We frequently consider using electricity, natural gas, or heating oil to power our homes. However, what if there was an alternative that might lessen our dependency on conventional fossil fuels? Presenting synthetic gasoline, a viable substitute that has garnered interest lately. Synthetic gasoline is created chemically from a range of feedstocks, such as carbon dioxide, natural gas, and biomass, as opposed to conventional gasoline, which is derived from crude oil.
The ability of synthetic gasoline to slow down global warming is one of its main benefits. Carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative processes can be used to produce synthetic gasoline, in contrast to fossil fuels that, when burned, release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This implies that it could considerably lessen our carbon footprint and aid in the fight against global warming.
Furthermore, by diversifying our fuel sources, synthetic gasoline can provide increased energy security. Using resources that are readily available locally, countries can produce synthetic gasoline domestically, reducing their reliance on oil imports from unstable regions. In addition to lowering the geopolitical risks connected with conventional fuel sources, this can improve energy independence.
Synthetic gasoline also holds the potential to enhance urban air quality. Particulate matter and nitrogen oxides are among the pollutants released by conventional gasoline engines, which worsen respiratory conditions and cause smog. On the other hand, synthetic gasoline can be made to burn cleaner, which reduces harmful emissions and enhances community air quality.
However, there are drawbacks and restrictions with synthetic gasoline just like with any new technology. The production process can be expensive and energy-intensive, requiring large investments in R&D and infrastructure. Furthermore, there are still concerns about the scalability of synthetic gasoline production because widespread adoption would necessitate significant technological advancements and regulatory support.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, synthetic gasoline is a subject worth researching further due to its possible advantages. Synthetic gasoline may be essential to the shift to a cleaner, more reliable energy future as we look for long-term answers to our energy problems.
Benefits | Cost-effective |
Features | Environmentally friendly |
Production Process | Derived from renewable sources like biomass |
- Obtaining from coal
- What is hydrogenation
- Gasification
- Alternative methods
- Working with biogas
- How the use of methanol has evolved
- Gasoline production by gasification
- Scientific search for an alternative
- How gasoline is extracted from coal
- Solid and gaseous fuel code
- Dimethyl ether [ | code ]
- Making gasoline from old tires
- How it all started
- The essence of the process and the technology
- We make it out of coal
- Notes
- Features and prospects
- History
- See. also code
- Obtaining from natural gas
- Video on the topic
- Invented SUPER-BENZIN = SEPARATOR + AI-95y
- How Porsche"s synthetic fuel will bury electric cars?
- Synthetic liquid fuel – Vladimir Mordkovich
- Homemade gasoline from tires vs. gasoline from gas station
- Distilling motorcycle and bicycle tires into synthetic fuel
- What will replace oil? Just about the fuel of the future 6+
Obtaining from coal
There are two tried-and-true, successful approaches. German scientists created both of these techniques at the start of the previous century.
Nearly every German vehicle during the Great Patriotic War ran on coal fuel.
After all, Germany is known for its coal mining industry even though it lacks oil deposits. The Germans synthesized gasoline and diesel from brown coal.
Remarkably, coal and petroleum are not chemically dissimilar as many people believe. Their foundation is the same: hydrogen and carbon compounds that burn. It is true that coal contains less hydrogen. By leveling hydrogen, a flammable mixture can be produced.
There are several ways to go about doing this:
- hydrogenation or otherwise obesogenization;
- gasification.
What is hydrogenation
From one ton of coal, about 80 kg of gasoline can be made. At least 35% of the coal must be volatile substances.
The coal is first finely ground into a pulverized state in order to start processing. After that, the charcoal dust is completely dried. It is then combined with oil or fuel until a paste-like mass is achieved.
The process of adding missing hydrogen to a coal mixture is called hydrogenation. The raw material is heated in a specialized autoclave. It should be 200 Bar of pressure and 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two steps are necessary for gasoline to form:
- A liquid phase;
- vapor phase.
The autoclave is a relatively complex chemical reaction vessel. The required hydrogen has saturated the coal, causing its complex particles to disintegrate into simpler ones.
We thus obtain gasoline or diesel fuel. This will rely on the particular procedure.
The entire hydrogenation process once more, point by point:
- Grinding coal to dust;
- adding oil to it;
- heated in an autoclave at a high temperature.
It is crucial to design the appropriate machinery. Making it at home on your own is pretty challenging because autoclaves have higher pressure than oxygen cylinders.
