Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Full download Biofuels and Biorefining: Volume 2: Intensification Processes and Biorefineries Claudia Gutierrez-Antonio file pdf all chapter on 2024
Full download Biofuels and Biorefining: Volume 2: Intensification Processes and Biorefineries Claudia Gutierrez-Antonio file pdf all chapter on 2024
Full download Biofuels and Biorefining: Volume 2: Intensification Processes and Biorefineries Claudia Gutierrez-Antonio file pdf all chapter on 2024
https://ebookmass.com/product/biofuels-and-biorefining-
volume-1-current-technologies-for-biomass-conversion-fernando-
israel-gomez-castro/
https://ebookmass.com/product/production-processes-of-renewable-
aviation-fuel-present-technologies-and-future-trends-claudia-
gutierrez-antonio/
https://ebookmass.com/product/handbook-of-biofuels-production-
processes-and-technologies-rafael-luque/
https://ebookmass.com/product/dirty-secret-love-heartwood-lake-
secret-billionaires-book-2-claudia-burgoa/
Gravitational Waves, Volume 2: Astrophysics and
Cosmology Maggiore
https://ebookmass.com/product/gravitational-waves-
volume-2-astrophysics-and-cosmology-maggiore/
https://ebookmass.com/product/the-enforcer-the-san-antonio-
hyenas-book-2-olivia-t-turner/
https://ebookmass.com/product/reservoir-characterization-
fundamentals-and-applications-volume-2-fred-aminzadeh/
https://ebookmass.com/product/calculus-for-biology-and-
medicine-4th-edition-claudia-neuhauser/
https://ebookmass.com/product/the-palgrave-handbook-of-gender-
and-migration-claudia-mora/
BIOFUELS AND
BIOREFINING
BIOFUELS AND
BIOREFINING
Volume 2: Intensification
Processes and Biorefineries
Edited by
CLAUDIA GUTIERREZ-ANTONIO
FERNANDO ISRAEL GÓMEZ CASTRO
Elsevier
Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom
50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies
and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency,
can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions.
This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as
may be noted herein).
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our
understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any
information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they
should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional
responsibility.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for
any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any
use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.
ISBN: 978-0-12-824117-2
Saira Asif
Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory, SPIL, NETME Centre, Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering, Brno University of Technology, VUT Brno, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of
Sciences, Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Punjab,
Pakistan
Alexandra Barron
Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; Gas and Fuels Research Center,
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, TX, United States
Awais Bokhari
Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory, SPIL, NETME Centre, Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering, Brno University of Technology, VUT Brno, Brno, Czech Republic;
Chemical Engineering Department, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Punjab,
Lahore, Pakistan
P. Champagne
Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Quebec City, QC, Canada
Yoke Wang Cheng
Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Computing, Manipal
International University, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Chi Cheng Chong
Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Computing, Manipal
International University, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Natasha Chrisandina
Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; Gas and Fuels Research Center,
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, TX, United States
Lai Fatt Chuah
Faculty of Maritime Studies, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu,
Malaysia
M. Collotta
DIMI, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
Gabriel Contreras-Zarazúa
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Julio Armando de Lira-Flores
Facultad de Quı́mica, Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro, Centro Universitario, Queretaro,
Mexico
Marcos R.P. de Sousa
University of Campinas, School of Chemical Engineering, Campinas, SP, Brazil
ix
x Contributors
Thiago Edwiges
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Technology,
Medianeira, Parana, Brazil
Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi
Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; Gas and Fuels Research Center,
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, TX, United States
Massimiliano Errico
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Green Technology, University of Southern Denmark,
Odense, Denmark
Yulissa Mercedes Espinoza-Vázquez
Departamento de Ingenierı́a Quı́mica, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de
Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Ernesto Flores-Cordero
Biotechnology Engineering Department, University of Guanajuato, Campus Celaya-Salvatierra,
Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
Juan Fernando Garcı́a-Trejo
Facultad de Ingenierı́a, Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro, Amazcala, Queretaro, Mexico
Fernando Israel Gómez-Castro
Departamento de Ingenierı́a Quı́mica, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de
Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Claudia Gutierrez-Antonio
Facultad de Ingenierı́a, Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro, Amazcala, Queretaro, Mexico
Junaid Haider
Sustainable Process Analysis, Design, and Engineering Laboratory, Energy and Chemical
Engineering Department, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan,
South Korea
Salvador Hernández
Departamento de Ingenierı́a Quı́mica, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de
Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Noemı́ Hernández-Neri
Facultad de Ingenierı́a, Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro, Amazcala, Queretaro, Mexico
Jirı́ Jaromı́r Klemeš
Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory, SPIL, NETME Centre, Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering, Brno University of Technology, VUT Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Moonyong Lee
School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
Nguyen Van Duc Long
School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom; School of Chemical
Engineering and Advanced Materials, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Contributors xi
Antioco López-Molina
Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Jalpa de Mendez, Mexico
W. Mabee
Queen’s University, Department of Geography and Planning, Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Kingston,
ON, Canada
Sergio Iván Martı́nez-Guido
Facultad de Ingenierı́a, Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro, Amazcala, Queretaro, Mexico
Le Cao Nhien
School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
Alvaro Orjuela
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia,
Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Andrea del Pilar Orjuela
Process Solutions and Equipment SAS, Engineering Division, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Jose Marı́a Ponce-Ortega
Facultad de Ingenierı́a Quı́mica, División de Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad Michoacana de
San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
Cesar Ramı́rez-Márquez
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Maria Cinta Roda-Serrat
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Green Technology, University of Southern Denmark,
Odense, Denmark
Araceli Guadalupe Romero-Izquierdo
Facultad de Ingenierı́a, Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro, Amazcala, Queretaro, Mexico
Eduardo Sánchez-Ramı́rez
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Harrson S. Santana
University of Campinas, School of Chemical Engineering, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Juan Gabriel Segovia-Hernández
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Debalina Sengupta
Gas and Fuels Research Center, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station,
TX, United States
Claire Shi
Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
Pau Loke Show
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham—Malaysia
Campus, Semenyih, Malaysia
xii Contributors
1.1 Introduction
Through history, the society has evolved due to the research and technological advances
in all the knowledge areas. These advances have allowed better quality life of the society,
through the medical advances, transportation means, home comforts, education, as well
as recreational activities. Even in the last decades, the globalization has made possible the
contact between people located in different parts of the world, which can interchange
experiences, culture, goods, news, and even real-time events with just a click on a com-
puter with internet access. All these improvements and benefits to the society has one
common factor: energy.
In 2019, the worldwide energy consumption was 14,406 Mtoe (IEA, 2020a); this
amount of energy proceeds from oil (31%), coal (26%), natural gas (23%), renewables
(14%), and nuclear (6%) (IEA, 2020a, 2020b). The forecasts indicated that this amount
of energy would have increased in 10% for 2028 (IEA, 2020c). However, the forecasts
changed due to the appearance and spread of the Sars-CoV-2, who has modified the
known world’s dynamics. Potential new practices and social forms being facilitated by
the pandemics are having impacts on energy demand and consumption, which has, in
general, declined ( Jiang, Van Fan, & Klemeš, 2021). In spite of two vaccines have been
successfully developed at an unprecedented speed (Huang, Zeng, & Yan, 2021), its large-
scale production is now the bottleneck. Nowadays, not all the world population has
received the vaccine; therefore there are still many economic sectors that are detained
or with low activity, such as the aviation sector which recovery process seems much
slower than anticipated (Dube, Nhamo, & Chikodzi, 2021). It is important to mention
that the pandemic situation, as well as its effects, is a constantly changing situation.
In this context, the International Energy Agency has proposed, in collaboration with
the International Monetary Fund, a Sustainable Recovery Plan (IEA, 2020d). This plan is
focused on boosting the economic growth, creating jobs, and building more resilient and
cleaner energy systems; it is important to mention that this plan is intended to be imple-
mented in the period 2021–23. The plan includes policies, investments, and measures to
accelerate the deployment of six key areas (IEA, 2020d), which are shown in Fig. 1.1.
