# US 11,994,061 B2 · Methods for reforming ammonia > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,061 B2 - Document ID: US11994061B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/889,260 - Filed: 2022-08-16 - Published: 2022-12-22 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-14 - Assignees: AMOGY Inc. - Applicants: Amogy Inc. - Inventors: Young Suk Jo; Hyunho Kim; Gregory Robert Johnson; Matthew Jacob Montgomery - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994061B2 ## CPC - F02C 3/22: the fuel or oxidant being gaseous at standard temperature and pressure (F02C3/28 takes precedence) - F02C 3/30: Adding water, steam or other fluids {for influencing combustion, e.g. to obtain cleaner exhaust gases (F02C7/141, F02C7/30, F01D21/00, F01K21/04, F23D11/10 take precedence)} - B01J 8/001: {Controlling catalytic processes (B01J8/1809 takes precedence)} - B01J 8/0496: {Heating or cooling the reactor} - C01B 3/047: Decomposition of ammonia - F02C 7/14: of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} - F02C 7/22: Fuel supply systems - B01J 2208/00415: electric resistance heaters - B01J 2208/00504: by means of a burner - B01J 2208/0053: Controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling - B01J 2208/00539: Pressure - B01J 2208/00548: Flow - B64D 37/30: Fuel systems for specific fuels - C01B 2203/0277: containing a catalytic decomposition step - C01B 2203/066: with fuel cells - C01B 2203/0822: the fuel containing hydrogen - F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines - F05D 2260/213: by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit - Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of initiating an ammonia decomposition system, comprising: a. heating at least one electrical heater to heat one or more electrically-heated reactors of one or more reactors to a first target temperature range, wherein the one or more electrically-heated reactors comprise one or more catalysts, wherein the at least one electrical heater is in thermal communication with the one or more catalysts of the one or more electrically-heated reactors, b. providing ammonia (NH3) to the one or more electrically-heated reactors from one or more storage tanks, wherein the one or more storage tanks are in fluid communication with the one or more electrically-heated reactors; c. decomposing the NH3 at the first target temperature range using the one or more electrically-heated reactors to produce a fuel comprising hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2); d. heating at least one combustion heater by combusting at least part of the fuel produced in (c) to heat one or more combustion-heated reactors of the one or more reactors to a second target temperature range, wherein the one or more combustion-heated reactors comprise one or more catalysts, wherein the at least one combustion heater is in thermal communication with the one or more catalysts of the one or more combustion-heated reactors; e. providing additional NH3 to the one or more combustion-heated reactors; f. decomposing the additional NH3 using the one or more combustion-heated reactors to generate additional fuel comprising H2 and N2; and g. combusting less than about 30% of the H2 in the fuel and the additional fuel in the at least one combustion heater to maintain a temperature of the one or more combustion-heated reactors within the second target temperature range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using at least one of one or more valves, one or more pumps, or one or more air supply units configured to modulate at least one of one or more NH3 flow rates, one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, or one or more air flow rates; and using one or more temperature sensors to measure one or more temperatures of at least one of the at least one combustion heater, the at least one electrical heater, the one or more combustion-heated reactors, or the one or more electrically-heated reactors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising using one or more pressure sensors to measure one or more pressures of at least one of: the at least one combustion heater, the one or more combustion-heated reactors, the one or more electrically-heated reactors, one or more incoming flows of the NH3 from the one or more storage tanks, or the one or more H2/N2 mixture flows from one or more adsorbents configured to filter or remove at least a portion of the NH3 that is not decomposed in the one or more reactors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: (i) using a controller and at least one of the one or more pressure sensors, the one or more valves, the one or more pumps, or the one or more air supply units to monitor at least one of: the one or more NH3 flow rates, the one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, or the one or more air flow rates; (ii) using the controller and the one or more pressure sensors to monitor the one or more pressures; (iii) using the controller and the one or more temperature sensors to monitor the one or more temperatures; and (iv) using the controller to modulate at least one of the one or more NH3 flow rates, the one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, the one or more air flow rates, the one or more pressures, or the one or more temperatures based at least in part on information derived from the monitoring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising using a fault detection system to detect a fault in the ammonia decomposition system and using the controller to modulate at least one of the one or more NH3 flow rates, the one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, the one or more air flow rates, the one or more pressures, or the one or more temperatures based at least in part on detecting the fault. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the fault comprises an NH3 concentration being greater than a predetermined threshold concentration, wherein the NH3 concentration is measured in at least one of (i) the one or more adsorbents or (ii) one or more fuel cells configured to generate electricity by consuming at least part of the H2 in the fuel and in the additional fuel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising using the controller to reduce or shut down electricity generation from one or more fuel cells based at least in part on detecting the fault, wherein the one or more fuel cells are configured to generate electricity by consuming at least part of the H2 in the fuel and in the additional fuel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising, using the controller to modulate the one or more air flow rates to the at least one combustion heater to maintain the second target temperature range in the one or more combustion-heated reactors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising, using the controller to increase the one or more NH3 flow rates to the one or more combustion-heated reactors, and using the controller to increase the one or more air flow rates based at least in part on increasing the one or more NH3 flow rates. