Synthetic fuel

This article is about fuels produced from fossil fuels or biomass. For electrofuels produced from carbon dioxide, see Carbon-neutral fuel.
Side-by-side comparison of FT synthetic fuel and conventional fuel. The synthetic fuel is extremely clear because of the near-total absence of sulfur and aromatics.

Synthetic fuel or synfuel is a liquid fuel, or sometimes gaseous fuel, obtained from syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, in which the syngas was derived from gasification of solid feedstocks such as coal or biomass or by reforming of natural gas.[1]

Common ways for refining synthetic fuels include the Fischer–Tropsch conversion,[2][3][better source needed] methanol to gasoline conversion,[4][better source needed] or direct coal liquefaction.[5][better source needed]

  1. ^ Ruth, John C; Stephanopoulos, Gregory (2023). "Synthetic fuels: what are they and where do they come from?". Current Opinion in Biotechnology. 81: 102919. doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102919.
  2. ^ "Liquid Fuels - Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis". Gasifipedia. National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  3. ^ J. Loosdrecht, Van De; Botes, F. G.; Ciobica, I. M.; Ferreira, A. C.; Gibson, P.; Moodley, D. J.; Saib, A. M.; Visagie, J. L.; Weststrate, C. J.; Niemantsverdriet, J. W. (2013). "Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: catalysts and chemistry". Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry II: From Elements to Applications. Surface Inorganic Chemistry and Heterogeneous Catalysis: 525–557. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-097774-4.00729-4. ISBN 9780080965291.
  4. ^ "Liquid Fuels - Conversion of Methanol to Gasoline". Gasifipedia. National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Liquid Fuels - Direct Liquefaction Processes". Gasifipedia. National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.