Software-Based Process Simulation and Feasibility Assessment of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Fatty Acid Extraction and Fractionation

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Upscaling is a significant part of implementing industrial research in a large-scale market. In some cases, this means constructing a simulated factory version before establishing an in situ pilot-scale plant to predict and increase any chances of feasibility. A black soldier fly larvae fatty acid extraction factory may find its merit in the proper utilization of the increasingly explored potential of insect larvae. The factory predicted and assessed the feasibility of black soldier fly larvae under three different feed varieties. Fatty acids would be the final product, with several waste products and by-products. ABSTRACT: Black soldier flies have been studied as an alternative animal feed. On the other hand, they could be used to yield an abundance of fatty acids. Their omnivorous diet and low space requirements allow for the mass breeding of black soldier flies, using widely available food wastes as feedstock. This study simulates the industrial upscaling of an extraction process for black soldier fly larvae using SuperPro™ 9.5 simulation software. This software contains an extensive material library that regulated physical data for the chemical composition of the larvae and the products. It also bundled several types of bioreactors utilized in bioprocessing. The scheduling of the plant was aided by SchedulePro, which allows for the generation of batch durations and Gantt charts. Four fatty acids were chosen as the main revenue source, with simulated proteins assigned as by-products of the plant. Ash and cellulose were the wastes of the plant, and were separated through multiple filters. The plants were later assessed for their economic feasibility. The kitchen waste plant was the most profitable, and the control variable was the only unprofitable plant. These results may have been impacted by the waste content found in the control variable and the abundance of revenue products in the kitchen-waste-fed larvae.