Renewable Aviation Fuel Production Process

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Project Details

Process scale-up and construction of a modular skid to demonstrate a proprietary technology that converts biomass and renewable carbon sources to aviation fuel.

Location: West Lafayette, IN
Project Duration: 9 months

Services

Below are some of the services we provided for this project:

  • Engineering Design
  • Process Engineering
  • Procurement
  • General Contractor
  • Mechanical & Structural Drawings

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Renewable Aviation Fuel


Swift Fuels is a global leader in the development of high-performance unleaded aviation fuels.  In addition to other unleaded fuels, Swift has developed SwiftJet, a renewable jet fuel being evaluated by the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) program. 

Nelson Baker Biotech worked with Swift to scale-up the production of this aviation fuel from renewable feedstock.

  • 100% Renewable & Sustainable
  • Meets or Exceeds All Performance Parameters for Jet Fuel

Project Challenges & Nelson Baker’s Solutions

Nelson Baker Biotech provided scale-up support, process engineering and construction services for Swift Fuels’ pilot skid. Swift Fuels was working to commercialize a technology by scaling up to a mobile pilot skid.  The skid was complex, particularly due to some high temperature requirements that Nelson Baker had to address with materials, design, and operating parameters.

Stacy Nelson Baker, VP of Engineering at Nelson Baker said, “Because of the work we did with Swift, especially as a result of having to work through the high temp challenges, we helped them realize that this was not the pathway they wanted to pursue to produce their product. The process was too energy intensive and expensive. Sometimes piloting helps you convince yourself of the path you want to take. And sometimes it convinces you of the path you don’t want to take.  In this case, the latter was equally important to the first.”