Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are seen as one of the key elements in reducing the aviation sector's CO2 footprint. The production route via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK) as an alternative fuel is one possible solution. 

The majority of current R&D projects in the field of PtL (Power-to-Liquid), which include Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, currently use solid or micro-structured synthesis reactors. The use of so-called slurry bubble column reactors has the advantage that the heat is transferred from the liquid phase to the heat exchanger and not from the gas phase, as it is the case with other reactor designs.

Within the framework of the planned dissertation, the basis for a further scale-up of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis based on slurry technology will be laid. The scope is to further improve the reactor in terms of fluid dynamics and the basis for further upscaling will be laid by means of computer-aided simulation. Furthermore, the separation and preparation of the raw product, for subsequent conversion into SAF, are also part of this research.