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Biokerosene pp 543–574Cite as

Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ)

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Abstract

The conversion routes for kerosene produced from biogenic alcohols are referred typically to as “Alcohol-to-Jet”-processes (AtJ). The required alcohols can be obtained via different bio-chemical and/or thermo-chemical routes from organic matter. Since both sugary and starchy biomass (with established technology) as well as lignocellulosic biomass and organic waste (with future technology) may be converted into a sugar or alcohol dilution, Alcohol-to-Jet-processes (AtJ) potentially access a broad feedstock base for future aviation biofuel supply1. Thus within this contribution firstly the various methods of alcohol production are described in detail. Then further processing of the alcohol to liquid hydrocarbon fuels is explained. Besides the “classical” bioethanol production which is globally established at industrial scale also “innovative” processes (e.g. bio-chemical production of butanol, thermo-chemical synthesis of methanol) are discussed. Thereafter, the status of the technical implementation of these various processes is presented. Finally, the main findings are summarized.

1 Although biogenic fats and proteins may be converted to biogas and then serve as feedstock for alcohol production, they are neglected in this consideration.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This is basically possible for all types of alcohols.

  2. 2.

    Yet, also proteins and fats may be fermented to biomethane.

  3. 3.

    Biogas is a mixture of biomethane and CO2.

  4. 4.

    For coal-based technology waste heat recovery was not included. Thus, efficiency could potentially be increased.

  5. 5.

    Ethanol can be synthesized from ethene and water when adding sulfuric acid. So far, this conversion route is of little importance only and therefore not discussed in detail here.

  6. 6.

    These three components are the main groups of macromolecules solid organic material consists of.

  7. 7.

    In fixed-bed reactors, progressive catalyst coking lead to a changing product distribution [18].

  8. 8.

    Still the use of ethene is possible [40].

  9. 9.

    Technical details about the process are not available. However, also for methanol-based processes oligomerization and aromatization occur concurrently.

  10. 10.

    According to ASTM D1655 conventional hydrocarbons – and thus also conventional kerosene – are derived from as crude oil, natural gas liquid condensates, heavy oil, shale oil and oil sands.

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  1. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany

    Jan Pechstein, Ulf Neuling, Jan Gebauer & Martin Kaltschmitt

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  1. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

  2. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany

    Ulf Neuling

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Pechstein, J., Neuling, U., Gebauer, J., Kaltschmitt, M. (2018). Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ). In: Kaltschmitt, M., Neuling, U. (eds) Biokerosene. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53065-8_21

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