Near-future aviation fuels: Synthesis, testing, and GHG emissions

决定航空未来的主要驱动因素将是二氧化碳排放和尾迹形成对气候强迫的贡献。目前，似乎没有可行的原动机，将取代燃气涡轮机作为中远程商用飞机的首选发动机。预计在不久的将来，这些发动机将由可持续来源生产的液态烃作为燃料。今天，民用航空约占传统航空燃料使用造成的人为温室气体排放量的3-5%。除非用可持续燃料取代现有航空燃料的障碍被消除，否则航空对地球气候的负面影响将继续加剧。可持续航空燃料（SAF）是指符合可持续性标准的可再生或废物衍生航空燃料。国际民用航空组织的技术分析表明，SAF在减少国际航空二氧化碳排放方面具有最大的潜力。然而，在采用新燃料方面存在着若干知识差距和障碍;有些是技术和科学方面的，另一些则与可持续性和物流有关。拟议的项目旨在促进以下方面的知识进步：（a）在与发动机相关的燃烧条件下，航空工业组织规定的并通过规定工艺生产的七种SAF的排放特性，和（B）一类新的潜在航空燃料聚甲醛二甲基醚及其混合物的生产和燃烧/排放特性。我们的研究工作将包括平行实验和数值模拟。该研究计划的成果将通过提供有关发动机相关条件下排放特性的详细信息，解决航空使用新燃料的技术和科学知识差距。研究结果将有助于加拿大燃气涡轮机发动机制造商评估发动机排气对环境的影响，并促进未来航空燃料潜力的决策和战略，以实现低碳零排放航空。

The main drivers that will shape the future of aviation will be contributions to climate forcing due to carbon dioxide emissions and contrails formation. Currently, there seems to be no viable prime mover that will replace the gas turbine as the preferred engine for the medium to long range commercial aircraft. It is expected that for the near future these engines will be fueled by liquid hydrocarbons produced from sustainable sources. Today, civil aviation contributes about 3-5% of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions due to conventional aviation fuel use. Unless the impediments to replacing current aviation fuels by sustainable ones are removed, the negative impacts of aviation on the earth's climate will continue to intensify. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are defined as renewable or waste-derived aviation fuels that meet sustainability criteria. Technical analysis done at International Civil Aviation Organization shows that SAF has the greatest potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from International Aviation. However, there exist several knowledge gaps and barriers to adopting new fuels; some are technical and scientific, and some others are related to sustainability and logistics. The proposed project aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in (a) emissions characteristics of seven SAF, specified by the aviation industry organizations and produced by specified processes, under engine-relevant combustion conditions, and (b) production and combustion/emissions characteristics of a new class of potential aviation fuels Polyoxymethylene Dimethyl Ethers (PODE) and its blends. Our research efforts will include parallel experiments and numerical simulations. The deliverables of this research program will address the technical and scientific knowledge gaps in using new fuels in aviation by providing detailed information about the emissions characteristics under engine-relevant conditions. Results will help the Canadian gas turbine engine manufacturers to evaluate the impacts of engine exhaust on the environment, and facilitate the decision-making and strategies for the potential of future aviation fuels for a low-carbon path to zero-emission aviation.