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LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Techno-Economic Analysis of 5-HMF Production from Sugar Beet Molasses and A Potential Application

Purbojo, Saskia LU (2023) KETM01 20231
Chemical Engineering (M.Sc.Eng.)
Abstract
5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a furan-based platform chemical that can be used in various applications, as a renewable alternative to fossil-derived compounds or materials. It can be produced from biobased raw materials with high-sugar content, such as molasses. Sugar beet molasses is produced as a side product from domestic sugar beet plants in southern Sweden. Utilising it as a raw material for producing valuable compounds could potentially increase its economic value. A suggested process in converting it into 5-HMF, and furtherly to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), as one of its potential applications involves a hydrolysis, dehydration, and oxidation stage. Nevertheless, it also requires purification and separation stages to... (More)
5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a furan-based platform chemical that can be used in various applications, as a renewable alternative to fossil-derived compounds or materials. It can be produced from biobased raw materials with high-sugar content, such as molasses. Sugar beet molasses is produced as a side product from domestic sugar beet plants in southern Sweden. Utilising it as a raw material for producing valuable compounds could potentially increase its economic value. A suggested process in converting it into 5-HMF, and furtherly to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), as one of its potential applications involves a hydrolysis, dehydration, and oxidation stage. Nevertheless, it also requires purification and separation stages to produce an end-product that can be economically feasible and sold in the market. In this study, a process flow of producing FDCA via 5-HMF from sugar beet molasses is simulated using Aspen Plus. Simulation is carried based on previous experimental works carried out at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Lund University. Three additional variations on the design are made and compared, to observe whether increasing the feed concentrations before ultrafiltration and adding an isomerisation stage would benefit the process economically. It was found that the base case with 10% molasses is more favourable compared to the 40% molasses, when simulated with dehydration conversion based on previous experimental data. Its estimated minimum selling price (MSP) is 8.3±30% USD/kg and considered not economically attractive when compared to similar studies and the market price. Based on the simulation results and sensitivity analysis, a detrimental factor of this process lies in the dehydration conversion and DMC requirement. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Purbojo, Saskia LU
supervisor
organization
course
KETM01 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Techno-economic analysis, sugar beet molasses, 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), 2, 5 furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), chemical engineering
language
English
id
9118467
date added to LUP
2023-06-09 09:34:32
date last changed
2023-06-09 09:34:32
@misc{9118467,
  abstract     = {{5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a furan-based platform chemical that can be used in various applications, as a renewable alternative to fossil-derived compounds or materials. It can be produced from biobased raw materials with high-sugar content, such as molasses. Sugar beet molasses is produced as a side product from domestic sugar beet plants in southern Sweden. Utilising it as a raw material for producing valuable compounds could potentially increase its economic value. A suggested process in converting it into 5-HMF, and furtherly to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), as one of its potential applications involves a hydrolysis, dehydration, and oxidation stage. Nevertheless, it also requires purification and separation stages to produce an end-product that can be economically feasible and sold in the market. In this study, a process flow of producing FDCA via 5-HMF from sugar beet molasses is simulated using Aspen Plus. Simulation is carried based on previous experimental works carried out at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Lund University. Three additional variations on the design are made and compared, to observe whether increasing the feed concentrations before ultrafiltration and adding an isomerisation stage would benefit the process economically. It was found that the base case with 10% molasses is more favourable compared to the 40% molasses, when simulated with dehydration conversion based on previous experimental data. Its estimated minimum selling price (MSP) is 8.3±30% USD/kg and considered not economically attractive when compared to similar studies and the market price. Based on the simulation results and sensitivity analysis, a detrimental factor of this process lies in the dehydration conversion and DMC requirement.}},
  author       = {{Purbojo, Saskia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Techno-Economic Analysis of 5-HMF Production from Sugar Beet Molasses and A Potential Application}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}