Desing and optimization of a multi-objective plant to obtain the best furfural derivates

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Abstract
The valorization of lignocellulosic biomass represents a key pathway toward sustainable chemical production, as it enables the development of circular economy products with reduced dependence on fossil resources. Among the platform molecules derived from biomass, furfural stands out as a versatile intermediate that can be transformed into several high-value chemicals, such as furfuryl alcohol, 2-methylfuran, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, furan, tetrahydrofuran, and maleic anhydride. In this work, an integrated biorefinery scheme for producing the main furfural derivatives is proposed and evaluated through process simulation and sustainability metrics. The process was modeled in Aspen Plus V14, using furfural obtained from lignocellulosic biomass (corn stover) as raw material, following hydrogenation and oxidation routes. The process is multi-product, meaning that the main furfural derivatives are produced simultaneously within the same plant. This was achieved by implementing splitters that work at 50% capacity in the division of raw materials. The mass and energy balances from the simulation were used to evaluate environmental, economic, energy, and efficiency performance using a set of indicators. Economic data were obtained from Aspen Economics, yielding a total capital cost of 7.65 MUSD and a total annual cost of 1.93 MUSD/year. The environmental assessment resulted in an EI99 of approximately 2.0×108 mPt/year, mainly influenced by hydrogen consumption and carbon monoxide emissions. From an efficiency perspective, the process shows favorable performance, with an MLI of 0.07 and an MCI of 69%, indicating high material efficiency despite the inherent complexity of multi-stage hydrogenation and oxidation pathways. Overall, the results demonstrate the technical and sustainability potential of an integrated furfural-based biorefinery, while highlighting opportunities for further improvement through process integration and hydrogen recovery.

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