Tiller P, Park H, Cruz D, Carrejo E, Johnson DK, Mittal A, Venditti R, Park S. Techno-economic analysis of biomass value-added processing informed by pilot scale de-ashing of paper sludge feedstock.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024;
401:130744. [PMID:
38677384 DOI:
10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130744]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Paper sludge biomass represents an underutilized feedstock rich in pulped and processed cellulose which is currently a waste stream with significant disposal cost to industry for landfilling services. Effective fractionation of the cellulose from paper sludge presents an opportunity to yield cellulose as feedstock for value-added processes. A novel approach to cellulose fractionation is the sidehill screening system, herein studied at the pilot-plant scale. Composition analysis determined ash removal and carbohydrate retention of both sidehill and high-performance benchtop screening systems. Sidehill screening resulted in greater carbohydrates retention relative to benchtop screening (90% vs 66%) and similar ash removal (95% vs 98%). Techno-economic analysis for production of sugar syrup yielded a minimum selling price of $331/metric ton of sugar syrup including disposal savings, significantly less than a commercial sugar syrup without fractionation. Sensitivity analysis showed that screening conditions played a significant role in economic feasibility for cellulosic yield and downstream processes.
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