Boost
Accelerate low
innovation in
carbon
technological
electricity
areas
Development of Sustainable
Spread cleaner
sustainable Recovery transport
biofuels Plan
Fig. 1.1 Sustainable recovery plan proposed by the International Energy Agency in collaboration with
the International Monetary Fund.
From Fig. 1.1, it can be seen that the development of biofuels plays a key role in this
Sustainable Recovery Plan.
Biofuels are defined as those fuels that are generated from the conversion of biomass,
which is a complex natural renewable material with enormous chemical variability
(Bonechi et al., 2017). The biomass is defined as all the organic matter originating from
living plants, organisms, as well as some types of residues from agricultural, agroindustrial,
food, domestic, and other sectors (Pang, 2016; Soria-Ornelas, Gutierrez-Antonio, &
Rodrı́guez, 2016). Biomass is considered a suitable source for renewable energy and bio-
based products due to its organic nature, carbon stability, and abundant supply (Gent,
Twedt, Gerometta, & Almberg, 2017). The biomass can be classified according to several
criteria, such as arable, edible, residual, among others. An interesting classification con-
sidering the chemical nature of the biomass is as follows: triglyceride, lignocellulosic,
sugar, and starch (Maity, 2015) (Fig. 1.2).
Process intensification in biofuels production 3
Bioethanol
Biogasoline
Biodiesel
Green diesel
Biojet fuel
B
I
O Biogas
F Syngas
U Biohydrogen
E
L
S Fuel pellets
Briquettes
Pales
Cubes
Fig. 1.3 Classification of biofuels according to its physical state.
The triglyceride biomass contains fatty acids (palmitic acid, linoleic acid, ricinoleic
acid) and triglycerides (palmitin, linolein, ricinolein); this type of biomass includes oils
from soybean, castor bean or microalgae, as well as fats from poultry, fish, beef. On
the other hand, the lignocellulosic biomass contains lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose
as main components; this type of biomass includes all the agricultural residues, leaves,
wood, grass, as well as energetic crops. Finally, as the name suggest, the sugar and starch
biomass contain pentose, hexose, glucose, amylose, and amylopectin; this type of biomass
includes sugarcane, potatoes, apples, as well as other edible crops. This classification
allows to group all the biofuel conversion processes based on the chemical nature of
the biomass, in spite of it is edible, nonedible, or residual.
The biomass can be converted into biofuels in liquid, gaseous, or solid state (Fig. 1.3).
Among liquid biofuels, those destined mainly for transport sector are found, such as bio-
gasoline, green diesel, and biojet fuel; however, they also can be used to generate elec-
tricity or heat. Regard the solid biofuels, the most popular are the fuel pellets, which can
be used to produce electrical or thermal energy, similar to the gaseous biofuels, among
which biogas is the most popular.
The biofuels are obtained from the conversion of biomass through chemical, bio-
chemical, thermochemical, and biological processes (Fig. 1.4). In the chemical processes,
the biomass (or a fraction of it) is converted through a set of chemical reactions, which
would require additional reactants, solvents, catalysts, and moderate to high temperature
and pressure; examples of this type of process are transesterification, hydrodeoxygena-
tion, hydrocracking, and oligomerization, among others. On the other hand, in the
4 Biofuels and biorefining
biochemical processes, the large molecules that constitute the biomass (or a fraction of it)
are converted in smaller ones through the action of microorganisms; this type of process
usually requires water and low temperature and pressure. The fermentation, hydrolysis, as
well as digestion, are biochemical processes.
