• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.320-331
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• 2016

Linze-Donawitz gas (LDG) adjunctively produced in the steel mill contains over 60% of CO. Two processes that recover high purity CO from LDG were considered: COSORB and CO-Pressure swing adsorption (PSA). This study aimed to decide which one is more economically feasible than the other by techno-economic analysis (TEA). From the technical point of view of TEA, the process flow diagram (PFD) was constructed, the mass and energy balances were calculated, and the equipment type and size were determined in order to estimate the total capital investment (TCI) and the total production cost (TPC). From the economic point of view of TEA, economic performance such as return on investment (ROI) and payback period (PBP) was evaluated, and the sensitivity analysis was carried out to identify key factors influencing ROI and PBP. It was found that CO-PSA is more economically feasible due to higher ROI and lower PBP. The CO price highly influenced ROI and PBP.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.417-429
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• 2021

Due to fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution, H2 production from organic waste has received an increased attention. In this study, we present an integrated process for the H2 production from biogas and evaluate the economic feasibility and sustainability via rigorous techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA). Through the TEA, we determine the minimum H2 selling price using discounted cash flow analysis and investigate the main cost drivers. The environmental impact of the proposed process is quantified via LCA.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.65-73
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• 2020

To reduce the hydrogen production cost through the utilizing the oxygen and improving the capacity factor of water electrolysis used to energy storage of renewable energy, the hybrid hydrogen production process which has dual operating concept of using the water electrolysis as energy storage and oxygen production process for biomass gasification was proposed. Moreover, Techno-economic analysis on this system was quantitatively performed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.2418-2425
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• 2021

Monazite is a phosphate mineral that contains thorium (Th) and rare earth elements. The Th concentration in monazite can be as high as 500 ppm, and it has the potential to be used as fuel in the nuclear power system. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct the techno-economic analysis (TEA) of Th extraction in the form of thorium oxide (ThO₂) from monazite. Th can be extracted from monazite through an alkaline fusion method. The TEA of ThO₂ production studied parameters, including raw materials, equipment costs, total plant direct and indirect costs, and direct fixed capital cost. These parameters were calculated for the production of 0.5, 1, and 10 ton ThO₂ per batch. The TEA study revealed that the highest production cost was ascribed to installed equipment. Furthermore, the highest return on investment (ROI) of 21.92% was achieved for extraction of 1 ton/batch of ThO₂, with a payback time of 4.56 years. With further increase in ThO₂ production to 10 ton/batch, the ROI was decreased to 5.37%. This is mainly due to a significant increase in the total capital investment with increasing ThO₂ production scale. The minimum unit production cost was achieved for 1 ton ThO₂/batch equal to 335.79 $/Kg ThO₂.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.496-523
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to evaluate the economic feasibility of two fast pyrolysis and biooil upgrading (FPBU) plants including feed drying, fast pyrolysis by fluidized-bed, biooil recovery, hydro-processing for biooil upgrading, electricity generation, and wastewater treatment. The two FPBU plants are Case 1 of an FPBU plant with steam methane reforming (SMR) for $H_2$ generation (FPBU-HG, 20% yield), and Case 2 of an FPBU with external $H_2$ supply (FPBUEH, 25% yield). The process flow diagrams (PFDs) for the two plants were constructed, and the mass and energy balances were calculated, using a commercial process simulator (ASPEN Plus). A four-level economic potential approach (4-level EP) was used for techno-economic analysis (TEA) under the assumption of sawdust 100 t//d containing 40% water, 30% equity, capital expenditure equal to the equity, $H_2$ price of $1050/ton, and hydrocarbon yield from dried sawdust equal to 20 and 25 % for Case 1 and 2, respectively. TCI (total capital investment), TPC (total production cost), ASR (annual sales revenue), and MFSP (minimum fuel selling price) of Case 1 were $22.2 million, $3.98 million/yr, $4.64 million/yr, and $1.56/l, respectively. Those of Case 2 were $16.1 million, $5.20 million/yr, $5.55 million/yr, and $1.18/l, respectively. Both ROI (return on investment) and PBP (payback period) of Case 1(FPBU-HG) and Case 2(FPBU-EH) were the almost same. If the plant capacity increases into 1,500 t/d for Case 1 and Case 2, ROI would be improved into 15%/yr.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2021

This study presented techno-economic analysis of a 500 MWe oxy-coal power plant with CO2 capture. The power plant included a circulating fluidized-bed (CFB), ultra-supercritical steam turbine, flue gas conditioning (FGC), air separation unit (ASU), and CO2 processing unit (CPU). The dry flue gas recirculation (FGR) was used to control the combustion temperature of CFB. One FGR heat exchanger, one heat exchanger for N2 stream exiting ASU, and a heat recovery from CPU compressor were considered to enhance heat efficiency. The decrease in the temperature difference (ΔT) of the FGR heat exchanger that means the increase in heat recovery from flue gas enhanced the electricity and exergy efficiencies. The annual cost including the FGR heat exchanger and FGC cooling water was minimized at ΔT = 10 ℃, where the electricity efficiency, total capital cost, total production cost, and return on investment were 39%, 1371 M$, 90 M$, and 7%/y, respectively.