Technoeconomic Analysis of Alternative Pathways of Isopropanol Production

Isopropanol is a widely used solvent and chemical. The growing demand for isopropanol, the declining supply of typical feedstocks for manufacturing isopropanol, and the increasing prices necessitate the search for alternative, cost-effective, and sustainable pathways for the production of isopropanol. The objective of this work is to synthesize, screen, design, and assess alternate pathways to produce isopropanol. First, biomass- and fossil-based raw materials are considered along with plausible reaction pathways. A process synthesis and integration approach is used to create and prune the alternatives based on branching, matching, and prescreening. For the promising candidates, process simulation, design, and technoeconomic assessment are carried out to compare the options. Under the studied conditions, the results show that propane dehydrogenation followed by direct hydration is the most promising pathway based on profitability (while accounting for price volatility) as well as technical and environmental benefits.