Project number: 103
Category: Alternative Fuels
This project supports the conversion of pilot-scale bio-crude samples into plausible aviation fuel blend components, up to 100%, with the balance coming from a petroleum distillate. For non-selective sustainable aviation fuels production processes, the product stream could contain species ranging from as few as five to many (>26) carbon atoms per molecule (distillation range, 36 to >450 °C), which is broader than the jet fuel range. In these cases, distillation can be used to separate the product stream into fractions, where the monetary value of each fraction varies based on contemporary policies, and the properties of that fraction. While this is essentially the same process as petroleum refining, the population distribution of different molecular species with a given distillation cut could be markedly different depending on the pathway, and those composition differences result in significant property differences.
Last Updated 3/12/2024
Outcomes
The optimized distillation process for new alternative jet fuels will improve the potential for meeting ASTM approval criteria. This work lowers the technology readiness level (TRL) at which distillation is the final step of fuel finishing before entering ASTM approval process, while simultaneously utilizing the most renewable carbon into the alternative jet fuel fractions.