NH3 Fuel Conference 2016 - NH3 Fuel Association

September 18 – 21, 2016 • Los Angeles, CA
The 13th annual NH3 Fuel Conference was hosted by the University of California, Los Angeles, Sustainable Technology & Policy Program (UCLA-STPP) at UCLA’s Luskin Conference Center.

QUICK LINKS

• Keynote Speaker 2016: Grigorii Soloveichik, ARPA-E
• Conference Host 2016: Peter Sinsheimer, UCLA-STPP
• Conference Schedule

KEYNOTE SPEAKER 2016

Grigorii L. Soloveichik
U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA-E, Washington, DC

Ammonia for Energy Storage and Delivery (PDF and video available)

Grigorii_Soloveichik2 The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) funds high risk, high reward transformational research to reduce energy related emissions, reduce imports of energy from foreign sources, improve energy efficiency across all economic sectors, and ensure US technological lead in advanced energy technologies, including electrochemical energy storage and transformation for grid scale and automotive applications.

Storing energy in the form of liquid fuels has numerous advantages compared to conventional methods of energy storage (ES) such as batteries (high cost, short cycle life), pumped hydro and compressed air (low energy density). Low costs of storage and transportation of liquid fuels enables long-time ES and effective energy transportation using existing infrastructure technologies. The Renewable Electricity to Fuels through Utilization of Energy-dense Liquids (REFUEL) program seeks to fund the development of transformational technologies to reduce the barriers to widespread adoption of intermittent renewable energy sources by enabling the conversion of energy from these sources, water and air to energy-dense carbon-neutral liquid fuels (CNLF). ARPA-E also funds several projects targeting small to medium scale synthesis of liquid fuels via OPEN program. Ammonia, which has high energy content and can be easily liquefied, is one of the best CNLFs. Different methods for modular production of ammonia will be discussed. One of the most promising, electrochemical synthesis of NH3, allows for direct conversion of renewable electricity to chemical energy, which simplifies the process and increases the process efficiency.

This presentation will also highlight the use of ammonia for energy generation and as a hydrogen carrier to enable the infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations for public fuel cell transportation. A comparison of thermal and electrochemical methods for hydrogen generation from ammonia will be presented.

CONFERENCE HOST 2016

Peter Sinsheimer
Executive Director, UCLA Sustainable Technology & Policy Program, Los Angeles, CA

Piloting a Combined Heat and Power / Distributed Generation System, Powered by Carbon-Free, Renewable-Based Anhydrous Ammonia (PDF available)

UCLA-STPP is an interdisciplinary science / policy research unit, enjoining faculty in schools of engineering, public health, law, business, and medicine. The two-part mission of UCLA-STPP is to: (1) evaluate the viability of safer, cleaner, greener, more sustainable substitutes for existing hazardous services, processes, systems, and/or technologies, and (2) employ diffusion analysis to identify institutional, policy, and regulatory barriers to the adoption of viable safer substitutes and prescribe policy changes to overcome key barriers. UCLA-STPP has taken leadership in developing and institutionalizing “alternatives analysis” as policy/regulatory tool as a method to evaluate and identify safer, cleaner, greener, more sustainable substitutes.

UCLA-STPP is employing this alternatives analysis approach to evaluate the commercial viability of using renewable-based NH3 for peak power generation and natural gas for base load power in a camless engine genset system to be installed at a distributed generation pilot demonstration facility in the greater Los Angeles region.