On the other hand, in the thermochemical processes, the main objective is converting
the biomass (or a fraction of it) into gases, liquids, or even solid compounds, releasing the
energy contained in them as heat. The heat can be used directly or employed to produce
electricity; at the same time, the compounds generated can be transformed in other valu-
able products. In thermochemical process is required air or inert atmospheres as well as
high temperature and pressure. The pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion are examples
of this type of processes. Finally, the biomass (or a fraction of it) can also be converted
through biological processes; in this case, the biomass is used as feed for the organisms,
which generated new compounds as results of the digestion or new organisms which can
be further processed to generate other valuable products. In this category, we can men-
tion the culture of black soldier fly as well as worms.
It is important to mention that all biofuels are renewables, since they are generated
from biomass; however, they do not necessarily are sustainable, since this depends on
the kind of biomass and processing route. Each one of these processes have different ener-
getic efficiencies, obtained products, yields as well as operation and investment costs. To
have biofuels that are renewable and sustainable, it must be ensured that the whole supply
chain has reduced carbon footprint, with special emphasis on the conversion processes.
In the last years, researchers have focused their efforts on the development of produc-
tion processes for the production of biofuels. In the literature, there are studies for the
production of bioethanol (Ayodele, Alsaffar, & Mustapa, 2020; Greetham, Zaky,
Makanjuola, & Du, 2018; Mohd Azhar et al., 2017; Sharma, Larroche, & Dussap,
2020), biobutanol (Huzir et al., 2018; Ibrahim, Kim, & Abd-Aziz, 2018; Wang et al.,
2017; Yeong et al., 2018), biogasoline (Hassan, Sani, Abdul Aziz, Sulaiman, & Daud,
Process intensification in biofuels production 5
2015; Mascal & Dutta, 2020; Shamsul, Kamarudin, & Rahman, 2017), green diesel
(Ameen, Azizan, Yusup, Ramli, & Yasir, 2017; Amin, 2019; Arun, Sharma, & Dalai,
2015; Kordulis, Bourikas, Gousi, Kordouli, & Lycourghiotis, 2016), biojet fuel
(Galadima & Muraza, 2015; Gutierrez-Antonio, Gómez-Castro, de Lira-Flores, &
Hernández, 2017; Kandaramath Hari, Yaakob, & Binitha, 2015; Vásquez, Silva, &
Castillo, 2017), biogas (Pramanik, Suja, Zain, & Pramanik, 2019; Alavi-Borazjani,
Capela, & Tarelho, 2020; Kovacic et al., 2021; Liu, Ren, Yang, Liu, & Sun, 2021;
Liu, Wei, & Leng, 2021), syngas (Aziz, Setiabudi, Teh, Annuar, & Jalil, 2019;
Leonzio, 2018; Ren, Cao, Zhao, Yang, & Wei, 2019; Yeo, Ashok, & Kawi, 2019), bio-
hydrogen (Fagbohungbe, Komolafe, & Okere, 2019; Chen, Wei, & Ni, 2021; Dahiya,
Chatterjee, Sarkar, & Mohan, 2021; Fajı́n & Cordeiro, 2021), fuel pellets (Bajwa,
Peterson, Sharma, Shojaeiarani, & Bajwa, 2018; He et al., 2018; Mamvura & Danha,
2020; Pradhan, Mahajani, & Arora, 2018), and briquettes (Bajwa et al., 2018;
Kaliyan & Vance Morey, 2009; Zhang, Sun, & Xu, 2018). In these studies, several bio-
masses are analyzed as well as different conversion pathways, with the main objective of
obtaining feasible processes with high yields. Nevertheless, biofuels must also be compet-
itive from the economic point of view with its fossil counterparts; this implies that the
production costs of biofuels must be as small as possible. In this context, process inten-
sification plays a key role, since it could help to have compact process, with reduced
energy consumption, safer, and environmentally friendly.
Therefore, in this chapter the potential advantages on using process intensification in
the biofuel production processes will be explored. For this, it will be presented the gen-
eralities of the conventional production processes for biofuels, as well as the concept of
process intensification. Based on these concepts, the necessity of applying process inten-
sification in the production processes for biofuels will be exposed. Finally, the current
state of the intensified biofuel production processes will be described.
first case, new equipment has been proposed, whose main characteristic is the high rate of
heat and/or mass transfer; as consequence, its size is small in comparison with its conven-
tional counterpart. In the second case, the thermodynamic synergy is used in order to
carry out two, or more, unit operations in the same vessel, which are usually called as
hybrid equipment; as consequence, the investment and operation costs are reduced.
