0
0
4,505
0
0
0
0
0
0
279,756
Tar reformer
Table 3.6 Tar reformer unit mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalen
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
3 Mass
(kg/h)
45,449
0
0
0
0
61,756
125,723
0
26,368
1,561
935
13,459
0
0
0
0
4,505
0
0
0
0
0
4 -Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
53,423
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5Mass(kg/h)
29,078
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5a Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
13,836
923,524
96,239
0
2,977
0
598
86
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
57
Table 3.6 Tar reformer unit mass balance (contd-1)
Components
Selexol
TOTAL
3 Mass
(kg/h)
0
279,756
4 -Mass
(kg/h)
0
53,423
5Mass(kg/h)
0
29,078
5a Mass
(kg/h)
0
1,037,263
Alcohol Synthesis
Table 3.7 Alcohol synthesis unit mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalen
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
Selexol
TOTAL
19 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
0
13,835
92,332
96,237
0
2,973
0
591
71
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
206,038
Q14 Mass (kg/h)

0
0
0
0
0
116,678
142
39,051
3,762
0
76
102
0
0
0
0
0
0
99,866
0
0
0
0
259,676
Separator
Table 3.8 Separator mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
21 -Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
22a Mass (kg/h)

0
0
0
23 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
58
Table 3.8 Separator mass balance (contd-1)
Components
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalen
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
Selexol
TOTAL
21 -Mass (kg/h)
0
0
92,352
116
30,910
2,977
0
598
86
0
0
0
0
270,441
0
79,045
0
0
0
0
476,527
22a Mass (kg/h)

0
67,127
113
13
2,754
0
460
83
0
0
0
0
0
0
67
0
0
0
0
0
70,617
23 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
25,227
3
30,896
223
0
139
3
0
0
0
0
3
0
78,977
0
0
0
0
135,470
T-100
Table 3.9 T-100 mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
22a - Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
1.267
0.002
0
0.052
0
0.009
0.002
0
0
23 Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
24a - Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
57,898
104
0
2,688
0
388
75
0
0
24b - Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
9,222
1
13
66
0
72
8
0
0
59
Table 3.9 T-100 mass balance (contd-1)
Components
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalen
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
Selexol
TOTAL
22a - Mass
(kg/h)
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.001
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
1.332
23 Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
100
24a - Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
15
61,168.521
24b - Mass
(kg/h)
0
0
1
0
67
0
0
0
445,154
454,603.731
Distillation
Table 3.10 Distillation mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalen
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
Selexol
TOTAL
25 - Mass (kg/h)
0
0
0
0
0
25,227
3
30,896
223
0
139
3
0
0
0
0
3
0
78,977
0
0
0
0
135,470
26a - Mass (kg/h)

0
0
0
0
0
25,228
3
417
223
0
139
280
0
0
0
0
0
0
78,194
0
0
0
0
104,483
26b - Mass (kg/h)

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30,482
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
787
0
0
0
0
31,272
60
3.2.2
Overall Mass Balance

Table 3.11 Overall mass balance
Components
Ash
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Lignin
Hydrogen
CO2
CO
H2O
Methane
Ethane
Acetylene
Ethylene
Benzene
Ammonia
H2S
Nitrogen
Naphthalene
Methanol
Ethanol
1-Propanol
1-Butanol
1-Pentanol
Selexol
TOTAL
(kg/h)
1 Mass (kg/h)
10,914
83,985
41,026
58,430
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
26a - Mass (kg/h)

0
0
0
0
0
25,228
3
417
223
0
139
280
0
0
0
0
0
0
78,194
0
0
0
0
26b Mass (kg/h)

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30,482
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
787
0
0
0
0
194,355
104,483
31,272
3.3
Energy Balance
3.3.1
Energy Balance of Each Process

Energy balance is determined by each equipment using Unisim, as below:
Table 3.12 Energy balance each components
Equipment
R-101
Input (10^7 kj/h)

Stream Value
1
2
Output (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
Gasification
-27.39
3
-5.426
-30.39
-57.78
-5.426
Require (10^7 kj/h)
-52.354
61
Table 3.12 Energy balance each components (contd-1)
Equipment
R-102
K-101
E-101
K-102
E-102
K-103
E-103
Input (10^7 kj/h)

