Advanced simulation and modelling to ensure techno-economic and environmental sustainability of new process development

Abstract

Depleting fossil fuel reserves, environmental concerns, and a growing waste problem, have led to increased interest in cleaner production methods for energy and materials. Some materials that are fundamental in society’s structure, such as cement and lime, are large emitters of carbon dioxide by virtue of the process methods, as well as being energy intensive. New process designs are being sought to overcome the environmental impacts and fuel issues of the current production processes. The products produced, methanol, clicker, Fischer-Tropsch products, etc., must compete economically when the products are produced via traditional methods.

This study evaluates the use of advanced analytical tools to ensure that the developing new processes are sustainable, both economically and environmentally. Techno-economic analysis, exergy assessment, and lifecycle assessment have been used in several research projects aimed at fuel production from waste and low-rank coal, and decarbonising cement, lime, and power plants. The new process has been compared to the traditional process.

For the Dirprimcoal project, two direct coal liquefaction techniques were compared, and the techno-economic assessment demonstrated that the catalytic coal liquefaction process yielded more light/medium oil and had a lower breakeven oil price than the thermal coal liquefaction process, and the exergy analysis showed that the catalytic coal liquefaction had lower specific exergy losses. For the carbon capture processes, the lifecycle assessment showed that even with increased fuel consumption, removing CO2 from the emissions results in a lower environmental impact. Electricity generation from excess heat is key. Fuelling the cement and carbon capture plant with solid recovered fuel reduced the environmental impact further.

The sustainability optimisation study examined the process for methanol production from solid recovered fuel, identified and found solutions to potential environmental issues within the process.

Next steps in developing the analytic tool kit, is to include a social impact assessment.

Thesis is embargoed until 31st October 2026.

Date of Award	Oct 2023
Original language	English
Supervisor	Ye Huang (Supervisor) & Neil Hewitt (Supervisor)