The application of process intensification strategy has many advantages. The first one
is that this type of process are inherently safer; since the equipment are smaller or hybrid,
the amount of reactants, solvents, as well as energy are lower. Thus in case of an accident,
the potential consequences can be managed more easily. The second one is that the plants
are smaller, respect to the conventional ones, since higher rates of heat and/or mass trans-
fer are observed; in consequence, minor areas for the construction of the plant are
required, and in some cases, less pipes and additional equipment (like pumps). The third
one is that the intensified processes are more competitive from the economic point of
view, due to the efficient use of energy and raw materials. Finally, the intensified process
has a reduced carbon footprint without lose productivity. On the other hand, process
intensification has two main disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that not all
process intensification alternatives have a better performance in all type of process, in
comparison with the conventional one; thus the alternatives must be evaluated. The sec-
ond disadvantage is that process intensification implies the replacement of the equipment,
for a smaller one or for a hybrid technology.
Until now, several advances have been reported in the literature in relation to the
proposal of intensified equipment for reaction, separation, and conditioning tasks. These
alternatives will be presented next.
intensification allows performing several reactions in the same vessel; however, the type
of reactor is conventional. For instance, the hydroprocessing of one step for the conver-
sion of oil into hydrocarbons is an example of this type of multifunctional reactor
(Gutierrez-Antonio et al., 2017).
On the other hand, the other equipment showed in Fig. 1.6 are new designs,
where the heat and mass transfer are intensified in such a way that the size of the equip-
ment is small.
8 Biofuels and biorefining
columns, respectively. A conventional distillation column can separate one product at the
time, by top or bottom; thus usually a train of distillation columns is required. These dis-
tillation trains are considered as conventional ones, and the two more known sequences
are the direct (where the most of the products are obtained at the top of the column) and
the indirect (where the most of the products are obtained at the bottom of the column);
the conventional distillation trains are presented in Fig. 1.7 for the purification of a ter-
nary mixture.
The distillation columns are very flexible in their design for the separation of mixtures
of different characteristics; their main disadvantage is their low thermodynamic effi-
ciency, due to the remixing effect. To overcome this weakness, new distillation config-
urations have been proposed, and they are known as thermally coupled distillation
sequences (Fig. 1.8).
The thermally coupled distillation schemes consist of distillation columns linked
between them through liquid and vapor interconnection flows. Since the supply of liquid
and vapor requirements is satisfied with the interconnection flows, it is possible to elim-
inate a condenser and/or a reboiler; this helps to decrease the investment cost for the
separation of the mixture. Moreover, in type of schemes, it is possible to reduce the
energy requirements since the interconnection flows are located to avoid the remixed
effect. According to the literature, thermally coupled distillation sequences can reduce
the energy requirements between 30% and 50%, in comparison with conventional dis-
tillation sequences (Caballero, 2009; Dejanovic, Matijaševic, & Olujic, 2010; Gómez-
Castro et al., 2016; Yildirim, Kiss, & Kenig, 2011). There are several types of thermally
coupled distillation sequences such as the direct and indirect ones, as well as the Petlyuk
10 Biofuels and biorefining
distillation column and the dividing wall distillation column. In particular, the dividing
wall distillation column is a very promising technology allowing a significant energy
requirement reduction (Yildirim et al., 2011), as well as reduction in space requirements
and piping and installation costs.
