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
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 + 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
www.amminex.com
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