Hotspots

A hotspot is defined as a unit or unit process in which it is the most problematic in terms of
energy consumption, waste generation and emissions that contribute significantly in the environmental,
ecological, and social systems. The identification of hotspots in this study is done by identifying the
processes that has (1) large amount of energy requirement. (2) significant amount of emissions and (3)
wastewater generation. The determination of hotspots has been guided by the material and energy
balance of each processes involved in the production of cottonseed oil.

In the Wasted Cottonseed Oil production, the hotspots were identified as the Ginning and
extracting processes. These had been determined as the hotspots due to the high energy consumption
required and consequently generating significant amount of unwanted wastes and emissions in the
process operation.

I. Cotton Ginning Process

(based on 125 kg biodiesel/ day)
Overall Energy Requirement: 132.1119 kWh
Emissions (total): 30.94792 kg
 PM: 0.064338 kg
 TOC: 0.006433 kg
 VOC: 0.002573 kg
 CO2: 30.77935 kg
 SO2: 0.005147 kg
 CO: 0.090073 kg

II. Boiler
(based on 125 kg biodiesel/ day)
Emissions (total): 130.3384 kg
 PM: 0.216190435 kg
 TOC: 0.037318587 kg
 VOC: 0.023163261 kg
 CO2: 129.649919 kg
 N2O: 0.008643328 kg
 SO2: 0.01801587 kg
 CO: 0.393775436 kg

III. Washer
(based on 125 kg biodiesel/ day)
Wastewater:
 pH: 5
 COD: 0.344169 kg
 SS: 0.020300 kg
 Oil: 0.156334
 Color: 95 PtCo

Table 1. Hotspots
 Hotspots Concern
Cotton Gin Highest energy consumption
Significant amount of total emissions
Boiler Highest amount of total emissions
Washer Highest amount of wastewater parameters

Table 2. Environmental Impacts of the Hotspots

EQUIPMENT POLLUTANT IMPACT
Cotton Gin - -
Boiler PM Human-toxicity
Eco-toxicity
TOC Human toxicity
VOC Smog
CO2 Global warming
SO2 Smog
CO Human-Toxicity
Washer pH Microbial growth
COD Eco-toxicity
SS Eco-toxicity
Oils Eco-toxicity

Waste Management and Control Methods

The waste management and control methods are treatment processes and technology for
mitigating the impacts caused by the identified hotspots.

I. Cotton Gin
Continually rising energy costs for cotton gins make it more important to achieve optimum
levels of operating efficiency. Energy use and conservation continues to be a relevant topic
as energy costs are a larger portion of total ginning costs. In a 2013 survey, energy use
accounted for approximately 25% of the total variable cost.

1. Increase the Average Ginning Rate

Ginning rate is the primary factor affecting electricity use per bale at a given gin; The
average ginning rate depends on both the actual ginning rate and the frequency and
duration of downtime. Increasing the average ginning rate means more bales are ginned
per hour, shift, day, and week. Simply increasing the maximum ginning rate will not
increase the average ginning rate if the higher rate cannot be sustained because it
results in choking the gin. Increasing the average ginning rate allows for a shorter gin
season, so the customer can market their cotton sooner. It could result in one less
monthly electrical demand charge.

2. Installing automatic feed controls on the storage hopper the extractor-feeders, and the
automatic overflow system
 can help keep all gin stands fully loaded as much as possible. These automatic feed
controls were used to achieve a gin stand operating efficiency more than 95% at the
most efficient gin in the monitoring study.

3. Variable Frequency Drive

One control strategy used by a commercially available system for conveying seed cotton
is to use a variable frequency drive (VFD) to change fan speed to maintain a constant
current (and power) used by the fan motor. This system would typically slow down the
fan when little or no seed cotton is conveyed, saving energy, and increase the fan speed
to provide more air flow at maximum ginning rates.

