IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i2p334-d1566479.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Valorization of Biomass Through Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization: Integrated Process Flowsheet and Supply Chain Network Optimization

Author

Listed:
  • Sanja Potrč

    (Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia)

  • Aleksandra Petrovič

    (Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia)

  • Jafaru M. Egieya

    (Texas A&M Energy Institute, College Station, TX 77845, USA)

  • Lidija Čuček

    (Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia)

Abstract

Utilization of biomass through anaerobic digestion and hydrothermal carbonization is crucial to maximize resource efficiency. At the same time, supply chain integration ensures sustainable feedstock management and minimizes environmental and logistical impacts, enabling a holistic approach to a circular bioeconomy. This study presents an integrated approach to simultaneously optimize the biomass supply chain network and process flowsheet, which includes anaerobic digestion, cogeneration, and hydrothermal carbonization. A three-layer supply chain network superstructure was hence developed to integrate the optimization of process variables with supply chain features such as transportation modes, feedstock supply, plant location, and demand location. A mixed-integer nonlinear programming model aimed at maximizing the economic performance of the system was formulated and applied to a case study of selected regions in Slovenia. The results show a great potential for the utilization of organic biomass with an annual after tax profit of 23.13 million USD per year, with the production of 245.70 GWh/yr of electricity, 298.83 GWh/yr of heat, and 185.08 kt/yr of hydrochar. The optimal configuration of the supply chain network, including the selection of supply zones, plant locations and demand locations, transportation links, and mode of transportation is presented, along with the optimal process variables within the plant.

