Biomass-derived jet (bio-jet) fuel has become a key element in the aviation industry׳s strategy to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts. Researchers from the oil-refining industry, the aviation industry, government, biofuel companies, agricultural organizations, and academia are working toward developing a commercially viable and sustainable process that produces a long-lasting renewable jet fuel with low production costs and low greenhouse emissions. This jet fuel, additionally, must meet ASTM International specifications and potentially be a 100% drop-in replacement for current petroleum jet fuel. In this study, the current technologies for producing renewable jet fuels, categorized by alcohols-to-jet, oil-to-jet, syngas-to-jet, and sugar-to-jet pathways are reviewed. The main challenges for each technology pathway, including conceptual process design, process economics and life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions are discussed. Although the feedstock price and availability and energy intensity of the process are significant barriers, biomass-derived jet fuel has the potential to replace a significant portion of conventional jet fuel required to meet commercial and military demand.

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Bio-Jet Fuel Conversion Technologies

Renewable bio-jet fuel production for aviation: A review

Biomass supply chain network design: An optimization-oriented review and analysis

Multivariate weighted complex network analysis for characterizing nonlinear dynamic behavior in two-phase flow

We design a CO2 Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCUS) supply chain network with minimum cost to reduce stationary CO2 emissions and their adverse environmental impacts in the United States. While doing so, we consider simultaneous selection of source plants, capture technologies, capture materials, CO2 pipelines, locations of utilization and sequestration sites, and amounts of CO2 storage. The CCUS costs include the costs of flue gas dehydration, CO2 capture, compression, transportation and injection, and revenues from CO2 utilization through enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR). The dehydration, capture, and compression costs are derived using advanced modeling, simulation, and optimization of leading CO2 capture processes. Our results suggest that it is possible to reduce 50–80% of the current CO2 emissions from the stationary sources at a total annual cost ranging $58.1–106.6 billion. Furthermore, it is possible to generate $3.4–3.6 billion of revenue annually through supplying CO2 for CO2-EOR. Ove...

Nationwide, Regional, and Statewide CO2 Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration Supply Chain Network Optimization

A process synthesis framework is introduced for the conversion of hardwood biomass to liquid (BTL) transportation fuels. A process superstructure is postulated that considers multiple thermochemical pathways for the production of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from a synthesis gas intermediate. The hardwood is dried and gasified to generate the synthesis gas, which is converted to hydrocarbons via Fischer–Tropsch or methanol synthesis. Six different types of Fischer–Tropsch units and two methanol conversion pathways are analyzed to determine the topology for liquid fuel production that minimizes the overall system cost. Several upgrading technologies, namely, ZSM-5 catalytic conversion, oligomerization, hydrocracking, isomerization, alkylation, and hydrotreating, are capable of outputting fuels that meet all necessary physical property standards. The costs associated with utility production and wastewater treatment are directly included within the process synthesis framework using a simultaneous heat, pow...

Hardwood Biomass to Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel: 1. Process Synthesis and Global Optimization of a Thermochemical Refinery

Biomass-based energy processes pose logistical challenges because of the dispersed nature of biomass resources. A nationwide supply chain optimization framework is applied to a biomass-to-liquid (BTL) system that uses hardwood biomass resources in the United States to produce gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Using optimized BTL refineries of differing capacities (i.e., 0.8, 1, 2.5, and 10 thousand barrels per day) and fuel product ratios (i.e., commensurate with the United States demand, maximization of diesel, and maximization of jet fuel), the supply chain case studies that correspond to the three product ratios are addressed via a large-scale mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization model. The mathematical formulation includes the locations of hardwood biomass in the United States, the delivery locations of fuel products, the transportation costs of every input and output of the refinery, the material balances of each BTL refinery, water resources, and electricity requirement of the supply c...

Hardwood Biomass to Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel: 2. Supply Chain Optimization Framework for a Network of Thermochemical Refineries

Measurement of gas and liquid velocities in an air–water two-phase flow using cross-correlation of signals from a double sensor hot-film probe

Net Zero Waste can be interpreted to indicate strategies for minimizing and/or eliminating solid waste production (through source reduction, recycling, repurposing, etc.) though emerging interpretations exist which link life cycles of materials with water and energy as well. Improved management of waste begins with assessment of waste streams and identification of suitable measures to avoid, divert, or process it other than through disposal. Public and private entities alike seek ways to limit waste production for the sake of efficiency, in terms of financial performance (eliminating unecessary costs, and reducing risks or liabilities such as environmental cleanup) and sustainability (avoiding hazardous substances and reducing resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions). Administrative protocols for classifying and handling “waste” derive from early environmental policies; at times the protocols seem to inhibit attempts to repurpose or reuse items classified as waste, even when technically and financially feasible. Efforts to convert solid waste for energy production (biogas and/or thermal outputs) may be advantageous. Methods to link water, energy, and materials management pose the potential to reconfigure current systems and provide integrated net zero results. Special material flows relevant to military facilities, and to similar civilian settings, pose potential for improved net zero management. Rare earth elements, heavy metals, and other substances ubiquitous in electronics can be recovered economically and new equipment is increasingly manufactured to simplify their extraction and recycling. Improved life cycle consideration, including integrating resource management linked to water and energy, can aid in identifying technical and financial solutions to implement strategies for net zero waste.

Barri Gurau

Papers

Hardwood Biomass to Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel: 1. Process Synthesis and Global Optimization of a Thermochemical Refinery

Hardwood Biomass to Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel: 2. Supply Chain Optimization Framework for a Network of Thermochemical Refineries

Measurement of gas and liquid velocities in an air–water two-phase flow using cross-correlation of signals from a double sensor hot-film probe

Net Zero Waste: Issues, Technologies, Trends, and Commercially Viable Solutions