CHE.05 The Future Is Clean, With Renewable Diesel Seen
Team Members Heading link
- Avidar Al-Kurdi
- Salma Khalifa
- Siddhi Patel
- Ramiro Roman
- Tristan Suastegui
Project Description Heading link
The escalating global demand for renewable energy sources has driven the search for alternative and sustainable fuel production methods. This senior design project concentrates on the design, optimization, and economic evaluation of a chemical engineering process for producing renewable diesel using the Ecofining process. The Ecofining process, a proprietary technology developed by UOP Honeywell and Eni, employs hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization techniques to convert a wide range of bio-based feedstocks, including cooking oil, tallow, and coconut oil, into high-quality, low-emission diesel fuel or a mixture of any of these components.
The project targets the optimization of process parameters, such as temperature, pressure, and catalyst selection, to maximize diesel yield, minimize byproduct formation, and reduce energy consumption. A comprehensive simulation model of the Ecofining process will be developed using ASPEN Plus, an industry-standard process simulation software.
Advanced process control strategies will be incorporated into the design to ensure efficient operation and adaptability to variations in feedstock composition. A thorough economic analysis, including capital cost estimation, operating cost analysis, and sensitivity studies, will be performed to assess the financial feasibility and competitiveness of the proposed facility. The Renewable Identification Number (RIN) tax credits will be considered to enhance the profitability of the process and promote investment in renewable diesel production.
Upon successful completion of this project, the optimized Ecofining process will offer a profitable and sustainable solution to satisfy the ever-growing demand for renewable diesel, significantly contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.