In the course of global defossilisation, it is to be expected that petrol-powered vehicles will increasingly be run on petrol with minimised greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, there is a great long-term demand for sustainable iso-paraffins, which make up the majority of petrol fuel. One way of producing iso-paraffins in a targeted manner is through the oligomerisation of short-chain olefins. These can be obtained from bioalcohols or sustainable methanol. The formation of predominantly branched paraffins clearly distinguishes olefin oligomerisation from other processes, such as the methanol-to-gasoline process (high aromatic content) and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (primarily linear paraffins).
The aim is to develop catalysts with high selectivity for branched oligomers on the basis of preliminary work and using a knowledge-based approach and then to adapt the operating conditions to the target products. After scaling up the synthesis under optimal process conditions and hydrogenation, the preparation of corresponding fuel mixtures is planned. Engine tests will be carried out with the resulting fuel mixtures and the fuel mixtures will be evaluated in terms of octane number, pollutant emissions and engine efficiency.
In addition, the development of a process concept for olefin oligomerisation to produce sustainable OK components is being considered, taking into account a decentralised location as well as integration into a larger chemical network. The expected benefits of the project results for small and medium-sized enterprises include improved competitiveness for catalyst manufacturers, chemical plant constructors and their suppliers, e.g. in the fields of control, separation and manufacturing technology. Fuel logistics companies, petrol stations and analysis laboratories will also benefit.
This project is being carried out in cooperation with the Institute for Piston Machines at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

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