CHAPTER II

PROCESS SYNTHESIS

2.1. Alternative Process

Process is one of main concern in plant design, so before we choose the process that we
want to use, we have to know the basic concept production of bio oil. There are several
basic concepts of production of bio oil. But we only compare 5 basic concept production
which common in bio oil production, they are fast pyrolysis, intermediate pyrolysis,
slow pyrolysis which contain of torrefaction and carbonization, and the last concept is
gasification. Below is the diagram of the basic concept production of bio oil.

Figure 2.1 Basic concept of bio oil production

(Source: Private data)
According to the diagram, we make a comparison for one concept to each other. We
compare about their production result. Below is the table of typical product weight
yields obtained by different modes of basic concept of bio oil production.
Table 2.1 Typical product weight yields obtained by different modes of pyrolysis
Mode
Fast

Conditions
500 ,
short hot vapour
residence time 1
s

Liquid
75%

Solid
12% char

Gas
13%

Intermediate

500 , hot

25% char

25%

Carbonization

vapour residence
time 10-30 s
400 , long 30%

35% char

35%

Gasification

vapour residence
time hours days
750900

5%

10% char

85%

0% unless
condensed, then
up to 5%

80% char

20%

Torrefaction

290 ,

50% in 2 phase

solid residence
time 10-60 min
(Source: A.V. Bridgwater, 2012)

In this plant design, we want to produce bio oil, so we have to choose concept that
produce a lot of liquid product. Fast pyrolysis is concept that produce most liquid, it
reach 75%, so we use this basic concept to produce bio oil from tobacco. We make 4
alternative processes based on fast pyrolysis as basic concept. Main product of all
alternative processes is bio oil.
a. Alternative Process A

Figure 2.2 Alternative A

(Source: various source)
Raw material in this plant design is fresh tobacco leaves. Tobacco as raw material is still
wet, so it needs pretreatment before pyrolysis process. Each alternative process has
similar pretreatment for raw material. The pretreatment contains of grinding and drying
process. Goal of grinding process is to decrease size of tobacco into small size, while
goal of drying process is to reduce moisture content of tobacco until remain 10% water
content. Small size of dry tobacco can increase the effectivity of pyrolysis process.
In alternative process A, pyrolysis process results vapor which contain of bio oil, char,
and gas as main result and ash as waste material. The vapor flows into cyclone to be

separated between vapor which contain of bio oil and gas, and char. And then char go
down into char collection, while the vapor flows into condenser. Condenser will
decrease the pressure of the vapor phase, so it will become liquid phase which called bio
oil. And condensation process also result gases as by products which can be recycled as
sweeping gas for pyrolysis process. Sweeping gas help fluidize and heat transfer
processes in pyrolysis. Bio oil which produced from condenser flows into bio oil storage
and come into mixing tank. In mixing tank, bio oil will be mixed with surfactant to
produce bio pesticide. Below is the table of process list in alternative process A.
Table 2.2 Process list of alternative process A
Material
Wet tobacco

Process
Grinding

Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

Drying

Products
Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

Pyrolysis

Vapor (bio oil, Cyclone

gases, char)
Vapor (bio oil Condensation
and gases)
Bio oil and Mixing
surfactant

By-products
-

Waste
-

Exhaust gas

Vapor (bio oil, gases, char)

Vapor (bio oil Char
and gases)
Bio oil
Recycle gases

Ash

Bio pesticide

b. Alternative Process B

Figure 2.3 Alternative B

(Source various source)
As we said before that pretreatment of raw material is similar to alternative process A.
Heat source for pyrolysis process in alternative process B come from electricity energy.
Seems like alternative process A, pyrolysis process in alternative B also result vapor as

main result and ash as waste material. The vapor from pyrolysis flows into cyclone to be
separated between vapor and char. The vapor from cyclone flows into quencher and the
result are bio oil and gases. Cooling material of quencher is bio oil which has been
cooled. Gases from quencher are recycled into pyrolysis process as sweeping gas.
Because of using heater as heat source, so char will use to produce activated carbon. To
produce activated carbon, char have to through some processes, they are activation,
washing, and drying. Bio oil will be mixed with surfactant to produce bio pesticide.
Table 2.3 Process list of alternative process B
Material
Wet tobacco

