A series of process design and economics models have been created which calculate the
process cost for several scenarios in steam-explosion/fractionation of wood. Steam
-explosion pulping may prove to be an alternative to currently practiced standard pulping
processes which require large capital investments, cause significant environmental
problems, and produce a narrow range of products. In addition, steam-explosion/fractionation technology may offer the opportunity to produce chemicals and materials from
biomass at a lower raw material and process cost than the alternative petrochemical
feedstocks.
The models are a series of modular computer simulations, where each module summarizes
a particular group of unit operations with respect to mass balance, energy requirements,
and process cost including utilities, capital, labor, and other related costs. These modules
are compiled into 3 groups of scenarios: 1) unprocessed steam-exploded wood for use as
enzyme! acid hydrolysis feedstock, hardboard production, or as unbleached pulp, 2) water
extracted steam-exploded wood for recovery of pentosan polysaccharides and a
lignocellulosic fiber, and 3) water and aqueous solvent (alkali or ethanol) extracted steam
-exploded wood for recovery of pentosan polysaccharides, lignin polymers, and a cellulose
-rich, unbleached fiber.
For the base case evaluated, the cost of producing a 50% moisture, based on total weight,
steam-exploded fiber is the raw material cost, dry basis, plus 3.5 cents! Lb of raw material
consumed, dry basis. For Southwestern Virginia hardwoods at 2 cents/Lb ($40 per ton),
dry basis, the total process cost is 5.5 cents/ Lb.
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