Analysis of a biorefinery based on Theobroma grandiflorum (copoazu) fruit

In this work, a process design and an economic and environmental analysis for a biorefinery based on an exotic fruit as copoazu was performed. The whole copoazu fruit was used as feedstock for a multiproduct biorefinery such as pasteurized pulp, antioxidant extract, biofertilizer, biogas, oil seed, essential oil, ethanol, and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Three scenarios with mass integration were evaluated at different levels of energy integration. The first scenario did not consider energy integration, whereas the second scenario considered energy integration. Finally, in the third scenario, energetic integration plus cogeneration were analyzed. The total economic margin in the best configuration (scenario 3) was 13.21 %. The potential environmental impact is decreased not only by the energy integration but also by using solid residues for energy cogeneration to produce steam. Simulations included the composition of copoazu fruit, which was determined experimentally. Finally, a biorefinery based on copoazu could be considered as an opportunity to promote rural development with the participation of small-scale producers as feedstock suppliers.