Category Archives: Conference Paper

Ammonia-to-Hydrogen System for FCEV Refuelling

Michael D. Dolan, CSIRO, Australia

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Ammonia can play a significant role in fuelling the world’s growing fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) fleet through technologies which allow the decomposition of NH3, and subsequent extraction and purification of H2. CSIRO has recently demonstrated a pilot-scale ammonia-to-hydrogen system, incorporating an ammonia decomposition stage with a subsequent membrane-based hydrogen purification stage, at a rate of several kilograms of H2 per day. Through partnerships with an industrial gas producer and two FCEV manufacturers, the resulting H2 has been compressed and dispensed into FCEVs. System design, materials, performance and strategies for scale-up and demonstration will be discussed. Continue reading

Evaluation of the Cement Clinker Fired in the Combustion Furnace of Heavy-Oil and NH3

Hiroki Kujiraoka*, Tatsurou Izumi, Yuya Yoshizuru, Takeshi Suemasu, Makoto Ueda, Toyoaki Niki, Takayasu Itou, UBE Industries, Japan; Ryuichi Murai, Fumiteru Akamatsu, Osaka University, Japan

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

In recent years, global warming caused by an increase in CO2 emission released by combustion of fossil fuel has become a big problem. To realize a low-carbon society, active use of renewable energy and promotion of hydrogen energy are necessary. We are participating in “SIP (Strategic Innovation Promotion Program) energy carriers”, developing technology to replace 30% fossil fuel with ammonia (NH3) on the calorie basis. Assuming that NH3 is used as a thermal energy for a cement kiln, we conducted the following two basic experiments.

First, we fired the clinker in the atmosphere-controlled electric furnace, calculated the reaction rate of CaO which is the main oxide in clinker by Arrhenius type kinetic model. As a result, it was found that the reaction rate of clinker was not influenced by the atmosphere conditions and was dominated by the temperature conditions.

Next, we fired the clinker in the 10 kW furnace under only heavy-oil combustion and mixed combustion of heavy-oil and NH3, identified mineral composition by X-ray diffraction (XRD)/Rietveld analysis, carried out the strength test for cement was made from the clinker. As a result, it was confirmed there was no difference in mineral composition and strength of clinker. Continue reading

Design Optimization of an Ammonia-Based Distributed Sustainable Agricultural Energy System

Matthew J. Palys*, Anatoliy Kuznetsov, Joel Tallaksen, Michael Reese, Prodromos Daoutidis, University of Minnesota, USA

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Small-scale, distributed production of ammonia better enables the use of renewable energy for its synthesis than the current paradigm of large-scale, centralized production. Pursuant to this idea, a small-scale Haber-Bosch process has been installed at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) in Morris, MN [1] and there is ongoing work on an absorbent-enhanced process at the University of Minnesota [2], [3]. Using renewables to make ammonia would greatly improve the sustainability of fertilizer production, which currently accounts for 1% of total global energy consumption [4]. The promise of renewable-powered, distributed ammonia production for sustainability is in fact not limited to fertilizer, because ammonia also has potential as an energy-dense, carbon-neutral fuel. For example, using ammonia produced from renewable energy for nitrogen fertilizer, grain drying fuel and tractor fuel at the WCROC farm would reduce more than 90% of the fossil energy footprint associated with corn production [5].

In this light, we envision a distributed sustainable agricultural (farm) energy system (DSAE) fundamentally based on the idea of ammonia as not only a fertilizer, but also a fuel and a method of energy storage. Specifically, this system will use only renewable energy to produce ammonia for use as fertilizer and agricultural fuel (for cropping equipment and grain drying) at the scale of a single farm or an agricultural cooperative. It will also use renewables to meet local power and heat demands in a manner synergistic to distributed ammonia production; the difference in power and heat (hourly) and ammonia (monthly or biannually) demand time scales gives rise to opportunities for temporally flexible ammonia production and locally controllable power generation using ammonia. Heat integration will also be possible due to the exothermic nature of ammonia synthesis. Continue reading

Realisation of Large-Scale Green Ammonia Plants

Markus Will, thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, Germany

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

The global ammonia production is nowadays mostly based on fossil energy carriers (natural gas, coal, naphtha, etc.). It consumes approximately 1.4% fossil energy carriers and releases more than 1.4% of global CO2 emissions.

