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Technical University of Munich

New publication on techno-economic analysis and comparison of Fischer-Tropsch and Methanol-to-Jet Power-to-Liquid processes to produce sustainable aviation fuels

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The article of the Chair of Energy Systems published in "Energy Conversion and Management" examines the production of sustainable aviation fuels from water and CO2 from the ambient air via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and Methanol-to-Jet using process simulations and a techno-economic comparison based on the process models. Carbon and energy efficiencies as well as specific production costs are calculated and discussed.
Graphical abstract
Graphical abstract

Anthropogenic climate change requires a strong reduction of CO2 emissions in the energy and industrial sectors, as these are largely based on fossil fuels today. The aviation sector is responsible for around 3 % of global CO2 emissions, and the trend is rising due to increasing air traffic and the defossilisation of other sectors such as the electricity sector. As the electrification of aircraft poses several challenges, particularly in terms of the energy density of storage, sustainable aviation fuels with similar properties to fossil kerosene but based on renewable resources will play an important role in the future.

In Power-to-Liquid (PtL) processes, liquid hydrocarbons are synthesized from renewable electricity, water and CO2, which means that the processes can potentially be implemented on very large scales, as unlike biomass-based routes, no directly limited feedstocks are used. In this study, Fischer-Tropsch and Methanol-to-Jet are compared as the two PtL process routes currently most in focus. Feedstocks are hydrogen from high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis (SOEL) and CO2 from direct air capture (DAC), whereby a liquid absorption-based high-temperature process is considered for DAC.

The overall processes are modelled in detail in Aspen Plus V12 based on experimentally validated sub-processes, different process configurations are investigated and the configurations are compared with each other in terms of key technical parameters and product composition. In the next step, the process routes are economically evaluated using the TUM CESTEA (TUM Chair of Energy Systems Techno-Economic Analysis) method developed at the Chair of Energy Systems. Advantages and disadvantages of different process configurations and of Fischer-Tropsch and Methanol-to-Jet based processes in general are discussed.

 

Energ Conver Manage, 2024

The full article can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118728 

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