Process
Grinding

Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

Drying

Vapor (bio oil,

gases, char)
Vapor (bio oil
and gases)
Bio oil
Bio oil and
surfactant
Char

Cyclone

Pyrolysis

Products
Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

By-products
-

Waste
-

Exhaust gas
Ash

Quenching

Vapor (bio oil, gases, char)

Vapor (bio oil Char
and gases)
Bio oil
Recycle gases

Cooling
Mixing

Bio oil
Bio pesticide

Activation

Active agent and char

Wet activated carbon
Activated
carbon

Active agent Filtration

and char
Wet activated Drying
carbon
c. Alternative Process C

Exhaust
Gases

Figure 2.4 Alternative C

(Source: various source)
Alternative process C seems like before alternative processes, raw material will be
grinded and dried. Alternative process C almost similar to alternative process B, the
difference of them is utilization of char. In this process, char will be used to produce
briquette. To produce briquette, char have to through some processes, they are mixing
with binder and then pressing.
Table 2.4 Process list of alternative process C
Material
Wet tobacco

Process
Grinding

Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

Drying

Vapor (bio oil,

gases, char)
Vapor (bio oil
and gases)
Bio oil
Bio oil and
surfactant
Char
and
binder
Mixture

Cyclone

Pyrolysis

Products
Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

By-products
-

Waste
-

Exhaust gas
Ash

Quenching

Vapor (bio oil, gases, char)

Vapor (bio oil Char
and gases)
Bio oil
Recycle gases

Cooling
Mixing

Bio oil
Bio pesticide

Mixing

Mixture

Pressing

Briquette

d. Alternative Process D

Figure 2.5 Alternative D

(Gebreslassie et al., 2013)
Alternative process D will use catalyst in pyrolysis process. Catalyst that will be used in
this process is silica sand. Pretreatment of raw material seems like before alternative
processes which contain grinding and drying. Catalyst through into pyrolysis process
and has a function as bed in fluidized bed. And then result of pyrolysis will be separated
in cyclone between vapor and mixture of char and sand. The vapor from cyclone flows
into quencher. Quenching process uses cooling bio oil as cooling fluid. Quenching
process results vapor and bio oil. The vapor of quenching is flows into demister.
Demister separate gas and bio oil and it make production of bio oil more efficient. Bio
oil which is in storage tank flows into mixing tank. In mixing process bio oil is mixed
with surfactant to produce bio pesticide. Gas of demister is used as gas sweeping in
pyrolysis and fuel gas in combustor. Combustor uses fuel gas and char as material in
combustion process. Char will burn out completely, while sand will be pumped into
pyrolysis reactor. And heat of combustion is used in drying wet tobacco powder.
Table 2.5 Process list of alternative process D
Material
Wet tobacco

Process
Grinding

Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

Drying
Pyrolysis

Vapor (bio oil, Cyclone

gases,
char,
and sand)
Vapor (bio oil Quenching

Products
Tobacco
powder
Dry tobacco

By-products
-

Waste
-

Exhaust gas

Vapor (bio oil, gases, char, and

sand)
Vapor (bio oil Char and sand
and gases)

