1. Carbon-neutral jet-fuel re-synthesised from sequestrated CO2.
- Author
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Winch, K. J., Sharratt, P. N., and Mann, R.
- Subjects
JET fuel ,FISCHER-Tropsch process ,CARBON dioxide ,WATER electrolysis ,WIND power ,POWER resources ,CARBON taxes ,HYDROGENATION ,COAL - Abstract
A chemical pathway combining reverse water gas shift, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and hydro-cracking was considered to re-synthesise jet fuel from CO2 captured at high purity by oxy-fuelling of a typical coal-fired power station (Drax, UK). The oxygen for oxy-fuelling and hydrogen for the fuel re-synthesis process are sourced by electrolysis of water. According to material and energy balances , 3.1 MT/year of jet fuel and 1.6 MT/year each of gas oil and naphtha can be produced from the Drax annual emissions of 20 MT of CO2, sufficient to supply 23% of the UK jet fuel requirements. The overall re-synthesis requires 16.9 GW, to be sourced renewably from (offshore) wind power, and releases 4.4 GW of exothermic energy giving scope for improvements via process integration. The energy re-synthesis penalty was 82% ideally and 95% on a practical basis. With the cost of offshore wind power predicted to reduce to 2.0 p/kWh by 2020, this 're-syn' jet fuel would be competitive with conventional jet fuel, especially if carbon taxes apply. The re-use of CO2 sequestrated from coal power stations to form jet-fuel would halve the combined CO2 emissions from the coal power and aviation sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
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