It’s crucial to keep in mind safety. The procedure is highly volatile in nature. Never light a fire or smoke close to the unit.
Creating gasoline in an apartment on your own is not advised. A garage is a last resort, but a dacha is the best place to make gasoline.
Gasification
Gasification is the process by which solid fuel breaks down into gases.
Gasoline is then created by adding missing components to the obtained gases and turning them into a liquid state.
Gasification is one method of turning coal into gasoline, but there are other ways as well.
It is possible to use the first method at home in theory. The Fischer-Tropsch method is the name of it. However, this process is very labor-intensive to carry out, necessitates overly sophisticated equipment, and ultimately proves to be unprofitable due to the large amount of coal used and the lower cost of ready-made gasoline.
Furthermore, a significant amount of carbon dioxide is released, making the refining process at home extremely risky. As a result, we won’t go into great detail about this approach.
Another method of gasification is thermal. The raw material is heated in total absence of oxygen to complete the process. Naturally, the right tools are also needed. After all, coal breaks down into gas at a temperature of 1200 degrees Celsius.
The primary benefit of this process is that some of the gases are used to heat the feedstock and some are used to synthesize gasoline fuel. This contributes to cost containment. Thus, the coal self-heats.
Alternative methods
Tires and coal are not the only materials used to make gasoline.
It is found in a variety of materials, including plastic bottles, medical waste, dry poultry and animal manure, firewood, leaves, nut shells, seed husks, corn stalks, peat, straw, reeds, and weeds.
The above-discussed method of producing gasoline at home is not as difficult as it first appears. When referring to the process, terms like hydrogenation, gasification, etc., can be deceptive. It’s actually not as hard as it sounds to set up production and produce gasoline by hand.
We provide you with this informative report on producing gasoline at home:
Working with biogas
This is a rather unusual and extravagant approach, nevertheless it works. The beauty of it is that it has a wider application as a fuel than just synthetic gasoline. But it takes up a lot of space. For example, one cubic meter of biogas is equivalent to 0.6 liters of gasoline. If you use it not in a compressed state, then even taking a truck full of it, you will not be able to drive more than a hundred or two kilometers. Therefore, how to synthesize from it the desired is possible due to the fact that it is, in fact, methane with small impurities. So it"s almost exactly what you need. But the synthesis is a problematic matter. Because something new and simple hasn"t been invented. That is, you have to work on the creation of synthesis gas, and from it to ensure the formation of gasoline. It is done (according to the most common scheme) through the intermediary of methanol. Although you can work through dimethyl ether. If we talk about methanol, it is always necessary to remember that it is extremely dangerous. Complicates the situation by the fact that it has the odor of alcohol, and the boiling point of 65 degrees Celsius. In general, working with fuel synthesis is not a child"s walk. Therefore, it is not superfluous to learn chemistry and physics if you do not have this knowledge. In short – synthetic gasoline is obtained by distillation of gas and condenser. This method is not fast, but, if there is a good theoretical background – not difficult. But it"s not advisable to work without knowledge. Because pure methanol is the highest octane fuel, so it"s dangerous. And the engine of an ordinary car will not "digest" it – it is not designed for it.
How the use of methanol has evolved
Nazi Germany excelled in this regard. During the Second World War it had significant problems in terms of fuel supply. So whole complexes were created that into liquid fuels. And the synthetic gasoline of the Third Reich made a significant contribution, quite a bit delaying the fall of this terrible state. The method then used was to chemically liquefy coal until pyrolysis fuel was produced. By the end of the war Nazi Germany managed to reach the level of 100 thousand barrels of synthetic oil per day. In more conventional terms, that"s over 130 tons! The use of coal is expedient due to its close chemical composition. For example, it has a hydrogen content of 8%, whereas petroleum has a hydrogen content of 15%. If you create a certain temperature regime and saturate the coal with hydrogen in a significant volume, it will change to a liquid state. This process is called hydrogenation. In addition, it can be accelerated and increased in volume if you use catalysts: iron, tin, nickel, molybdenum, aluminum and many others. All this allows to separate different fractions and use them for further processing.
Germany is still a producer of synthetic gasoline. South Africa did the same after World War II. Then, connections between China, Australia, and the US began. Not to mention that we have the ability to advance this field.
