Efforts to produce high-performance, unblended biofuels that can be used as drop-in replacements for petroleum-based jet fuel have taken a major step forward. The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada reported that the 100-percent non-food biofuel used in its historic October 29 test flight displayed reduced emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
Results of additional tests showed that the unblended biofuel used on that flight in the Falcon 20 twin-engine commercial jet is just as efficient as the regular petroleum version. Remember, that's with an unmodified engine.
That flight was the first in which a civil jet flew on 100-percent biofuel that meets the performance specifications of petroleum jet fuel. Before then, biofuel used in flights consisted of blends with at least 50-percent petroleum-based fuel, all because of performance requirements.
The Falcon 20 is an NRC test aircraft. For the biofuel test flight, the Falcon flew at 30,000 feet, a typical altitude for commercial aircraft. Following close behind was a T-33, which collected information on the engine emissions produced by the oilseed-based biofuel.
Analysis of the data showed that aerosol emissions of the biofuel during flight were reduced by 50 percent compared to conventional fuel. In tests performed on a static, non-flying engine, there was a significant reduction in particles, as much as 25 percent, and a reduction of up to 49 percent in black carbon emissions. During steady-state operations, tests showed comparable engine performance between the two fuel types, and an improved fuel consumption of 1.5 percent using the biofuel. (You can access a report on test data here.)
Developed by American company Applied Research Associates (ARA) and Canada-based Agrisoma Biosciences for the commercial airline industry, the 100-percent biofuel is being developed by ARA under the name ReadiJet. The fuel was made from an industrial crop based on oilseed (Brassica carinata), a relative of mustard and canola plants. The crop is designed to grow in semi-arid regions such as the southern prairies in western Canada, where most food crops won't grow, and is now being produced on a commercial scale.
ARA and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) came up with the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process to produce the fuel from plants and algae. This process is based on ARA's proprietary catalytic hydrothermolysis process and CLG's hydroprocessing technology.
The resulting fuels, including ReadiJet and ReadiDiesel, can be used as drop-in replacements in existing turbine and diesel engines designed to operate on petroleum fuels. ARA says it will be less expensive than competing technologies to build and operate facilities for making fuels from the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process, at a capital expenditure of $1 per annual production volume and operating expenses similar to the costs of petroleum refining. The process also doesn't require the use of hydrocracking or hydroisomerization, typically present in conventional fuel processing technologies.
The NRC says it will continue working to bring the fuel to market. Meanwhile, ARA is cooperating with American company Blue Sun Energy to build and operate a demonstration facility, and then move to commercial volume production of both fuels. The demonstration system's target is 100 barrels per day.
ARA and Blue Sun expect to reach prices competitive with petroleum-based fuels in 2015. That's only two years from now -- and it's also the same year the US Navy has targeted for achieving 50 percent of energy consumption from alternative sources for non-tactical uses.
It's one thing to test jet biofuel but it's another now to see some results of those tests, and positive ones at that. This is definitely a step in the right direction.
Very interesting technology. It's going to be fascinating to see the impact of this type of inquiry over a 5-10 year timeframe. Could be game changing energy source.
I especially like the fact that this plant source can grow in semi-arid regions where regular crops do not compete for finite farmland resource. If I'm reading this correctly, it could not only increase productive land acreage, but could also be a new source of revenue for farmers.
You're right, Greg. So far, this is a Canadian effort, at least on the farmer end of the process. It will be interesting to see whether this particular process catches on among US farmers, also.
How soon until this is an option for automobiles? Synthetic fuel is nothing new. WWII say coal based fuel power an entire army. The USA tried to keep research on it going, but gasoline was just so much cheaper. However, now... I think it is time to go back.
Lots of great research was done in the early 20th century that was abandoned for cheaper petroleum based options. In this new industrial revolution, we can build on the past again.
This sounds like an excellent invention indeed. But how much energy is consumed in the production of this fuel? Currently the ethyl alcohol fuel requires more energy to produce than it delivers, so it is a negative-sum option, aside from taking corn out of the food market. It seems like there must be a fair amount of processing of the raw plants before actual fuel is realized, and not much of that process is free, (I don't think it is free), so there is some sort of cost involved. When will we hear about that side of the story?
Note that I am not attacking this new product, just hoping to understand it quite a bit better.
I have been complaining about the garbage corn and soy they grow here in Missouri! You can't eat it, and it goes to highly subsidized fuel that rots your engines, starves the world, and uses more fossil fuel to grow than you get out ! (Exaggeration allowed)
Horrid stuff! And McAirplane will be no better.
Cabe, the needs of jet fuel and of automotive fuel are very different. That said, I'd like to know if this particular fuel solution can be done for cars, too. Meanwhile, stay tuned. I'll be posting soon on a different innovative automotive fuel source.
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