Sustainable aviation fuel: Pathways to fully formulated synthetic jet fuel via Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Abstract

AbstractFully formulated synthetic jet fuel is an aviation turbine fuel that does not contain petroleum‐derived kerosene and comprises the hydrocarbon compound classes n‐alkanes, isoalkanes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics. When the aim is to produce sustainable aviation fuel, one potential process pathway is by indirect liquefaction via Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. Fischer–Tropsch synthesised paraffinic kerosene plus aromatics (FT SPK/A) is a product that is fully formulated and can in principle be qualified as Jet A‐1. The synthetic jet fuel must ultimately meet all of the Jet A‐1 specifications. However, there are still hurdles on the path toward global approval of fully formulated synthetic jet fuel. In this study, several different refining pathways are shown that can be employed to produce FT SPK/A. The refining pathways have the desirable attribute of being generally useful and not limited to a specific refining technology. A case study is also presented in which FT SPK/A was produced, characterised and compared to Jet A‐1 specification requirements. It illustrated that it was practical to produce a fully formulated jet fuel via Fischer–Tropsch refining.