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Chapter 7: Problem 1

Who are the key stakeholders for a plant design for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into chemicals, heat, and power? Make a list of these stakeholders and give several performance criteria examples that each stakeholder will consider important for the design. It is recommended to use this format when making the list: (A) Stake holder category A, (A1) Stakeholder A1, Performance Criterion A1a, Performance Criterion A1b, and so on.

Short Answer

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Question: List some key stakeholders and their respective performance criteria for a plant design that converts lignocellulosic biomass into chemicals, heat, and power. Answer: Some key stakeholders include the Environmental Protection Agency, venture capital firms, process engineers, and residential consumers. Their respective performance criteria could include compliance with environmental regulations, return on investment, efficiency in biomass conversion, and affordability in energy prices.

Step by step solution

01

Identify Stakeholders and Performance Criteria Examples

: (A) Government (A1) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Performance Criterion A1a: Compliance with environmental regulations (e.g. emission limits) Performance Criterion A1b: Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions Performance Criterion A1c: Safe disposal of by-products or waste (B) Investors and Financial Institutions (B1) Venture Capital firms Performance Criterion B1a: Return on investment (ROI) Performance Criterion B1b: Financial feasibility and profitability of the project Performance Criterion B1c: Risk assessment and management (B2) Banks and other lenders Performance Criterion B2a: Loan repayment capacity Performance Criterion B2b: Financial stability of the project Performance Criterion B2c: Creditworthiness of the project company (C) Plant Designers and Engineers (C1) Process Engineers Performance Criterion C1a: Efficiency in converting biomass to desired products Performance Criterion C1b: Minimization of energy consumption (process integration) Performance Criterion C1c: Technological feasibility (use of proven technologies) (C2) Structural Engineers Performance Criterion C2a: Safe and sound design of plant infrastructure Performance Criterion C2b: Cost-effectiveness in construction materials and methods Performance Criterion C2c: Meeting regulatory and safety codes (D) End Users (Customers) (D1) Industrial Consumers (e.g. manufacturers using produced chemicals or power) Performance Criterion D1a: Reliability and consistency in product quality Performance Criterion D1b: Competitive pricing Performance Criterion D1c: Supply chain reliability (D2) Residential Consumers (e.g. households using produced heat or electricity) Performance Criterion D2a: Affordability in energy prices Performance Criterion D2b: Continuous and uninterrupted supply Performance Criterion D2c: Eco-friendliness (promoting the use of renewable sources)

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Stakeholders in Energy Projects
In the design of a biomass conversion plant, several key stakeholders play a crucial role. Understanding who these stakeholders are and what they prioritize can inform better planning and execution of such projects.

**Government Agencies:** These include bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Their primary concerns include compliance with regulations on emissions and environmental protection. They focus on issues such as
  • adherence to emission limits,
  • strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and
  • safe disposal methods for by-products.
**Investors and Financial Institutions:** These stakeholders are critical because they provide the necessary funds to initiate and sustain the project. For venture capital firms, primary considerations involve the projected return on investment (ROI) and the overall financial feasibility of the project. Banks and other lenders, on the other hand, assess loan repayment capabilities, financial stability, and the creditworthiness of the project company.

**Designers and Engineers:** These professionals focus on ensuring the plant operates effectively and safely. Process engineers aim to maximize efficiency when converting biomass into useful products, while minimizing energy consumption. Structural engineers are involved in designing safe infrastructure and considering cost constraints.

**End Users (Customers):** Customers vary from industrial consumers, who use produced chemicals or power, to residential consumers using heat or electricity from the plant. Their key concerns include product reliability, cost-effectiveness, and uninterrupted supply.
Performance Criteria in Plant Design
Performance criteria are benchmarks that different stakeholders use to evaluate the success of a biomass conversion plant. For **government bodies**, vital criteria include ensuring the plant meets environmental regulations and promotes sustainability through reduced emissions.

For **investors and financial institutions**, financial performance is key. They look at
  • the expected return on investment,
  • comprehensive financial risk management, and
  • the project’s long-term financial viability.
In terms of **engineering performance**, process engineers target high conversion efficiency and energy-conscious designs, while structural engineers emphasize durability and compliance with safety standards.

Meanwhile, **end users** are concerned with reliability and cost of products. Industrial customers seek consistency in product quality and reasonable pricing. Additionally, residential users are interested in affordability, continuous energy supply, and the renewable nature of the energy source. These criteria are foundational to creating a plant design that meets the diverse needs of stakeholders.
Lignocellulosic Biomass Utilization
Lignocellulosic biomass, derived from plant materials like wood, grass, and agricultural residues, is a promising renewable source for energy production. This type of biomass is abundant and does not compete with food crops, making it highly sustainable.

The use of lignocellulosic biomass in energy projects primarily revolves around its conversion into various forms of energy such as chemicals, heat, and electricity. This converts waste into valuable products, promoting eco-friendliness.

**Key Advantages Include:**
  • Reduction of waste and environmental impact by utilizing biomass residues,
  • Contribution to reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and
  • Potential for carbon neutrality when integrated with sustainable practices.
Utilization involves complex processes where the biomass is broken down and converted into biofuels, biogas, or direct heat and power. Emerging technologies aim to improve the efficiency of these processes, making biomass conversion more economically viable and environmentally friendly. By understanding and optimizing these processes, stakeholders can harness the full potential of lignocellulosic biomass and contribute to a cleaner, sustainable energy future.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Describe the difference between the analysis of a process, using models, and evaluation of the performance of a process.

