Economic analysis for the hydrogenation of sunflower oil using Pt monolith catalysts

Abstract

In the present work, the economic feasibility of the hydrogenation of vegetable oil using a platinum structured catalyst in a monolithic stirrer reactor (MSR) is examined. An 80 t day−1 hydrogenation plant with a reactor with a capacity of 10 t and a final product with 70 iodine index was selected. The study considered process equipment made of carbon steel and A304 stainless steel. Through simulation, the optimal conditions for the hydrogenation performed adiabatically were determined in order to reduce the processing costs: initial reaction temperature = 453 K, hydrogen pressure = 7 atm, stirrer speed = 200 rpm, and catalyst loading = 0.04 kgPt,sup m−3. The economic indicators showed that the proposed catalytic process is profitable, with a higher net present value using carbon steel instead of stainless steel A304. The sensitivity analysis revealed that vegetable oil cost is the most influential variable on the economy of the project, followed by hydrogen consumption and taxes. The changes in labor costs and catalyst recovery were negligible. The selection of A304 stainless steel carries a considerable economic risk, whereas when using carbon steel, the risk is lower, showing promising profit.