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising, using the controller to increase the one or more NH3 flow rates based at least in part on the one or more temperatures of the one or more reactors being greater than a predetermined threshold temperature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising, using the controller to decrease the one or more air flow rates based at least in part on the one or more temperatures of the one or more reactors being greater than a predetermined threshold temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising, using the controller to reduce power of the at least one electrical heater based at least in part on the one or more temperatures of the one or more combustion-heated reactors being at or greater than the second target temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the ammonia decomposition system further comprises one or more fuel cells, and wherein the method further comprises providing the H2 in the fuel and in the additional fuel to the one or more fuel cells, and generating electricity by consuming a first fraction of the provided H2 using the one or more fuel cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises directing an unconsumed second fraction of the H2 provided to the one or more fuel cells to the at least one combustion heater as a combustion fuel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising reducing an H2 consumption rate of the one or more fuel cells based at least in part on the temperature of the one or more reactors being less than a threshold temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising reducing the electricity generation from the one or more fuel cells and directing at least part of the H2 in the fuel and in the additional fuel to the at least one combustion heater as combustion fuel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising increasing the electricity generation from the one or more fuel cells by redirecting the at least part of the H2 to the one or more fuel cells. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical heater and the at least one combustion heater are within a same housing. ### Claim 19 A method of initiating an ammonia decomposition system, comprising: a. heating at least one electrical heater to heat one or more electrically-heated reactors of one or more reactors to a first target temperature range, wherein the one or more electrically-heated reactors comprise one or more catalysts, wherein the at least one electrical heater is in thermal communication with the one or more catalysts of the one or more electrically-heated reactors, b. providing ammonia (NH3) to the one or more electrically-heated reactors from one or more storage tanks, wherein the one or more storage tanks are in fluid communication with the one or more electrically-heated reactors; c. decomposing the NH3 at the first target temperature range using the one or more electrically-heated reactors to produce a fuel comprising hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2); d. heating at least one combustion heater by combusting at least part of the fuel produced in (c) to heat one or more combustion-heated reactors of the one or more reactors to a second target temperature range, wherein the one or more combustion-heated reactors comprise one or more catalysts, wherein the at least one combustion heater is in thermal communication with the one or more catalysts of the one or more combustion-heated reactors; e. providing additional NH3 to the one or more combustion-heated reactors; f. decomposing the additional NH3 using the one or more combustion-heated reactors to generate additional fuel comprising H2 and N2; g. using a fuel cell to consume a first fraction of the H2 in the fuel and the additional fuel to generate electricity; and h. in response to detecting a fault, reducing or shutting down electricity generation from the fuel cell, wherein the fault comprises an NH3 concentration being greater than a predetermined threshold concentration, wherein the NH3 concentration is measured in at least one of (i) one or more adsorbents configured to remove a portion of ammonia that is not decomposed in the one or more reactors, or (ii) the fuel cell. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising using at least one of one or more valves, one or more pumps, or one or more air supply units configured to modulate at least one of one or more NH3 flow rates, one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, or one or more air flow rates; and using one or more temperature sensors to measure one or more temperatures of at least one of the at least one combustion heater, the at least one electrical heater, the one or more combustion-heated reactors, or the one or more electrically-heated reactors. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising using one or more pressure sensors to measure one or more pressures of at least one of: the at least one combustion heater, the one or more combustion-heated reactors, the one or more electrically-heated reactors, one or more incoming flows of the NH3 from the one or more storage tanks, or the one or more H2/N2 mixture flows from the one or more adsorbents configured to filter or remove at least a portion of the NH3 that is not decomposed in the one or more reactors. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: (i) using a controller and at least one of the one or more pressure sensors, the one or more valves, the one or more pumps, or the one or more air supply units to monitor at least one of: the one or more NH3 flow rates, the one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, or the one or more air flow rates; (ii) using the controller and the one or more pressure sensors to monitor the one or more pressures; (iii) using the controller and the one or more temperature sensors to monitor the one or more temperatures; and (iv) using the controller to modulate at least one of the one or more NH3 flow rates, the one or more H2/N2 mixture flow rates, the one or more air flow rates, the one or more pressures, or the one or more temperatures based at least in part on information derived from the monitoring. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising, using the controller to modulate the one or more air flow rates to the at least one combustion heater to maintain the second target temperature range in the one or more combustion-heated reactors. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising, using the controller to increase the one or more NH3 flow rates based at least in part on the one or more temperatures of the one or more reactors being greater than a predetermined threshold temperature. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising, using the controller to decrease the one or more air flow rates based at least in part on the one or more temperatures of the one or more reactors being greater than a predetermined threshold temperature. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises directing an unconsumed second fraction of the H2 provided to the fuel cell to the at least one combustion heater as a combustion fuel. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising reducing an H2 consumption rate of the fuel cell based at least in part on the temperature of the one or more reactors being less than a threshold temperature. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising reducing the electricity generation from the fuel cell and directing at least part of the H2 in the fuel and in the additional fuel to the at least one combustion heater as combustion fuel. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising increasing the electricity generation from the fuel cell by redirecting the at least part of the H2 to the fuel cell. ### Claim 30 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one electrical heater and the at least one combustion heater are within a same housing.