Synthetic Aviation Fuel Production via Chemical Looping

The production of synthetic drop-in liquid fuels is critical in sectors in which electrification is not possible such as aviation and maritime. The reverse water-gas shift reaction (RWGS), converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide into syngas, is currently pursued as a promising pathway, benefiting from a variety of established gas-to-liquid processes that can convert the syngas to fuels and chemicals. However, the inherent thermodynamic limitations of the RWGS reaction require extensive process chains with costly downstream separation units. We propose a chemical looping RWGS (CL-RWGS) pathway in a chemical regenerator design that can obtain nearly full conversion of the carbon dioxide, negating the need for expensive separation units. We present a physics-based technoeconomic analysis (TEA) framework and perform preliminary evaluation of the production cost of syncrude based on CL-RWGS process coupled with Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis. The major cost drivers, accounting for over 90% of the levelized cost of production (LCOP), are the feedstock and high-temperature process heat. Multiple process integration and design optimization opportunities are identified which can potentially achieve an LCOP below $4 per gallon syncrude.