NH3 FUEL CONFERENCE 2016: SCHEDULE

— Monday 9/19 —

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Ammonia for Energy Storage and Delivery (PDF & video available)
Grigorii Soloveichik, U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA-E, USA

NH3: The Optimal Alternative Fuel [download PDF, 3.8MB]
Norm Olson, NH3 Fuel Association

— NH3 Synthesis Session: Facilitated by Adrienne Lavine, UCLA —

Thermochemical Energy Storage with Ammonia and Implications for Ammonia as a Fuel (PDF available)
Adrienne Lavine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Ammonia Fuel Cell and Fuel Synthesis Using Protonic Ceramics
Chuancheng Duan, Jinahua Tong, Jason Ganley*, Ryan O’Hayre
Colorado School of Mines, USA

Small Scale Low-Pressure Ammonia Synthesis
Mahdi Malmali¹*, Michael Reese², Alon McCormick¹, Edward L. Cussler¹
¹ Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science; and ² West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota, USA

Progress in the Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia (PDF available)
V. Kyriakou, I. Garagounis, E. Vasileiou, A. Vourros, M. Stoukides
Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University; and Chemical Processes & Energy Resources Institute, CERTH, Greece
Presenter: W. Grover Coors

Ammonia Safety Public Awareness [download PDF #1, 887KB / PDF #2, 5.4MB]
John Scherer*, Jeremy Olberding, Global Cold Chain Alliance

Applications of Hydrogen Permeable Membranes in Ammonia Synthesis and Decomposition (PDF available)
Sean-Thomas B. Lundin*, Thomas F. Fuerst, Jason C. Ganley, Colin A. Wolden, J. Douglas Way
Colorado School of Mines, USA

— NH3 Fuel Use Session: Facilitated by Bill David, University of Oxford —

Cracking Ammonia (PDF available)
Bill David*^1,2, Josh Makepeace², Hazel Hunter¹, Tom Wood¹
¹ ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory; and ² Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, UK

Research and Development of Ammonia-fueled SOFC Systems
Koichi Eguchi¹*, Atthapon Srifa¹, Takeou Okanishi¹, Hiroki Muroyama¹, Toshiaki Matsui¹, Masashi Kishimoto¹, Motohiro Saito¹, Hiroshi Iwai¹, Hideo Yoshida¹, Masaki Saito², Takeshi Koide², Hiroyuki Iwai², Shinsuke Suzuki², Yosuke Takahashi², Toshitaka Horiuchi³, Hayahide Yamasaki³, Shohei Matsumoto⁴, Shuji Yumoto⁴, Hidehito Kubo⁴, Jun Kawahara⁵, Akihiro Okabe⁵, Yuki Kikkawa⁶, Takenori Isomura⁶
¹ Kyoto University; ² Noritake; ³ Nippon Shokubai; ⁴ Toyota Industries; ⁵ Mitsui Chemical; and ⁶ Tokuyama, Japan

Power Generation and Flame Visualization of Micro Gas Turbine Firing Ammonia or Ammonia-Methane Mixture (PDF available)
Norihiko Iki¹*, Osamu Kurata¹, Takayuki Matsunuma¹, Takahiro Inoue¹, Taku Tsujimura¹, Hirohide Furutani¹, Hideaki Kobayashi², Akihiro Hayakawa²
¹ Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute, AIST (FREA); and ² Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Japan

NOx Emission Analysis and Flame Stabilization of Ammonia-Hydrogen-Air Premixed Flames (PDF available)
Hadi Nozari¹, Arif Karabeyoğlu*^1,2
¹ Koç University, Turkey; and ² Space Propulsion Group, USA

Combustion Characteristics of Ammonia / Air Flames for a Model Swirlburner and an Actual Gas Turbine Combustor
Akihiro Hayakawa*¹, K.D. Kunkuma A. Somarathne¹, Ekenechukwu C. Okafor¹, Taku Kudo¹, Osamu Kurata², Norihiko Iki², Hideaki Kobayashi¹
¹ Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University; and ² National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan

The Raphael Schmuecker Memorial Solar Hydrogen System – an update (PDF available)
David Toyne
Solutions for Automation; and The Raphael Schmuecker Memorial Solar Hydrogen System, USA

Development of Ammonia / Natural Gas Dual Fuel Gas Turbine Combustor
Shintaro Ito*¹, Soichiro Kato¹, Tsukasa Saito¹, Toshiro Fujimori¹, Hideaki Kobayashi²
¹ IHI Corporation; and ² Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Japan

