Cleared for Take Off? Technoeconomic Analysis for the Conversion of Furfural to Sustainable Aviation Fuel via Aldol Condensation

This study investigates the technical and economic feasibility of producing sustainable aviation fuel from furfural (FUR) via the aldol condensation pathway with cyclopentanone (CPO). Following our experimental results, six distinct integrated process designs were proposed and evaluated using Aspen Plus V14. The process promises minimal reliance on (fossil) energy, with heat generation exceeding the operational needs. However, efficient heat management is critical, as adiabatic temperature rises of up to 600 °C were calculated. Reactor productivity was observed to be low in some cases, as they were based on lab-scale experimental results. However, they could be offset by operating at higher temperatures and higher catalyst-to-feed ratios. Economic analysis indicates that feedstock costs, particularly FUR (63%), represent roughly 86% of production expenses, with the overall production cost of furanic SAF ranging from ∼2800 to ∼4600 $/tonne depending on process concept and the resulting selectivity. Including bio credits for byproducts can help lower costs to roughly ∼2500 $/tonne, but further price cuts in FUR are necessary to stay competitive with fossil fuels and keep aviation affordable.