Stream Value
3
-5.426
4
-14.98
-20.406
5
-23.4
Q1
2.28
-21.12
6
-21.12
7
Q3
8
9
Q5
10
K-104
11
Q7
E-104
12
K-105
E-105
K-106
E-106
E-107
13
Q9
14
-21.12
-19.94
3.232
-16.708
-16.71
-16.71
-19.42
3.261
-16.159
-16.16
-16.16
-19.94
3.412
-16.528
-16.52
-16.52
-19.41
3.453
-15.957
-15.95
16
-15.95
-18.86
2.771
-16.089
-16.09
17
-16.09
-19.85
15
Q11
Output (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
5
-23.4
5a
2.996
-20.404
6
-21.12
7
Q2
8
9
Q4
10
11
Q6
12
13
Q8
14
15
Q10
16
17
Q12
18
-21.12
-19.94
-1.176
-21.116
-16.71
-16.71
-19.42
2.714
-16.706
-16.16
Require (10^7 kj/h)
-0.002
-0.004
0.002
-0.004
-16.16
-19.94
3.772
-16.168
-16.52
0.001
-16.52
-19.41
2.884
-16.526
-15.95
-0.008
-15.95
-18.86
2.902
-15.958
-16.09
-0.007
-16.09
-19.85
3.763
-16.087
-22.39
0.001
0.008
0.006
0.008
-0.003
62
Table 3.12 Energy balance each components (contd-2)
Equipment
R-103
E-108
V-101
T-101
T-102
Input (10^7 kj/h)

Stream Value
Output (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
Q13
2.542
-19.85
-19.848
TOTAL DUTY
Synthesis Alcohol
19
-22.39
20
-33.11
Q14
10.72
-22.39
-22.39
20
-33.11
21
-40.31
Q15
7.204
-33.11
-33.106
21
-40.31
22a
-26.64
22b
-13.67
-40.31
-40.31
23
-0.9371
24a
-3.096
22a
-13.67
24b
-11.82
-14.6071
-14.916
22b
-26.64
27a
-20.62
27b
-5.347
-26.64
-25.967
TOTAL DUTY
Require (10^7 kj/h)

-0.002
-52.358
-0.004
0.3089
-0.673
-0.3681
3.1.1
Overall Energy Balance

Table 3.13 Overall energy balance
Equipment
R-101
R-102
K-101
E-101
K-102
E-102
K-103
Input (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
1
-27.39
2
-30.39
3
-5.426
4
-14.98
5
-23.4
Q1
2.28
6
-21.12
7
Q3
8
-19.94
3.232
-16.71
9
Q5
-19.42
3.261
Output (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
3
-5.426
5
5a
6
-23.4
2.996
-21.12
7
Q2
8
-19.94
-1.176
-16.71
9
Q4
10
-19.42
2.714
-16.16
63
Table 3.13 Overall energy balance (contd-1)
Equipment
E-103
K-104
Input (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
10
-16.16
11
Q7
12
-19.94
3.412
-16.52
13
Q9
14
-19.41
3.453
-15.95
E-106
15
Q11
16
-18.86
2.771
-16.09
K-107
17
-19.85
R-103
19
-22.39
E-108
20
-33.11
V-101
21
-40.31
T-101
23
22a
22b
-0.9371
-13.67
-26.64
E-104
K-105
E-105
K-106
T-101
TOTAL
Input - Ouput
Output (10^7 kj/h)

Stream
Value
11
-19.94
Q6
3.772
12
-16.52
13
Q8
14
-19.41
2.884
-15.95
15
Q10
16
-18.86
2.902
-16.09
17
Q12
18
Q13
20
Q14
21
Q15
22a
22b
24a
24b
27a
27b
-19.85
3.763
-22.39
2.542
-33.11
10.72
-40.31
7.204
-26.64
-13.67
-3.096
-11.82
-20.62
-5.347
-387.478
-440.2041
-52.7261
3.4
Mass and Energy Efficiency

From mass balance calculation above, we can calculate mass efficiency for
main product produced in this plant. It can be done by dividing amount main
product produced with raw material used.
mass efficiency ethanol =
ethanol produced
104,483
=
x100% = 53.76%
biomass feed
194,355
mass efficiency overall =
product produced
135,755
=
x100% = 69.9%
biomass feed
194,355
64
From energy balance calculation above, we can calculate energy required

for a unit main product produced in this plant. It can be done by dividing amount
total energy output divided by total energy input
Energy efficiency =
Total output
387.478
=
x100% = 88.02%
Total input
440.204
CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSION
Based on the report of cellulosic ethanol production, the conlusions are:

1. Ethanol production is still limited in Indonesia. Our plant is planning to fulfill
10% of the demand in Indonesia, which leads to our plant capacity which is
100,000 kilolitres per year.
2. Raw material for this cellulosic ethanol is rice straw, because Indonesian
people primary food are rice and we can change the waste of rice straw into
something useful dan beneficial, such as ethanol.
3. Our plant location is in Losarang, Indramayu, which is the biggest rice
producer in Indonesia. Also, Losarang is an industrial estate in Indramayu.
4. The cellulosic ethanol will produce either by biochemical conversion or
thermochemical
conversion.
Based
on
the
scoring
process,
the
thermochemical conversion is the chosen process. The process detail comes

from biomass gasification catalytic synthetic process ethanol.
5. main processes are gasification and catalytic synthetic. Meanwhile, the
gasification technology used is indrectly heated gasifier with fluidized bed and
the synthetic is mixed alcohol synthetic.
6. The ethanol mass efficiency is 53.76%, overall mass efficiency is 69.85%, and
energy efficiency is 88.02%.
65
REFERENCES
A. Van Der Drift, H. B. (2004). ENTRAINED FLOW GASIFICATION OF