Moreover, thermally coupled distillation columns have been used for the separation
of multicomponent mixtures (Avendaño, Pinzón, & Orjuela, 2020; Kiss, Ignat, Flores
Landaeta, & de Haan, 2013; Rong, 2011; Vazquez-Castillo et al., 2009), azeotropic
(Waltermann, M€ unchrath, & Skiborowski, 2017; Yang et al., 2019; Zhang et al.,
2020), extractive mixtures (Aniya, De, Singh, & Satyavathi, 2018; Murrieta-Dueñas,
Gutierrez-Guerra, Segovia-Hernández, & Hernández, 2011; Staak & Gr€ utzner, 2017;
Yang et al., 2020) as well as reactive processes (Murrieta-Dueñas et al., 2011;
Weinfeld, Owens, & Eldridge, 2018).
and improved through different strategies (Awais & Bhuiyan, 2018; Dixit & Ghosh,
2015; Klemeš et al., 2020).
The traditional heat exchangers employ conventional tubes (6 mm) with various
cross-sections and orientations; even in those with enhanced surface textures, this tech-
nology is nearing its limits (Khan & Fartaj, 2011). In contrast, intensified equipment for
heat exchanger is of smaller size respect to conventional technology (Fig. 1.10).
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
gente? ¿Soy ladrón o facineroso?... No; yo vengo aquí con móviles de
honradez... ¿Podrán todos decir lo mismo?
—No, aquí no ha entrado nadie, nadie más que usted.
—Puesto que usted lo dice, Elenita, lo creo —dijo el hombre oscuro
tomando una silla—. Con la venia de usted me sentaré. Estoy muy
fatigado.
—¡Y se sienta!
—Sí, porque tenemos que hablar. Atención, Elenita: yo tengo la
desgracia de estar prendado de usted.
—Pues mire usted, yo tengo muchas desgracias, menos esa.
Romo contrajo su semblante, expresando sus afectos, como los
animales, de una manera muy opaca, digámoslo así, por ser incapaz
de hacerlo de otro modo. No podía decirse si era el ruin despecho o la
meritoria resignación lo que determinaba aquel signo ilegible, que en
él reemplazaba a la clara sonrisa, señal genérica de la raza humana.
—Pues mire usted —dijo afectando candidez—, a otros les ha
pasado lo mismo, y al fin, a fuerza de paciencia, de buenas acciones y
de finezas se han hecho adorar de las que les menospreciaban.
—No conseguirá usted tal cosa de la hija de mi madre.
—Pues qué... ¿tan feo soy? —preguntó Romo, indicando que no
tenía la peor idea respecto a sus gracias personales.
—No, no; es usted monísimo —dijo Elena con malicia—, pero yo
estoy por los feos... ¿Quiere usted hacer una cosa que me agradará
mucho?
—No tiene usted más que hablar, y obedeceré.
—Pues déjeme sola.
—Eso no... —repuso frunciendo el ceño—. No pasa un hombre los
días y las noches oyendo leer sentencias de muerte, y acompañando
negros a la horca; no pasa un hombre, no, su vida entre lágrimas
suspiros, sangre y cuerpos horribles que se zarandean en la soga
para venir un rato en busca de goces puros junto a la que ama, y
verse despedido como un perro.
—Pero yo, pobre de mí, ¿qué puedo remediar? —dijo Elena
cruzando las manos.
—Es terrible cosa —continuó el hombre-cárcel con hueco acento—
que ni siquiera gratitud haya para mí.
—¿Gratitud?..., eso sí..., estamos muy agradecidos.
—Se compromete uno, se hace sospechoso a sus amigos
intercediendo siempre por un don Benigno que mató a muchos
guardias del rey en el Arco de Boteros; trabaja uno, se desvive, se
desacredita, echa los bofes..., y en pago..., vea usted... ¡Rayo!, hay
una niña que en nada estima los beneficios hechos a su familia..
¿Qué le importan a ella la buena opinión del favorecedor de su padre
su honradez, su limpia fama en el comercio?... Todo lo pospone a
morrioncillo, a las espuelas doradas y al bigotejo rubio de un
mozalbete que no tiene sobre qué caerse muerto, hijo y hermano de
conspiradores...
Encendida como la grana, Elena se sentía cobarde. Pero si su valo
igualara a su indignación, y sus tijeras pudieran cortar a un hombre
como cortaban un hilo, allí mismo dividiera en dos pedazos a Romo.
