Ammonia Cracking using Catalytic Static Mixers
Project lead
Dr John Chiefari, john.chiefari@csiro.au
Lead researchers
John Chiefari, john.chiefari@csiro.au
Christian Hornung, christian.hornung@csiro.au
Challenge
Hydrogen storage and distribution is challenging. Like natural gas, hydrogen needs to be stored either in high pressure tanks, or liquefied and stored in cryogenic tanks. And, like natural gas, hydrogen can explode. While hydrogen is safely managed by trained professionals in an industrial setting, there may be concerns about usage of large quantities of hydrogen in urban environments.
One way to transport and store hydrogen is by converting the hydrogen into another molecule – so that it can be stored and transported more effectively than pure hydrogen.
What we are doing
The project leverages the multi-disciplinary expertise available at CSIRO in flow chemistry, static mixer technology, catalyst development and deposition/coating knowhow to create a new generation of structured catalytic devices for the generation of hydrogen from ammonia in chemical flow reactors.
We have demonstrated the utility of catalytic static mixers (CSM) for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions from LOHC (MCH) for use in chemical manufacturing, hydrogen storage and hydrogen generation on demand.
This project extends the CSM concept to evaluate hydrogen reforming from ammonia, which is developing into a key hydrogen fuel source.
Our CSM approach addresses key technical and environmental concerns by enabling improved control over reaction parameters, reducing industrial waste and tailoring upscale processing to reduce investment and infrastructure costs.
A key benefit of the CSM dehydrogenation technology is the flexibility in the footprint of the hydrogen generation unit, which could be engineered for community-based units (remote communities, mining, fuelling stations) to larger generation units. The project leverages the multi-disciplinary expertise available at CSIRO in flow chemistry, static mixer technology, catalyst development and deposition/coating knowhow to create a new generation of structured catalytic devices for the generation of hydrogen from LOHCs or ammonia.
John Chiefari, Vicky Au and Christian Hornung holding CSM rods.
Technology Commercialisation
The technology is now being commercialised for a wide range of (de-)hydrogenation applications with CSIRO’s partners, including Precision Catalyst, Merck Millipore Sigma and Advanced Carbon Engineering. Precision Catalyst is manufacturing and selling CSMs and CSM reactor systems for use in chemical manufacturing and energy applications and Merck Millipore Sigma is distributing CSMs in their chemicals & catalysts catalogue. CSIRO’s LOHC dehydrogenation work has transitioned from a low TRL, strategically funded activity into a $10M fully industry funded project with our partner Advanced Carbon Engineering.
International Research Collaborations
CSIRO has established strong collaborative networks with world leading research institutes and industry partners for technology development. Exchange of visiting scientists on the topic of chemical hydrogen storage is currently underway between the newly formed Sustainable Hydrogen Economy Institute at FZ Juelich (https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/inw), the University of Erlangen, Germany and CSIRO Manufacturing, Clayton. In collaboration with the German RIs, the CSIRO team is now seeking new (bilateral) funding opportunities and application opportunities in Germany and Australia for joint technology development.
Technology Development
The team has reached proof of concept using the CSM technology for ammonia cracking. Agreements with global catalyst suppliers were signed recently to test a selection of new commercial ammonia cracking catalysts using CSIRO’s CSM technology; these experiments are currently underway. The CSIRO team is also actively pursuing commercial opportunities for the CSM ammonia cracking technology for applications in the manufacturing and marine transport sectors.
Outcomes to date
The program of work has demonstrated that CSM technology can be used to efficiently convert ammonia to hydrogen. Our experiments in laboratory scale flow reactors have demonstrated 100% conversion of ammonia to hydrogen.
Project finish date
January 2023
Relevant project publications
- Chiefari J., Hornung C.H.; “Mobile hydrogen reformers as a novel approach to decarbonise the transport sector”, Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, Vol. 34,100756, (2021)
- Hornung C.H., Nguyen X., Carafa A., Gardiner J., Urban A., Fraser D., Horne M., Gunasegaram D.R., Tsanaktsidis J., Organic Process Research & Development 2017, 21, 9, 1311–1319, DOI: 10.1021/acs.oprd.7b00180
- Lebl R., Zhu Y, Ng D, Hornung C.H., Cantillo D., Kappe C.O., Catalysis Today, 383,55-63, DOI:10.1016/j.cattod.2020.07.046.
- Kundra M., Grall T., Ng D., Xie Z., Hornung C.H., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2021, 60, 5, 1989-2002, DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c05671
- Kundra M., Zhu Y., Nguyen X., Fraser D., Hornung C.H., Tsanaktsidis J., Reaction Chemistry & Engineering 2021, published online, DOI: 10.1039/D1RE00456E