(Invited) Utilization of Bio-CO2 and Bio-Methane for Fuel Production: Integration Solid Oxide Electrolyzer, Low Energy Plasma Reformer with Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Abstract

Transition to renewable energy is essential to achieve climate protection objectives. Besides storing electricity for later use, fuel production using renewable energy is an essential part of reducing fossil dependance. Hydrogen production is receiving the greatest attention as a carbon free energy carrier with the potential to fuel future fleets of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, to store grid electricity to accommodate asynchronous generation and load, and to a lesser extent to displace heating fuels. However, the highest value application in current markets is the production of liquid transportation fuels such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and low (fossil) carbon diesel fuel. However, liquid hydrocarbon fuels only achieve the decarbonization goals if they displace fossil fuels and are produced from sustainable, ideally biogenic carbon resources.Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack developed by OxEon team for MOXIE, the Mars OXygen ISRU Experiment has demonstrated the use of CO2 as an electrolysis feedstock aboard the Perseverance rover which as of this writing has operated thirteen times on Mars, splitting the Mars atmosphere CO2 to carbon monoxide and oxygen, as the first ever demonstration of In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on another planet. The technology is applicable to efficient resource utilization on this world and OxEon is actively developing power to fuels technology to maximize the conversion of biogenic carbon to high value, energy dense, liquid transportation fuels that are needed by an existing vehicle fleet that will be on the road and in the air decades to come.OxEon’s technologies are being applied to bridge the electrical and materials energy sectors. In this project OxEon processes the bio-CO2 through an SOEC and the bio-CH4 through a low energy plasma reformer. The combined synthesis gas is supplied to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor. The combination offers several advantages: the yield of biofuel nearly doubles by use of the bio-CO2 compared to the bio-methane alone, cooling the FT reactor generates all the steam needed in the SOEC system reducing the effective operating voltage (accounting for raising steam) from > 1.5 V/cell to < 1.3 V/cell, oxygen by-product from the SOEC is used in the autothermal reformer, as is some of the FT produced water. The product fuel is all bio-carbon, but it also embodies renewable electric energy in a high-value, storable and transportable liquid hydrocarbon that will be usable in the current air and ground fleets.