Resumo:
The present work aimed to perform a thermodynamic and environmental evaluation of
integrated biorefinery complexes using sugarcane and african palm (Elaeis guineensis) for brazilian
conditions. To this end, four case studies were proposed, located in the North or Northeast regions,
since in these regions there are more than 31 million hectares of degraded lands that have favorable
edaphoclimatic characteristics for the cultivation of cane and palm crops. The base case (C-I) was
conceived with the intention of being a reference for the other studies, in which there is no type of
integration (industrial or agricultural) and is composed of (i) a sugar and alcohol plant, (ii) a palm
oil extraction plant, (iii) a palm oil refining and transesterification plant, and (iv) a cogeneration
system, in the subsequent case studies there is an agricultural and industrial integration, and in case
II a 2G ethanol plant is incorporated, while in case III a 2G methanol plant was incorporated and
case IV is an extension of case III where advanced cogeneration concepts were applied, specifically
the BIG/GT technology (Biomass Integrated Gasifier-Gas Turbine). For the evaluation of the
studies from the thermodynamic and environmental point of view, the LCA and performance
indicators based on the 1st and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. The results obtained from the
thermodynamic evaluation show the advantage of obtaining a larger energy portfolio from several
raw materials (sugar cane and palm), and C-IV stands out from the others, since it has a superior
performance in the ηGlo (53.4%), Iexced (86.6 kWh/tMP), σMP (257 GJ/ha-year) e ηexe (62.7%), by
integrating the technology of gasification and gas turbine (BIG/GT), verifying the attractiveness
that it is for agroindustries. While the results obtained in the LCA showed the potential
environmental benefits that brings the total replacement of fossil diesel by biodiesel (whether ethyl
or methyl), both in cane and palm cultivation, making it possible to reduce the consumption of fossil
energy by 74.7% (cane) and 64.8% (palm) by the ethanol route or 79.6% (cane) and 69.2% (palm)
by the methyl route. Consequently, one could achieve an increase in NER up to 9 units and a
renewability (LCEE) of up to 18.4% of cane bioethanol could be achieved.