The Alcohol-to-Jet Conversion Pathway for Drop-In Biofuels: Techno-Economic Evaluation

The alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) process is a method for the conversion of alcohols to an alternative jet fuel blendstock based on catalytic steps historically utilized by the petroleum refining and petrochemical industry. This pathway provides a means for producing a sustainable alternative jet fuel (SAJF) from a wide variety of resources and offers a near-term opportunity for alcohol producers to enter the SAJF market and for the aviation sector to meet growing SAJF demand. Herein, the technical background is reviewed and selected variations of ATJ processes evaluated. Simulation and modeling were employed to assess some ATJ conversion schemes, with a particular focus on comparisons between the use of an ethanol or isobutanol intermediate. Although the utilization of isobutanol offers a 34 % lower conversion cost for the catalytic upgrading process, the cost of alcohol production is estimated to contribute more than 80 % of the total cost at the refinery. The cost of feedstock and alcohol production has a dominant effect on the overall process economics.