Bio oil

Vapor

and gases)
Bio oil
Vapor
Gases, char,
and air
Bio oil and
surfactant

Cooling
Demister
Combustion

Bio oil
Bio oil
Heat

Gases
-

Mixing

Bio pesticide

2.2. Process Selection

Criterion is needed in process selection. We select our alternative processes based on
the criterion which have been created. There are 7 criterions for process selection, they are
efficiency, handling process, cost, energy requirement, technology of plant, waste treatment, and
emission or waste. We sign the weight of each criterion use percentage. Total percentage all of
criterion are 100%. The more important parameter has the higher weight.
a. Efficiency 20%
Efficiency is a performance of a plant that describes a process that has the lowest amount of
input and generates the largest amount of output. Because of the definition, we put 20% as
score of this criterion. Efficiency describes the extent to which time, effort or cost is well used
for the intended task or purpose. It is often used with the specific purpose of relaying the
capability of a specific application of effort to produce outcome effectively.
b. Handling process 15%
Based on Heuristic 1: Select raw materials and chemical reactions to avoid, or reduce, the
handling and storage of hazardous and toxic chemicals, we put score for this criterion is 15%.
Alternative process which has the safest material and the easiest handling process will get the
highest score in table scoring. This criterion will affect other criterion that is emission or waste.
c. Cost 15%
The cost has an effect to our economic analysis. Cost is about how effective price to get the
best value, where the benefits and usage are worth at least what is paid for startup process. It
also describes the feasibility of the plant.
d. Energy requirement 15%
Energy is one of the most important aspects to support the operation of a plant. It can influence
cost total of plant. Purpose of scoring is to see whether the process has a high energy
requirement. If the process used less energy but can produce a great product, then the process is
feasible to use.
e. Technology of plant 15%
Thera are many technologies that can be used to produce bio oil, but there are considerations
about price and the effectiveness. For example is existence of catalyst will make the production
result is increase.

f.

Waste treatment 10%

Waste of a plant can be directly discarded, recycled, or used again to main process. The
government gives boundary for every industrial to process their waste based in Human Safety

Environment.
g. Emission and waste 10%
Technically, an emission is anything that's been released out into the open. But more often it
refers to gases being released into the air, like greenhouse gasses or emissions from power
plants and factories. We put the highest score for a concept that release the fewest emissions.
To choose alternative process we have to give rate for each of alternative process. Below is the
parameter for each score.

Table 2.6 Parameter for each score

Criterion
Efficiency
Handling

1
Poor
Very difficult

2
Bad
Difficult

3
Moderate
Moderate

4
Good
Easy

5
Excellent
Very easy

process
Cost
Energy

Vary high
Very high

High
High

Moderate
Moderate

Low
Low

Very low
Very low

requirement
Technology of

Poor

Bad

Moderate

Good

Excellent

plant
Waste

Very bad

Bad

Moderate

Good

Very good

Very high

High

Moderate

Low

Very low

treatment
Emission

or

waste
(Source: private data)
We have done the parameter of each criterion, and then we make a process selection of
alternative processes that was explained in previous section. Minimum score is 1 and maximum score
is 5. Alternative process that has the highest score will be used as a bio pesticide plant design. Below
is the table of scoring process for each alternative process.
Table 2.7 Scoring process of process selection
Criterion

Percentag
e

Alternative A
R
S

Alternative B
R
S

Alternative C
R
S

Alternative D
R
S

Efficiency
Handling

20%
15%

2
3

0.4
0.45

4
4

0.8
0.6

3
3

0.6
0.45

5
4

1
0.6

process
Cost

15%

0.6

0.45

0.45

0.75

Energy

15%

0.6

0.45

0.45

0.75

of

15%

0.3

0.6

0.6

0.75

plant
Waste treatment

10%

0.5

requirement
Technology

Criterion
Emission

or

3
0.3
4
0.4
4
0.4
Table 2.7 Scoring process of process selection (contd)
Percentage Alternative A
Alternative B Alternative C
R
S
R
S
R
S
10%
2
0.2
4
0.4
4
0.4

waste
Score total
(Source: private data)

