Process synthesis and optimization of a sustainable integrated biorefinery via fuzzy optimization

Over the last decade, utilization of biomasses is highly encouraged to conserve scarce resources, reduce dependency on energy imports as well as protect the environment. Integrated biorefinery emerged as noteworthy concept to integrate several conversion technologies to have more flexibility in product generation with energy self‐sustained and reduce the overall cost of the process. Integrated biorefinery is a processing facility that converts biomass feedstocks into a wide range of value added products via multiple technologies. In this work, a systematic approach for the synthesis and optimization of a sustainable integrated biorefinery which considers economic, environmental, inherent safety, and inherent occupational health performances is presented. Fuzzy optimization approach is adapted to solve four parameters simultaneously as they are often conflicting in process synthesis and optimization of an integrated biorefinery. An integrated palm oil‐based biorefinery case study is solved to demonstrate the proposed approach. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 59: 4212–4227, 2013