A Study of Conceptual Process Design for the Production of Aviation Biofuel in Thailand

Abstract

This research worked on the design to serve as the optimal way scale-up the production of aviation fuel from biomass in Thailand. There were two experimental studies, and each set lab scale and commercial scale with pilot setting. The first experiment used the most purified syngas yields with RWP and EWC as raw materials via the gasification and FT process. Lab Scale worked to determine the optimum temp using in the pilot-scale operation of purified syngas for feeding the FT process to obtain kerosene. The second experiment operated via the catalytic screw pyrolysis process, and waste vegetable oil (waste palm oil, used cooking oil, and animal fat) was the raw material. Experimental result I: The gasification process provided the gas components; 44.65% of H2, 23.69% of CO, 17.29% of CO2, 7.54% of CH4, 6.82% of N2, and very low level of O2 and ratio of H2/CO=1.88, which is the suitable range of 1.75-2.25. The results showed the high performance of the Co/ZrO2–SiO2 bimodal catalyst via the FTS reaction, which provided a CO conversion of 58.6% and a C8–C16 selectivity of 78.8%. The estimation of cost per kg for production of 10,000 kg/d including operating and investment cost was 70.83 baht/kg, while pricing in the market of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF, or aviation biofuel) is $3,800 US /ton or133 baht/kg ($1 = 35 baht). In summary, the horizontal gasifier is an effective designed gasifier that shows high-performance operation. Experimental result II: Waste palm oil, used cooking oil, and animal fat were used as raw material for biofuel production by using dolomite calcined as catalyst (CaO) in a pilot plant. The lab-scale set to determine that the optimal temp.was 4250C, and a suitable amount of catalyst was 3 wt% for use in the pilot operation. This process provided product yields ranging from 61-69%. The composition in liquid biofuel was composed of naphtha, kerosene, diesel, and fuel oil, in which kerosene shared approximately 21.95 to 23.90%. The estimated cost per kg of AJF (Kerosene) for the production of 800 kg/d, including operating and investment costs, was 34.75 baht/kg. The advantage of this process was lower cost production than the FT synthesis process and vegatable hydrocracking, whereas the disadvantage was only 25% of aviation fuel produced in the total yields. This research results confirmed gasification and FT–process and pyrolysis are the right technology for converting biomass to AJF that provides feasible and utilized messages for investors and support this revenue.

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