Bioethanol From Corn
Bioethanol From Corn
Bioethanol From Corn
Contents
1. Introduction................................................................................. 2
2. Components................................................................................ 2
3. Process Description....................................................................... 3
4. Physical Properties........................................................................ 3
5. Chemical Reactions.......................................................................4
6. Simulation Approach......................................................................5
7. Simulation Results........................................................................6
8. Conclusions................................................................................8
9. References.................................................................................. 9
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1. Introduction
This file is a model of a dry-grind corn-to-ethanol plant process and it is intended for the
following uses:
Understanding the relationships between key variables for producing bioethanol from
corn.
Provides an example of how to model the different areas of this process
Supply a starting set of components and physical property parameters for modeling
processes of this type
The model is not intended for equipment design or specifying other engineering documents
without further review by a process engineer with experience of corn-to-ethanol processes.
The bioethanol from corn model includes the following features:
A nominal set of chemical species and property parameters for this process.
Key process control specifications such as backset flow, fermenter ethanol percent,
solids concentration, specifications for distillation columns and near-zero-net water
balance.
Usability features such as an Excel SCALE calculator which allows the user to scale
plant production rate and apply corns of varying starch content.
2. Components
The following components represent the chemical species present in the process:
ID
Type
Formula
Name
WATER
ETOH
CO2
GLUCOSE
STARCH
C5POLY
C6POLY
PROTINS
OIL
NFDS
CONV
CONV
CONV
CONV
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
SOLID
CONV
H2O
C2H6O-2
CO2
C6H12O6
WATER
ETHANOL
CARBON-DIOXIDE
DEXTROSE
C6H12O6
XYLOSE
PROTSOL
CONV
CONV
C6H12O6
C6H12O6
Non-fermentable
Dissolved Solids
C5 Sugars
Soluble Protein
SOLID component types represent non-library chemicals with user specified property
parameters. CONV components such as NFDS, XYLOSE, and PROTSOL originate as
clones of glucose and are later modified with their own property parameters. For example,
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the molecular weight of XYLOSE is modified to that of xylose (C5) in a Pure Component
Paragraph.
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3. Process Description
The process includes the following stages:
System
Purpose
Milling
Liquification
Saccharification
Fermentation
Distillation
Dehydration
Centrifugation
Evaporation
Drying
4. Physical Properties
This category includes the models and methods used to calculate the chemical and
thermodynamic equilibrium, and the physical properties of all streams. The models and
methods used in Aspen Plus are grouped into Option-Sets named after the central model,
e.g., Ideal, Redlich-Kwong-Soave, NRTL (Non-Random Two Liquid). The property Option-Set
used in this model is NRTL.
Physical Properties are usually the most important and often the most difficult part of a
simulation. The accuracy of physical property calculations strongly influences the reliability of
the results and ultimately affects the estimated cost of process equipment.
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5. Chemical Reactions
Dozens if not hundreds of chemical reactions occur in this process. These have been
simplified in this model to the following:
1. Saccharification
STARCH + WATER
GLUCOSE
NFDS
25 mmgal/yr
100% conversion of
molar extent 3.31 lbmol/hr at
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6. Simulation Approach
Unit Operations - Major unit operations have been represented by Aspen Plus models as in
the table below.
Aspen Plus Unit Operation Models Used in the Bioethanol from Corn Model
Unit Operation
Comments / Specifications
Saccharification and
Fermentation
RStoic
Distillation / Scrubber
RadFrac
Dehydration
Sep
Dewatering
SSplit
Heaters/Coolers
Heater
DDGS Drying
Flash2
Evaporation
Flash2
Streams - Streams represent the material and energy flows in, out and around the process.
Streams can be of three types: Material, Heat, and Work. Feeds to the process are corn,
energy, water, acid, enzyme and yeast; the later three are represented by NFDS, WATER and
WATER components respectively for simplicity. There are several internal streams that
represent the crossover of material and heat between blocks. A key internal stream is 59BS
representing backset.
Design-Specs, Calculator Blocks and Convergence - The simulation is augmented with a
combination of flowsheeting capabilities such as Convergence, Design Specs and Calculator
Blocks.
Sequencing and Convergence paragraphs are included that produce a relatively stable model
at varied rates. The model has been tested at production capacities as low as 15 mmgal/yr
and as high as 180 mmgal/yr and has run successfully aided by these convergence elements.
The following tables outline key flowsheeting capabilities of this model:
Design Specs Used in the Corn to Ethanol Model
Spec Name
Spec (Target)
Manipulated Variable
DDGS
FERM
PREVAP
SYRUP
WG
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WWTR
Purpose
Backset is 15% of final mash volume
DISSOLVE
EVALUATE
SCALE
YEAST
Calculator blocks SCALE and EVALUATE are Spreadsheets in Excel, and are both
embedded in the file with extension .apmbd. Use SCALE to change the characteristics of the
corn feed as follows:
150
0.15
0.7
Calculator block EVALUATE may be easily modified to add more comparison variables that
are of interest.
7. Simulation Results
The Aspen Plus simulation flowsheet and key results are shown below:
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100
Units
MM gal/yr
249278
lb/hr
15%
Corn starch
70%
Enzyme flow
Yeast flow
Acid flow
Water make-up to SCRUBBER
Plant near-zero-net water discharge
63
5.2
124
18019
100
lb/hr
lb/hr
lb/hr
lb/hr
lb/hr
120
15.0%
gm/ltr
2845
2.25E+07
$/hr
$/yr
14.1
13.4
ft
ft
100.0%
Starch Efficiency
99.0%
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8. Conclusions
The bioethanol from corn model provides a useful description of the process. The simulation
has been developed using many of the capabilities of Aspen Plus including unit operation
models, physical property methods, models and data, and flowsheeting capabilities like
convergence design specs.
The model may be used as a guide for understanding the process and the economics, and
also as a starting point for more sophisticated models for plant design and specifying process
equipment.
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9. References
1. F. Taylor, A.J. McAloon, J.C. Craig, Jr., P. Yang, J. Wahjudi and S.R. Eckhoff
"Fermentation and Costs of Fuel Ethanol from Corn with Quick-Germ Process", Applied
Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 94:41-49, 2001.
2. F. Taylor, M.J. Kurantz, N. Goldberg, A.J. McAloon and J.C. Craig, Jr., "Dry-Grind Process
for Fuel Ethanol by Continuous Fermentation and Stripping", Biotechnology Progress,
16:541-547, 2000.
3. McAloon, F. Taylor, W. Yee, K. Ibsen and R. Wooley, "Determining the Cost of Producing
Ethanol from Corn Starch and Lignocellulosic Feedstocks", National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, Golden, CO, October, 2000.
http://www.osti.gov/bridge/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=766198
4. R.J. Wooley and V. Putsche, "Development of an ASPEN PLUS Physical Property
Database for Biofuels Components", National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden,
CO, April, 1996.
http://www.osti.gov/bridge/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=257362
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