Catalytic conversion wood syngas to synthetic aviation turbine fuels over a multifunctional catalyst

A continuous process involving gasification, syngas cleaning, and Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis was developed to efficiently produce synthetic aviation turbine fuels (SATFs). Oak-tree wood chips were first gasified to syngas over a commercial pilot plant downdraft gasifier. The raw wood syngas contains about 47% N2, 21% CO, 18% H2, 12% CO2, 2% CH4 and trace amounts of impurities. A purification reaction system was designed to remove the impurities in the syngas such as moisture, oxygen, sulfur, ammonia, and tar. The purified syngas meets the requirements for catalytic conversion to liquid fuels. A multi-functional catalyst was developed and tested for the catalytic conversion of wood syngas to SATFs. It was demonstrated that liquid fuels similar to commercial aviation turbine fuels (Jet A) was successfully synthesized from bio-syngas.

Synthetic aviation turbine fuels were produced from wood syngas over a multi-functional catalyst.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► A continuous process was developed to make synthetic aviation turbine fuels from biomass.
► The process involved gasification, syngas cleaning, and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis.
► Synthetic aviation turbine fuels were produced from syngas over a multi-functional catalyst.