Project Description:
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are helping reduce the environmental impact of the aviation industry, which currently contributes about 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions and 12% within the transportation sector. Corn is a promising feedstock due to its high starch content, enabling efficient conversion to biofuel—specifically, bioethanol. In the alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) process, ethanol undergoes dehydration, oligomerization, and hydrogenation to form aviation-range hydrocarbons. Our project focused on improving the dehydration step through heat integration and reducing utility demand by incorporating solar energy. Using Aspen Plus simulations and Python, we evaluated process modifications that significantly lower operating costs while enhancing overall sustainability.
