Process Systems Engineering Studies for the

Synthesis of Catalytic Biomass-to-fuels Strategies

J. Han, S. M. Sen, J. S. Luterbacher, D. Martin Alonso, J. A. Dumesic and C. T. Maravelias

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

University of WisconsinMadison
Madison, WI 53706, USA

SUPPLEMENTARY CONTENT

H2O/FA
LA/FA
LA/FA LA/FA
H2SO4
H2SO4 SBP GVL/SBP CO2 C4H8/CO2 C4H8/CO2 [C4H8]n(n=2,3,4,5)/CO2
Biomass H2 O
H2 O CO2 GVL H2 O
C6-sugars LA/FA
Lignin H2SO4 GVL
H2SO4 H2 O SBP
H2SO4/H2O
H2 O Lignin
H2SO4/H2O
Humins
C5-sugars
(Turbogenerator) Lignin
Humins H2 O Oligomers
(Turbogenerator) SBP Recycle
H2SO4/H2O Recycle SBP

Figure S1. Initial design for strategy C. Formic acid (FA) and water are evaporated prior to extraction
and fed to the catalytic reactor where levulinic acid (LA) is reduced to -valerolactone. FA is a source of
hydrogen

Table S1. Feedstock costs and compositions.

Corn Wheat Hybrid Switch Loblolly Aspen
Feedstock compositions (wt%)a
Stover Straw Poplar Grass Pine Wood
C 6 -sugars 41.00 34.55 46.08 35.71 54.80 45.80
C 5 -sugars 24.00 22.12 18.58 26.43 7.30 16.60
Lignin 18.00 17.28 27.29 19.78 29.50 21.60
Others 17.00 26.05 8.04 18.08 8.40 16.00
Feedstock price ($/dry ton)a 83.00 46.00 50.70 65.86 57.32 57.22
a
Taken from the (Han et al., 2014)
Table S.2. List of major economic parameters and assumptions.
Sulfuric acid price ($ per ton)* 35.0
Water price ($ per ton)* 0.2
Refrigerated water ($ per ton) 0.185
CO 2 price ($ per ton) 39.6
Waste water treatment cost ($ per ton)* 36.0
Electricity price ($ per kW h)* 5.4
Hydrogen price ($ per ton) 7.1
Lime price ($ per ton)* 99.0
Gypsum disposal ($ per ton)* 30.9
RuSn(1:4)/C catalyst ($ per kg) 540.0
Pt 3 Sn/SiO 2 ($ per kg) 243.3
Amberlyst 70 ($ per kg) 312.0
RuRe(3 : 4)/C catalyst ($ per kg) 1060.0
2-sec-butylphenol (SBP) price ($ per ton) 50.0
Butyl acetate price ($ per ton) 1534.0
Yeast price ($ per gallon ethanol) ** 0.01
Equipment life span (years)* 20.0
Internal Rate of Return (%)* 10.0
Tax rate (%)* 39.0
Depreciation period (years)* 7.0
*
Taken from NREL(2010)(Kazi et al., 2010)
**
Taken from NREL(2000) (McAloon et al., 2000)

Taken from Turton et al.(Turton et al., 2008)

Taken from Kim et al. (Kim et al., 2012)

Taken from Sen et al. (Sen et al., 2012a) (10% of the catalyst is refurbished every 3
months)
Assumptions(Kazi et al., 2010): (1) Contingency factor is 20% of total project investment;
(2) capital investment is spread over 3 years at a rate of 8%, 60%, and 32% in the first,
second, and third years, respectively; (3) working capital is 15% of fixed capital investment.

References
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McAloon, A., Taylor, F., Yee, W., Ibsen, K. and Wooley, R., 2000. Determining the cost of producing
ethanol from corn starch and lignocellulosic feedstocks. National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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Turton, R., Bailie, R.C., Whiting, W.B. and Shaeiwitz, J.A., 2008. Analysis, synthesis and design of
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