Suggested Citation

  • Sanja Potrč & Aleksandra Petrovič & Jafaru M. Egieya & Lidija Čuček, 2025. "Valorization of Biomass Through Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization: Integrated Process Flowsheet and Supply Chain Network Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-24, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:2:p:334-:d:1566479
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/334/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/334/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aragón-Briceño, C.I. & Ross, A.B. & Camargo-Valero, M.A., 2021. "Mass and energy integration study of hydrothermal carbonization with anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 473-483.
    2. Sultana, Arifa & Kumar, Amit, 2014. "Development of tortuosity factor for assessment of lignocellulosic biomass delivery cost to a biorefinery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 288-295.
    3. Mitchell Ubene & Mohammad Heidari & Animesh Dutta, 2022. "Computational Modeling Approaches of Hydrothermal Carbonization: A Critical Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-28, March.
    4. Mateusz Nowak & Wojciech Czekała, 2024. "Sustainable Use of Digestate from Biogas Plants: Separation of Raw Digestate and Liquid Fraction Processing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Kossińska, Nina & Krzyżyńska, Renata & Ghazal, Heba & Jouhara, Hussam, 2023. "Hydrothermal carbonisation of sewage sludge and resulting biofuels as a sustainable energy source," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Urbanowska, Agnieszka & Niedzwiecki, Lukasz & Wnukowski, Mateusz & Aragon-Briceño, Christian & Kabsch-Korbutowicz, Małgorzata & Baranowski, Marcin & Czerep, Michał & Seruga, Przemysław & Pawlak-Krucze, 2023. "Recovery of chemical energy from retentates from cascade membrane filtration of hydrothermal carbonisation effluent," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    2. Kossińska, Nina & Grosser, Anna & Kwapińska, Marzena & Kwapiński, Witold & Ghazal, Heba & Jouhara, Hussam & Krzyżyńska, Renata, 2024. "Co-hydrothermal carbonization as a potential method of utilising digested sludge and screenings from wastewater treatment plants towards energy application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    3. Dilvin Cebi & Melih Soner Celiktas & Hasan Sarptas, 2022. "A Review on Sewage Sludge Valorization via Hydrothermal Carbonization and Applications for Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(4), pages 1345-1367, December.
    4. Pietro Romano & Nicola Stampone & Gabriele Di Giacomo, 2023. "Evolution and Prospects of Hydrothermal Carbonization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-11, March.
    5. Vishwajeet & Halina Pawlak-Kruczek & Marcin Baranowski & Michał Czerep & Artur Chorążyczewski & Krystian Krochmalny & Michał Ostrycharczyk & Paweł Ziółkowski & Paweł Madejski & Tadeusz Mączka & Amit A, 2022. "Entrained Flow Plasma Gasification of Sewage Sludge–Proof-of-Concept and Fate of Inorganics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, March.
    6. Vlasopoulos, Antonis & Malinauskaite, Jurgita & Żabnieńska-Góra, Alina & Jouhara, Hussam, 2023. "Life cycle assessment of plastic waste and energy recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    7. Halina Pawlak-Kruczek & Agnieszka Urbanowska & Lukasz Niedzwiecki & Michał Czerep & Marcin Baranowski & Christian Aragon-Briceño & Małgorzata Kabsch-Korbutowicz & Amit Arora & Przemysław Seruga & Mate, 2023. "Hydrothermal Carbonisation as Treatment for Effective Moisture Removal from Digestate—Mechanical Dewatering, Flashing-Off, and Condensates’ Processing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-9, July.
    8. Costa, Fabrício Rodrigues & Ribeiro, Carlos Antonio Alvares Soares & Marcatti, Gustavo Eduardo & Lorenzon, Alexandre Simões & Teixeira, Thaisa Ribeiro & Domingues, Getulio Fonseca & Castro, Nero Lemos, 2020. "GIS applied to location of bioenergy plants in tropical agricultural areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 911-918.
    9. Zeng, Mingxun & Ge, Zefeng & Wu, Yuqing & Ma, Yuna & Zha, Zhenting & Hou, Zenghui & Zhang, Huiyan, 2024. "Energy utilization of takeaway waste: Components separation and fuel preparation employing hydrothermal carbonization and gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    10. Aragon-Briceño, Christian & Pożarlik, Artur & Bramer, Eddy & Brem, Gerrit & Wang, Shule & Wen, Yuming & Yang, Weihong & Pawlak-Kruczek, Halina & Niedźwiecki, Łukasz & Urbanowska, Agnieszka & Mościcki,, 2022. "Integration of hydrothermal carbonization treatment for water and energy recovery from organic fraction of municipal solid waste digestate," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 577-591.
    11. Kossińska, Nina & Krzyżyńska, Renata & Ghazal, Heba & Jouhara, Hussam, 2023. "Hydrothermal carbonisation of sewage sludge and resulting biofuels as a sustainable energy source," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    12. Golecha, Rajdeep & Gan, Jianbang, 2016. "Biomass transport cost from field to conversion facility when biomass yield density and road network vary with transport radius," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 321-331.
    13. Magdziarz, Aneta & Mlonka-Mędrala, Agata & Sieradzka, Małgorzata & Aragon-Briceño, Christian & Pożarlik, Artur & Bramer, Eddy A. & Brem, Gerrit & Niedzwiecki, Łukasz & Pawlak-Kruczek, Halina, 2021. "Multiphase analysis of hydrochars obtained by anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste organic fraction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 108-118.
    14. Jean-Marc Roda & Maxime Goralski & Anthony Benoist & Anaphel Baptiste & Valentine Boudjema & Theodoros Galanos & Marine Georget & Jean-Eudes Hévin & Simon Lavergne & Frédéric Eychenne & Kan Ern Liew &, 2015. "Sustainability of biojet-fuel in Malaysia," Selected Books, CIRAD, Forest department, UPR40, edition 1, volume 1, number 17 edited by Jean-Marc Roda.
    15. Krystian Krochmalny & Halina Pawlak-Kruczek & Norbert Skoczylas & Mateusz Kudasik & Aleksandra Gajda & Renata Gnatowska & Monika Serafin-Tkaczuk & Tomasz Czapka & Amit K. Jaiswal & Vishwajeet & Amit A, 2022. "Use of Hydrothermal Carbonization and Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Surface Modification of Brewer’s Spent Grain and Activated Carbon," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-11, June.
    16. Kesharwani, Rajkamal & Sun, Zeyi & Dagli, Cihan & Xiong, Haoyi, 2019. "Moving second generation biofuel manufacturing forward: Investigating economic viability and environmental sustainability considering two strategies for supply chain restructuring," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 1467-1496.
    17. Berazneva, Julia & Woolf, Dominic & Lee, David R., 2021. "Local lignocellulosic biofuel and biochar co-production in Sub-Saharan Africa: The role of feedstock provision in economic viability," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    18. Franco, Camilo & Bojesen, Mikkel & Hougaard, Jens Leth & Nielsen, Kurt, 2015. "A fuzzy approach to a multiple criteria and Geographical Information System for decision support on suitable locations for biogas plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 304-315.
    19. Ayala-Cortés, Alejandro & Arcelus-Arrillaga, Pedro & Millan, Marcos & Okoye, Patrick U. & Arancibia-Bulnes, Camilo A. & Pacheco-Catalán, Daniella Esperanza & Villafán-Vidales, Heidi Isabel, 2022. "Solar hydrothermal processing of agave bagasse: Insights on the effect of operational parameters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 14-23.
    20. Agnieszka Urbanowska & Małgorzata Kabsch-Korbutowicz & Christian Aragon-Briceño & Mateusz Wnukowski & Artur Pożarlik & Lukasz Niedzwiecki & Marcin Baranowski & Michał Czerep & Przemysław Seruga & Hali, 2021. "Cascade Membrane System for Separation of Water and Organics from Liquid By-Products of HTC of the Agricultural Digestate—Evaluation of Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:2:p:334-:d:1566479. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.