SOLAR-JET

Solar chemical reactor demonstration and Optimization for Long-term Availability of Renewable JET fuel

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The aim of the SOLAR-JET project is to demonstrate a carbon-neutral path for producing aviation fuel, compatible with current infrastructure, in an economically viable way. The SOLAR-JET project will demonstrate on a laboratory-scale a process that combines concentrated sunlight with CO2 captured from air and H2O to produce kerosene by coupling a two-step solar thermochemical cycle based on non-stoichiometric ceria redox reactions with the Fischer-Tropsch process. This process provides a secure, sustainable and scalable supply of renewable aviation fuel, and early adoption will provide European aviation industries with a competitive advantage in the global market. The collaborators within SOLAR-JET combine all necessary competencies for the realization of project objectives, including: a unique high-flux solar simulator, a state-of-the-art computer simulation facility and software to significantly reduce the required number of experiments, and a Fischer-Tropsch unit for producing the first ever solar kerosene. These efforts are further complemented by assessments of the chemical suitability of the solar kerosene, identification of technological gaps, and determination of the technological and economical potentials. The outcomes of SOLAR-JET would propel Europe to the forefront in efforts to produce renewable, aviation fuels with a first-ever demonstration of kerosene produced directly from concentrated solar energy. The fuel is expected to overcome known sustainability and/or scalability limitations of coal/gas-to-liquid,bio-to-liquid and other drop-in biofuels while avoiding the inherent restrictions associated with other alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, that require major changes in aircraft design and infrastructure. The process demonstrated in SOLAR-JET eliminates logistical requirements associated with the biomass processing chain and results in much cleaner kerosene and represents a significant step forward in the production of renewable aviation fuels.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

EU-funded scientists paved the way toward revolutionising the aviation industry by producing for the first time a solar jet fuel from water and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Current aviation fuel production relies on converting coal, gas or biomass to liquid fuel. However, these approaches are unsustainable or difficult to scale up to industrial levels. Synthesis gas, or syngas, is a new fuel intermediate that offers a more sustainable source of carbon for fuel production.

The EU-funded project http://www.solar-jet.aero/ (SOLAR-JET) optimised a two-step thermochemical cycle based on ceria redox reactions to produce syngas from CO2 and water. The syngas was then converted into kerosene via the already available commercial Fischer-Tropsch technology. Early tests demonstrated that SOLAR-JET achieved higher solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency over current bio and solar fuel processes.

For the reactor design, project members examined different configurations with coupled heat transfer and chemical reactions to achieve higher solar-to-fuel efficiencies and specific hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide syngas ratios. The solar chemical reactor was then experimentally tested in the high-flux solar simulator that approximates the heat transfer characteristics of highly concentrated solar systems.

Determining the economic viability complemented project work. A decrease in mirror modules, the drives and pedestals as well an increase in the thermochemical conversion efficiency should help decrease the cost of infrastructure. Furthermore, capturing CO2 from easily accessible industrial processes could help provision of affordable CO2.

SOLAR-JET has determined that using a central Fischer-Tropsch unit is most likely the best approach for syngas conversion and multiple tower or dish systems for syngas production. Further research in the area of small-scale Fischer-Tropsch synthesis could open up new perspectives.

The cost-effective infrastructure build-out for scaled-up operations at an industrial level should create a huge emerging market for plant and subsystem engineering and construction.

Relying on abundant feedstock such as water, CO2 and sunlight, the technology should produce a high-grade precursor for petrochemical processing to refined products. Except for refined jet fuel, the technology could be used in producing sustainable substitutes for all petroleum-based products in future aircraft lightweight structures.