2.85

3.7

3.35

Alternative D
R
S
4
0.4
4.75

In the assessment of efficiency process, alternative process A gets a score of 2,

alternative process B gets a score of 4, alternative process C gets a score of 3, and alternative
process D gets a score of 5. The alternative process A has a low efficiency because the
process is not carried out for utilization by product. The alternative process A uses condenser
to convert the gas phase into a liquid phase, but in the industry scale, quenching will be more
efficient as compared to condensation, due to faster processing and lower operating cost.
While the alternative process D has the highest score because this process is very efficient.
This process uses demister to optimize the production of bio oil from the vapor coming out of
quencher. In addition, the source of heat for the drying process utilizing char by product that
is a by product of the cyclone and the fuel gas that is a by product of the demister. Alternative
process D uses a catalyst such as silica sand for the pyrolysis process. This catalyst will speed
up the process of heat transfer in the pyrolysis reactor. This catalyst can be used over and
over again so it adds to the value of efficiency. While the alternative process B and C use
char as a new product in the form of activated carbon and briquette. However this is
inefficient due to manufacture activated carbon and briquette requires considerable operating
cost.
Alternative processes B and D have a score of 4, while the alternative processes A and
C have a score of 3 to the criterion of handling process. A score of 4 was given as the B and
D have a system process that is safe and easy to do, while the A and C have a system process
that is a little difficult to run, and less safe to make a plant.
Based on the cost of production, process alternative A has a score of 4, the process
alternative B and C have a score of 4, and the process alternative D has a score of 5.

Alternative process A has production cost that are not too expensive. Process alternative A
has a simple system so the production cost is also not expensive. While processes alternative
B and C utilize char into activated carbon and briquettes will make production costs more
expensive because of the additional equipment manufacturer. And process alternative D has a
score of 5 because of utilization by product as energy source. This process uses the fuel gas
of demister and char of cyclone as material for combustion process.
Based on energy requirement criterion, process alternative A has a score of 4 because it
has a simple plant, so it doesnt need energy too much to run the process. For processes
alternative B and C, we put score of 3 because the equipment process in these processes
alternative is more than process alternative A, so it will take more energy to run the plant.
While process alternative D has a score of 5 because it can use the by product as material of
combustion process, and the heat result of combustion will recover energy requirement of
drying process.
And based on the technology of plant criterion, process alternative A has a score of 2,
processes alternative B and C has a score of 4, while process alternative D has a score of 5.
Process alternative A ha a simple plant design and there is just a little innovation. It also
doesnt utilize by product to another product. And there is no optimization of bio oil
production. Processes alternative B and C have an innovation to create the by product (char)
into a new product, they are activated carbon and briquette. While process alternative D
makes some innovation on the plant design. It use the fuel gas of demister and char from
cyclone to result heat by combustion process. The heat result is used as heat source on drying
process. Besides, process alternative D also do optimization of bio oil production by using
demister after quenching process.
According to waste treatment criterion, process alternative A has a score of 3, processes
alternative B and C have a score of 4, while process alternative D have a score of 5. Process
alternative A doesnt recycle char and it doesnt optimize bio oil production so the gas of
condenser is still contains bio oil. And for processes alternative B and C use the char into
other product, but it doesnt optimize gas of quencher. While process alternative D optimize
gas of quencher by process in demister and it also uses char and gas of demister as sweeping
gas in pyrolysis and fuel gas in combustion process.

Based on emission and waste criterion, process alternative A has a score of 2, while for
other processes alternative have score of 4. All of processes alternative have ash as waste in
pyrolysis process, but in process alternative A as we said before that it doesnt use char to
other product, while other processes alternative use the char to other product that has more
value or use it for supply energy process.
According to the scoring process, we get the highest score is process alternative D, so
in this plant design we will use this process for our concept design.
Refference
Gebreslassie, Berhane H. et al., 2013. Life Cycle Optimization for Sustainable Design and
Operations of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery Via Fast Pyrolysis, Hydrotreating and Hyrocracking.
USA: Northwestern University.