# US 12,006,865 B2 · Cracking and separation of ammonia fuel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,865 B2 - Document ID: US12006865B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/953,566 - Filed: 2020-11-20 - Published: 2022-05-26 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-20 - Assignees: Rtx Corporation - Applicants: Raytheon Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Peter Cocks; Lance L. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006865B2 ## CPC - F02C 3/22: the fuel or oxidant being gaseous at standard temperature and pressure (F02C3/28 takes precedence) - C01B 3/047: Decomposition of ammonia - F23R 3/36: Supply of different fuels - B01D 2256/16: Hydrogen - C01B 2203/0266: containing a decomposition step - C01B 2203/0277: containing a catalytic decomposition step - C01B 2203/041: In-situ membrane purification during hydrogen production - F02C 3/20: using a special fuel, oxidant, or dilution fluid to generate the combustion products - F02C 7/22: Fuel supply systems - F02C 7/224: Heating fuel before feeding to the burner - F02C 9/40: specially adapted to the use of a special fuel or a plurality of fuels - F23R 3/40: characterised by the use of catalytic means - F23R 2900/00002: Gas turbine combustors adapted for fuels having low heating value [LHV] - Y02T 50/678: Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin - 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) - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A gas turbine engine includes a cracking device that is configured to decompose an ammonia flow into a flow that contains more hydrogen (H2) than ammonia (NH3), a first separation device that separates hydrogen downstream of the cracking device, wherein residual ammonia and nitrogen are exhausted as a residual flow. The separated flow contains more hydrogen than ammonia, and nitrogen is exhausted separately as a hydrogen flow. A combustor is configured to receive and combust the hydrogen flow from the separation device to generate a gas flow. A compressor section is configured to supply compressed air to the combustor. A turbine section is in flow communication with the gas flow produced by the combustor and is mechanically coupled to drive the compressor section. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas turbine engine comprising: a cracking device configured to decompose an ammonia flow into a flow containing more hydrogen (H2) than ammonia (NH3); a first separation device where the flow containing more hydrogen than ammonia is received from the cracking device, the first separation device is configured for separating hydrogen from residual ammonia and nitrogen, wherein residual ammonia and nitrogen are exhausted as a residual flow, and a flow that contains more hydrogen than ammonia and nitrogen is exhausted separately as a hydrogen flow; a combustor configured to receive and combust the hydrogen flow from the first separation device to generate a gas flow; a second separation device downstream of the first separation device, the second separation device configured to receive the residual flow, separate ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen, communicate the separated ammonia to a fuel storage tank and communicate the hydrogen and nitrogen to the combustor; a compressor section configured to supply compressed air to the combustor; and a turbine section in flow communication with the gas flow produced by the combustor and mechanically coupled to drive the compressor section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the first separation device comprises a selectively permeable membrane that provides separation of hydrogen from ammonia and nitrogen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the cracking device and the first separation device are combined in one device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen compressor configured to receive the hydrogen flow from the first separation device, wherein the hydrogen compressor is configured to increase a pressure of the hydrogen flow and communicate the pressurized hydrogen flow to the combustor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a turboexpander configured to receive the residual flow from the first separation device, wherein the residual flow is expanded through the turboexpander to drive a mechanical output. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to increase a pressure of the ammonia flow to a pressure above 5 atm (74 psi) at the cracking device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a thermal transfer device configured to heat the ammonia fuel flow for decomposition of the ammonia flow in the cracking device. ### Claim 8 A gas turbine engine comprising: a cracking device configured to decompose an ammonia flow into a flow containing more hydrogen (H2) than ammonia (NH3); a first separation device where the flow containing more hydrogen than ammonia is received from the cracking device, the first separation device is configured for separating hydrogen from residual ammonia and nitrogen, wherein residual ammonia and nitrogen are exhausted as a residual flow, and a flow that contains more hydrogen than ammonia and nitrogen is exhausted separately as a hydrogen flow; a turboexpander configured to receive the residual flow from the first separation device, wherein the residual flow is expanded through the turboexpander to drive a mechanical output; a combustor configured to receive and combust the hydrogen flow from first separation device to generate a gas flow; a second separation device configured to receive the residual flow exhausted from the turbo-expander, the second separation device configured to separate ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen and communicate the separated ammonia to a fuel storage tank; a compressor section configured to supply compressed air to the combustor; and a turbine section in flow communication with the gas flow produced by the combustor and mechanically coupled to drive the compressor section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 8, wherein second separation device is configured to communicate hydrogen and nitrogen separated from ammonia to the combustor.