Renewable Fuel Concepts
Source: https://ctv.cs.tum.de/en/research/renewable-fuel-concepts Parent: https://ctv.cs.tum.de/en/
There is no longer room to debate the future of combustion engines. Both science and industry agree that combustion engines will continue to play a key role, even with the widespread adoption of battery electric vehicles, which have higher energy efficiency.
There are three main reasons for this:
- Intercontinental flights, shipping, and heavy machinery depend on high-density energy storage systems, for which batteries are not a viable substitute.
- A large existing fleet of combustion-engine vehicles cannot be replaced overnight, even in areas where electrification is straightforward.
- Fuels remain essential for storing and transporting energy, especially for regions without abundant renewable resources, like Germany.
It’s important to note that none of these reasons justifies continued use of fossil fuels. Viable alternatives exist in renewable fuels, produced by storing bioenergy or renewable electricity. The technologies are in place, and there’s no reason to delay phasing out fossil energy in the transport sector.
We’re currently working on the following projects in renewable fuels:
Oxymethylene Ethers (OME)
OME fuels are synthetic renewable diesel fuels that burn exceptionally clean, are non-toxic, and can be made from a variety of raw materials. They are produced by converting captured carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen or biomass into synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide with hydrogen. This synthesis gas is then converted to methanol and finally to OME.
We have been pioneers in OME research since 2009, starting with fundamental studies of reaction and phase equilibrium data in OME systems. Since then, we have developed several generations of OME production processes, including the latest water-tolerant direct synthesis from methanolic formaldehyde mixtures.
As part of the NAMOSYN consortium funded by the BMBF, we built Europe’s first continuous OME plant with a capacity of eight tons per hour and successfully demonstrated a water-tolerant process. We are ready to support industrial implementation. The pilot plant was funded by the BMBF in the NAMOSYN project.