Environmental and Energy Performance of Ethanol Production from the Integration of Sugarcane, Corn, and Grain Sorghum in a Multipurpose Plant
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Contextualization and Methodological Aspects
2.1. Socioeconomic Context of Rural Production in Mato Grosso
2.2. Materials and Methods
3. Description of the Models for Producing Ethanol from Sugarcane, Corn and Grain Sorghum in the State of Mato Grosso
4. Life Cycle Assessment: Flex Mill in Mato Grosso
4.1. Scope Definition
4.2. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)
4.3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment
5. Results and Discussion
5.1. Individual Assessment of Ethanol Production from Sugarcane, Corn and Grain Sorghum
5.1.1. Energy Assessment: EROI
5.1.2. Climate Change
Considerations about the Carbon Balance
5.1.3. Agricultural Land Occupation
5.1.4. Terrestrial Acidification
5.1.5. Photochemical Oxidants Formation
5.1.6. Human Toxicity (Carcinogenic) and Ecotoxicity
5.2. Evaluation of Process Integration Scenarios in the Multipurpose Plant
6. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Feature | Sugarcane Ethanol | Corn Ethanol | Sorghum Ethanol |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural productivity (t·ha−1) | 82.0 | 7.54 | 3.83 |
Harvesting | 75% manual (preceded by straw burning) + 25% mechanized | 100% mechanized | |
Industrial yield (L·t−1) * | 77.0 | 362 | 354 |
Raw material crushing capacity (t·day−1) | 4000 | 900 | |
Maximum operation (days) | 218 | 330 | |
Fuel for cogeneration system | sugarcane bagasse | wood chips | |
Vinasse coproduction (t·t−1) * | 1.80 | 2.77 | |
Water consumption (t·t−1) * | 1.65 | 5.20 |
Coproduct | Sugarcane Ethanol | Corn Ethanol | Grain Sorghum Ethanol |
---|---|---|---|
Ethanol | 38.7% | 31.8% | 31.0% |
Fusel oil | 1.20% | 1.30% | 1.00% |
Vinasse | 60.1% | 29.1% | 29.6% |
DDGS | n.a. 1 | 37.8% | 38.4% |
Impact Category | Sugarcane Ethanol | Corn Ethanol | Grain Sorghum Ethanol |
---|---|---|---|
EROI 1 | 11.5 | 6.85 | 8.64 |
Contributions for CC Impact | Unit | Sugarcane Ethanol | Corn Ethanol | Grain Sorghum Ethanol |
---|---|---|---|---|
Accumulated value (ReCiPe) | kg CO2 eq | 1256 | 1709 | 2436 |
CO2,fix | kg CO2 eq | (–) 5407 | (–) 2973 | (–) 3138 |
CO2,b | kg CO2 eq | 3426 | 1632 | 1600 |
Adjusted CC balance | kg CO2 eq | (–) 725 | 368 | 898 |
Scenarios | Composition | Consumption of Renewable Fuel for Cogeneration | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sugarcane Ethanol | Corn/Sorghum Ethanol | Bagasse | Wood Chips | |
% | t·m−3 Ethanol | |||
A | 65 | 35 | 1.03 | 0.95 |
B | 60 | 40 | 0.84 | 1.06 |
C | 55 | 45 | 0.69 | 1.15 |
D | 50 | 50 | 0.56 | 1.22 |
E | 45 | 55 | 0.46 | 1.28 |
F | 40 | 60 | 0.37 | 1.32 |
G | 35 | 65 | 0.30 | 1.36 |
H | 30 | 70 | 0.24 | 1.40 |
I | 25 | 75 | 0.19 | 1.43 |
J | 20 | 80 | 0.14 | 1.46 |
K | 15 | 85 | 0.10 | 1.48 |
L | 10 | 90 | 0.06 | 1.50 |
M | 5 | 95 | 0.03 | 1.52 |
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Donke, A.; Nogueira, A.; Matai, P.; Kulay, L. Environmental and Energy Performance of Ethanol Production from the Integration of Sugarcane, Corn, and Grain Sorghum in a Multipurpose Plant. Resources 2017, 6, 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources6010001
Donke A, Nogueira A, Matai P, Kulay L. Environmental and Energy Performance of Ethanol Production from the Integration of Sugarcane, Corn, and Grain Sorghum in a Multipurpose Plant. Resources. 2017; 6(1):1. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources6010001
Chicago/Turabian StyleDonke, Ana, Alex Nogueira, Patricia Matai, and Luiz Kulay. 2017. "Environmental and Energy Performance of Ethanol Production from the Integration of Sugarcane, Corn, and Grain Sorghum in a Multipurpose Plant" Resources 6, no. 1: 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources6010001