Gasoline production by gasification
This process, developed by German scientists F. Fischer and G. Tropsham, allows coal feedstock to be pre-gasified to produce gasoline and diesel fuel. This is done in a sizable vessel called a reactor, which is operated at a maximum temperature of 350 °C and a maximum pressure of 30 Bar.
While these conditions are not as strict as those for hydrogenation, they are still difficult to meet. For instance, a strong steam boiler is not required since superheated water vapor must be forced through the coal layer at high pressure.
At the reactor’s outlet, hydrogen and regular carbon monoxide (CO) combine to form a so-called synthesis gas following gasification. By the way, syngas doesn’t need to be processed further in order to be utilized as a gaseous fuel.
The residual gases are fed into a second reactor, which is where the last stage of coal conversion into liquid fuel occurs. The catalysts are situated there. Various compounds can be employed in industry for this purpose, but iron, nickel, or cobalt are always present in some form.
We observe, without delving into the nuances of chemistry, that the fuel produced by the second reactor still needs to go through the cracking process. That is, separating coal into fuels like gasoline and diesel.
The reaction yields paraffin and a number of other byproducts. Carbon dioxide makes up the majority of the volatile substances released into the atmosphere, and this is regarded as a major issue when producing fuel using this method. Additionally, the catalyst needs to be replenished frequently because it loses its activity rather quickly.
These elements contribute to the product’s high cost, along with several other minor causes. The Fischer-Tropsch method of producing gasoline from coal is thought to be unprofitable at an oil price of $50 per barrel.
The thermal method is an additional technique for gasifying coal. Since the feedstock is heated inside the container without the presence of oxygen and from the outside, it is comparable to the pyrolysis phenomenon. Furthermore, at a temperature of 1200 °C, solid fuel breaks down into gases, necessitating the use of the right tools.
One benefit of using the thermal method is that some of the pyrolysis gases are used to heat the feedstock while the remaining portion is used to synthesize gasoline. Because coal can heat itself during decomposition, this lowers energy costs.
As a point of reference. You can find descriptions of various installations that allow you to obtain gasoline from natural gas at home on the vast expanses of the Internet. It is processed into liquid fuel after first becoming synthesis gas. Coal gasification is far more difficult to carry out, even if we assume that these homemade devices can function.
Scientific search for an alternative
Although the main fractions are obtained from oil, it turned out that it is possible to use other carbon raw materials for this purpose. This problem was solved by chemists as early as 1926. Then scientists Fischer and Tropsch discovered the reaction of carbon monoxide reduction under atmospheric pressure conditions. It was found out that in the presence of catalysts it is possible to create liquid and solid hydrocarbons from a gas mixture. In their chemical composition they were close to the products obtained from oil. The result of chemical research was called "synthesis gas". It was quite easy to produce. So much so that it can be repeated at home by anyone who did not skip chemistry and physics at school. It was produced by passing water vapor over coal (this is its gasification) or by converting ordinary natural gas (it consists mainly of methane). In the second case, metal catalysts were also used. It should be noted that synthesis gas can be created not only from methane and coal. The work on enzymatic and thermochemical processing of waste vegetable raw materials is now considered a promising direction. We should not forget about the conversion of biogas, i.e. volatile substances obtained by decomposition of organic waste.
How gasoline is extracted from coal
It is important to remember that it is true that coal can be processed to create a variety of motor fuels. Furthermore, there are two tried-and-true techniques that were implemented at the turn of the century.
Since Nazi Germany lacked its own oil reserves at the time and wanted to conquer all of Europe, it turned to these means of supplying fuel for its military hardware. Two dozen plants produced synthetic gasoline and diesel fuel from the nation’s brown coal deposits at the same time.
As a point of reference. The names of both techniques come from the fact that they were developed at the start of the 20th century by various German scientists.
It turned out that the chemical makeup of coal and oil is not all that dissimilar. They are both made of combustible carbon and hydrogen compounds; the only difference is that oil has a far higher hydrogen content. Liquid fuel will also be possible if oil can be added to coal to equalize the amount of hydrogen present. Here are some solutions to the issue:
- hydrogenation, otherwise known as obesogenization (Bergius process).
- Gasification followed by fuel synthesis (Fischer-Tropsch process).
These chemical-technological processes will be explained in general below so that you can determine whether it will be feasible to set up gasoline extraction at home.
