Avaliação técnico-econômica de um processo em escala industrial para produção de celulose microfibrilada

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused damage in several sectors of the economy, with gel alcohol being one of the most sought after products. Its shortage was generated mainly due to the lack of the rheology modifier usually imported, carbomer 980, a polymer of fossil origin. Currently, there is a need to replace petroleum products with products from renewable sources, reducing problems such as plastic pollution and carbon emissions. Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is a product of plant origin, which can replace carbomer 980, with significant mechanical, coloidal and barrier properties. Its properties guarantee several applications, from rheology modifiers to food and beverage packaging. Therefore, the interest in MFC in recent years is evident. Although there are different technologies for its production, the main ones being homogenization, microfluidization and the grinder, there is a gap between laboratory and industrial scale production. This work aims to propose a process on a commercial scale for the production of MFC, aiming to prepare the country for an eventual pandemic that demands the production of gel alcohol. The MFC will be produced from bleached kraft pulp, evaluating the impacts of an increase in scale and its technical-economic assessment, using the grinder method. For the economic evaluation, six scenarios were analyzed, with different yields and types of plant installation (isolated or co-located plant). Production costs and minimum selling prices for MFC (dry equivalent) ranged from USD 6.47/kg to USD 11.24/kg and USD 10.42/kg to USD 15.85/kg, respectively. The market price was estimated in a range of USD 10.52/kg to USD 15.95/kg, using the economic indicators of net present value (NPV), profitability index (IL), internal rate of return (TIR), simple payback (PBS) and discounted (PBD) for your evaluation. Depreciation, labor, maintenance and repairs, administrative expenses and other factors that make up fixed costs were identified as the main drivers of price increases.