Business and Technology Roadmapping for NH3 Fuel Stephen Crolius, Alliance Consulting Group

The effects of direct injection of gaseous ammonia on the combustion characteristics and exhaust emissions of a spark-ignition engine were investigated. Port-injection gasoline was used to enhance the burning of ammonia that was directly injected into the engine cylinder. Appropriate direct injection strategies were developed to allow ammonia to be used in spark-ignition engines without sacrifice of volumetric efficiency. Experimental results show that with gasoline providing the baseline power, total engine power increased as the injection timing of ammonia was advanced and the injection duration was increased. Engine performance with use of gasoline-ammonia was compared to that with gasoline alone.…

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have been conducting research on production of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers based on bioenergy since 2006, in the last years in co-operation with Lund University and University of Minnesota. The research has so far been theoretical — studying the techno-economics and the potential environmental impacts. Several possible pathways for ammonia and ammonium nitrate fertilizer production have been explored, e.g. gasification of woody biomass, reforming of biogas from anaerobic digestion, integration in biomass CHP plants. A selection of results from the past years research can be presented: Techno-Economic Assessment of Non-Fossil Ammonia Production P. Tunå,…

A Hazard Assessment of Ammonia as a Fuel: Understanding the Hazards and Managing the Risks / Threats of Ammonia as a Fuel Gary Smith, President, Ammonia Safety and Training Institute (ASTI), Tony Garcia, Hill Brothers Chemical Corp., and John Mott, General Manager of Gordon Brothers    

Mixed Protonic and Electronic Conductors for Solid State Ammonia Synthesis and Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells J. Ganley, T. Olszanski, and N. Sullivan, Colorado School of Mines

At present, ammonia is mostly formed through reforming of natural gas (CH4). A 1,000 ton per day plant is said to consume about 35 GJ of natural gas to produce 1 ton of ammonia (22.5 GJ of enthalpy). About 50% of extra energy is wasted. If 1 ton ammonia is produced through water electrolysis, 22.5 GJ of electricity is necessary theoretically. Here again, extra electric energy must be wasted. The author discusses roughly how the efficiency depends upon the process size and the renewable energy cost.

Communicating Risk Trevor Brown, Independent Consultant    

Beginning in the 1950s, a fundamental shift in the way information was electronically expressed and manipulated led to the “digital revolution” that has transformed — is still transforming — information systems and many major industries and that has given rise to the internet, social media, and instant very-low-cost communication (like this website). A good case can be made that a similar “revolution” is beginning — has already begun — to transform the energy systems upon which we all depend. This presentation will address the use of anhydrous (water-free) ammonia, NH3, as a realistic option for making a fundamental shift in…