Modelling and Simulation of Benzene Production from Biogas using Zeolite Catalyst

Biogas has emerged as a promising sustainable resource due to its abundant methane content, which can be converted into valuable chemicals. This study investigates benzene production from biogas using a Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst in a packed bed reactor, aiming to provide an alternative feedstock for the petrochemical industry. A process model was developed using DWSim software to simulate and optimize the benzene production process. The simulation demonstrated that with a biogas feed of 7.5 kiloton/year, benzene production reached 1.2 kiloton/year, yielding 0.16% with a reactor conversion efficiency of 43.89%. Key process parameters were analyzed to ensure feasibility and sustainability, including energy consumption (0.6 MW heating, 0.8 MW cooling, and 0.2 MW electricity). The separation of CO₂ and light gases was achieved using a mixed-matrix membrane, followed by benzene purification through absorption and distillation, achieving a final purity of over 98%-mol. Compared to conventional benzene production methods from shale gas or LPG, this process offers lower energy requirements and improved yield, making it a viable approach for industrial implementation. This study not only presents a detailed simulation but also highlights the potential of biogas as a renewable feedstock for benzene synthesis, contributing to sustainable chemical production. Further techno-economic analysis and experimental validation are recommended to assess scalability and commercial feasibility.