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Waste to Biofuel: Process Design and Optimisation for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production from Corn Stover

Author

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  • Nur Aina Najihah Halimi

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK)

  • Ademola Odunsi

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK)

  • Alex Sebastiani

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK)

  • Dina Kamel

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK)

Abstract

Addressing the urgent need to decarbonise aviation and valorise agricultural waste, this paper investigates the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from corn stover. A preliminary evaluation based on a literature review indicates that among various conversion technologies, fast pyrolysis (FP) emerged as the most promising option, offering the highest fuel yield (22.5%) among various pathways, a competitive potential minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of 1.78 USD/L, and significant greenhouse gas savings of up to 76%. Leveraging Aspen Plus simulation, SAF production via FP was rigorously designed and optimised, focusing on the heat integration strategy within the process to minimise utility consumption and ultimately the total cost. Consequently, the produced fuel exceeded the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) limit for the final boiling point, rendering it unsuitable as a standalone jet fuel. Nevertheless, it achieves regulatory compliance when blended at a rate of up to 10% with conventional jet fuel, marking a practical route for early adoption. Energy optimisation through pinch analysis integrated four hot–cold stream pairs, eliminating external heating, reducing cooling needs by 55%, and improving sustainability and efficiency. Economic analysis revealed that while heat integration slashed utility costs by 84%, the MFSP only decreased slightly from 2.35 USD/L to 2.29 USD/L due to unchanging material costs. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that hydrogen, catalyst, and feedstock pricing are the most influential variables, suggesting targeted reductions could push the MFSP below 2 USD/L. In summary, this work underscores the technical and economic viability of corn stover-derived SAF, providing a promising pathway for sustainable aviation and waste valorisation. While current limitations restrict fuel quality during full substitution, the results affirm the feasibility of SAF blending and present a scalable, low-carbon pathway for future development.

Suggested Citation

  • Nur Aina Najihah Halimi & Ademola Odunsi & Alex Sebastiani & Dina Kamel, 2025. "Waste to Biofuel: Process Design and Optimisation for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production from Corn Stover," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:13:p:3418-:d:1690366
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rezania, Shahabaldin & Oryani, Bahareh & Cho, Jinwoo & Talaiekhozani, Amirreza & Sabbagh, Farzaneh & Hashemi, Beshare & Rupani, Parveen Fatemeh & Mohammadi, Ali Akbar, 2020. "Different pretreatment technologies of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production: An overview," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
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    3. Bittner, Amanda & Tyner, Wallace E. & Zhao, Xin, 2015. "Field to flight: A techno-economic analysis of the corn stover to aviation biofuels supply chain," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205091, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Bidhan Nath & Les Bowtell & Guangnan Chen & Elizabeth Graham & Thong Nguyen-Huy, 2024. "Pyrolytic Pathway of Wheat Straw Pellet by the Thermogravimetric Analyzer," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-21, July.
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