# US 12,109,546 B1 · System and method for heating gas in a continuous focused path within an electric heating unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,546 B1 - Document ID: US12109546B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/615,012 - Filed: 2024-03-25 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-12-14 - Applicants: First Ammonia Motors, Inc. - Inventors: James L. Wall, II; David Gwynn Kapp, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109546B1 ## CPC - B01J 19/0013: {Controlling the temperature of the process} - B01J 19/02: Apparatus characterised by being constructed of material selected for its chemically-resistant properties - B01J 8/067: {Heating or cooling the reactor (B01J8/062 takes precedence)} - B01J 15/005: {in the presence of catalytically active bodies, e.g. porous plates} - B01J 19/242: {in series} - C01B 3/047: Decomposition of ammonia - F02M 21/0206: {Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide} - F02M 21/0227: {Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching} - H05B 3/12: characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material - H05B 3/16: the conductor being mounted on an insulating base - B01J 2208/00398: inside the reactor bed - B01J 2219/00135: Electric resistance heaters - B01J 2219/00155: using insulating materials or refractories - C01B 2203/0277: containing a catalytic decomposition step - 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} - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract The present invention relates, in general, to a system and method for focusing gas distribution through a series of three-dimensionally (3D) printed lattice heating elements within an electric catalyst unit in order to promote ammonia dissociation. The present invention allows gaseous ammonia to be continuously heated as it flows in series through ceramic tubes containing 3D printed lattice heating elements. The lattice structure of the heating elements provides a balance between surface area and heat dissipation, allowing the heating elements to reach a suitable temperature to perform ammonia dissociation, but which are not oversaturated with heat which could result in failure or melting of the heating elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric heating unit for ammonia dissociation, comprising: a housing having a power feed-through, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet; a ceramic tube disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled to the gas inlet; and a heating element having a lattice structure comprising a series of lattice cells disposed within the ceramic tube, the heating element directly coupled to the power feed-through, wherein gaseous ammonia enters the electric heating unit via the gas inlet and undergoes a dissociation reaction as the gaseous ammonia travels through the ceramic tube, and wherein each lattice cell is formed with two identical shapes arranged in a perpendicular fashion with one another. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, wherein the lattice structure is a three-dimensionally (3D) printed structure consisting of the series of lattice cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, wherein the ceramic tube is made from a material selected from silicon nitride ceramic, glass, or fused quartz. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, wherein the heating element is made from a nickel alloy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, wherein the heating element is made from a nickel-chromium-based superalloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, where the lattice structure is coated with a catalyst. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, where the ceramic tube is filled with a discrete catalyst media. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electric heating unit of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the ceramic tube focuses heat towards the lattice structure. ### Claim 9 An electric heating unit for ammonia dissociation, comprising: a housing having a power feed-through, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet; a ceramic tube disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled to the gas inlet; and a heating element having a three-dimensionally (3D) printed lattice structure comprising a series of lattice cells disposed within the housing, the heating element directly coupled to the power feed-through, wherein gaseous ammonia enters the electric heating unit via the gas inlet and undergoes a dissociation reaction as the gaseous ammonia travels through the ceramic tube, and wherein each lattice cell consists of six vertices, each vertex having an angle of at least 45 degrees. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein the lattice structure is coated with a catalyst. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein the ceramic tube is made from a material selected from silicon nitride ceramic, glass, or fused quartz. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein the heating element is made from a nickel alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein the heating element is made from a nickel-chromium-based superalloy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein each lattice cell is formed with two squares arranged in a perpendicular fashion with one another. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein each lattice cell consists of six vertices, each vertex having an angle of 90 degrees. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The electric heating unit of claim 9, wherein an inner surface of the ceramic tube focuses heat towards the lattice structure. ### Claim 17 An electric heating unit for ammonia dissociation, comprising: a housing having a power feed-through, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet; a ceramic tube disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled to the gas inlet; and a heating element having a three-dimensionally (3D) printed lattice structure comprising a series of lattice cells disposed within the housing, the heating element directly coupled to the power feed-through, wherein gaseous ammonia enters the electric heating unit via the gas inlet and undergoes a dissociation reaction as the gaseous ammonia travels through the ceramic tube, wherein an inner surface of the ceramic tube focuses heat towards the lattice structure, and wherein each lattice cell is formed with two squares arranged in a perpendicular fashion with one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electric heating unit of claim 17, wherein the surfaces of the 3D printed lattice structure are coated with the catalyst using a washcoating or deposition technique. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The electric heating unit of claim 17, wherein each lattice cell consists of six vertices, each vertex having an angle of at least 45 degrees. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The electric heating unit of claim 17, wherein the heating element is made from a nickel alloy.