(25e) HTL of Wet Wastes for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) uses heat and pressure to liquefy the organic matter in biomass/waste feedstocks to produce biocrude. Hydrotreating converts the biocrude to transportation fuels, including SAF. This presentation will investigate the potential for utilizing wet-waste HTL biocrude as an SAF feedstock. Herein, several biocrude samples were produced from food waste, sewage sludge, and fats, oils, and grease, and subsequently hydrotreated and distilled to produce SAF samples. The fuels (both undistilled and distilled samples) were analyzed via elemental and 2D-GC-MS. Herein, we report the Tier α and β analysis of an SAF sample derived originally from a biocrude. The upgraded biocrude in the SAF ranges exhibits key fuel properties, including carbon number distribution, distillation profile, surface tension, density, viscosity, heat of combustion, and flash point, which all fall within the required range for aviation fuel. This presentation will cover both the attractive features of SAF from HTL as well as the remaining technical challenges.