Question

A stover-to-ethanol plant produces 40,000 tonne/yr of ethanol and contains 8functionalunits:feedstockhandling,pretreatment,simultaneoussaccharification/fermentation distillation, solid/syrup separation, wastewatertreatment, boilers, and turbogeneration/utilities (McAloon et al., 2000). Estimatethe FCI of the plant using the empirical correlation based on the work ofBridgwater and Mumford (1979)

Answer 1

Answer:

$FCI=458000*8*40000^{0.3}\\FCI=880818398.52 M$

FCI=88.0818 MM≅88 MM

Explanation:

Empirical correlation based on the work of Bridgwater and Mumford (1979):

For Liquid or solid phase Plants:

$FCI=458000*N*F^{0.3}$                       F<60,000 tonne/yr     Eq (1)

$FCI=7000*N*F^{0.68}$                         F≥60,000 tonnes/yr   Eq (2)

Where:

N is the number of functional units

F is the process throughput tonnes/yr

In our case F=40,000 tonne/yr <60,000 tonne/yr, We are going to use Eq (1)

$FCI=458000*N*F^{0.3}$                       F<60,000 tonne/yr

N=8, F=40,000 tonne/yr

$FCI=458000*8*40000^{0.3}\\FCI=880818398.52 M$

FCI=88.0818 MM≅88 MM