Joel Tallaksen and Michael Reese
University of Minnesota, West Central Research and Outreach Center
Tenth Annual NH3 Fuel Conference, September 23, 2013
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South Korean researchers have successfully road-tested a dual fuel passenger car that runs on a mixture of ammonia and gasoline. It is called the AmVeh and was developed by members of the Ammonia Research Group at the Korean Institute for Energy Research (KIER).
Ammonia-gasoline dual fuel, and pure ammonia engines
The prototype vehicle uses a fuel ratio of 70% ammonia to 30% gasoline to power a spark ignition engine. As ammonia contains no carbon, this fuel ratio results in a corresponding 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to pure gasoline.
The AmVeh team is now focused on improving the fuel system and the exhaust after-treatment system. Once these are optimized, they aim to develop an engine system that runs on ammonia alone, without any support from gasoline. The emissions from this carbon-free vehicle would be pure water and nitrogen.
The engine system demonstrated in the AmVeh would enable conventional vehicles to be converted to ammonia fuel. Continue reading
The Marangoni Toyota GT86 Eco Explorer
A new sports car that uses ammonia fuel is touring the motor shows of Europe.
The Marangoni Toyota GT-86 Eco-Explorer is an ammonia / gasoline hybrid, designed by Italian tyre-maker Marangoni, which claims 111 miles of zero-emission driving from one tank of ammonia.
The Eco Explorer was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show (March 7-17) in Switzerland, and then at the Gadget Show Live in the UK (April 3-7) and Top Marques in Monaco (April 18-21). Its next stop is Tuning World Bodensee in Friedrichshafen, Germany (May 9-12).
From Marangoni’s Eco Explorer microsite, which features extensive photographs and an atmospheric video: Continue reading
The project to commercialize ammonia-fed fuel cells for stationary power generation continues to gather momentum in Europe, under the title “Project Alkammonia“.
This follows last year’s field trials of Diverse Energy’s PowerCube technology in Africa, and AFC Energy’s subsequent acquisition of assets from Diverse Energy (equipment and IP) and further project funding.
“Project ALKAMMONIA will integrate three innovative and proven technologies: a highly efficient and low-cost alkaline fuel cell system, a highly efficient fuel processing system and a novel ammonia fuel system. The integrated system will be rigorously tested and the results shared with leading telecommunication end-users.”
Diverse Energy: “The PowerCube is a self-contained, 24/7, baseload power solution … it offers an 80% CO2 reduction and a 25% reduction in total cost of ownership with a 2-year return on investment.”
The initial business model aims to provide clean power for mobile radio masts (remote base transceiver stations), and the technology can provide uninterruptible power or act as a back-up for intermittent renewables, as described in Diverse Energy’s field trial report [.doc download]: Continue reading
Posted in NH3 News
Tagged Emissions, Environmental Performance, Fuel Cells, Stationary Power, Stationary Power: Grid
Renewable ammonia producer SynGest is now featured on the Fueling Growth website, which aims to show “How clean fuel companies are fueling economic growth in California and beyond.” Fueling Growth is a project of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).
SynGest uses a process to convert biomass to nitrogen fertilizer, and is “focused on replacing the fossil fuel energy used in agriculture with entirely sustainable and renewable alternatives.”
Fueling Growth’s video interview with SynGest CEO, Jack Oswald
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSgmZzt-shQ?rel=0]
“We are right on the cusp of rolling out, on a large scale, billions and billions of gallons of truly low carbon renewable fuels. SynGest takes renewable biomass … and we convert that into nitrogen fertilizer products. We are just about to embark on building our first commercial scale plant, and that’ll be the first domino of what will be hundreds of these plants within the United States.” Continue reading
