Alternative fuels already available

Vegetable-oil based biodiesel: vegetable oil methyl ester (VOME)

Vegetable oils and animal fats are renewable resources with a fatty acid chain chemical structure similar to that of the hydrocarbons in gas oil cuts derived from petroleum. Biodiesel is usually produced from rapeseed, palm or sunflower oil, but it is also possible to use oils that do not directly compete with food uses to make biodiesel, such as jatropha oils or oils produced from farmed algae.

In the 1980s, IFPEN developed a first vegetable oil methyl ester production technology using a soluble catalyst Esterfip™.
More recently, it has developed a cleaner technology - Esterfip-H™ - which represents a major innovation since it makes it possible to produce greater quantities of better-quality VOME and also generates a byproduct - glycerin - of as yet unequalled quality. The key component of Esterfip-H™ technology is the use of a specific solid catalyst, liminating the waste products inherent to processes using a soluble catalyst.

Today, more than 10% of the VOME produced in the world results from Esterfip™ or Esterfip-H™ technologies, which are marketed by Axens.

Synthetic diesel and kerosene derived from vegetable oil

Another approach is to use vegetable oils to produce hydrocarbons: this involves a hydrogenation process. The hydrocarbons produced - Hydrogenated vegetable oil or HVO - using this technology present excellent properties for gas oils: high cetane number, absence of sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbons, adjustable cold properties. These gas oil bases are fully compatible with the current gas oil pool. The process can also be suitable to produce a base for biokerosene.

IFPEN's objective is to bring down the cost of producing these hydrocarbons and optimize the operating conditions of production units. Its research is focusing particularly on studying the influence of the levels of various contaminants present in the oils, management of the exothermal properties of the reactions involved, the quest for enhanced activity and stability of the catalyst, and, finally, control of corrosion phenomena.

Ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) from bioethanol

Ethyl tert-butyl ether is a gasoline component produced by the reaction between isobutene produced from a refinery or a steam cracker, and bioethanol produced primarily from sugar beet or wheat. With ETBE, a renewable carbon is added to the gasoline without adversely affecting the vapor pressure properties and avoiding demixing in cold weather.

IFPEN has developed an intensified ETBE production process, Catacol^TM, using innovative catalytic distillation technology. This process makes it possible to achieve high isobutene conversions using a catalyst coupled with distillation.

Natural gas for vehicles (NGV)

Natural gas for vehicles differs from other fossil fuels in terms of its particularly favorable environmental balance. The moderate carbon content of NGV, along with the development of dedicated engines, allows to cut CO₂ emissions by up to 30% in comparison with an equivalent gasoline-powered engine.

IFPEN is developing NGV powertrain technologies that can be applied to both small urban vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles.
The innovative solutions put forward by IFPEN mainly concern:

• low-NOx combustion systems to address ever more stringent emission standards,
• advanced injection and distribution systems,
• the use of new fuel blends,
• after-treatment.

These developments require the production of demonstrator vehicles:

• a hybrid NGV Vehgan demonstrator on a Smart base, developed in partnership with GDF Suez, Inrets and Valeo, with the financial support of Ademe,
• an NGV full hybrid demonstrator developed in partnership with GDF Suez on a Toyota Prius base.

Synthetic fuels produced from natural gas (GtL)

Natural gas can be chemically converted into excellent-quality diesel fuel and kerosene for aviation using Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
IFPEN's objective is to develop a complete Gas to Liquid (GtL) process. This process involves four stages:

• extraction, conditioning and purification of crude natural gas,
• conversion into syngas,
• Fischer-Tropsch synthesis leading to long-chain hydrocarbons,
• hydrocracking and hydroisomerizing hydrocarbons into diesel and kerosene fuels.

As part of a partnership with ENI and Axens, IFPEN is carrying out studies on the development of Fischer-Tropsch technology, adaptation of its hydrocracking technology and integration of all the processes in the chain.
Advances in the area of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis have led to the development of specific cobalt-based catalysts and a reactor operating in liquid phase, enabling extrapolation to the scale required for industrial deployment of the process.
Various tools, such as laboratory pilots, a large-scale pilot unit (20 barrels per day) and mock-ups, have been used to validate the process.

Synthetic fuels produced from coal (CtL)

Direct liquefaction of coal followed by conversion of the liquefied coal through hydrogenation leads to the production of synthetic fuel bases that meet even the most stringent specifications.

Currently in the launch phase in China, a first industrial coal liquefaction process is already producing more than five barrels of fuel bases per ton of coal treated. This process involves numerous stages, including an ebullated-bed liquefied coal hydrogenation unit marketed by Axens.

To meet the energy, economic and environmental challenges posed today and in the future, Coal to Liquid (CtL) technology will require major improvements. IFPEN is carrying out a set of R&D studies on CtL aimed at reducing the investment costs and environmental impact and, in particular, CO₂ emissions: minimizing energy consumption and integration of CO₂ capture to transport and underground storage.

+ Research theme > Renewable energies > Fuels from biomass
+ Research theme > Eco-efficient processes