Techno-economic analysis of biodiesel production from Jatropha curcas via a supercritical methanol process

This paper presents the conceptual design and economic evaluation of a production of methyl esters (biodiesel) from Jatropha curcas oil (JCO) via a supercritical methanol process with glycerol as a by-product. The process consists of four major units: transesterification (PFR), methanol recovery (FT) and (DC1), recovery of glycerol (DEC), and biodiesel purification (DC2). The material and heat balance are also presented here. A biodiesel production of 40,000 tonnes-yr−1 is taken as case study. Biodiesel obtained from supercritical transesterification with Jatropha curcas oil as feedstock resulting in high purity methyl esters (99.96%) with almost pure glycerol (96.49%) obtained as by-product. The biodiesel can be sold at USD 0.78 kg−1, while the manufacturing and capital investment costs are in the range of USD 25.39 million-year−1 and USD 9.41 million year−1, respectively. This study proved that biodiesel from JCO is the least expensive with purities comparable to those found in other studies.