Search

This work reported the effects of heat-assisted extraction (HAE) temperature (35–55 °C), solid: liquid (1:20–1:50 g/mL) and time (100–200 min) on the total phenolic content (TPC, GAE/g), bioactive extracts yield (EYs, %) and antioxidant activity (AA, AAE/g) of Senna alata leaves (SALs) using the Box-Behnken experimental design. Multi-objective HAE process optimization was also carried out. The large scale (1000 L extractor capacity) HAE integrated process was thereafter designed using the global optimum data and techno-economically analyzed. Profitability sensitivity and uncertainty analyzes were conducted on the large scale integrated process to determine the associated risk. The extraction temperature, solid: liquid and time had significant effects on TPC, EYs and AA. The extraction conditions at 54.97 °C, 41.59 g/mL and 100 min gave an optimum TPC, EYs and AA of 84.3897 mg GAE/g, 21.3607% and 6.61696 µM AAE/g, respectively. The phenolic profiling showed that SALs extracts were rich in betulinic, gallic, chlorogenic, caffeic and ferulic acids. The large scale integrated plant possessed net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IIR), return on investment (ROI) and payback time (PBT) of 193.511 US$, 7.11%, 13.97%, and 7.16 y, respectively. The certainty of obtaining base case NPV and ROI were 55.88 and 60.96%. Out of technical and cost variables selected for sensitivity analysis, extracts recovery contributed the most (26.6 and 27.9% in NPV and ROI, respectively) while the extraction temperature and SALs purchase cost did not contribute significantly to the variance in NPV and ROI.

This work presents an integrated heat-assisted extraction process for the production of crude anthocyanins powder (CAnysP) from Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx using SuperPro Designer. The influence of process scale-up (0.04 -1000L) and variables (temperature, time and ethanol proportion in solvent) were investigated by adopting a circumscribed central composite design on techno-economic parameters such as annual production rate (APR) and unit production cost (UPC) CAnysP. The individual runs in the CCCD were taken as different process scenario and simulated independently. Multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP) was further used to develop robust predictive models. The robustness of the model and sensitivity analysis were ascertained using the Monte Carlo simulation. The process scenario at 30 min, 30 °C, 50% and 1000 L possessed the highest CAnysP APR and lowest UPC. MGGP- models predicted R2 = 0.9984 for CAnysP APR and R2 = 0.9643 for UPC and certainty (99.98% for CAnysP APR and 98.47% for UPC).

This work investigated the influence of process variables of extraction temperature (35–55 °C), solid to liquid ratio (1:20–1:50 g/mL) and time (100–200 min) on the total phenolic content (TPC) and yield (EY) of Carica papaya leaves (CPL) extracts using Box-Behnken experimental design available in Design Expert software. Bi-objective process optimization was also carried out using the desirability function algorithm. The optimum process variables were later used to design an integrated process for the production of CPL extracts with the assistance of SuperPro Designer software. Scale-up studies and economic analysis for CPL extracts production were investigated in the range of 0.638–20.431 × 103 kg CPL extracts/y to determine the most economically feasible production capacity based on the minimum unit production cost (UPC) of CPL extracts. The risk and sensitivity analyses of the most economically feasible production scale were carried out using the Monte Carlo simulation in Oracle Crystal Ball software. Process variables had notable influences on the TPC and EY of CPL extracts. The extraction temperature of 35 °C, solid to liquid ratio of 40.25 g/mL and time of 100 min gave the optimum TPC of 74.65 mg GAE/g d.b and EY of 18.76 % (w/w). HPLC results indicated that CPL extracts were rich in gallic, betulinic, chlorogenic, ellagic, ferulic and caffeic acids. The designed integrated process showed similar behavior with the laboratory scale of 0.18758 g CPL extracts/batch. The preliminary techno-economic analysis indicated that plant capacity has a strong dependence on the material & energy demands and process economics. Plant capacity of 19.857 × 103 kg CPL extracts/y possessed the least UPC and was selected as the most economically feasible scale. The certainty of obtaining base case UPC value of 525.21 US$/kg CPL extracts was 75.20%. Sensitivity analysis showed that extracts recovery, CPL/water, centrifuge purchase cost, extraction time, extractor purchase cost and extraction temperature contributed -5.3 %, +42.8%, +4.0%, +47.1%, +0.1%, and +0.5%, respectively to the variance in UPC of CPL extracts.

In this work, we synthesized and economically analyzed a sustainable process of industrial production of microencapsulated anthocyanins powder (MAP) from Hibiscus sabdafiffa L. calyx (HSC) with the assistance of SuperPro Designer software. Open literature data were used in the synthesis of flowsheet and minimum selling price (MSP) of MAP was the only economic parameter used to assess the profitability of MAP production plant. Scale-up studies in the range of 0.127–130.393 × 103 kg/y MAP were conducted to identify the most economically feasible production capacity of MAP. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were further conducted on the most economically feasible capacity to determine technical and cost variables of significance. Material and energy demands and cost parameters increased with pant capacity. A power law relationship (R2 = 0.9081) was obtained between the MSP and selected range of plant capacities. The plant capacity of 108.551 × 103 kg/y MAP had the least MSP of 4013 US$/kg MAP and was selected as the most economically feasible capacity. Regarding the economics of plant capacity of 108.551 × 103 kg/y MAP, Packed Bed Adsorption (PBA) chromatography column was required in multiples and its cost contributed approximately 59% to the total equipment purchased cost (EPC). Consumables cost was the highest contributor to total operating cost (TOpC) and MSP showed a linear dependence (R2 = 0.9935) on the discount rate. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses showed that resin binding capacity, PBA resins purchase cost and Hibiscus sabdafiffa L. calyx anthocyanins (HSCAs) recovery had most contributions to uncertainties in MSP.

This study designed, techno-economically analyzed and compared the heat-assisted extraction (HAE)- and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE)-technology-based processes (HAE-tBP and UAE-tBP) for the production of crude anthocyanins powder (CAnysP) from Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx (HSC) with the assistance of SuperPro Designer software. Both the base cases and industrial setups of 600 L extractor capacities for HAE- and UAE-tBPs were analyzed and compared. When building the process flowsheets, peculiarities of the technicalities of both HAE and UAE extractors were taken into consideration. Materials and energy demands, production costs and unit production cost (UPC) of CAnysP were the parameters used for process analysis. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were conducted for the process with least CAnysP UPC using Monte Carlo simulations in Oracle Crystal Ball software. The HAE-tBP recorded the highest number of batches of 5278 per annum. HSC of 15.551 kg was required to produce 7.433 and 10.022 kg/batch CAnysP by 600 L extractor setup of HAE- and UAE-tBPs, respectively. The UAE-tBP achieved lower CAnysP UPC (164.28 US$/kg) compared with HAE-tBP (176.31 US$/kg) with 80.08% certainty. Out of the variables considered for sensitivity analysis of UAE-tBP UPC, ultrasound treatment time contributed the highest (+62%), while anthocyanins recovery contributed the least (+0.2%) to the variance in UPC.