Techno-economic analysis of a food waste valorisation process for lactic acid, lactide and poly(lactic acid) production

Autor: Yunzi Hu, Carol Sze Ki Lin, Tsz Him Kwan
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Cleaner Production. 181:72-87
ISSN: 0959-6526
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.179
Popis: A sustainable food waste valorisation process was proposed by designing a plant with a capacity of 10 metric tons (MT) hour−1 of food waste powder with a 20-year lifetime. Three scenarios were proposed with different products: Scenario I) lactic acid, Scenario II) lactide, Scenario, and III) poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Mass balance showed conversion yields of 3.1 MT of 80% lactic acid, 1.7 MT of lactide, and 1.3 MT of poly(lactic acid) from 10 MT of food waste powder. All scenarios were economically feasible, but Scenario I had the highest annual net profits (US$ 22,184,169), internal rate of return (31.1%), net present value (US$234,803,060) and the shortest payback period (5.1 years) at a discount rate of 5%. The minimum selling prices of lactic acid, lactide and poly(lactic acid) were US$943 MT−1, US$2073 MT−1 and US$3330 MT−1, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that the prices of lactic acid, lactide and poly(lactic acid) were the largest determinants of the profitability in the plant while the sale of by-products (animal feed) was also critical to the plant's economics. This work has cast insights on the techno-economic performance of a sustainable food waste treatment under a decentralised approach in urban areas.
Databáze: OpenAIRE