—Cállese usted, cállese usted —exclamó sofocada.
—Y, sin embargo —añadió el hombre opaco poniéndose más
amarillo de lo que comúnmente era—, soy bueno, tengo paciencia, me
conformo, callo y padezco... Es verdad que tengo en mi poder un
instrumento de venganza..., pero no lo emplearé por razón de amor
no; lo emplearé tan solo por el decoro de esta familia, a quien estimo
tanto.
Elena tuvo un arranque de esos que se han visto alguna vez, muy
pocas, pero se han visto, en las palomas, en los corderos, en las
liebres, en las mariposas, en los seres más pacíficos y bondadosos, y
pálida de ira, con los labios secos, y los puños cerrados, apostrofó a
amigo de su familia, gritando así:
—Usted es un malvado, y si yo supiera que algún día había de cae
en el pecado de quererle, ahora mismo me quitaría la vida para que no
pudiera llegar ese día. Usted es un tunante, hipócrita y falsario, y si m
padre dice que no, yo diré que sí, y si mi padre y mi madre me
mandan que le quiera, yo les desobedeceré. Hágame usted todo e
daño que guste, pues todo lo que venga de usted lo desprecio, sí
señor, como desprecio su persona toda, sí, señor; su alma y su
cuerpo, sí, señor... Ahora, ¿quiere usted quitárseme de delante, o
tendré que llamar a la vecindad para que me ayude a echarle por la
escalera abajo?
Al concluir su apóstrofe, la doncella se quedó sin fuerzas y cayó en
una silla; cayó blanda, fría, muerta como la ceniza del papel cuando ha
concluido la rápida llama. No tenía fuerzas para nada, ni aun para
mirar a su enemigo, a quien suponía levantado ya para matarla. Pero
el tenebroso Romo, más que colérico, parecía meditabundo, y miraba
al suelo, juzgando sin duda indigno de su perversidad grandiosa e
conmoverse por la flagelación de una mano blanca. Su resabio de
mascullar se había hecho más notable. Parecía estar rumiando un
orujo amargo, del cual había sacado ya el jugo de que nutría
perpetuamente su bilis. Veíase el movimiento de los músculos
maxilares sobre el carrillo verdoso, donde la fuerte barba afeitada
extendía su zona negruzca. Después miró a Elena de un modo que s
indicaba algo, era una especie de paciencia feroz o el aplazamiento de
su ira. La córnea de sus ojos era amarilla, como suele verse en los
hombres de la raza etiópica, y su iris, negro con azulados cambiantes
Fijaba poco la vista, y rara vez miraba directamente como no fuera a
suelo. Creeríase que el suelo era un espejo, donde aquellos ojos se
recreaban viendo su polvorosa imagen.
Levantose pesadamente, y dando vueltas entre las manos a
sombrero, habló así:
—Y sin embargo, Elena, yo la adoro a usted... Usted me insulta, y
yo repito que la adoro a usted... Cada uno según su natural; el mío es
requemarme de amor... ¡Rayo!, si usted me quisiera, aunque no fuese
sino poquitín, me dejaría gobernar como un perro faldero... Sería usted
la más feliz de las mujeres y yo el más feliz de los hombres, porque la
quiero a usted más que a mi vida.
Sus palabras veladas y huecas parecían salir de una mazmorra. Sin
embargo, hubo en el tono del hombre oscuro una inflexión que casi
casi podría creerse sentimental; pero esto pasó, fue cosa de brevísimo
instante, como la rápida y apenas perceptible desafinación de un buen
instrumento músico en buenas manos. Elena se echó a llorar.
—Ya ve usted que no puede ser —balbució.
—Ya veo que no puede ser —añadió Romo mirando a su espejo, es
decir, a los ladrillos—. Puede que sea un bien para usted. Mi corazón
es demasiado grande y negro... Ama de una manera particular..., tiene
esquinas y picos..., de modo que no podrá querer sin hacer daño... A
mí me llaman el hombre de bronce... Adiós, Elenita..., quedamos en
que me resigno..., es decir, en que me muero... Usted me aborrece..
