ALEXANDRU TULUC, PETRICA IANCU, VALENTIN PLESU, JORDI BONET-RUIZ, GRIGORE BOZGA, GHEORGHE BUMBAC<br>Biodiesel Plant Optimisation Study by using <br>Aspen-HYSYS Process Simulator

ALEXANDRU TULUC, PETRICA IANCU, VALENTIN PLESU, JORDI BONET-RUIZ, GRIGORE BOZGA, GHEORGHE BUMBAC
Biodiesel Plant Optimisation Study by using
Aspen-HYSYS Process Simulator

Abstract:

The work presents a simulation and optimisation study for biodiesel synthesis process, based on rapeseed oil transesterification with methanol in homogeneous catalysis (KOH catalyst). All necessary calculations are performed with Aspen HYSYSÒ 8.3 process simulator. For the transesterification reaction, after a thorough investigation, two perfectly mixed reactors in series are considered, insuring a triglyceride conversion corresponding to biodiesel standards as EN14214 conditions for biodiesel purity. The optimisation study is performed based on economic type objective function representing main costs associated to the transesterification step of the process, for a fixed production. Decision variables are the volume of each transesterification reactor, the methanol to triglycerides ratio, the temperature of each reactor and the three phase separator temperature. The restrictions consider limit for total reactors volume, limit for reactors temperature, three phase separator temperature interval, minimum methyl oleate mass fraction, and maximum methanol content of biodiesel. The results reveal that the minimum production cost, in the optimisation problem so formulated, is 14% lower than the reference case. This is achieved considering higher methanol to oil ratio (e.g. limited however by methanol recycling cost), each reactor temperature close to maximum limit, and three separation temperature close to the lower limit. The results are dependent on the quality of kinetic model. Aspen HYSYSÒ is appropriate instrument to solve flowsheet optimisation. Keywords: biodiesel plant, kinetic models, transesterification, process simulation,cost objective function, flowsheet optimisation

Issue: 2015, Volume 66, Issue 4

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