The project is co-financed by the National Center for Research and Development under the LIDER program

Beneficiary name: Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis “Blachownia”

Programme name: LIDER XII Programme

Funding agreement no: LIDER/33/0171/L-12/20/NCBR/2021

Project value: 1 498 161,25 zł

Funding amount: 1 498 161,25 zł

Implementation period: 01.11.2021 – 01.11.2024

Project carried out by:

Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis “Blachownia”

Project aim:

The project aims to develop a technology for the production of bio-additives to aviation jet fuels from vegetable oils and waste materials. The project will develop 1st and 2nd generation biocomponents in accordance with Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) (EU) 2018/2001.

The innovation in the project is both the bio-additive to aviation fuels as well as the method of its preparation. Due to the specific requirements of aviation fuels, i.e. the pour point below -40 ° C, the JET-A1 biosubstitute has not been developed so far. The new method of obtaining bioadditive is based on the 2-step hydrogen technology, which allows the conversion of various natural triglycerides or fatty acids into a fraction containing 100% non-aromatic hydrocarbons.

The process of producing additives to aviation fuels consists of two successive stages. In the first stage, the raw materials will be prepared by preliminary filtration, distillation, hydrodesulfurization and hydrotreatment. In the second stage, the obtained product will be subjected to the hydroisomerization process in order to increase the physicochemical parameters of the fuel (including the pour point, which is important in the case of JET-A1 fuels). This is a key stage of the process, as the resulting component must meet certain aviation fuel standards. The hydroisomerization process will be carried out in a three-phase flow reactor, on a fixed catalyst bed, developed at Łukasiewicz Research Network -Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis “Blachownia”. As a part of the project, optimization of the catalyst
composition will be carried out, including the application of other synthetic zeolites and the determination of the minimum amount of platinum in order to reduce the cost of its preparation. The development of the most effective catalyst will allow for the production of the so-called a “supercomponent” that will enhance the parameters of products currently available on the market.