Solid and gaseous fuel code
In some third world countries firewood and charcoal are still the main fuel available to the population for heating and cooking (about half of the world"s population lives this way) [13]. This in many cases leads to deforestation, which in turn leads to desertification and soil erosion. One of the ways to reduce the population"s dependence on wood sources is proposed to introduce the technology of briquetting agricultural waste or household garbage into fuel briquettes. These briquettes are produced by pressing a lump obtained by mixing waste with water in a simple lever press and then drying it. This technology, however, is very labor-intensive and requires a source of cheap labor. A less primitive way to produce briquettes is to use hydraulic baling machines for this purpose.
Certain gaseous fuels can be classified as synthetic fuel variations, though this classification may not be widely accepted because engines that use these fuels require significant modifications. Using hydrogen as fuel is one of the much talked-about ways to lessen the amount of carbon dioxide that motor vehicles contribute to the atmosphere. Hydrogen engines only release water vapor into the atmosphere. Hydrogen directly transforms chemical reaction energy into electrical energy in hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells. The production of hydrogen requires a lot of electricity and involves oxidizing hydrocarbon fuels, so the benefits of using such fuels for the environment—let alone the economy—are highly contested.
Complete article on energy from hydrogen.
Dimethyl ether [ | code ]
Dimethyl ether is produced by dehydration of methanol at 300-400 °C and 2-3 MPa in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts – aluminosilicates – the degree of conversion of methanol into dimethyl ether is 60% or zeolites – selectivity of the process is close to 100%. Dimethyl ether is an environmentally friendly fuel with no sulfur content, the content of nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases is 90% less than that of gasoline. The cetane number of dimethyl diesel is over 55, compared to 38-53 for classic petroleum diesel. The use of dimethyl ether does not require special filters, but it is necessary to redesign the power supply systems (installation of gas equipment, correction of mixture formation) and engine ignition. Without modification it is possible to use it on vehicles with LPG engines at 30% content in the fuel.
DME has a calorific value of roughly 30 MJ/kg compared to about 42 MJ/kg for traditional petroleum fuels. DME application is unique in that it has a higher oxidizing capacity than traditional fuels because of the oxygen content.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) approved a fuel standard for dimethyl ether in July 2006. Dimethyl ether research and development will receive backing from the Chinese government as a potential diesel fuel substitute. In the next five years, China intends to produce 5–10 million tons of dimethyl ether annually.
China’s Shanghai Automotive, along with KAMAZ and Volvo, are developing vehicles powered by dimethyl ether.
Making gasoline from old tires
With old rubber tires, you can make gasoline by hand.
This calls for:
- rubber waste;
- furnace;
- distiller;
- containers made of refractory materials.
Advice from experts: Don’t make gasoline in an apartment in a city. There is smoke during the process, along with a strong rubber smell.
The following are detailed instructions for converting rubber tires into gasoline:
- It is necessary to prepare a metal barrel with a tightly closing lid. In addition, you will need a heat-resistant tube. It is necessary to connect it from above to the lid. This will make a homemade retort. Then we need a condensate tank and another small tank with two tubes to create a water seal. One tube is lowered into the water and the second tube is held above it.
- Then we need to assemble a device for generating carbon in liquid form. To do this, we connect a tube from our retort to the condensate. Then the condensate and the water shutter are also connected with a hose. We connect the second tube to the stove, on which we install a retort. The result is a closed-loop system for high-temperature curing.
- We put the rubber into a retort and cover it tightly with a lid, then it is necessary to heat it on a strong fire. At high temperatures, rubber molecules break down. The vapors condense and the second tube is held over the water. е. the transition from solid to gaseous bypassing the liquid stage. This gas then enters our condenser, where the temperature is much lower. The vapors condense, and as a result, we get oil in liquid form.
- The obtained substance must be purified, for this purpose you will need a distiller, which is often used when using moonshine machines. The suspension is brought to a boil at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius and gasoline is obtained.
Be advised: steer clear of open flames when distilling. Using an electric stove is the best option.
How it all started
We must begin with events that happened more than 150 years ago. That marked the start of commercial oil production. More than half of the so-called light raw materials have been consumed by humans since then. Originally, oil was utilized as a source of thermal energy. These days, this strategy is not financially feasible. The byproducts of oil fractionation were widely used as motor fuel when the automobile era arrived. At the same time, finding a substitute became more affordable the more the raw material supply was depleted.
