Systems and methods for the on-board production of hydrogen from ammonia for fueling an internal combustion engine that requires no fossil fuel promotor

An on-board ammonia cracking system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the on-board ammonia cracking system comprising:

• an ammonia tank containing liquid ammonia;
• a pressure regulator receiving liquid ammonia from the ammonia tank, the pressure regulator outputting gaseous ammonia and residual liquid ammonia;
• a heat exchange catalyst unit coupled to the ammonia tank, the heat exchange catalyst unit receiving exhaust from the internal combustion engine and receiving gaseous ammonia from the pressure regulator via a first supply path;
• an electric catalyst unit coupled in series via a single fluid path with the heat exchange catalyst unit, the electric catalyst unit including an electric heater;
• an injection system coupled to the internal combustion engine, the injection system receiving residual liquid ammonia from the pressure regulator via a second supply path;
• and
• a heat exchange unit positioned between the electric catalyst unit and the injection system, the heat exchange unit utilizing gaseous ammonia as a heat exchange medium,
• wherein the ammonia undergoes a cracking process in the heat exchange catalyst unit if the exhaust has a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking,
• wherein the ammonia exits the heat exchange catalyst unit and flows to the electric catalyst unit and undergoes the cracking process in the electric catalyst unit if the exhaust does not have a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking,
• wherein hydrogen resulting from ammonia cracking flows from the electric catalyst unit to the heat exchange unit,
• wherein heat is transferred from the hydrogen to the gaseous ammonia within the heat exchange unit, resulting in cooled hydrogen, and
• wherein the injection system utilizes the cooled hydrogen as a co-fuel along with the residual liquid ammonia to power the internal combustion engine.

An on-board ammonia cracking system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the on-board ammonia cracking system comprising:

• an ammonia tank containing liquid ammonia;
• a pressure regulator receiving liquid ammonia from the ammonia tank, the pressure regulator outputting gaseous ammonia and residual liquid ammonia;
• a heat exchange catalyst unit coupled to the ammonia tank, the heat exchange catalyst unit receiving exhaust from the internal combustion engine and receiving gaseous ammonia from the pressure regulator via a first supply path;
• an electric catalyst unit coupled in series with the heat exchange catalyst unit via a single fluid path such that the exhaust gas does not flow from the heat exchange catalyst unit to the electric catalyst unit;
• an injection system coupled to the internal combustion engine, the injection system receiving residual liquid ammonia from the pressure regulator via a second supply path;
• and
• a heat exchange unit positioned between the electric catalyst unit and the injection system, the heat exchange unit utilizing gaseous ammonia as a heat exchange medium,
• wherein the ammonia undergoes a cracking process in the heat exchange catalyst unit if the exhaust has a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking, and
• if the exhaust does not have a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking:
• (1) the gaseous ammonia is pre-heated in the heat exchange catalyst unit,
• (2) the pre-heated gaseous ammonia exits the heat exchange catalyst unit and flows to the electric catalyst unit, and
• (3) the pre-heated gaseous ammonia undergoes the cracking process in the electric catalyst unit,
• wherein hydrogen resulting from ammonia cracking flows from the electric catalyst unit to the heat exchange unit,
• wherein heat is transferred from the hydrogen to the gaseous ammonia within the heat exchange unit, resulting in cooled hydrogen, and
• wherein the injection system utilizes the cooled hydrogen and residual liquid ammonia as co-fuels to power the internal combustion engine.