Solid Ammonia as Energy Carrier: Possibilities and Technology

Solid Ammonia as Energy Carrier:

Possibilities and Technology Development

9/04-2008 / slide 1

Henrik Nybo Petersen*, Christian Elkjær, Kristian Kinch, Tue Johannessen,

Debasish Chakraborty

*R&D Engineer, M.Sc.

Fuel Cell Applications

Amminex A/S, Denmark

[email protected]

www.amminex.comAmmonia enabling technologies

Amminex Core Technology

Metal Ammine Complexes

• 100g “block”; approx. 50% NH3

• Almost 75 liter NH3(g) @ STP

• The equivalent ammonia gas

pressure would be almost 900 bar

• Safe storage of ammonia in proprietary storage cartridges

• Controlled release with low energy consumption

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e.g. Mg(NH3)6Cl2 or Ca(NH3)8Cl2

• Ammonia vapor pressure at room temperature: as low as 0.004 bar

• Volumetric capacity comparable with liquid ammonia

Energy Density Comparison

610 620

Ammonia capacity (measured in kg/m3)

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Liquid ammonia

(20°C, 8 bar)

Solid storageEnergy equivalent to 4 kg H2, container not included

Delivery of Ammonia and Hydrogen

• Target system size: up to 1 kW

• Ammonia or hydrogen• Ammonia or hydrogen

• Mobile applications

• Looking for potental fuel cell partners?

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HydrAmmine + PEM Fuel Cell

+

es

HydrAmmine + PEMFC

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H2+N2+

NH3trace

BURNER

Pt

HydrAmmine + Direct Ammonia Fuel Cell

Simplifying the System Layout

s

HydrAmmine + DAFC

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H2+N2+

NH3traces

BURNER

PtNi

Proof of Concept

• Amminex storage unit contains 400 g NH3

• Start up time <5 min

• Delivery pressure and flowrate:

• 1.1 bara 1.2 nL/min

• Average power consumption 45 W

• Cracker and PEM fuel cell stack from (IE)

• 20 cell stack 120 W

• Current drawn 10A

• Fuel utilization 83%

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Test Results Storrage Unit and FC stack

80

100

120

140

80

100

120

140

Po

we

r [W

]

ASDS consumption Pre ASDS FC output ASDS FC output

Stack run by ammonia delivered from ASDS

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0

20

40

60

80

0

20

40

60

80

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4

Po

we

r [W

]

Time [Hours]

Stack run by ammonia delivered from ASDS

Heat can be delivered by cracker or fuel cell

Amminex Cracker Prototype

• Total mass = 350 g

• Catalytic cracking of 0.7 nL/min NH3 at ≈ 99,9 % conversion

→ Delivery of 1 nL/min H2

• Thermal efficiency = 61.5 %• Thermal efficiency = 61.5 %

• Theretical effiency = 75 %

• Catalytic combusting of ammonia/and or hydrogen to provide the energy for cracking

• Simple and inexpensive fabrication

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Cracker Results

70

75

80

Optim

um

Con

vers

ion

De

so

rption

po

we

r, W

0.992

0.994

0.996

0.998

1.000

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0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1

50

55

60

65

Optim

um

Power available

Power required

Con

vers

ion

De

so

rption

po

we

r, W

Cracking rate, L/min

0.984

0.986

0.988

0.990

0.992

Thank you for your attention

Sumary

Amminex Core Technology

Metal Ammine Complexes

High storage energy density

Contact information

Henrik Nybo Petersen

High storage energy density

Safe and uncomplicated ammonia delivery

Amminex technology successfully

integrated with PEMFC and SOFC systems

Looking for potential FC partners

R&D Engineer, M.Sc.

Fuel Cell Applications

Amminex A/S, Denmark

[email protected]

www.amminex.com

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