Conceptual Design of a Biorefinery Integrated into an Orange Juice and Coffee Production System

Abstract

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Brazil is the world's largest producer of orange juice, with a harvest of over one million tons in 2020, approximately four times that of the USA, the second-place producer (USDA, 2022). In the juice production process, 50% to 60% of the fruit mass is discarded, generating a solid residue that is typically disposed of in landfills or used in animal feed. Landfill disposal can be associated with environmental impacts. However, this residue contains market-valuable substances such as D-limonene and pectin, as well as potential for biogas and electricity generation. Similarly, Brazil is the world's largest producer of coffee (EMBRAPA, 2021). Recent studies indicate the potential for utilizing used coffee grounds in various processes, such as anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, and oil extraction, leading to products such as biofuels (biogas, bio-oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, hydrogen, and pellets) and chemicals (organic acids, antioxidants, adsorbents, antimicrobial materials, colorants, composites, enzymes, pectins, and polymers). In order to promote the application of the low-carbon economy concept in well-established agro-industrial waste chains in Brazil, this work aims to propose the conceptual design of a biorefinery integrated into these two chains (orange and coffee) and its technical and economic evaluation, using indicators such as energy consumption, effluent generation, and emissions. Through process synthesis and simulation methodologies, the goal is to identify the best valorization routes for these residues, using economic and environmental criteria.