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Optimizing absorption to improve Haber-Bosch synthesis
Presentation

Optimizing absorption to improve Haber-Bosch synthesis

Alon McCormickMatthew KaleCory MarquartDeepak OjhaMatthew PalysChinomso Emmanuel OnuohaZac PursellEdward CusslerProdromos DaoutidisPaul DauenhauerMichael ReeseSameer ParvathikarMahdi Malmali

Ammonia absorber columns offer an alternative separation unit to replace condensation in the Haber-Bosch synthesis loop. Metal halide salts can selectively separate ammonia from the reactor outlet gas mixture and incorporate it into their crystal lattice with remarkably high thermodynamic capacity. While the salts’ working capacity can be limited and unstable when they are in their pure form, the capacity is stable and can be high when using a porous silica support. Here, we discuss optimal conditions for uptake and release of ammonia. The production capacity (ammonia processed per unit absorbent and per unit production time) depends on processing parameters…

Renewable ammonia for grid-scale sustainable energy: Sector coupling for economic competitiveness
Presentation

Renewable ammonia for grid-scale sustainable energy: Sector coupling for economic competitiveness

Matthew PalysMichael ReeseProdromos Daoutidis

Ammonia produced from renewably sourced electrolytic hydrogen has considerable promise as a seasonal energy storage medium to enable high renewable penetration in the electrical power generation mix. Long duration energy storage via ammonia is significantly less expensive than using hydrogen or batteries [1,2]. Renewable ammonia can also be used as in its traditional application as a fertilizer to reduce agricultural carbon intensity. These multiple renewable ammonia use cases give rise to opportunities for sector coupling [3]. For example, an electric utility could deploy ammonia for energy storage while also pursuing additional ammonia production for sale in local agriculture markets. This…

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

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

Matthew PalysAnatoliy KuznetsovJoel TallaksenMichael ReeseProdromos Daoutidis

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…

Lower Pressure Ammonia Synthesis
Presentation

Lower Pressure Ammonia Synthesis

Mahdi MalmaliAlon McCormickEdward CusslerJoshua PrinceMichael Reese

Ammonia is a very important chemical, mainly produced through the Haber-Bosch process. This process requires high temperature (>400 °C) and pressure (>150 bar) in order to ensure fast kinetics and high conversions, respectively.1 As a result, ammonia synthesis is known to be very complex and energy-intensive.2 To alleviate the complexity and energy requirements of ammonia synthesis, and to reduce the CO2 emissions, we are proposing an innovative reaction-absorption process to synthesize carbon-free ammonia in small plants.3 This green ammonia can be synthesized in wind-powered plants, with hydrogen from electrolysis of water and nitrogen from pressure swing adsorption of air.4 In…

Presentation

Small Scale Low-Pressure Ammonia Synthesis

Mahdi MalmaliMichael ReeseAlon McCormickEdward Cussler

Ammonia is one of the most important chemical commodities in the US and will be a key component in helping the world meet the rising demand for food and energy. Ammonia is needed in distributed locations for agriculture (as fertilizer for small grain and corn production), for indirect hydrogen storage1 (transported as a liquid at moderate pressure to hydrogen stations), or as a liquid fuel2 (for internal combustion engines or solid oxide fuel cells). Recently, there has been significant effort to develop scalable technologies for conversion of intermittent energies (e.g., solar, wind) into energy dense carbon-neutral liquid fuels, and ammonia…

Potential Strategies for Distributed, Small-Scale Sustainable Ammonia Production
Presentation

Potential Strategies for Distributed, Small-Scale Sustainable Ammonia Production

Alon McCormickEdward CusslerProdromos DaoutidisPaul DauenhauerLanny SchmidtRoger RuanDoug TiffanySteve KelleyMichael Reese

Potential Strategies for Distributed, Small-Scale Sustainable Ammonia Production Alon McCormick*, Ed Cussler, Prodromos Daoutidis, Paul Dauenhauer, Lanny Schmidt, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science; Roger Ruan, Doug Tiffany, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering; Steve Kelley, Humphrey School of Public Affairs; Mike Reese, West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota

Life-cycle greenhouse gas and energy balance of community-scale wind powered ammonia production
Presentation

Life-cycle greenhouse gas and energy balance of community-scale wind powered ammonia production

Joel TallaksenFredric BauerChristian HultebergMichael ReeseSerina Ahlgren

As well as being an innovative energy source, ammonia is a crucial component of most nitrogen fertilizers. Since the production of ammonia is very energy intensive and currently completely based on fossil energy, there is a considerable interest in developing renewably produced ammonia for use in agriculture and other sectors. This work presents a life cycle assessment (cradle-to-gate) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and primary energy use for ammonia produced at community-scale using renewable wind generated electricity. Two different regions were studied: Minnesota (US) and Sweden. The results show that ammonia produced with wind-generated electricity has significantly lower fossil energy…

Ammonia Production Using Wind Energy: An Early Calculation of Life Cycle Carbon Emissions and Fossil Energy Consumption
Presentation

Ammonia Production Using Wind Energy: An Early Calculation of Life Cycle Carbon Emissions and Fossil Energy Consumption

Joel TallaksenMichael Reese

Industry professionals and others have begun to consider the use of ammonia as a substitute for fossil energy in the fuel, fertilizer, and chemical sectors. Several factors are driving this concept; including, energy security concerns, the potential for economic development, and reducing the environmental consequences of fossil energy use. In terms of environmental concerns, it is important to determine the potential impacts of producing ammonia before a major switch to ammonia can be considered. This study examined fossil energy use and carbon emissions in the production of ammonia, using life cycle assessment (LCA) methods to analyze production at a novel…