Matlamat utama kajian ini adalah untuk menjalankan simulasi dalam keadaan mantap dengan data artikel yang telah diterbitkan, diikuti dengan analisis tekno-ekonomi untuk sintesis biodiesel yang berasaskan minyak sawit dengan penggunaan metanol dalam keadaaan superkritikal. Kaedah metanol superkritikal telah digunakan dalam tesis ini kerana ia kelihatan mempunyai impak alam sekitar yang paling rendah. Tambahan lagi, proses metanol kritikal menjimatkan kos bahan kerana ia tidak memerlukan pemangkin untuk tindak balas. Keseluruhan penggunaan tenaga yang digunakan oleh SCA telah diperiksa dan dibandingkan dengan kaedah pemangkin alkali seperti yang telah ditunjukkan oleh data sastera. Selain itu, analisis sensitivity juga dijalankan ke atas simulasi SCA untuk mengkaji pengaruhan pembolehubah terhadap kadar penghasilan FAME. Tambahan pula, perbandingan antara alkoholisis alkali-bermangkin (ACP) dan kaedah metanol superkritikal (SCA) telah dibuat sebagai sebahagian daripada analisis ekonomi untuk menunjukkan kebaikan dan keburukan kedua-dua proses tersebut. Kelebihan proses SCA dalam aspek ekonomi termasuk bilangan peralatan yang lebih kurang, tidak memerlukan pemangkin dan tiada proses basuh diperlukan berbanding degan tindak balas bermangkin alkali. Walaubagaimanapun, kekurangan proses SCA termasuk penggunaan utiliti yang lebih tinggi disebabkan oleh keperluan proses.
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The main goal of this study is to carry out steady state simulation from the existing process by using AspenPlus V8.0 and validated with the published literature data, followed by techno-economic analysis for the palm oil based biodiesel synthesis with supercritical methanol method. The supercritical methanol was employed in this thesis as it appear to be lowest potential environmental impact due to lower energy consumptions and higher yield for biodiesel production. Furthermore, the supercritical methanol process do not require any catalyst for the reaction and hence save the material cost. Overall energy consumption consumed by supercritical methanol method (SCA) was examined and compared with the alkali catalyzed method as demonstrated by the literature data. Besides that, sensitivity analysis is also carried out on the simulated supercritical methanol process to study the influence of variables on the production rate of FAME. Furthermore, a comparison between the alkali-catalyzed alcoholysis and supercritical methanol method (SCA) was made in part of the economic analysis to point out the advantages and disadvantages of both analyzed processes. It is found that the advantages of SCA process in economic aspect includes the lesser number of pieces of equipment, no catalyst requirement and no washing process required as compared with the alkali catalyzed reaction. However, the disadvantages of SCA process included the higher usage of utilities caused by higher process conditions requirement.
Steady state simulation and techno-economic analysis of palm oil based biodiesel production plant / Phung Eng Wei