What is petroleum? It is a mixture of hydrocarbons, and more specifically cycloalkanes. What they are? The simplest alkane is known to many as methane gas. In addition, oil contains nitrogenous and sulfurous impurities. And if you process it properly, you can get a lot of different materials. For example, take the well-known gasoline. What it represents? Essentially, it is the easy-boiling fraction of oil, formed by short-chain hydrocarbons with a number of atoms between five and nine. Gasoline is the main type of fuel for passenger cars, as well as small airplanes. The next type identified is kerosene. It"s more viscous and heavy. Formed from hydrocarbons that have between 10 and 16 atoms in them. Kerosene is used in jet airplanes and engines. An even heavier fraction is gas oil. It is used in diesel fuel, which is its mixture with kerosene.
The essence of the process and the technology
In terms of chemical composition, coal has a carbon to hydrogen ratio of 4-8%, whereas oil has a ratio of 11–15%. The goal of liquefaction is to increase the ratio as a result of hydrogen donors.
Liquid coal produced chemically can be used as methanol, motor fuel (the equivalent of gasoline), and boiler fuel (the analog of fuel oil from oil). As of right now, the technology has produced results and successfully completed all required testing. However, it should be noted that the resulting products require further purification in order to be used because they contain organic compounds (nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, etc.).
Miniature plant "Prometheus"
In summary, the process involves feeding hydrogen into raw materials that have been ground into a powder at a high temperature (between 400 and 500 oC) and suitable pressure (up to 300 kg/cm2). Hydrogen can be produced from waste from petroleum refineries or from part of a product that has already been manufactured. In these circumstances, the solid fuel undergoes nearly complete conversion to liquid (less than 10% is converted in the absence of hydrogen sources).
Another procedure exists. Thermal refining is this technology. It all comes down to pre-drying and then using coal-oil mixtures for revitalization. Without access to oxygen, the dried raw material is progressively heated to 450–550 degrees Celsius. In these circumstances, the coal starts to disintegrate into the petroleum fractions that make it up. Another name for this phase is gasification. After that, the gaseous fractions are separated and liquefied, and the solid fractions that remain are sent to the furnace along with the pyrolysis gas to maintain the necessary process temperature. In other words, this technology heats itself using energy of its own.
Whatever the fuel’s composition, it’s critical that it be reasonably priced and of high quality.
Today, the situation is such that most motor fuel is made in refineries, but alternative fuel production is also becoming more and more active. At the present stage, old technologies are being improved and new ones are being developed. Especially promising for our country is the processing of brown coal: its deposits are large, but the efficiency of combustion for heat generation is not the highest. According to experts, the market of synthetic liquid fuels will begin its rapid development in the near future against the background of the inevitable reduction of oil and gas reserves. If we talk about heating, liquid fuel boilers do not care what it is obtained from. The main thing is that the quality should be high. And if with proper quality it will be necessary to pay less for fuel for the boiler, it will only make us happy.
We make it out of coal
One other minor point that was overlooked earlier: installations will most likely end up being fairly large when working from home. It is not advised to place them in an apartment because of this. It is feasible to create them in or around your own house, though.
Synthetic gasoline can be obtained from coal as a result of the influence of steam. Its gasification is the simplest and most realizable method for home conditions. So, let"s get started. Initially, for greater efficiency and to increase the speed of the process, the coal must be pulverized. It is then saturated with hydrogen. Then a temperature of 400-500 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 50-300 kg/cm2 must be created. And we wait for the moment of transition to liquid state. If no solvent is used, only 5-8% of the total mass of coal will become such. Then it"s the turn of the catalysts. Suitable for coal are: molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, tin, aluminum, iron, and their compounds. Any type of feedstock can be used for gasification. Lignite, stone, anything will do. Although its quality affects the efficiency of conversion. Earlier the designation of the number of carbons was given and the figure of 8% was mentioned. This is not entirely accurate. Depending on the grade and quality, the value can vary from 4% to 8%. A value of 11% (preferably 15%) must be achieved for minimum suitability for further processing and gasoline separation. Initially, it is not a fact that everything will work out. Especially if physics and chemistry lessons were skipped. Nevertheless, synthetic gasoline from coal could be successfully made and used.
Notes
- ↑ Peter W. Becker. (English.) . Air University Review, July-August 1981. – "Still, between 1938 and 1943, synthetic fuel output underwent a respectable increase from 10 million barrels to 36 million. The percentage of synthetic fuels compared to the yield from all sources grew from 22 percent to more than 50 percent by 1943. … At the peak of their synthetic fuel production in 1943, when half of their economy and their armed forces ran on synthetic fuel, the Germans produced 36,212,400 barrels of fuel a year. Checked May 24, 2015.
