Techno – economic analysis of formaldehyde production from bio - methanol / Nor Hayati Binti Rosli

Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology

Final Year Report (Bachelor of Technology Mechanical Engineering (Petroleum) with Hons ) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah - 2025

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The study concerns the techno-economic feasibility of the production of formaldehyde by using bio-methanol feedstock, an attractive alternative to traditional methanol conventionally obtained from fossil fuel fractions. A detailed process simulation model, implemented in Aspen Plus software, has been developed and used to scrutinize the process dynamics and critical operating factors such as reaction conditions, yield, and efficiency. An extended techno-economic analysis has been carried out on the production costs, capital investments, operating expenses, and the environmental impacts. The results show that bio-methanol-based formaldehyde production is feasible with current catalytic oxidation techniques without major modification. However, the economic potential for this method to be economically competitive due to cost reduction in production, and also energy efficiency is anticipated. Besides, it brings considerable environmental advantages, such as lower greenhouse gas emissions, favoring Malaysia's national renewable energy policy. However, high initial capital investment and market adaptation holds challenge and needs further optimization and policy support. This study underlines the value of biomethanol as a feedstock for sustainable chemical manufacturing, adding to the general move toward renewable energy and green technology. Future work should be directed at scaling up the process, incorporating advanced technologies, and exploring further integration with circular economy principles that will enhance its viability in the long term.