Bio-Derived Synthetic Fuel Production – Tetra Ethyl Lead Elimination

The aviation industry is under pressure by the EPA to phase out leaded aviation gasoline, but traditional unleaded fuels do not work in aircraft. Purdue’s National Test Facility for fuels and propulsion in the Department of Aviation Technology has been working to help develop standards for, and certify, a replacement fuel. A bio-based synthetic fuel has been recently developed at The Purdue Research Park ,as a drop in replacement for aviation gasoline. Unfortunately, at present the American Society of Test and Measurement (ASTM) has no specification for approving non-petroleum aviation fuels, but is in the process of creating that new specification