Osaka Metropolitan University tests coconut oil biofuel in turbojet

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have successfully tested a sustainable aviation fuel derived from coconut oil in a turbojet engine. The biofuel, which can be mixed with conventional Jet A-1 fuel in concentrations between 10 and 50 percent, demonstrated efficiency levels surprisingly similar to standard kerosene.

The testing showed that the engine remained stable and that unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust decreased. However, the use of the biofuel resulted in higher consumption; depending on the concentration of the coconut-based fuel, the engine required up to 20 percent more fuel to operate.

The researchers produced two variants of the fuel by chemically converting coconut oil using either methanol or ethanol. Notably, the production process occurs at room temperature and normal ambient pressure, requiring less energy than traditional methods that rely on high temperatures or high pressure. The study's findings were published in the journal Fuel.