Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to hydrocarbon biofuels: Present status and challenges involved

The production of synthetic fuels from bioenergy sources can be achieved by using Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process. Some of the advantages of FT-derived fuels are that they are drop-in replacements for fossil fuels with lower greenhouse gas emissions, low amounts of sulfur and nitrogen, and low particulate emissions. However, the production process is capital intensive with significant operating costs, and the opportunity to scale-up is impacted by the availability of biogenic feedstocks. This chapter summarizes the fundamentals of the Fischer-Tropsch process and reviews the most recent innovations in catalysis and reactor designs. New catalyst and operating conditions that aim to better control the distribution of hydrocarbons from the process are outlined. The evolution of reactor designs, such as multitubular, bubbling beds, and micro-reactors is also described. The main challenges associated with FT in an integrated project are summarized along with the recent analysis of the techno-economic performance and environmental emissions of technologies.