In order to continue the global transition from the fossil fuel and nuclear energy age to the renewable energy age, ammonia could play a key role. Beside the continued utilization for fertilizer industry, ammonia could become an energy and/or hydrogen carrier as well.

thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS) developed a concept to establish Green Ammonia Plants as an alternative to conventional world-scale ammonia plants. As industry leader in electrolysis (AWE technology) and ammonia business (uhde® ammonia synthesis), tkIS combines the knowledge in both technologies to offer electricity-based ammonia plants in the near future. Continue reading

Demonstration of CO2-Free Ammonia Synthesis Using Renewable Energy-Generated Hydrogen

Mototaka Kai*, Yasushi Fujimura, Takayoshi Fujimoto, JGC Corporation, Japan; Hideyuki Takagi, Yuichi Manaka, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan; Tetsuya Nanba, Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute, AIST (FREA), Japan

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

In Japan, the government funding project SIP, Strategic Innovation Promotion Program, supports the research, development and demonstration of “Energy Carriers”. The concept of the “Energy Carriers” value chain is to produce hydrogen energy carriers overseas from fossil resources using CCS or renewable energy, and transport it to Japan for utilization as clean energy. The purpose of the program is to help realize a low-carbon society in Japan by using hydrogen. Among energy carriers, ammonia is the one of the most promising carriers, because of the ease of transportation as a liquid, higher hydrogen density, and proven technologies for commercial and industrial scale, not only for production, storage, and transportation, but also its utilization in chemical plants and DeNOx units for electric power plants.

Under the theme of “Development of ammonia synthesis from CO2-free hydrogen” of SIP ”Energy Carriers”, JGC is developing the advanced ammonia synthesis process using renewable energy, such as Photovoltaic and Wind Turbine Power Generation, to be able to produce “Green” ammonia, aiming to contribute to a low-carbon society. Also, utilizing the catalysts developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (hereinafter “AIST”), National Institute of Technology Numazu College, and JGC C&C, AIST and JGC designed and constructed an ammonia synthesis demonstration plant in FREA, the Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute, AIST by the end of fiscal year 2017. From April 2018, the plant started operation to evaluate the performance of the developed catalysts and acquire the engineering data for scaling up in the future.

In this paper, we would like to explain the details of the ammonia synthesis demonstration plant in FREA, such as process flow, plant operation conditions, its capacity, and the status of plant operation. Continue reading

Rapid Ramp NH3 Prototype Reactor Update

Joseph Beach*, Jonathan Kintner, Adam Welch, Starfire Energy, USA

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Starfire Energy has built and operated a low pressure, fast-ramping prototype reactor using its Rapid Ramp NH3 process. It has synthesized, captured, and liquefied NH3 with all system pressures staying below 12.5 bar. The prototype reactor’s performance will be discussed. Continue reading

Performance of Ammonia-Natural Gas Co-Fired Gas Turbine for Power Generation

Shintaro Ito*, Masahiro Uchida, Shogo Onishi, Soichiro Kato, Toshiro Fujimori, IHI Corporation, Japan; Hideaki Kobayashi, Tohoku University, Japan

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Ammonia is paid special attention as renewable energy carrier [1-3], because it offers advantages in generation, transportation and utilization. Haber-Bosch method is already established as ammonia generation method; large amount of ammonia is already used as fertilizer and chemical raw material. Ammonia can be liquefied at room temperature. Its transport and storage system are already established. Ammonia is cheaper to transport than hydrogen. Ammonia can be used as carbon-free fuel in internal combustion engines as alternative to conventional hydrocarbon fuels. However, it has different combustion characteristics. Continue reading

Test Results of the Ammonia Mixed Combustion at Mizushima Power Station Unit No.2 and Related Patent Applications

Hiroaki Tanigawa, Chugoku Electric Power Company, Japan

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

At the Mizushima Power Station Unit No.2 (Coal-fired, Location: Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, rated output: 156,000 kW), the Chugoku Electric Power Company conducted the ammonia mixed-combustion test from July 3 to 9, 2017, in order to reduce the environmental burden of coal-fired power stations. We compile the test results and report it to Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and we are pleased to inform you today that we applied for patents on the findings obtained in this examination. Continue reading

Roadmap to All Electric Ammonia Plants

John B. Hansen*, Pat A. Han, Haldor Topsøe, Denmark

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Haldor Topsøe A/S is a world leading supplier of technology and catalyst for the ammonia industry.

