Techno-economic analysis of renewable jet fuel production: The comparison between Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and pyrolysis

Abstract

Continued from the authors’ previous study on the techno-economic analysis of the pyrolysis-to-jet process (pyrolysis/hydro-processing/hydro-isomerization/cracking), this study discusses and compares the process evaluation for the Fischer-Tropsch-to-jet process (gasification/Fischer-Tropsch synthesis). The mass, energy and carbon balances, as well as economical evaluation for the two processes are reported. The results showed that the renewable jet fuel derived from FT-to-jet obtained higher mass yield, energy yield and carbon yield compared to the one from pyrolysis-to-jet. In addition, the process of Fischer-Tropsch-to-jet emits more CO2 compared to pyrolysis-to-jet. The minimum jet fuel-selling prices were calculated to be $2.20/L and $3.21/L for the renewable jet fuels derived from Fischer-Tropsch-to-jet and pyrolysis-to-jet, respectively, based on the same feedstock rice husk and the same plant capacity 600 tonnes per day. The sensitivity analysis of the two processes was additionally conducted for determining the main factors to the minimum jet fuel selling prices. In addition, the renewable jet fuel properties for the two processes were also determined.