Pyrolysis of forestry residues for the production of sustainable aviation fuels

The production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will be a critical step in reduction of CO2 emissions from the aviation industry, which currently lacks scalable solutions for emissions reduction. Greenfield Global has developed a process for production of SAF from biomass waste through a patented process that converts residues into fuel. However, transportation of low energy density feedstock such as biomass to a centralized biorefinery where the fuel is produced is energy intensive and releases high amounts of CO2. Therefore, pre-processing is necessary to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with transportation of waste to a biorefinery. Pyrolysis provides an inexpensive pathway for densification of waste residues by converting biomass into liquid and solid products with a high energy density and low volume. In this project, we will develop a pathway for the production of energy dense intermediates from forestry residues using our Continuous Pyrolysis Rotating Horizontal Reactor (PYROH). The project work will evaluate the potential for products made from forestry residues at Western University to be applied in Greenfield Global’s gasification process for making SAF.

Faculty Supervisor:

Naomi Klinghoffer

Student:

Partner:

Greenfield Global

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program: