TY  - JOUR
AU  - Muktar, Jimoh
AU  - Oyegoke, Toyese
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/30
TI  - DWSIM-Based Process Simulation and Exergy Analysis of Bioethanol Production from Rice Husk
JO  - Advances in Environmental and Engineering Research
SP  - 008
VL  - 07
IS  - 02
AB  - The growing concerns over fossil fuel dependency have motivated the exploration of sustainable biofuel alternatives. However, the practice of utilizing first-generation bioethanol production obtained majorly from food crops threat food supply market and poses threat to food security and land use. As a way forward, second-generation bioethanol from biomass, such as rice husk, an abundant agricultural residue, could potentially offer a promising pathway. Yet, its conversion remains energy-intensive and thermodynamically inefficient. This study aimed to evaluate the thermodynamic performance of the established process for producing fuel-grade bioethanol from rice husk. A comprehensive process model was developed in DWSIM using the Non-Random Two-Liquid (NRTL) thermodynamic framework, incorporating hydrolysis, fermentation, and distillation stages. The simulation processed 10.00 Mg of pre-treated rice husk and yielded 2.80 Mg of 99.9% pure bioethanol per hour, corresponding to a mass yield of 28.02%. Second-law thermodynamic analysis revealed an overall exergy efficiency of 79.17%, with major irreversibility occurring in the distillation column (24.54%), pre-treatment (hydrolyzer (22.05%), and fermenter (22.03%)). Through heat integration, the analysis yields a considerable energy efficiency (66.26%), and the study identifies critical hotspots for further process improvement through advanced unit operations. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of converting rice husk from waste into a valuable energy carrier, providing insights for scaling up sustainable bioethanol production and supporting circular economy initiatives.
SN  - 2766-6190
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/aeer.2602008
DO  - 10.21926/aeer.2602008
ID  - Muktar2026
ER  -