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Carboxylate Platform: The MixAlco Process Part 2: Process Economics

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Abstract

The MixAlco process employs a mixed culture of acid-forming microorganisms to convert biomass to carboxylate salts, which are concentrated via vapor-compression evaporation and subsequently chemically converted to other chemical and fuel products. To make alcohols, hydrogen is required, which can be supplied from a number of processes, including gasifying biomass, separation from fermentor gases, methane reforming, or electrolysis. Using zeolite catalysts, the alcohols can be oligomerized into hydrocarbons, such as gasoline. A 40-tonne/h plant processing municipal solid waste ($45/tonne tipping fee) and using hydrogen from a pipeline or refinery ($2.00/kg H2) can sell alcohols for $1.13/gal or gasoline for $1.75/gal with a 15% return on investment ($0.61/gal of alcohol or $0.99/gal of gasoline for cash costs only). The capital cost is $1.95/annual gallon of mixed alcohols. An 800-tonne/h plant processing high-yield biomass ($60/tonne) and gasifying fermentation residues and waste biomass to hydrogen ($1.42/kg H2) can sell alcohols for $1.33/gal or gasoline for $2.04/gal with a 15% return on investment ($1.08/gal of alcohol or $1.68/gal of gasoline for cash costs only). The capital cost for the alcohol and gasification plants at 800 tonnes/h is $1.45/annual gallon of mixed alcohols.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3122, USA

    Cesar B. Granda & Mark T. Holtzapple

  2. Terrabon L.L.C., 20333 State Highway 249, Suite 200, Houston, TX, 77070, USA

    Gary Luce

  3. Trimeric Corporation, P.O. Box 826, Buda, TX, 78610, USA

    Katherine Searcy & Darryl L. Mamrosh

Authors
  1. Cesar B. Granda
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  2. Mark T. Holtzapple
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  3. Gary Luce
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  4. Katherine Searcy
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  5. Darryl L. Mamrosh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark T. Holtzapple.

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Collaborators

Texas A&M University (College Station TX) developed the MixAlco process and its supporting technologies. Terrabon, L.L.C., (Houston, TX) holds the world-wide exclusive license to the MixAlco process and its supporting technologies. Trimeric is a third-party, technology-neutral, and independent technical services firm.

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Granda, C.B., Holtzapple, M.T., Luce, G. et al. Carboxylate Platform: The MixAlco Process Part 2: Process Economics. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 156, 107–124 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8481-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8481-z

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