Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Circular Fuels (Production of sustainable aviation fuels from waste biomass by coupling of fast pyrolysis with solar energy)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-07-01 al 2024-10-31
Circular Fuels aims to produce sustainable aviation fuels, from waste-based materials such as demolition wood and different straws by employing innovative solar energy technologies for both heat and electricity. Heat and energy are needed to run the production processes. The new process pathway involves converting these waste materials first into bio-oil, which is done by a solar heat-assisted pyrolysis process. Pyrolysis uses solar irradiation instead of burning any feedstock or fuel for the heat required process. This thermal pyrolysis process pathway is not standardized yet for aviation fuel. Therefore, we are testing how the new fuel can be used in standard jet engines for required process standardization.
Furthermore, the bio-oil that is produced is upgraded to bio-crude by removing its unwanted oxygen content by reaction with hydrogen. The required hydrogen for the process is produced from water electrolysis using electrical power from solar panels. Finally, the distillation of bio-crude produces jet fuel and other transport fuel fractions such as petrol and diesel, etc.
The main goal is to maximize the share of jet fuel production, while other fuel streams that are also always produced in the process, help to increase the profitability of the overall process. Circular Fuels will analyse the scalability and sustainability aspects of the new solar driven pathway, and it will give policy recommendations for successful implementation by introducing commercially viable and cost-effective solutions.
Furthermore, the bio-oil that is produced is upgraded to bio-crude by removing its unwanted oxygen content by reaction with hydrogen. The required hydrogen for the process is produced from water electrolysis using electrical power from solar panels. Finally, the distillation of bio-crude produces jet fuel and other transport fuel fractions such as petrol and diesel, etc.
The main goal is to maximize the share of jet fuel production, while other fuel streams that are also always produced in the process, help to increase the profitability of the overall process. Circular Fuels will analyse the scalability and sustainability aspects of the new solar driven pathway, and it will give policy recommendations for successful implementation by introducing commercially viable and cost-effective solutions.
Circular Fuels consists of seven closely related work packages that are closely interlinked.
The project is managed in seven work packages, covering technical aspects and supporting the project with coordination, communication and dissemination tasks. Circular Fuels has successfully completed the first phase of the project by kicking- off several activities with relevant preparatory experimentation.
Process modelling and optimization is used to estimate the energy and materials consumption for the whole process. We have already developed the fast pyrolysis simulation model and following this, the hydrotreating and removal of unwanted oxygen from the bio-oil will be modelled. We have also developed a process model to produce green hydrogen in water electrolysis. A parametric study of the whole process is in progress.
We are also already developing a completely new experimental solar heat driven pyrolysis reactor using computational fluid dynamics simulation as the tool in close collaboration between partners. The reactor is already being built in CNRS-PROMES. The thermal behaviour and temperature distribution inside the reactor, along with various other parameters were studied and optimized. We are also modelling and analysing solar PV panel driven water electrolysis system operation and exploring potential preliminary solutions to enhance the efficiency of solar panel based -electrolyzer systems.
Pyrolysis and refining process development based on a state-of-the-art bench scale pyrolysis experiments of demolition wood have been performed. This allows studying the effects of process temperature and residence time on product yields (oil, gas, and char). We have already developed and tested preliminary catalysts for making the reactions faster and optimizing the product composition.
As an important contribution of the project, we are testing also how the fuel burns in jet engines and how the fuel interacts with sealings and other critical components. This is a crucial aspect for jet engine safety. We are using state of the art experimental and numerical flow simulation methods. For example, combustion and compatibility studies are carried out in high-pressure and atmospheric small combustion rigs. Various chemical reaction mechanisms were evaluated to be able to predict the behaviour in realistic flight conditions.
To be able to understand the sustainability of the new aviation fuel production pathway, we are carrying out a broad feedstock assessment and process upscaling analysis. This includes feedstock data and provides a comprehensive database and geospatial mapping of available feedstocks for each EU-27 member state. The assessment covers the availability of wheat straw, rye straw, demolition wood, and pinewood sawdust until 2050. Based on the availability of the four feedstocks preliminary estimations of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production potential has been calculated for each EU member state for the years 2023, 2030, and 2050.
The project is managed in seven work packages, covering technical aspects and supporting the project with coordination, communication and dissemination tasks. Circular Fuels has successfully completed the first phase of the project by kicking- off several activities with relevant preparatory experimentation.
Process modelling and optimization is used to estimate the energy and materials consumption for the whole process. We have already developed the fast pyrolysis simulation model and following this, the hydrotreating and removal of unwanted oxygen from the bio-oil will be modelled. We have also developed a process model to produce green hydrogen in water electrolysis. A parametric study of the whole process is in progress.
We are also already developing a completely new experimental solar heat driven pyrolysis reactor using computational fluid dynamics simulation as the tool in close collaboration between partners. The reactor is already being built in CNRS-PROMES. The thermal behaviour and temperature distribution inside the reactor, along with various other parameters were studied and optimized. We are also modelling and analysing solar PV panel driven water electrolysis system operation and exploring potential preliminary solutions to enhance the efficiency of solar panel based -electrolyzer systems.
Pyrolysis and refining process development based on a state-of-the-art bench scale pyrolysis experiments of demolition wood have been performed. This allows studying the effects of process temperature and residence time on product yields (oil, gas, and char). We have already developed and tested preliminary catalysts for making the reactions faster and optimizing the product composition.
As an important contribution of the project, we are testing also how the fuel burns in jet engines and how the fuel interacts with sealings and other critical components. This is a crucial aspect for jet engine safety. We are using state of the art experimental and numerical flow simulation methods. For example, combustion and compatibility studies are carried out in high-pressure and atmospheric small combustion rigs. Various chemical reaction mechanisms were evaluated to be able to predict the behaviour in realistic flight conditions.
To be able to understand the sustainability of the new aviation fuel production pathway, we are carrying out a broad feedstock assessment and process upscaling analysis. This includes feedstock data and provides a comprehensive database and geospatial mapping of available feedstocks for each EU-27 member state. The assessment covers the availability of wheat straw, rye straw, demolition wood, and pinewood sawdust until 2050. Based on the availability of the four feedstocks preliminary estimations of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production potential has been calculated for each EU member state for the years 2023, 2030, and 2050.
Circular Fuels is developing a novel fuel production process where no combustion is used to provide heat. CNRS, VTT and AALTO are already designing and building a concentrated solar heat driving pyrolysis reactor. No such system has been previously available.