4. Moisture Sensor
Increasing the Moisture content to the desirable amount

II. Boiler

Proposed Mitigation/Treatment (if emissions exceed limit)

1. Wet Scrubber
Wet scrubbers are effective air pollution control devices for removing particles and/or
gases from industrial exhaust streams. A wet scrubber operates by introducing the dirty
gas stream with a scrubbing liquid – typically water. Particulate or gases are collected in
the scrubbing liquid. Wet scrubbers are generally the most appropriate air pollution
control device for collecting both particulate and gas in a single system.
2. Thermal Oxidizers
process unit for air pollution control in many chemical plants that decomposes
hazardous gases at a high temperature and releases them into the atmosphere
3. Low Sulfur-Content Fuel

III. Washer

Treatment:

1. Acidification
2. Coagulation
3. Air floatation

Dimensions of Sustainable Development

Table 3. Dimensions of Sustainable Development for the Controls of the Hotspots
 Control Economic Ecological Social
Advantage Disadvantage Advantage Disadvantage Advantage Disadvantage
Increasing more bales Gin Maximizing - customers -
the Ginning are ginned malfunction the energy can
Rate per shift; used market
one less their
monthly cotton
electrical sooner
demand
charge
Feed 95%+ Additional Energy - - -
Controls efficiency Installation optimization
costs
Variable Cost-saving Additional Energy - - -
Frequency Installation Optimization
Drive costs
Moisture Gin Installation Optimization Potential for - Difficult
Sensor operates costs fiber process
more breakage
effectively
Wet - Installation Removes - -Control -noise
Scrubber costs PM and for pollution
gases harmful
pollutants
-reduces
odor
Thermal -VOCs with Installation Controls -Generates -reduces -
Oxidizers high energy costs VOC/CO NOx, and odor
content possibly new
tend to hazardous
lower pollutants via
energy combustion
requirement process
and
associated
operating
costs
Low Sulfur - Higher in Less - Reduces -
content Fuel price Emissions odor

Acidification - drastically Biological increase of - -

alter the treatment of sulphate or
composition wastewater chloride in
of the is improved the
wastewater wastewater
Coagulation Limited Operational pollutants Sludge - Complex
investment cost can be formation process
removed

Air - - separates a substances - odorous

floatation wide variety that dissolve
of effectively
substances are not
removed

Cost Benefit Analysis

Cost–benefit analysis is a systematic approach to estimate the strengths and weaknesses of

alternatives of the functional unit. It is used to determine options that provide the best approach to
achieve benefits while preserving savings.

The Cost-Benefit Analysis in this study assesses the costs and the benefits of the waste
management and control methods of the hotspots. This will determine if an investment/decision is
sound thus verifying whether its benefits outweigh the costs. This also provides a basis for comparing
the alternatives to the original processes which involves comparing the total expected cost of each
option against its total expected benefits.

Table 3. Cost-Benefit Analysis for the Cottonseed Oil Production

Cottonseed Oil Production Cost Benefit
Processes
Cotton Gin $9,100

Increasing the ginning rate - - more bales are ginned per

hour, shift, day, and week
- customers can market their
cotton sooner
- could result in one less
monthly electrical demand
charge
Feed Controls - achieve a gin stand
operating efficiency more
$10, 297.50 than 95%
Variable Frequency Drive -Energy Saving
Moisture Sensor -Detecting right moisture
content for increased
efficiency
Cotton Gin
Price: $9000
Capacity: 1100-1600 KG/h
Power requirements: 107. KW
Operation rate: 75%
Maintenance cost/mo: $100

Increasing the ginning rate

Price: no cost
Frequency: Increasing
Downtime: decreasing

Installation
feed controls
Price: $1000
Capacity: (increases by 23%) = 1353-1968 KG/h
Power requirements: 0.30-0.42 kW
Operation rate: 98%

Variable Frequency Drive

Type: Voltage-source inverter (VSI) drive topologies
Price: $200
Power requirements: 0.29 kW; (saves energy by about 30% at max) = 107kW- (107kW)
(0.3) =74.9 kW

Moisture Sensor:
Type: Soil Moisture Sensor
Price: $5
Maintenance cost/mo: Lowers by 7.5% =100-(100)(7.5%) = $92.5

Total cost of gin: $9100

Total cost of gin with installations: $9000 + $1000 + $200 + $5+ $92.5 = $10297.5