¡Rayo, con cuánta razón!... Es que soy malo, perverso, y amenacé a
usted con hacer ahorcar a ese pobre pajarito de Seudoquis... No lo
haré... Si lo ahorcara, al fin le olvidaría usted, olvidándose también de
mí... Eso sí que no me gusta. Es preciso que usted se acuerde de este
desgraciado alguna vez.
Elena, no comprendiendo nada de tan incoherentes razones
vacilaba entre la compasión y la repugnancia.
—Además, yo había amenazado a usted con otra cosa —dijo Romo
retrocediendo después de dar dos pasos hacia la puerta—. Yo tengo
una carta, sí, aquí está..., en mi cartera la llevo siempre. Es una
esquela que usted escribió a esa lagartija. En ella dice que yo soy un
animal... Bien: puede que sea verdad. Yo dije que iba a mostrar la
carta a su mamá de usted... No; ¿a qué viene eso? Me repugnan las
intriguillas de comedia. ¡Yo enseñando cartas ajenas, en que me
llaman animal!... Tome usted el papelejo y no hablemos más de eso.
Romo largó la mano con un papel arrugado, del cual se apoderó
Elena, guardándolo prontamente.
—Gracias —murmuró.
En aquel instante oyose la campanilla de la puerta, y la voz de don
Benigno que gritaba:
—¡Hija mía, soy yo, tu padre!
Elena corrió a abrir, y el amoroso don Benigno abrazó con frenesí a
su adorada hija, comiéndose a besos la linda cara, sonrosada de
llorar. También él lloraba como una mujer.
—¿Quién está aquí?... ¿Con quién hablabas? —preguntó con
viveza el padre, luego que pasaron las primeras expansiones de su
amor.
Al entrar en la sala, don Benigno vio a Romo que iba a su encuentro
abriendo también los brazos.
—¡Ah! ¿Estaba usted aquí..., era usted...? ¡Amigo mío!
—No esperábamos todavía al señor Cordero —dijo Romo—
Desconfiaba de que le soltaran a usted.
—¿Por qué llorabas, hija mía, antes de yo entrar? —dijo el patriota
fijando en esto toda su atención.
—El señor Romo —repuso Elena muy turbada, pero en situación de
poder disimularlo bien— acababa de entrar...
—Yo creí que estaría aquí doña Robustiana —añadió el realista.
—Y me decía —prosiguió Elena—, me estaba diciendo que usted...
pues, que no había esperanzas de que le soltaran, padre.
—Eso me dijeron esta mañana en la Superintendencia; pero por lo
visto las órdenes que se dieron la semana pasada han hecho efecto.
—Venga acá el mejor de los amigos, venga acá —exclamó don
Benigno con entusiasmo, abriendo los brazos para estrechar en ellos a
su salvador—. Otro abrazo..., y otro... A usted debo mi libertad. No sé
cómo pagarle este beneficio... Es como deber la vida... Venga otro
abrazo... ¡Haber dado tantos pasos para que no me maltrataran en
Zaragoza, haberme servido tan lealmente, tan desinteresadamente
No, no se ve esto todos los días. Y es más admirable en tiempos en
que no hay amigo para amigo... Yo liberal, usted absolutista, y sin
embargo, me ha librado de la horca. Gracias, mil gracias, señor don
Francisco Romo —añadió con emoción que brotaba como un torrente
de su alma honrada—. ¡Bendita sea la memoria de su padre de usted
Por ella juro que mi gratitud será tan duradera como mi vida.
Era la hora de comer; y cerrada la tienda, llegaron la señora, los
niños y el mancebo. Quiso don Benigno que les acompañase Romo a
la frugal mesa; pero excusose el voluntario y partió, dejando a la
hidalga familia entregada a su felicidad. Elena no respiró fácilmente
hasta que no vio la casa libre de la desapacible lobreguez de aque
hombre.
XI