Overview of Sustainable Aviation Fuels including emission of particulate matter and harmful gaseous exhaust gas compounds
Paula Kurzawska-Pietrowicz
Abstract
Sustainable Aviation Fuels are one of the solutions to reduce emission of harmful gaseous exhaust gas compounds and particulate matter from aircraft engines. Alternative aviation fuels should do not contribute to climate change and should achieve net GHG emission throughout life cycle. By using a blend of certified alternative aviation fuel and conventional aviation fuel, the number and mass of emitted particles directly behind the aircraft can be reduced by 50 to 70% compared to pure conventional fuel. Currently, the ASTM D7566 standard allows seven methods of producing alternative aviation fuels, which include, among others, raw material from: biomass, algae, agricultural waste and animal or vegetable fats. The following article focuses on the raw materials for Sustainable Aviation Fuels, discuss generations of feedstock used in the production of alternative aviation fuels and describes requirements of aviation biofuels to be considered as ‘sustainable’. The article also reviews the emission researches of certified alternative aviation fuels in terms of gaseous exhaust gas compounds and particulate matter.