Design Evaluation and Simulation of γ-Valerolactone (GVL) Production Process as a Green Solvent in Lead Halide Perovskite Ink

Abstract

The increase in energy use by the community makes a new goal for the energy transition to more renewable sources. Provsite-based solar cells are one of the renewable energy resources that have been innovated and have a Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) value of more than 25%. However, the production process often involves solvents that are not friendly to health and the environment. Therefore, gamma-valerolactone (GVL), a green solvent whose raw material can be obtained from biomass, is a promising option. Previously, research related to the design of the production process using GVL had been carried out, but the yield obtained was still meager at 9.9%, and there was no economic analysis. Therefore, this study was conducted which aims to design the GVL synthesis process with a target yield of more than 9.9%, determine the optimal molar feed ratio, and determine the feasibility of the design economically. This research was conducted using a simulation based on ASPEN PLUS V11 software to design the GVL production process and using ASPEN Economic Analyzer to determine the feasibility of the design based on the profitability index (PI). Based on the research that has been conducted, a yield of 47.1%, an LA molar ratio of 48.24%, and a PI value of 1.08 was obtained for a design that met the capacity of 8.4 Ltons/year, and the concentration of perovskite ink of 1.6 M.