ITM Power Plc (ITMPF)

[Gerry321]

Wind to Ammonia using ITM`s low cost technology

Back in 1970 when pem electrolysers were limited to the space program a patent was filed to make ammonia by electrolysing water using the tried and tested potassium hydroxide wet electrolyser
The patent contained a design which enabled the electrolytic hydrogen to be created at pressures of 30bar to 200bar
See
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3652431.html

One of the claims under this patent was that it enabled the hydrogen to be passed into a vessel which already contained nitrogen and a suitable catalyst This permitted ammonia to be formed which as a liquid under a modest pressure contains more hydrogen per litre than liquid hydrogen

This patent has presumably now lapsed after 38 yrs

Along come ITM in 2008 with their self pressurising electrolyser capable of operating at 75 bar the minimum pressure now needed to make ammonia using the latest catalysts ( it is still 200 bar with the traditional catalysts )
So what does all this mean ?
Well
In theory anyway it suggests that ITM have the capacity to make ammonia in remote locations using green energy Because it is made in a closed container it need never see the light of day if the container is simply used to get over the issue of hydrogen storage
ie
The hydrogen is made using an electrolyser inside a large storage tank with the ammonia collected and stored separately
When the hydrogen is needed it can be easily obtained by electrolysing the ammonia
which breaks down using only 5% of the Kws needed to break down water

And interestingly
In 2007 the Sales Director of Hydrogen Engine Center Joe E Lewis was challenged about how HEC could claim their ammonia engine was truly green when the ammonia was made from natural gas
His response was
“Of course, anhydrous ammonia has its negative aspects. It is currently made through the Haber-Bosch process, which uses natural gas and emits carbon into the atmosphere. That basically defeats the premise behind seeking an alternative fuel that doesn't increase greenhouse gases.

"When our big press release came out a week and a half ago, a lot of naysayers came out," said Lewis. "And for the most part they're right about anhydrous ammonia. The Haber-Bosch process, the primary method of making anhydrous ammonia, works by re-forming natural gas. Natural gas is made up primarily of hydrogen, and when you add nitrogen to it, you have anhydrous ammonia. But one of the negative aspects of the Haber-Bosch process is the fact that it creates a lot of CO2."

Lewis said that the solution to that problem is being developed right now. "Hydrogen Engine Center is working with a group that has a new method of producing anhydrous ammonia through a synthesis process, where they can take renewable power, like from a wind-generator, and use the electricity to run an electrolyzer to make hydrogen. Then take the nitrogen out of the air to mix with it, and you have anhydrous ammonia. That's right around the corner."
Well
An experienced Iowa watcher might be forgiven for thinking Lewis was referring to SSAS which is a method of making green ammonia from steam and air in a series of specially designed tubes

See 29 Sept article in
http://peakoil.blogspot.com/2008/09/ammonia-fuelthe-other-hydrogen-future.html
However the SSAS process does not use electrolyzers nor does it use the
intermediate step of electrolysis…….since electrolysers are so expensive


The Lewis comment was made over a year ago……
so where does this leave us ?
Well
Allowing for the sort of delays we have come to expect from ITM could we reasonably expect an ITM/HEC announcement before the year end regarding local production of green ammonia ?
There are lots of farms in HEC`s home state of Iowa which are not on the power grid and would be able to exploit stranded wind or solar energy to make ammonia......
If only they had a low cost process...........like what ITM are working on