MODELING AND SIMULATION OF ENERGY RECOVERY FROM SUGARCANE
BAGASSE AS AN ALTERNATIVE BIOFUEL
By
NICKSON MACHARIA GICHANGI - J22S/17730/2016
ENERGY GAS AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
A Project Submitted to the School of Engineering and Technology of Kenyatta University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Bachelor of
Science in Energy Technology
JANUARY 2025
,DECLARATION
INickson Macharia Gichangi, declare that this is my original work and has not been presented for
a degree in any other university.
Signature: ..............................Date:/.............../...........
NICKSON MACHARIA GICHANGI
This proposal has been submitted for examination with my approval as University Supervisor
Name: Ms. Veronica Ngunzi
Signature: ............................Date:/.............../..........
Department of Energy Gas and Petroleum Engineering
ii
,ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful to God, my parents, and my colleagues for their support throughout this journey. I
extend my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Ms. Veronica, for her expertise and
constructive feedback, which shaped my research approach. Special thanks to my parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Gichangi, for their encouragement and inspiration.
I also acknowledge the resources provided by Kenyatta University, as well as the faculty
members whose insights during seminars broadened my perspective. Finally, I thank my family,
friends, and the academic community for their unwavering support, which has fueled my passion
for renewable energy.
iii
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION..............................................................................................................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.................................................................................................................................iii
LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS................................................................................................vi
LIST OF FIGURES AND EQUATIONS.............................................................................................................vii
LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................................................................viii
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................................................viii
1.0 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................10
1.1 Background Information..................................................................................................................10
1.3 Objectives........................................................................................................................................11
1.3.1. General objective.....................................................................................................................11
1.3.2 Specific objectives.....................................................................................................................11
1.4 Problem Statement..........................................................................................................................12
1.5Justification.......................................................................................................................................13
1.6Significance.......................................................................................................................................14
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................................15
2.1Introduction......................................................................................................................................15
2.2Sugarcane as a Bio-fuel Feedstock....................................................................................................15
2.3 Bio-ethanol Production from Sugarcane..........................................................................................17
2.4 Energy Recovery from Bagasse........................................................................................................18
2.5 Cogeneration and Efficiency in Biomass Energy Systems.................................................................20
2.6 Critical Review.................................................................................................................................22
3. METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................................................24
3.2 System Description..........................................................................................................................24
3.3 Development of a PyCharm Simulation for Bio-ethanol Production from Sugarcane Juice.............25
3.3.1 Data Collection and Preparation...............................................................................................25
3.3.2 Fermentation Kinetics...............................................................................................................26
3.4. Energy Recovery from Sugarcane Bagasse......................................................................................27
3.4.1 Moisture Content and Calorific Value.......................................................................................28
3.4.2 Electricity and Heat Generation via Cogeneration....................................................................28
iv
BAGASSE AS AN ALTERNATIVE BIOFUEL
By
NICKSON MACHARIA GICHANGI - J22S/17730/2016
ENERGY GAS AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
A Project Submitted to the School of Engineering and Technology of Kenyatta University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Bachelor of
Science in Energy Technology
JANUARY 2025
,DECLARATION
INickson Macharia Gichangi, declare that this is my original work and has not been presented for
a degree in any other university.
Signature: ..............................Date:/.............../...........
NICKSON MACHARIA GICHANGI
This proposal has been submitted for examination with my approval as University Supervisor
Name: Ms. Veronica Ngunzi
Signature: ............................Date:/.............../..........
Department of Energy Gas and Petroleum Engineering
ii
,ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful to God, my parents, and my colleagues for their support throughout this journey. I
extend my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Ms. Veronica, for her expertise and
constructive feedback, which shaped my research approach. Special thanks to my parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Gichangi, for their encouragement and inspiration.
I also acknowledge the resources provided by Kenyatta University, as well as the faculty
members whose insights during seminars broadened my perspective. Finally, I thank my family,
friends, and the academic community for their unwavering support, which has fueled my passion
for renewable energy.
iii
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION..............................................................................................................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.................................................................................................................................iii
LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS................................................................................................vi
LIST OF FIGURES AND EQUATIONS.............................................................................................................vii
LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................................................................viii
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................................................viii
1.0 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................10
1.1 Background Information..................................................................................................................10
1.3 Objectives........................................................................................................................................11
1.3.1. General objective.....................................................................................................................11
1.3.2 Specific objectives.....................................................................................................................11
1.4 Problem Statement..........................................................................................................................12
1.5Justification.......................................................................................................................................13
1.6Significance.......................................................................................................................................14
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................................15
2.1Introduction......................................................................................................................................15
2.2Sugarcane as a Bio-fuel Feedstock....................................................................................................15
2.3 Bio-ethanol Production from Sugarcane..........................................................................................17
2.4 Energy Recovery from Bagasse........................................................................................................18
2.5 Cogeneration and Efficiency in Biomass Energy Systems.................................................................20
2.6 Critical Review.................................................................................................................................22
3. METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................................................24
3.2 System Description..........................................................................................................................24
3.3 Development of a PyCharm Simulation for Bio-ethanol Production from Sugarcane Juice.............25
3.3.1 Data Collection and Preparation...............................................................................................25
3.3.2 Fermentation Kinetics...............................................................................................................26
3.4. Energy Recovery from Sugarcane Bagasse......................................................................................27
3.4.1 Moisture Content and Calorific Value.......................................................................................28
3.4.2 Electricity and Heat Generation via Cogeneration....................................................................28
iv
