Technoeconomic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Electrochemical Process for Value- Added Chemicals
Advisor: Professor Ashlynn Stillwell
Abstract
The chemical industry is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, with ethylene oxide and propylene oxide production ranking among the most energy- and emissions-intensive processes. Additionally, the transportation sector, particularly diesel-powered heavy-duty vehicles, remains a significant source of CO₂ emissions that could be alleviated with increased biodiesel adoption. This dissertation explores electrochemical oxidation as a potential decarbonization pathway for both industrial chemical production and biodiesel co-product utilization, providing a comprehensive assessment of its technoeconomic feasibility, environmental trade-offs, and policy implications.
A technoeconomic analysis was conducted on the direct electrochemical epoxidation of ethylene and propylene, establishing experimental benchmarks for competitiveness with current thermochemical processes. The findings indicate that while electrochemical oxidation is technically feasible, achieving cost competitiveness requires advancements in gas diffusion electrode reactor design, reaction selectivity, and catalyst stability. A life-cycle assessment of electrochemical epoxidation was performed to compare its environmental impact to traditional production methods. The results show that electrification of industrial heating alone does not necessarily reduce emissions, but direct electrochemical oxidation offers a lower-carbon alternative, even under current grid conditions, with significant advantages in global warming potential, smog formation, and human health toxicity.
This dissertation also examines the electrochemical oxidation of biodiesel co-produced glycerol, addressing a critical gap in existing literature, which predominantly considers 99% purity glycerol, a purity level rarely achieved in real-world biodiesel production. Through primary data collection from U.S. biodiesel producers, this research demonstrates that most facilities operate at 50–80% purity levels and confirms that electrochemical oxidation remains viable at these lower purities. This finding supports the economic and environmental potential of utilizing lower-purity glycerol streams, reducing waste and emissions while improving process efficiency.
Lastly, a detailed statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of state-level biodiesel policies, identifying the most impactful policy mechanisms for increasing biodiesel production and utilization. The analysis reveals that targeted incentives, infrastructure investments, and regulatory stability are key drivers of biodiesel market growth and emissions reductions, providing policymakers with data-driven insights to inform future policy design.
Collectively, this research underscores that simply electrifying existing chemical production is insufficient for deep decarbonization. Instead, electrochemical oxidation presents a scalable and sustainable alternative to conventional epoxidation and glycerol valorization, offering
opportunities to reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency, and eliminate hazardous byproducts.