Lifecycle Emission Tracking for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining emissions from aircraft fuels fail to account for the entire lifecycle footprint, including production, transport, and distribution, leading to incomplete cost and emission assessments.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that calculates an emission score for sustainable aircraft fuels (SAFs) across their entire lifecycle, from feedstock production to aircraft flight, using a decision tool that integrates data from various stages to provide real-time emission and cost management, enabling accurate emission footprint management and risk reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional flight-based emission measurement methods are used, then emission tracking is simple and quick, but the measurement precision is insufficient because it fails to account for the full lifecycle emission footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The emission tracking system is segmented into multiple lifecycle stages (feedstock production, fuel production, transport, distribution, and flight). Each stage is measured and tracked separately, allowing for comprehensive emission accounting while maintaining manageable complexity through modular data collection and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
A decision tool acts as an intermediary between raw emission data from various lifecycle stages and the final emission footprint assessment. This intermediary processes, integrates, and analyzes data from multiple sources to produce accurate emission measurements without requiring direct complex connections between all measurement points.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive lifecycle emission tracking is implemented, then emission measurement precision improves, but the system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The decision tool is designed as a universal platform that handles multiple functions: data collection from various lifecycle stages, emission calculation, cost analysis, and reporting. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise be separate complex systems into a single integrated tool, reducing overall data management burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where emission data from each lifecycle stage is continuously monitored and fed back into the decision tool for analysis. This allows for real-time adjustment and verification of emission assessments, improving precision while automating the data management process to reduce burden.
3Measurement precision
If detailed lifecycle emission data is collected for each fuel type, then emission score accuracy improves, but the time and resources required for data collection increase
Solution Approach 1:
Emission factors and baseline data for each lifecycle stage are pre-calculated and stored in the decision tool before actual emission assessments are performed. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid emission score calculation when needed, as the framework for data integration and computation is already in place, reducing the time required for actual measurements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (100) and a decision tool (52) for modeling emissions for a sustainable aircraft fuel (SAF) for the lifecycle of the fuel. The decision tool (52) includes a controller module (54) configured to receive data related to at least one fuel pathway (60, 62, 64) for the fuel wherein the fuel pathway (60, 62, 64) considers emissions from initial feedstock production (70) to fuel burn during flight (92) and arrival (94). The decision tool (52) determines at least one fuel pathway (60, 62, 64) for the fuel used to fuel the aircraft (20) during a flight, models an emission score for the at least one fuel production, and then outputs the emission score where a user can purchase the fuel or make other decisions based upon the fuel pathway (60, 62, 64) provided by the decision tool (32).