Design and Optimisation of Integrated Biorefineries for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

Funding: Self-funded

Project description

Aviation fuel is conventionally supplied as kerosene derived from crude oil, and the aviation sector currently accounts for approximately 2% of global CO2 emissions. As air travel demand continues to grow, there is a pressing global need to accelerate the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) in order to address the environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by the industry. SAFs can be produced from biomass and organic waste through a range of conversion technologies and production pathways, including hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, and alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) routes. Despite significant progress, the large-scale uptake of SAFs remains limited. Key challenges include the availability and sustainability of renewable feedstocks, the robustness and efficiency of conversion and pollution-mitigation technologies, and the overall sustainability performance of integrated production systems.

This PhD project focuses on the development of novel biorefinery system designs that are highly integrated, flexible, and robust for the production of SAFs. Biomass is widely regarded as a carbon-neutral feedstock and has the potential to deliver net-negative carbon emissions when combined with carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies embedded within the biorefinery system.

Chemical engineering principles, process integration, and process intensification techniques will be applied to design and optimise advanced biorefinery systems. The research aims to maximise resource efficiency and minimise environmental impacts by recovering and valorising by-product and waste streams into value-added products. A whole-systems perspective will be adopted to evaluate technical performance, economic viability, and environmental sustainability under different technological and policy scenarios. Key research components include:

• Computational modelling and optimisation: Process simulation and optimisation using tools such as Aspen Plus, Matlab, and GAMS. The project will also involve software development and data analysis using Python.

• Sustainability assessment: Rigorous sustainability evaluation including techno-economic analysis (TEA) and environmental life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA software such as SimaPro will be applied.

Related Publications

1. Ng, K.S., Farooq, D., Yang, A., 2021. Global biorenewable development strategies for sustainable aviation fuel production. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 150: 111502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111502

2. Farooq, D., Thompson, I., Ng, K.S., 2020. Exploring the feasibility of producing sustainable aviation fuel in the UK using hydrothermal liquefaction technology: A comprehensive techno-economic and environmental assessment. Cleaner Engineering and Technology. 1: 100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2020.100010

3. Martinez Hernandez, E., Ng, K.S., 2018. Design of biorefinery systems for conversion of corn stover into biofuels using a biorefinery engineering framework. Clean Technol Envir. 20(7): 1501-1514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-017-1477-z

4. Sadhukhan, J., Ng, K.S., Martinez Hernandez, E., 2014. Biorefineries and chemical processes: design, integration and sustainability analysis, Wiley. ISBN: 9781119990864. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9781118698129

5. Ng, K.S., Sadhukhan, J., 2011. Techno-economic performance analysis of bio-oil based Fischer-Tropsch and CHP synthesis platform. Biomass Bioenergy, 35 (7): 3218-3234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.04.037

6. Ng, K.S., Sadhukhan, J., 2011. Process integration and economic analysis of bio-oil platform for the production of methanol and combined heat and power. Biomass Bioenergy, 35 (3): 1153-1169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.12.003