Supply chain detailed design for producing sugar and ethanol

CORSANO, GABRIELA; MONTAGNA, JORGE MARCELO

Mar del Plata

Congreso; VI Congreso Argentino de Ingeniería Química; 2010

AAIQ

Bioethanol production is motivated by the use of renewable energy. In this work, a MINLP model is developed for designing a Supply Chain for sugar/ethanol production. The model considers four echelons: sugar plants that supply raw materials, plants that produce ethanol, warehouses, and customer zones. Facilities installation, production and distribution among the different echelons are problem decisions. A detailed model for ethanol plant design is embedded in the SC model in such way that plant and SC designs are simultaneously obtained. Yeast production and residue recycles are considered in order to reduce the environmental impact caused by their disposals. The environmental impact considerations produce both economic and operative changes in SC and plant designs. Simultaneous optimization allows evaluating several tradeoffs among design and process variables that are highlighted in this paper throughout the studied cases.