Abstract
Distillation columns can have high economic impact on small-scale ethanol production because their capital cost and, therefore, a lower investment in this equipment may turn it more feasible. The present work aims to assess the substitution of stainless steel and borosilicate glass by polymeric materials in the manufacturing of distillation columns. A decision tree was proposed, considering chemical, mechanical, thermal, and economic aspects. In addition, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate potential reduction on environmental impacts from columns manufactured with polymeric material. Tests were performed to investigate chemical resistance, including determination of the degree of swelling and characterizations by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, and exploratory scanning calorimetry. Mechanical properties were evaluated by 3-point bending tests. Polymeric materials were selected due to their lower cost in comparison with stainless steel, e.g., polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, and glass fiber-reinforced polyester resin. Results showed satisfactory chemical and mechanical resistance of these three polymers after contact with ethanol, and a 68% reduction in capital cost related to a manufacturing of distillation column with polypropylene. LCA results showed that replacing stainless steel and borosilicate glass by polypropylene in distillation column manufacturing would result in lower environmental impacts in all impact categories considered. A reduction in CO2eq emissions of 85% and 59% was observed when polypropylene replaced stainless steel and borosilicate glass, respectively.
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Cunha, C.B., Brondani, M., Mayer, F.D. et al. Low-cost small-scale distillation column: assessment of polymeric materials on its economic, chemical, mechanical, and environmental performance. Clean Techn Environ Policy 22, 1547–1563 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-020-01897-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-020-01897-w