Exergy-Based Improvements of Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Comparing Biorefinery Pathways

P. Silva Ortiz; Silvio de Oliveira Junior; Adriano Pinto Mariano; Agnes  Jocher; J.A. Posada Duque

doi:10.3390/pr12030510

Exergy-Based Improvements of Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Comparing Biorefinery Pathways

P. Silva Ortiz^*, Silvio de Oliveira Junior, Adriano Pinto Mariano, Agnes Jocher, J.A. Posada Duque^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

BT/Biotechnology and Society

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

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Abstract

The aeronautical sector faces challenges in meeting its net-zero ambition by 2050. To achieve this target, much effort has been devoted to exploring sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Accordingly, we evaluated the technical performance of potential SAF production in an integrated first- and second-generation sugarcane biorefinery focusing on Brazil. The CO2 equivalent and the renewability exergy indexes were used to assess environmental performance and impact throughout the supply chain. In addition, exergy efficiency (ηB) and average unitary exergy costs (AUEC) were used as complementary metrics to carry out a multi-criteria approach to determine the overall performance of the biorefinery pathways. The production capacity assumed for this analysis covers 10% of the fuel demand in 2020 at the international Brazilian airports of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, leading to a base capacity of 210 kt jet fuel/y. The process design includes sugarcane bagasse and straw as the feedstock of the biochemical processes, including diverse pre-treatment methods to convert lignocellulosic resources to biojet fuel, and lignin upgrade alternatives (cogeneration, fast pyrolysis, and gasification Fischer-Tropsch). The environmental analysis for all scenarios shows a GHG reduction potential due to a decrease of up to 30% in the CO2 equivalent exergy base emissions compared to fossil-based jet fuel.

Original language	English
Article number	510
Number of pages	19
Journal	Processes
Volume	12
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12030510
Publication status	Published - 2024

Keywords

exergy and environmental assessment
biojet fuel production
biorefinery performance measurement

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processes-12-00510Final published version, 1.97 MBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Exergy-Based Improvements of Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Comparing Biorefinery Pathways",

abstract = "The aeronautical sector faces challenges in meeting its net-zero ambition by 2050. To achieve this target, much effort has been devoted to exploring sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Accordingly, we evaluated the technical performance of potential SAF production in an integrated first- and second-generation sugarcane biorefinery focusing on Brazil. The CO2 equivalent and the renewability exergy indexes were used to assess environmental performance and impact throughout the supply chain. In addition, exergy efficiency (ηB) and average unitary exergy costs (AUEC) were used as complementary metrics to carry out a multi-criteria approach to determine the overall performance of the biorefinery pathways. The production capacity assumed for this analysis covers 10% of the fuel demand in 2020 at the international Brazilian airports of S{\~a}o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, leading to a base capacity of 210 kt jet fuel/y. The process design includes sugarcane bagasse and straw as the feedstock of the biochemical processes, including diverse pre-treatment methods to convert lignocellulosic resources to biojet fuel, and lignin upgrade alternatives (cogeneration, fast pyrolysis, and gasification Fischer-Tropsch). The environmental analysis for all scenarios shows a GHG reduction potential due to a decrease of up to 30% in the CO2 equivalent exergy base emissions compared to fossil-based jet fuel.",

keywords = "exergy and environmental assessment, biojet fuel production, biorefinery performance measurement",

author = "{Silva Ortiz}, P. and {de Oliveira Junior}, Silvio and Mariano, {Adriano Pinto} and Agnes Jocher and {Posada Duque}, J.A.",

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AU - Mariano, Adriano Pinto

AU - Jocher, Agnes

AU - Posada Duque, J.A.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The aeronautical sector faces challenges in meeting its net-zero ambition by 2050. To achieve this target, much effort has been devoted to exploring sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Accordingly, we evaluated the technical performance of potential SAF production in an integrated first- and second-generation sugarcane biorefinery focusing on Brazil. The CO2 equivalent and the renewability exergy indexes were used to assess environmental performance and impact throughout the supply chain. In addition, exergy efficiency (ηB) and average unitary exergy costs (AUEC) were used as complementary metrics to carry out a multi-criteria approach to determine the overall performance of the biorefinery pathways. The production capacity assumed for this analysis covers 10% of the fuel demand in 2020 at the international Brazilian airports of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, leading to a base capacity of 210 kt jet fuel/y. The process design includes sugarcane bagasse and straw as the feedstock of the biochemical processes, including diverse pre-treatment methods to convert lignocellulosic resources to biojet fuel, and lignin upgrade alternatives (cogeneration, fast pyrolysis, and gasification Fischer-Tropsch). The environmental analysis for all scenarios shows a GHG reduction potential due to a decrease of up to 30% in the CO2 equivalent exergy base emissions compared to fossil-based jet fuel.

AB - The aeronautical sector faces challenges in meeting its net-zero ambition by 2050. To achieve this target, much effort has been devoted to exploring sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Accordingly, we evaluated the technical performance of potential SAF production in an integrated first- and second-generation sugarcane biorefinery focusing on Brazil. The CO2 equivalent and the renewability exergy indexes were used to assess environmental performance and impact throughout the supply chain. In addition, exergy efficiency (ηB) and average unitary exergy costs (AUEC) were used as complementary metrics to carry out a multi-criteria approach to determine the overall performance of the biorefinery pathways. The production capacity assumed for this analysis covers 10% of the fuel demand in 2020 at the international Brazilian airports of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, leading to a base capacity of 210 kt jet fuel/y. The process design includes sugarcane bagasse and straw as the feedstock of the biochemical processes, including diverse pre-treatment methods to convert lignocellulosic resources to biojet fuel, and lignin upgrade alternatives (cogeneration, fast pyrolysis, and gasification Fischer-Tropsch). The environmental analysis for all scenarios shows a GHG reduction potential due to a decrease of up to 30% in the CO2 equivalent exergy base emissions compared to fossil-based jet fuel.

KW - exergy and environmental assessment

KW - biojet fuel production

KW - biorefinery performance measurement

U2 - 10.3390/pr12030510

DO - 10.3390/pr12030510

M3 - Article

SN - 2227-9717

VL - 12

JO - Processes

JF - Processes

IS - 3

M1 - 510

ER -

Exergy-Based Improvements of Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Comparing Biorefinery Pathways

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