It is also a developer of Solid Oxide Electrolyzer technology. A road map towards all electrical ammonia plants of the future has been worked out implementing at first steps hybrid natural gas based/classical electrolyzer technology and ultimately SOEC based plants without air separation units. Continue reading

Ship Operation Using LPG and Ammonia As Fuel on MAN B&W Dual Fuel ME-LGIP Engines

René Sejer Laursen, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Denmark

15th Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 31, 2018
NH3 Energy+ Topical Conference at the AIChE Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

LPG has been used as fuel in the car industry for many years and now, with Exmar and Statoil’s orders for ocean-going ships fitted with the dual fuel ME-LGIP engine, LPG will be used on marine engines as well. The new engine series is currently being developed to match all types of bigger merchant ships. This order was made in consequence of the new 2020 0.5% sulphur fuel cap, but this step forward has not stopped the discussion and interest in lowering CO2, NOx, SOx and particulate emissions even further. On the contrary, it has actually been further fuelled by the latest IMO meeting targeting a 50%-cut in greenhouse gas emissions from ocean-going shipping by 2050 compared with 2008.

Because the world fleet has increased since 2008, and thus CO2 emissions as well, it has been realised that this goal cannot be met without the use of carbon-free fuels. In shipping, 30 years corresponds to the lifetime of a ship, and owners will therefore soon need to consider this when they select the propulsion solution for their next ship. And as marine engine maker, MAN Diesel & Turbo needs to be fully prepared.

Using LPG as fuel on the two-stroke ME-LGIP engine offers similar emission benefits as with LNG, which reduces emissions significantly compared with MDO. Therefore, there are very good environmental reasons for using this fuel in coastal areas, on inland waterways and on deep sea. The LGIP engine solution system can also be applied on engine sizes from 5 to 85 MW, which are suitable for tankers, bulk carriers, container vessels, etc.

It is expected that the need to reduce CO2 emissions will fuel a continued growth in shipping. And because sea transportation has proven to be less CO2 polluting than both trucks and trains using fossil fuels this trend is expected to continue. Furthermore, the world population is increasing as well, and this is expected to increase the shipping fleet. So significant CO2 reduction is mandatory in shipping, and this can be improved by using carbon-free fuels such as bio-LPG/LNG, and the so-called “electric fuels”, etc. There are also plans to remove CO2 from methane to produce carbon-free ammonia, but in order to be fully carbon free, the CO2 should be removed by, for example, injecting it into the seabed. MAN Diesel & Turbo already have dual fuel engines in our engine programme that can operate on LNG and methanol, but ammonia as a fuel has not yet been investigated for use on two-stroke engines.

This paper describes the technology behind the ME-LGIP dual fuel MAN B&W two-stroke engines, using LPG as fuel, and its associated LPG tank and fuel supply systems. The engine requires a gas supply pressure of 50-bar and controlled to a temperature of 45°C. At this temperature and pressure, the LPG is liquid, and different fuel supply solutions are available for generating this pressure for the liquid. Hence, the ME-LGIP for LPG will use liquid gas for injection, contrary to the ME-GI for LNG, where the methane is injected in gaseous form. All the way from tank to engine, the LPG remain in liquid phase, and conventional pumps can be used to generate the pressure. Furthermore, we have lately found that this engine technology, with minor modification, can also be used to burn ammonia, so the paper will also describe the modification needed in order to build an engine that is able to burn LPG as well as ammonia.

Safety is a concern when both LPG and ammonia is used as fuel on an engine located in an engine room. This is because LPG in gaseous form, contrary to methane, is heavier than air and will drop in case of leakage, and because ammonia in a gaseous form is toxic. This safety has been analysed, and our safety considerations and precautions will be described in details. Continue reading