BIOMASS. ECN.
Ani Gunturu, J. B. (n.d.). KINETICS OF HIGHER-ALCOHOL FORMATION
FROM SYNTHESIS GAS USING STATISTICALLY DESIGNED
EXPERIMENTS.
Badger, P. (2002). Ethanol from Cellulose: A General Review. pp. 17 - 21.
Biozio. (2011). Sample Content of the Comprehensive Cellulosic Ethanol Report.
India: Clixoo Solutions Private Ltd.
Dr. -Ing. Evita H. Legowo, Y. K. (2007). Biofuel Development In Indonesia.
USDA Global Conference on Agricultural Biofuels: Research and
Economic. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources (ESDM) Republic of Indonesia.
Jlio C. C. Mirandaa, G. H.-G. (2015 ). Syngas to Higher Alcohols Using CuBased Catalyst A Simulation Approach. Chemical Engineering
Transaction Vol. 43 .
Marina O.S. Diasa, A. V. (2009). Production of bioethanol and other bio-based
materials from sugarcane bagasse: Integration to conventional bioethanol
production process. chemical engineering research and design 87 , 1206
1216.
Nasr, S. L. (n.d.). Howstuffworks Science. Retrieved September 15, 2015, from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/energyproduction/cellulosic-ethanol2.htm
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (2011). Process Design and
Economics for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol. US:
NREL.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (2007). Research Advanced
Cellulosic Ethanol. US: National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Olewski, L. N. (21 - 26). Kinetics of The Overall Higher Alcohol Synthesis
Reacting System. Chem. Pap. 57(1) , 2003.
66
67
Panaka, M. A. (2007). New Development of Ethanol Industry in Indonesia. Asian

Science & Technology Seminar. Jakarta: Agency for the Assessment and
Application of Technology (BPPT).
Riyanti, E. I. (2009). Biomassa Sebagai Bahan Baku Bioetanol. Jurnal Litbang
Pertanian 28(3) , 101 - 110.
Rush, S. L. (2008). Patent No. US 7,514,247 B2. United Stated .

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UNIVERSITAS INDONESIA

CELLULOSIC ETHANOL PRODUCTION

DENA PRESTIA HALLATU

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Production of ethanol (bioethanol) from renewable materials such as

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................... ii

2.5.15 Storage Vessel Ethanol and Higher Alcohol ................................... 44

Table 1.1 Composition of lignocellulosic biomass ................................................. 6

Figure 1.1 Worlds bioethanol production (1975 2005)

Production of ethanol (bioethanol) from renewable materials such as

People interest to produce bioethanol from cheap materials such as

influence on the efficiency of cogeneration. The low feedstock quality of rice

extractives, and several inorganic materials. Cellulose or -1-4-glucan is a linear

Figure 1.2 Structure of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in plant cell

The largest potential feedstock for bioethanol is lignocellulosic biomass,

Table 1.1 Composition of lignocellulosic biomass

efficiency and performance. Low percentage bioethanol blends can be used by

Market and Demand Analysis

(Source: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). 2008)

Ethanol is used as solvent, antiseptic, intoxicant, synthesis of other

(Kementrian Perindustrian Indonesia), the production of ethanol, especially

(Source: Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin). 2012. Reproduced)

Table 1.4 Production capacity calculation

335 days per year

(Source: Authors personal data)

We also did benchmarking with one of three largest ehanol company in

Raw Material Analysis

products to support more efficient, productive, profitable, and sustainable rice

Plant Location Analysis

Figure 1.3 Indramayu area

Therefore, we decide to build the plant in Indramayu, West Java. It is the

Communication and electricity infrastructure

Availability of raw material

Physical aspects of location

Figure 1.4 Plant location

Figure 2.1 Alternative process diagram

Table 2.1 Alternative process routes

Biomass pretreatment enzyme hydrolysis fermentation

Biomass pretreatment acid hydrolysis fermentation

Biomass gasification fermentation distillation ethanol

Biomass gasification catalytic synthetic process ethanol

(Source: Authors personal data)

Biochemical Process Conversion

is known as fermentation. During the fermentation, specialized microorganism

6 H2+ 2 CO2C2H5OH + 3 H2O

The fermentation takes place in a fermentor. In this equipment the

Thermochemical Process Conversion

biomass is reduced to biomass and biomass is converted at suitable temperature to

The following major reactions take place in combustion and reduction

combined with other gasification reactions in practical applications while The

H298K = 131.3 kJ/mol

Carbon Dioxide Gasification

H298K = 172.5 kJ/mol

The reverse reaction is a carbon deposition reaction that is a major culprit of

deactivation.However, this reaction in practical gasification applications is

H298K = 172.5 kJ/mol

This reaction is exothermic and is thermodynamically favored at low

H298K = -111.4 kJ/mol

H298K = -393.5 kJ/mol