Efficient scalable and modular ammonia to hydrogen/electricity conversion system

Summary

Need

This project was selected as part of the competitive Hydrogen R&D Funding Round under the Transformative Research Accelerating Commercialisation (TRAC) Program to rapidly develop the critical technologies required to build a clean, innovative, safe, and competitive hydrogen industry and position Australia as a major player globally. While hydrogen technologies and targets have continued to evolve, R&D investment remains a critical imperative to commercialise clean hydrogen. Projects supported by the Hydrogen R&D Funding Round seek to progress the commercialisation of low cost, clean hydrogen in Australia

Action

The Recipient intends to develop an efficient catalytic reactor which can crack ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen, and then use it in a thermally integrated Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells to generate electricity from the hydrogen (the Project). Ammonia is a promising hydrogen vector due to its high hydrogen storage capacity and stable transport properties.

Outcome

The objectives for the Project will be achieved through the following Outcomes:

• accelerated commercialisation of renewable hydrogen through innovative R&D in hydrogen storage and distribution technologies;
• increased academic research capacity in the Australian hydrogen sector, and the facilitation of collaboration between research groups and industry;
• improvement in the technology readiness and commercial readiness of hydrogen storage and distribution technologies;
• development of small yet scalable prototype stack and full system demonstrating ammonia-to-electricity conversion in a stand-alone mode with performance-based techno-economic analysis for estimating capital cost; and
• pathway to commercialisation for novel ammonia cracking technologies combined with fuel cells.

Additional impact

The project aims to generate new employment opportunities and also offer valuable experience to existing staff in designing, developing, and testing commercial-scale fuel cell systems and ammonia reactors. Besides demonstration of prototypes, and commercial road mapping, the project team will undertake systematic investigations into new catalyst designs, reaction mechanisms for ammonia catalysis and fuel cells, with findings shared across academia and the R&D community. Collaborating with two industrial partners and two Australian universities, alongside an overseas university partner, this project aims to strengthen collaborations between academia and industry.