Jojoba oil biorefinery using a green catalyst: Part II: Feasibility study and economical assessment

Abstract

In this work, the study of market and economic variables for a jojoba oil biorefinery is conducted. The raw materials used in this process were jojoba oil, methanol, a green catalyst derived from the fish industry, hexane, and diethylether. The products obtained in this process are jojobyl alcohols, which have pharmaceutical applications, and the fatty acid metyl esters (FAME) which are used to generate energy in the plant. The economic sensitivity analysis was performed for the internal rate of return (IRR) and payback time when the prices of jojobyl alcohols, jojoba oil, management and treatment of the diethylether:hexane stream, and methanol vary in fixed ranges. In addition, the influences of the product failure, tax percentage, advertisement and selling expenses, and the royalties over the economy of the process were also studied. The variables which have the most impact on the economy of the process were the jojobyl alcohol and jojoba oil price; small modifications in these variables result in relevant changes in the economy of the biorefinery. However, the price of the methanol is not significant for the profitability of the plant because 85% of the excess alcohol used in the transesterification step is recycled.