- ↑ Ф. В. Von Mellenthin. Wehrmacht armored fist. Smolensk: "Rusich", 1999. 528 с. ("World at War") ISBN 5-8138-0088-3
- ↑ // Foreign Media.ru, july 2018
- ↑ An important problem of synthetic fuel production is high water consumption, which is from 5 to 7 gallons for each gallon of fuel produced.
- ↑ , 2008, p. 10[ non-authoritative source? ]
- ↑ Internal Combustion Engines, Edward F. Obert, 1973
- ↑
- ↑ // Alexey Gilyarov
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
Principal categories of fossil fuels
- Petroleum
- Fuel oil
- М-40
- Pyronaphtha
- Pyrite
- Petroleum ether
- Gas condensate
- Diesel fuel
- Gasoil
- Ligroin
- Kerosene
- Gasoline
- Gasoline
- Natural gas
- Compressed natural gas
- Liquefied natural gas
- Liquefied hydrocarbon gases
- Associated petroleum gas
- Coal gas
- Gas hydrates
- Shale gas
- Lignite
- Hard coal
- Anthracite
- Oil shale
- Sapropelite
- Coal coke
- Peat
- Peat coke
- Deadwood
- Firewood
- Kizyak
- Manure
- Charcoal
- Ethanol
- Biodiesel
- Bioethanol
- Butanol-1
- Methanol
- Junkyard gas
- Swamp gas
- Biogas
- Biohydrogen
- Blast furnace gas
- Luminous gas
- Coke gas
- trit-Butyl methyl ether
- Synthesis gas
- Synthetic fuel
- Generator gas
- Hydrogen
- Water-coal fuel
Features and prospects
Russia and several other European nations started distilling solid hydrocarbons into liquid states and using them as a substitute energy source already in the middle of the 20th century.
Because solid mineral deposits are more common in Asian nations, there is a greater focus on this technology’s development there. Due to its prioritization of the conversion of black gold, China has already achieved significant production volumes.
Coal-based liquid fuels: practically all hard coal can be transformed into a liquid state under specific circumstances.
When it comes to hard coal, the grades currently used to produce synthetic liquid fuels The others are more often burned to produce electricity (thermal power plants). The most promising for processing are brown coals – their reserves are significant, but because of their low calorific value for heating or electricity generation, they are reluctantly purchased. If a mini-mill is located in close proximity to the deposit, transportation costs can be minimized. It is possible to distill the smallest and even dusty fractions. In fact, in order to achieve the best result, the feedstock is specially ground into dust. So the raw material costs are also insignificant: these grades have a low cost.
The most significant financial outlays will be needed for equipment purchases and building (lease) of space. The good news is that modern plants don’t need much care from humans. The boiler receives input materials, which are eventually turned into the product.
Diesel, fuel oil, gasoline, and kerosene can be obtained, depending on the process parameters and feedstock composition. The process generates gases that can be utilized for other purposes or to provide the necessary temperature for hydrogenation (liquefaction). So are the costs of electricity. The "Prometheus" pyrolysis plant is an excellent illustration of a small-scale facility for turning lignite into liquid fuel for domestic use.
History
West Texas NYMEX mid-range oil costs
In order to meet a significant portion of its fuel needs during World War II—up to 50% in certain years—Germany established facilities for the production of liquid fuels from coal. Technically, Germany was defeated on May 12, 1944, as "Hitler’s personal architect" Albert Speer believed, when massive Allied bombing raids destroyed 90% of the plants producing synthetic fuels[2][3].
Similar to this, South Africa created Sasol Limited for the same reason, which allowed that country’s economy to flourish during the Apartheid era in spite of international sanctions.
Because manufacturers of these fuels frequently receive government subsidies in the United States, these businesses occasionally create "synthetic fuels" by combining coal with bio-waste. The Greens have criticized these methods of securing government subsidies, citing them as an instance of corporations abusing tax-related features. Because natural gas-based synthetic diesel fuel produced in Qatar has a low sulfur content, it must be blended with conventional diesel fuel to lower the blend’s sulfur content in order to be sold in states in the United States with extremely strict fuel quality regulations, like California.
