The Future of Aviation Jet Fuel

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Did you know that a single long-haul air flight can create more carbon emissions in a few hours than the average person in 56 different countries will generate in an entire year? (World Economic Forum)

 

One of the ways airlines could cut their emissions is by transitioning away from using petroleum-based fuels to using sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).  Flights powered by mixtures of SAF/Petroleum based jet fuels are already underway, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology. Today, the Aerospace industry is testing aircraft with 100% SAFs, and Pall is supporting these efforts.

 

For those new to the concept of SAFs, Joe Hahn, Product Line Senior Manager, Aerospace Marketing, explains more.

 

What are Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs)?

These fuels are derived from non-petroleum feedstocks, and are carbon neutral (i.e., they don't add to the atmospheric CO2; the CO2 emissions from aircraft and the manufacture of the SAFs are balanced by the CO2 removed from the atmosphere to produce the SAF feedstocks), not produced by impacting the food supply chain and not produced by de-forestation.

 

Why are they important?


SAFs made from renewable biomass and waste resources have the potential to deliver the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel but with a fraction of its carbon footprint.

What are some sustainable feedstocks for producing SAF?


According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an estimated 1 billion dry tons of biomass can be collected for sustainability each year (in the U.S. alone)—enough to produce 50-60 billion gallons of biofuels. These resources include sugar cane, cellulose, lignin, fats/oils and algae.

 

What aerospace standards do these fuels meet?


All new fuels must undergo extensive testing, certification, and review, defined in ASTM D4054. The review includes aerospace original equipment manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Safran, and Honeywell, as well as the regulatory authorities (FAA, EASA) and, ultimately, ASTM, the body responsible for fuel standards. Once approved, any new fuel is added to the ASTM list of standard-approved synthetic fuels (ASTM D7566).

 

What are 'drop in' fuels?


To avoid performance and materials compatibility issues, the current SAF based jet fuels being used are 'drop-in' replacements for petroleum-based jet fuels. They comprise a blend of Petroleum-based jet fuels and SAFs (10-50%), so they are not entirely carbon neutral. Development is underway to use 100% SAFs in aircraft, and flight trials are already taking place.

 

What ‘drop-in’ fuels are currently available?


As of 2024, eight qualified blends of synthetic sustainable aviation fuels with conventional jet fuels exist. These fuels conform to ASTM D1655. All current Pall fuel filters are compatible with the currently approved SAF Petroleum-Based jet fuel blends.

 

How is Pall taking a lead in the SAF market?


Pall has been a member of the SAE AE-5 committee (Aerospace Fuel, Inerting and Lubrication Systems) for decades—dating back to the 1980s. This committee has issued an information report (AIR6148 Synthetic Jet Fuels from Non-Petroleum Feed Stocks) and Pall coordinated this working group. Pall is also a member of the ASTM D02 committee that develops aerospace fuel standards. Pall's Energy+ team also plays a role by supporting both aspects of blended fuel production. For petroleum-based fuels, our filters and high-performance coalescers help ensure the fuel meets the required jet fuel cleanliness specifications. Our technology also supports manufacturers focused on biofuel (synthetic fuel) production.

 

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