Carbon Free Liquid Fuel for Tomorrow’s Piston and Turbine Generators (PDF available)
Doug Barnett, Green Party of California

On Monday evening, the NH3 Fuel Association hosted an event designed to provide new perspectives on ammonia-energy activities in key countries. The event included two special talks:

Innovative Ammonia Production and Power-to-Ammonia in Europe
Hans Vrijenhoef, Proton Ventures, The Netherlands
Prospects of Hydrogen Energy Systems toward the Low-Carbon Society
Yoshihiro Aizawa, The Institute of Applied Energy, Japan

— Tuesday 9/20 —

Overview of the KIER’s Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis – Present State and Perspective
Chung-Yul Yoo*, Hyung Chul Yoon*, Dae Sik Yun, Jong-Nam Kim
Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), Republic of Korea

— NH3 Storage and Safety Session: Facilitated by John Mott, Gordon Bros —

The Benefits of Ammonia Fuel for Transport, Storage, and Safety (PDF available)
John Mott, Gordon Bros Limited, Australia

Ammonia Storage Materials Using Metal Halides and Borohydrides (PDF available)
Yoshitsugu Kojima
Institute for Advanced Materials Research, Hiroshima University, Japan

Japan – a future market for Australian solar ammonia (PDF available)
Keith Lovegrove, ITP Thermal Pty Ltd, Australia

Electro-Synthesis of Ammonia for Grid Scale Energy Storage
Shekar Balagopal¹*, Matt Robbins¹, Alvare Javier¹, Marc Flinders¹, Joshua Johnston¹, Fernando Garzon², Jamie Gomez², Cortney Kreller³, Rangachary Mukundan³, Yu Seung Kim³
¹ Ceramatec Inc; ² University of New Mexico; and ³ Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA

Developments in Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis (PDF available)
Stephen Szymanski*, Wayne Gellett
Proton Energy Systems, USA

Ammonia for Green Energy Storage and Beyond (PDF available)
Ian Wilkinson, Siemens Corporate Technology, UK

— NH3 Fuel Policy Session: Facilitated by Peter Sinsheimer, UCLA —

Piloting a Combined Heat and Power / Distributed Generation System Powered by Carbon-Free Renewable-Based Anhydrous Ammonia (PDFs available)
Peter Sinsheimer, Sustainable Technology & Policy Program, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
including NH3 Engine Update
Eddie Sturman, Sturman Industries, USA

Decentralised Ammonia Production in the Netherlands (PDF available)
Hans Vrijenhoef, Proton Ventures, The Netherlands

Ammonia as a Key to Meeting the Fuel Demand of China (PDF available)
Forest (Zhaolin) Wang, College of Energy, Xiamen University, China

The Investment Case for Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis Technologies (PDF available)
Trevor Brown, AmmoniaIndustry.com, USA

Key Life Cycle Assessment Numbers for NH3, Green and Brown Energy (PDF available)
Yusuf Bicer¹, Ibrahim Dincer¹, Calin Zamfirescu¹, Greg Vezina²*, Frank Raso²
¹ Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology; and ² Hydrofuel Inc., Canada

Introducing the Global NH3 Fuel Federation (PDF available)
Stephen Crolius, Alliance Consulting Group, USA; and NH3 Fuel Association

CO2-Free NH3 (PDF available)
Ken-ichi Aika, Tokyo Institute of Technology

PANEL DISCUSSION: Barriers and Opportunities for Advancing NH3 Fuel through Policy Integration
Ken-ichi Aika, Japan; Greg Vezina, Canada; Grigorii Soloveichik, USA; Ian Wilkinson, UK; Peter Sinsheimer (facilitator), USA

— Wednesday 9/21 —

8.00am to 11.00am: Tour of the UCLA California NanoSystems Institute
This event will feature two presentations:

Vincent Rodriguez, Lead R&D Scientist, QuantumSphere Inc
Adam Z. Stieg, Associate Director, California NanoSystems Institute