Simultaneous process synthesis, heat and power integration in a sustainable integrated biorefinery

An integrated biorefinery is a processing facility that converts biomass feedstocks into a wide range of value added products (e.g., biofuels, specialty chemicals) via multiple technologies. To synthesize a sustainable integrated biorefinery, consumption of energy within such biorefinery should be self-sustained. The performances of integrated biorefinery can be improved via simultaneous process synthesis, heat and power integration. Due to the complexity of the process synthesis and integration problem, there is a need for a systematic approach to address the problem. In this work, the modular optimization approach, which breaks a large optimization problem into small models, is adapted to solve the complex problem. This allows engineers to 'zoom in' on specific key process units in a smaller model. Based on the proposed approach, selection of the optimum process alternatives/technologies and products, as well as integration of heat and power between process units, can be performed simultaneously. To illustrate the capability of proposed approach, two case studies are solved.