Conceptual Process Design and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biocatalytic Furfural Hydrogenation Using Ethanol as the Terminal Reductant

Redox enzyme-catalyzed reactions can be crucial to the development of a circular bio-economy by facilitating the valorization of biomass-based feedstock materials, such as bioethanol and furfural. The potential of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase-catalyzed furfural reduction to furfuryl alcohol using ethanol as the terminal reductant has been well-documented in the literature using free and immobilized enzymes. In this study, a systematic, comprehensive techno-economic analysis of furfuryl alcohol and acetaldehyde coproduction is presented. A conceptual process design for the production and separation of the products has been developed, and a process economics analysis has been performed to study the potential and challenges of this technology. Two scenarios derived from both actual experimental data and hypothetical assumptions were studied to understand the factors behind the economic feasibility. It was observed that high concentrations of organics in the reactor product stream and low cost of the starting raw materials are the most crucial factors for economic feasibility and achieving minimum selling prices of coproducts that could be comparable to the current market prices. The results of this conceptual design and economic analysis can form the basis for future life cycle analyses.