Systems and methods for processing ammonia
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing ammonia. The system may comprise one or more reactor modules configured to generate hydrogen from a source material comprising ammonia. The hydrogen generated by the one or more reactor modules may be used to provide additional heating of the reactor modules (e.g., via combustion of the hydrogen), or may be provided to one or more fuel cells for the generation of electrical energy.
1. A system for ammonia (NH 3 ) decomposition, comprising:
an ammonia reforming reactor, comprising:
a housing comprising a plurality of inner flow paths and an outer flow path, wherein the plurality of inner flow paths is in fluid communication with the outer flow path,
and one or more NH 3 reforming catalysts capable of reforming NH 3 to generate a reformate stream, wherein the reformate stream comprises hydrogen and nitrogen, wherein the one or more NH 3 reforming catalysts are located in at least one of (i) the plurality of inner flow paths or (ii) the outer flow path; and
a plurality of heaters,
wherein each inner flow path is configured to be heated by at least one of the plurality of heaters,
wherein each inner flow path is in thermal communication with the at least one of the plurality of heaters along a length of the inner flow path.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more NH 3 reforming catalysts comprise:
a first NH 3 reforming catalyst that is configured to contact ammonia at a first temperature range to generate reformate; and
a second NH 3 reforming catalyst that is configured to contact the ammonia at a second temperature range to generate additional reformate,
wherein the second temperature range is greater than the first temperature range,
wherein an ammonia conversion efficiency of the first NH 3 reforming catalyst is higher at the first temperature range compared to an ammonia conversion efficiency of the second NH 3 reforming catalyst at the first temperature range.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first NH 3 reforming catalyst and the second NH 3 reforming catalyst are in thermal communication with different heaters of the plurality of heaters.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first NH 3 reforming catalyst and the second NH 3 reforming catalyst are in thermal communication with different heating regions of a same heater of the plurality of heaters.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first NH 3 reforming catalyst comprises ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), or palladium (Pd).
6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second NH 3 reforming catalyst comprises nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), or copper (Cu).
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each inner flow path is configured to be heated by at least two of the plurality of heaters.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heaters comprises at least one electrical heater.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heaters comprises at least one combustion heater.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a circular cross-sectional shape or a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of inlets for directing the NH 3 to the ammonia reforming reactor, wherein one or more respective inlets of the plurality of inlets is in fluid communication with a corresponding respective inner flow path of the plurality of inner flow paths.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one outlet configured to direct the reformate stream out of the ammonia reforming reactor, wherein the at least one outlet is in fluid communication with the outer flow path.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of heaters is configured to control temperatures of different regions of the ammonia reforming reactor based on an ammonia conversion efficiency measured downstream of the ammonia reforming reactor.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of heaters is configured to adjust a location of a heating region in the ammonia reforming reactor based on an ammonia conversion efficiency measured downstream of the ammonia reforming reactor.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle or fin configured to enhance heat transfer in or adjacent to at least one of the plurality of inner flow paths or the at least one outer flow path.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises an ammonia storage tank and a fuel cell, wherein the system comprises a volumetric energy density of greater than about 400 Watt-hours (Wh) of electricity per liter and less than about 3000 Wh of electricity per liter.
17. A method for ammonia (NH 3 ) decomposition, comprising:
contacting, in an ammonia reforming reactor, ammonia with one or more NH 3 reforming catalysts capable of reforming NH 3 to generate a reformate stream, wherein the reformate stream comprises hydrogen and nitrogen, wherein the ammonia reforming reactor comprises:
(a) a housing comprising a plurality of inner flow paths and an outer flow path, wherein the plurality of inner flow paths is in fluid communication with the outer flow path; and
(b) a plurality of heaters, wherein each inner flow path is configured to be heated by at least one of the plurality of heaters,
wherein each inner flow path is in thermal communication with the at least one of the plurality of heaters along a length of the inner flow path, and
wherein the one or more NH 3 reforming catalysts are located in at least one of (i) the plurality of inner flow paths and (ii) the outer flow path.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more NH 3 reforming catalysts comprise a first NH 3 reforming catalyst and a second NH 3 reforming catalyst,
wherein:
(1) the ammonia is contacted with the first NH 3 reforming catalyst at a first temperature range to generate reformate; and
(2) the ammonia is contacted with the second NH 3 reforming catalyst at a second temperature range to generate additional reformate, wherein the second temperature range is greater than the first temperature range,
wherein an ammonia conversion efficiency of the first NH 3 reforming catalyst is higher at the first temperature range compared to an ammonia conversion efficiency of the second NH 3 reforming catalyst at the first temperature range.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first NH 3 reforming catalyst and the second NH 3 reforming catalyst are in thermal communication with different heaters of the plurality of heaters.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first NH 3 reforming catalyst and the second NH 3 reforming catalyst are in thermal communication with different heating regions of a same heater of the plurality of heaters.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first NH 3 reforming catalyst comprises ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), or palladium (Pd).
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second NH 3 reforming catalyst comprises nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), or copper (Cu).
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of heaters comprises at least one electrical heater.
24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of heaters comprises at least one combustion heater.
25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing comprises a circular cross-sectional shape or a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
26. The method of claim 17 , further comprising directing the NH 3 to the ammonia reforming reactor using a plurality of inlets, wherein one or more respective inlets of the plurality of inlets is in fluid communication with a corresponding respective inner flow path of the plurality of inner flow paths.
27. The method of claim 17 , further comprising directing the reformate stream out of the ammonia reforming reactor using at least one outlet, wherein the at least one outlet is in fluid communication with the outer flow path.
28. The method of claim 17 , further comprising using at least one of the plurality of heaters, controlling temperatures of different heating regions of the ammonia reforming reactor based on an ammonia conversion efficiency measured downstream of the ammonia reforming reactor.
29. The method of claim 17 , further comprising using at least one of the plurality of heaters, adjusting a location of a heating region in the ammonia reforming reactor based on an ammonia conversion efficiency measured downstream of the ammonia reforming reactor.
30. The method of claim 17 , further comprising using a baffle or fin to enhance heat transfer in or adjacent to at least one of the plurality of inner flow paths or the at least one outer flow path.