Ammonia cracking hollow fibre converter for on-board hydrogen production

This work studies the feasibility of a pioneer technology for on-board hydrogen production: the Ammonia Cracking Hollow Fibre Converter. The catalytic activity of a series of ruthenium-based catalysts supported on carbon xerogel, during the ammonia cracking reaction, was studied in a catalytic packed bed reactor. To improve their physical-chemical properties, carbon xerogels were activated in either carbon dioxide or ammonia atmosphere. The most active catalyst (i.e. Ru-NCX) was then deposited inside the micro structured hollow fibre support by a combination of sol-gel and incipient wetness impregnation methods. At 450 degrees C and 1 atm the hollow fibre reactor was 4.6 times more efficient than the packed bed reactor (i.e. r(NH3) = 6.5 x 10(4) mol(NH3)/m(3)center dot h center dot g(cat) and r(NH3) = 3.0 x 10(5) mol(NH3)/m(3)center dot h center dot g(cat), respectively), due to its narrower residence time distribution and reduced mass transfer limitations. Furthermore, the use of the hollow fibre converter entailed significantly lower pressure drop (i.e. >99% less), volume (i.e. 80% less) and catalyst loading (i.e. 80% less) compared to the packed bed reactor. Therefore, the potential of this new technology is enormous, as it will push the incorporation of green ammonia in the present-day fuel scenario. (c) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigates the feasibility of on-board hydrogen production using the Ammonia Cracking Hollow Fibre Converter technology. By studying the catalytic activity of ruthenium-based catalysts on carbon xerogel during the ammonia cracking reaction, it demonstrates the potential of the hollow fibre reactor to be more efficient and require less pressure drop, volume, and catalyst loading compared to a packed bed reactor.