Synthetic liquid fuels and gas from solid fossil fuels are now produced on a limited scale. Further expansion of synthetic fuel production is constrained by its high cost, which is significantly higher than petroleum-based fuels. This is why the search for new economical technical solutions in the field of synthetic fuels is now intensified. The search is aimed at simplification of known processes, in particular, at reduction of pressure during coal liquefaction from 300-700 atmospheres to 100 atmospheres and below, increase of productivity of gas generators for coal and oil shale processing and also development of new catalysts for synthesis of methanol and gasoline on its basis. |
Fischer-Tropsch technology can only be used today when oil prices are steady and above $50 to $55 per barrel.
See. also code
- Alternative automobile fuel
- Methanol economy – hypothetical future energy economy in which fossil fuels will be replaced by methanol.
- Dry distillation
- GTL. Gas-to-liquids – gas-to-liquids) – the process of converting natural gas into high-quality, sulfur-free motor fuels and other heavier hydrocarbon products.
- Hydrolysis production
- Biofuel
- Global energy
- Royal Dutch Shell-Major Projects
- – Is the simplest device for utilizing sunlight for cooking without the use of fuel or electricity
Sure! Here"s the main thesis for the article on synthetic gasoline:Synthetic gasoline offers a promising solution to the challenges of fossil fuel dependency and environmental degradation. By utilizing advanced chemical processes, synthetic gasoline can be produced from a variety of renewable sources, such as biomass or captured carbon dioxide. This alternative fuel not only reduces reliance on finite petroleum reserves but also mitigates greenhouse gas emissions, thus contributing to efforts to combat climate change. Additionally, synthetic gasoline exhibits compatibility with existing infrastructure and vehicles, easing the transition to more sustainable transportation fuels. As technological advancements continue to improve production efficiency and cost-effectiveness, synthetic gasoline holds significant potential to play a vital role in the transition towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
Obtaining from natural gas
This one is especially relevant due to existing transportation problems. For example, if natural gas is transported, the cost will be 30-50% of the cost of the final product. Therefore, it is highly relevant to refine it immediately near the extraction site into high quality gasoline and diesel fuel. This places a number of demands on the compactness of the installations. If the final products are obtained through the methanol stage, such a process is convenient due to the fact that it takes place in one reactor. But a lot of energy is required, which makes synthetic fuel twice as expensive as petroleum fuel. An alternative to this common method was proposed by the Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It involves working with another intermediate substance – dimethyl ether. It is not difficult to work in this way, if you increase the proportion of carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas produced. Obtaining synthetic gasoline in this case is additionally and quite environmentally friendly fuel. It has proven to be particularly good at starting cold engines due to its high cetane number. And for the production of gasoline this option is not bad. Thus, it is possible to make fuel with an octane number of 92. Synthetic gasoline made from natural gas has fewer harmful impurities than those found in gasoline made from petroleum. The plant proposed by the Russian Academy of Sciences offers an operating scheme according to which the higher the reaction temperature, the higher the production rate.
The idea of lowering our reliance on conventional fossil fuels through the use of synthetic gasoline is alluring. There is hope for a more sustainable future because of its potential to be produced from renewable sources. Synthetic gasoline can significantly contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change by utilizing cutting-edge technologies and creative processes.
The fact that synthetic gasoline is compatible with current infrastructure is one of its main benefits. Synthetic gasoline can be used in conventional cars without requiring significant infrastructure changes, in contrast to certain alternative fuels. This implies that consumers will experience less disruption when switching to synthetic gasoline, which will aid in a more seamless and gradual transition away from fossil fuels.
Additionally, by diversifying our fuel sources, synthetic gasoline has the potential to improve energy security. We can strengthen our energy independence and lower the geopolitical risks connected with conventional oil extraction and transportation by decreasing our dependency on imported oil and developing our own resources.
But we also need to acknowledge that synthetic fuel is not a magic bullet for all of our energy problems. Although it has a lot to offer in terms of security and sustainability, there are technical and financial difficulties that need to be resolved. The cost of synthetic gasoline may initially be higher than that of conventional fuels due to the significant energy inputs required in the production process.
However, these obstacles can be addressed with ongoing research and development. To realize synthetic gasoline’s full potential and clear the path for a more sustainable, clean energy future, investments in its development are imperative. We can expedite the switch to synthetic fuel and leave a more environmentally friendly world for coming generations by leveraging the power of innovation.