Energy, exergy and environmental analyses of hydrogen production process by ethanol steam reforming incorporated to sugar and alcohol mill

Abstract

This work aims to perform the thermodynamic, economic, and ecological studies of incorporation of hydrogen production process by ethanol steam reforming considering data from a sugar and alcohol mill, which produces near of 62.9 kg of sugar and 42.8 L of alcohol for each tonne of sugar-cane. A technical analysis of the actual process of ethanol production is performed before an analysis of the same plant with hydrogen production process incorporated. After that, an engineering economic analysis is developed to allocate the production costs of new configuration proposed, such as cost of sugar production, cost of ethanol production, and cost of hydrogen production. Finally, the effects on pollutants emissions with a view on incorporation of the new process for hydrogen production in that plant are determined.