| Admissions | Accreditation | Booksellers | Catalog | Colleges | Contact Us | Continents/States/Districts | Contracts | Distance Education | Emergency | Examinations | Forms | Grants | Hostels | Honorary Doctorate degree | Investment | Instructors | Login | Lecture | Librarians | Membership | Observers | Professional Examinations | Programs | Progress Report | Recommendations | Research Grants | Researchers | Students login | School | Search | Seminar | Study Center/Centre | Sponsorship | Tutoring | Thesis | Universities | Work counseling |
| Hydrocarbon technology |
| Hydrocarbon |
| Fuels |
| Hydrocarbons technology |
|
5 Things You Need to Know About The Fischer-Tropsch Process
Why Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Fuel? Synthetic fuels represent an interesting alternative to petroleum, which can sometimes be in short supply and, as is the case today, also quite expensive. One of the most high-profile ways to create synthetic fuel is through what's known as the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process. The F-T process was initially used to help solve Germany's need for fuel in the midst of a petroleum shortage by converting coal, which was abundant in Germany, into synthetic fuels. How the F-T Process Produces Fuel The Fischer-Tropsch process converts carbon monoxide and hydrogen, called synthesis gas or syngas, into liquid hydrocarbon fuels like synthetic diesel and jet fuel. Prior to the T-F process, the coal, gas, or biomass is gasified to produce this syngas using intense heat and pressure, turning these feedstocks into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Synthetic fuels burn cleanly so they offer improved environmental performance along with addressing energy diversity. Many Raw Materials can be Used Some of the more promising applications for the F-T process include coal-to-liquid (CTL), gas-to-liquid (GTL), and bio-to-liquid (BTL) technologies. The latter would mean a less carbon-intensive alternative that could not only use agricultural feedstocks but also waste biomass materials. Also, the gasification to create carbon monoxide and hydrogen is very energy intensive. However, as petroleum prices spiral upward, making synfuels from coal, natural gas, and biomass become more economically competitive. Along with advanced energy companies focusing exclusively on alternative fuels, many oil companies also have dedicated synthetic fuel development programs in place. Shown here is traditional diesel (left) and clean F-T diesel produced by Shell. Diverse Use of Synthetic Fuels Audi has used Shell's GTL diesel in the R10 TDI Le Mans racers for the past two seasons. In fact, many automakers have explored using synthetic GTL fuels in their quest to decrease future environmental impact. Since jet fuel and diesel are both kerosene based and quite similar, GTL fuel can also be used in civilian and military aircraft. For example, the __________ has already flown a B-52H bomber and C-17 Globemaster III transport on a 50-50 blend of JP-8 jet fuel and F-T fuel produced in a natural gas-to-liquid process by Syntroleum. The __________ intends to certify every one of its aircraft models for the fuel by 2011. |