Recent advancements in catalytic conversion pathways for synthetic jet fuel produced from bioresources

• Published in: Energy conversion and management 2022-01, Vol.251, p.114974, Article 114974
• Main Authors: Goh, Brandon Han Hoe, Chong, Cheng Tung, Ong, Hwai Chyuan, Seljak, Tine, Katrašnik, Tomaž, Józsa, Viktor, Ng, Jo-Han, Tian, Bo, Karmarkar, Srinibas, Ashokkumar, Veeramuthu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerospace industry; Aviation; Aviation fuel; Bimetals; Biofuels; Biojet Fuel; Butanol; Catalyst; Catalysts; Catalytic converters; Commercialization; Conversion; Dehydration; Emissions; Environmental impact; Esters; Ethanol; Fatty acids; Fuels; Hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids; Jet engine fuels; Palladium; Physicochemical properties; Production pathway; Raw materials; Reviews; Sustainable Aviation Fuel; Synthetic jets; Titanium dioxide; Turbines; Zeolites
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114974

[Display omitted] •The current status quo of the certified biojet fuel production pathway is reviewed.•The property specification of biojet fuel certified under ASTM D7566 is discussed.•Types of catalyst used based on production pathways are classified and reviewed.•The conversion process and conditions for each biojet fuel production pathway differ.•Biojet fuel contributes to lowering GHG emissions but production cost remains a challenge. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has become an important measure in the aviation industry’s efforts to mitigate carbon emissions and reduce their overall environmental impacts. However, commercial usage is relatively stunted due to a plethora of drawbacks in the production process and economic feasibility of the fuel. In this study, the currently accepted technologies for producing synthetic jet fuels under the American Society for Testing Material (ASTM D7566) standard specification for aviation turbine fuel are reviewed. The emphasis is placed in terms of their reactions, type of catalysts used for the conversion pathways of Fisher-Tropsch (FT), Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ), and the use of biomass resources as feedstock. The advancement in the production process and physicochemical properties of the uncertified biojet fuels are reviewed and discussed. Generally, Co- and Fe-based catalysts are commonly used for the FT process, while bimetallic catalysts consisting of Pt, Pd, Ni and Mo have shown excellent activities and selectivities for the HEFA process. For the ATJ process, zeolites such as HZSM-5, beta and SAPO have shown remarkable ethanol dehydration efficiency, while TiO2 and ferrierite have been studied for the combined iso-butanol dehydration and oligomerisation processes. Fundamental factors influencing the reaction efficiency including the feedstock properties, reaction conditions, catalytic reusability and catalyst supports are discussed. Finally, the key challenges and prospects for biojet fuel commercialisation are addressed.