Produção de gases industriais a partir da gaseificação do bagaço da cana-de-açúcar

Abstract

Many sectors of the industry make use of industrial gases in various processes, highlighting the fundamental role that each of them plays in processes such as combustion, oxidation, welding, and atmosphere control in the case of oxygen; inerting processes, purging, production of ammonia, cooling, and production of fertilizers in the case of nitrogen; production of carbonated beverages, use as a cooling and freezing agent in food processes, and as a supercritical fluid in the extraction of essential oils in the case of carbon dioxide. Hydrogen is the gas that holds the greatest importance among industrial gases, as it, like nitrogen, plays a fundamental role in the production of ammonia and fertilizers. It is also used as a raw material in many other chemical processes important for the industry. However, its most significant use is in the generation of clean energy in fuel cells, offering a highly efficient alternative energy source without generating carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. It provides a sustainable energy alternative to produce power and is increasingly researched and improved to replace, in the near future, the fossil fuel-based energy matrix. Thus, this study presents the implementation project of an industrial plant for the production of nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and oxygen (O2), offering a solution for industrial waste from other companies, as sugarcane bagasse is the main raw material of this process and is a byproduct of sugarcane industries. The selected technological route for production is gasification, using continuous process occurring in a downstream gasifier and subsequent processes for separation and purification of gaseous products. The designed plant has a production capacity of 2.88 thousand tons of hydrogen, 19.31 thousand tons of oxygen, 38.35 thousand tons of carbon dioxide, and 72.67 thousand tons of nitrogen per year, processing 10 tons of sugarcane bagasse per hour. The final economic analysis of the project indicated a total investment of 87 million reais with a payback period of 10 years and a net profit after 2 years.