In the synthesis step of a design, one must identify suitable building blocks and connect them to a network. Give some examples of different types of building blocks and connections for a thermochemical process. What is the kind of knowledge that you would look for to get an understanding of the relevant design features of a block?

Analysis of Economic Potentials for Fischer-Tropsch Conversion Each level of design has its own economic potential function. The definition of economic potential for the input-output level (1) is given by Equation (7.3), along with a feasible range for the profitability margin \((0.50-0.75)\). Taking that range as criterion, has the Fischer-Tropsch base case design presented in Section \(7.9\) a satisfactory profitability margin? The economic results in Table 7.4 can be used for making an assessment. The prices of hydrocarbons can be volatile over time. How much (by which fraction) can the product prices approximately drop before the lower limit on the profitability margin is reached while assuming the feed and waste costs remain constant?

Pareto Trade-Off between Economy and Ecology in Design Biomass (B) is converted to a hydrocarbon fuel product (P) and carbon dioxide \(\left(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\right)\) in a well-mixed continuous-flow reactor, operating at steady state. The nominal chemical composition of \(\mathrm{B}=\left[-\mathrm{C}_{1} \mathrm{O}_{0.6} \mathrm{H}_{1.4}-\right]_{n}\) and that of \(\mathrm{P}=\left[-\mathrm{C}_{1} \mathrm{H}_{2}-\right]_{n}\). The corresponding mass-based reaction stoichiometry is (in close approximation) \(1 \mathrm{~kg} \mathrm{~B} \stackrel{\mathrm{k}}{\rightarrow} 0.425 \mathrm{~kg} \mathrm{P}+0.575 \mathrm{~kg} \mathrm{CO}_{2}\) with \(\mathrm{k}=10^{-3}\left(\mathrm{~s}^{-1}\right)\) This reaction is the first order in the biomass amount; the symbol \(\mathrm{k}\) represents the associated first-order reaction rate coefficient. The biomass is only partially converted as full conversion would require a reactor of infinite size and cost. The degree of conversion of the biomass \((X)\) is defined as \(X=\frac{F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\mathrm{in})}-F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {out })}}{F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\mathrm{in})}}\) with \(0 \leq X<1\) The biomass intake rate \(\left(F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\mathrm{in})}\right)\) and the volume flow \(\left(\varphi_{V}\right)\) are kept constant: $$ F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {in })}=1\left(\mathrm{~kg} \cdot \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right) ; \varphi_{V}=4.0 \times 10^{-3}\left(\mathrm{~m}^{3} \cdot \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right) $$ The degree of conversion is an independent design variable. The dependent process variables are $$ \begin{array}{lrl} \text { Outflow of } \mathrm{B}\left(\mathrm{kg} \cdot \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right): & F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {out })} & =(1-X) F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {in })} \\ \text { Outflow of } \mathrm{P}\left(\mathrm{kg} \cdot \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right): & F_{\mathrm{P}}^{(\text {out })} & =0.425 X F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {in })} \\\ \text { Outflow of } \mathrm{CO}_{2}\left(\mathrm{~kg} \cdot \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right): & F_{\mathrm{CO}_{2}}^{(\text {out })} & =0.575 X F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {in })} \\ \text { Reactor volume }\left(\mathrm{m}^{3}\right): & V_{\mathrm{R}} & =\frac{\varphi_{V} X}{k(1-X)} \end{array} $$ The process performance is evaluated by means of two different indicators. The ecological indicator is the carbon atom efficiency \(\left(\varepsilon_{\mathrm{C}}\right)\). This efficiency is the fraction of carbon atoms in biomass B ending up in product P; carbon left in the unconverted biomass and in \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\) is "lost": $$ \varepsilon_{\mathrm{C}}=\frac{w_{\mathrm{c}, \mathrm{p}} F_{\mathrm{p}}^{(\text {out })}}{w_{\mathrm{c}, \mathrm{B}} F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {in })}} \quad \text { with } w_{\mathrm{c}, \mathrm{P}}=\frac{12}{12+2 \cdot 1} ; w_{\mathrm{c}, \mathrm{B}}=\frac{12}{12+0.6 \cdot 16+1.4 \cdot 1} $$ The economic performance is expressed by means of a profit function \((P)\). The profit function is made up of earnings from product sales minus the costs of feed and wastes and the capital charge (cost of capital investment per unit of time). There are trade-offs in this design. A higher conversion increases product output as well as reactor size and cost. The carbon efficiency benefits from a high conversion. The company for which you design this reactor aims for a better balance between ecological and economic performances. The profit per hour is given by $$ P=\left(F_{\mathrm{P}}^{(\text {out })} p_{\mathrm{P}}-F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\mathrm{in})} c_{\mathrm{B}}-F_{\mathrm{B}}^{(\text {out })} c_{\mathrm{W}}-F_{\mathrm{CO}_{2}}^{(\text {out })} c_{\mathrm{CO}_{2}}\right) 3600-C_{\text {cap, h }}\left(\$ \mathrm{~h}^{-1}\right) $$ in which the capital charge, \(C_{\text {cap, }, \mathrm{h}}\), is given by $$ C_{\text {cap, } \mathrm{h}}=\frac{c c f}{\mathrm{t}_{\mathrm{prod}}} I_{\text {cap }}\left(\$ \mathrm{~h}^{-1}\right) $$ with the capital investment, \(I_{\text {cap, }}\) given by $$ I_{\text {cap }}=I_{0}\left(\frac{V}{V_{0}}\right)^{q} $$ Data are given in Table \(7.8\). Evaluate performance functions \(\varepsilon_{\mathrm{C}}\) and EP over the conversion interval \(0.3
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