Targets

When using conventional, petroleum-based liquid fuels, there are technical limits to the reduction of pollutant emissions. Synthetic liquid fuels promise to improve these limitations. By specifically adjusting the process conditions of fuel synthesis, a desired, advantageous fuel composition can be achieved. With these tailor-made fuels, emissions of particles (soot) and other pollutants (NOx, SOx, etc.) can be significantly reduced.

The present project aims at the further development of an innovative process for the production of synthetic petrol from methanol provided from biogenic or renewable sources. A preliminary evaluation showed that methanol has the best chance of being produced regeneratively in large quantities with manageable effort and then imported with equally low effort. In terms of content, it follows on from results from the C3-Mobility consortium project:

• The synthetic fuel required by the C3-Mobility consortium for fuel investigations, engine tests and testing in passenger cars was produced from purchased biomethanol in the STF large-scale test plant at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. After conversion to a new reactor concept, around 15.5 m3 of high-octane petrol was initially produced in a four-week trial campaign in the fourth quarter of 2019, with – compared to the initial quality – slightly reduced proportions of aromatic compounds above C9. With the new catalyst, a further 30.5 m3 of petrol followed in the final seven-week production phase in the third quarter of 2020; at the request of the project partners with further reduced total aromatic and durol contents.

For the further technological development of petrol synthesis and in order to technically secure further upscaling, the range of feedstocks is to be expanded (including the use of “wet” methanol, i.e. e-methanol in its raw state) and the process optimised (improved procedures for catalyst regeneration) and stabilised in the long term (proof of continuous operability while maintaining high product quality). This requires longer test periods, which is accompanied by the expansion and stabilisation of the product supply to a volume of approx. 380 m3 (280 t) MtG product, based on a project duration of four years. The synthetic petrol produced can be used directly for R&D purposes in the corresponding project “Fuel Application” or for other interested parties, such as OEMs or companies in the mineral oil trade, which have already addressed their willingness to purchase (see above). In addition, an increase in process efficiency, e.g. by improving heat integration and product processing (distillation) while utilising by-products in the industrial environment, is being investigated. Another point that will be taken up from C3-Mobility is investigations into increasing the quality of ROZ95+ with reduced C8+ aromatics and olefins, but increased iso-paraffin content. These tasks have a high innovation content, as many research topics have to be addressed, from the optimisation of the operating strategy to process stabilisation to further processing/refining to the end product and the utilisation strategy of by-products, in order to prepare a commercial scaling of the MtG plant.

In conjunction with the corresponding project “Fuel Application”, the application of synthetic petrol for short-term and effective CO2 reduction in the transport sector is to be demonstrated along the entire value chain, from methanol production and application to questions of the legal framework and market launch. Questions of acceptance and public perception will be clarified and market introduction strategies will be considered, taking into account possible changes in fuel standardisation and CO2 emission legislation.