LAPSE:2020.1220
Published Article
LAPSE:2020.1220
Design, Cost Estimation and Sensitivity Analysis for a Production Process of Activated Carbon from Waste Nutshells by Physical Activation
Marcelo León, Javier Silva, Samuel Carrasco, Nelson Barrientos
December 17, 2020
A conceptual design of an industrial production plant for activated carbon was developed to process 31.25 tons/day of industrial waste nutshells as the raw material and produce 6.6 ton/day of activated carbon using steam as an activation agent. The design considered the cost of the main equipment, the purchase price of the nutshells, basic services, and operation. A sensitivity analysis was developed, considering the price of the finished product and the volume of raw material processing varied up to ±25%. Furthermore, the total annual cost of the product was determined based on the production of 2100 tons/year of activated carbon. Two cash flows were developed and projected to periods of 10 years and 15 years of production, using a tax rate of 27%, a low discount rate (LDR) of 10% per year, and without external financing. For a 10-year production project, the net present value (NPV) was USD 2,785,624, the internal return rate (IRR) 21%, the return on investment (ROI) 25%, and the discounted payback period (DPP) after the fifth year. Considering a project with 15 years of production, the NPV was USD 4,519,482, the IRR at 23%, the ROI 24%, and the DPP after the fifth year of production.
Keywords
activated carbon, economic evaluation, nutshell waste, production cost
Suggested Citation
León M, Silva J, Carrasco S, Barrientos N. Design, Cost Estimation and Sensitivity Analysis for a Production Process of Activated Carbon from Waste Nutshells by Physical Activation. (2020). LAPSE:2020.1220
Author Affiliations
León M: Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2162, Valparaíso 2362854, Chile
Silva J: Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2162, Valparaíso 2362854, Chile [ORCID]
Carrasco S: Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2162, Valparaíso 2362854, Chile
Barrientos N: Trazado Nuclear e Ingeniería Ltda., Francisco de Villagra 385, Santiago 7760016, Chile [ORCID]
Journal Name
Processes
Volume
8
Issue
8
Article Number
E945
Year
2020
Publication Date
2020-08-06
Published Version
ISSN
2227-9717
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Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: pr8080945, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2020.1220
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doi:10.3390/pr8080945
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Dec 17, 2020
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CC BY 4.0
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Dec 17, 2020
 
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Dec 17, 2020
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Original Submitter
Calvin Tsay
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