Systems and methods for the on-board catalytic production of hydrogen from phase-controlled gaseous ammonia
AssigneeFirst Ammonia Motors, Inc.
InventorJames L. Wall, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates, in general, to systems and methods for generating hydrogen from ammonia on-board vehicles, where the produced hydrogen is used as fuel source for an internal combustion engine. The present invention utilizes an electric catalyst unit operating in series with a plate-type heat exchange catalyst unit. The electric catalyst unit is used to initiate an ammonia cracking process on-board during a cold start or low load operating condition of the internal combustion engine, where the ammonia cracking process occurs in the heat exchange catalyst unit once exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine has been heated to a threshold temperature suitable to perform the ammonia cracking process.
Claims20
An on-board ammonia cracking system for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
- an ammonia tank containing ammonia;
- a heat exchange catalyst unit coupled to the ammonia tank, the heat exchange catalyst unit having an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, an ammonia inlet, and a gas outlet, wherein the heat exchange catalyst unit receives exhaust from the internal combustion engine via the exhaust inlet, wherein the exhaust exits the heat exchange catalyst unit via the exhaust outlet;
- an electric catalyst unit coupled in series to the heat exchange catalyst unit via only the gas outlet;
- an expansion valve coupled to an inlet of the electric catalyst unit;
- an injection system coupled to the internal combustion engine;
- and
- a supply line coupled between the ammonia tank and the injection system, the supply line providing ammonia from the ammonia tank to the injection system,
- wherein if the exhaust gas has reached a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking, the ammonia undergoes a cracking process in the heat exchange catalyst unit,
- wherein if the exhaust gas has not reached a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking, the ammonia exits the heat exchange catalyst unit via the gas outlet and flows to the expansion valve which maintains the ammonia in a gaseous state as the ammonia enters the electric catalyst unit, and the ammonia subsequently undergoes the cracking process in the electric catalyst unit,
- wherein hydrogen resulting from the cracking process is supplied to the injection system for use as a co-fuel with ammonia from the supply line to power the internal combustion engine.
An on-board ammonia cracking system for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
- an ammonia tank containing ammonia;
- a heat exchange catalyst unit coupled to the ammonia tank, wherein the heat exchange catalyst unit receives exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine and receives the ammonia from the ammonia tank;
- an electric catalyst unit coupled in series via a single fluid path to the heat exchange catalyst unit, the electric catalyst unit including an electric heater;
- an expansion valve coupled to an inlet of the electric catalyst unit;
- an injection system coupled to the internal combustion engine;
- and
- a supply line coupled between the ammonia tank and the injection system, the supply line providing ammonia from the ammonia tank to the injection system,
- wherein if the exhaust gas has reached a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking, the ammonia undergoes a cracking process in the heat exchange catalyst unit,
- wherein if the exhaust gas has not reached a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking, the ammonia exits the heat exchange catalyst unit and flows to the expansion valve which maintains the ammonia in a gaseous state as the ammonia enters the electric catalyst unit, and the ammonia subsequently undergoes the cracking process in the electric catalyst unit,
- wherein hydrogen resulting from the cracking process flows to the injection system for use as a co-fuel with ammonia from the supply line to power the internal combustion engine.
An on-board ammonia cracking system for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
- an ammonia tank containing ammonia;
- a heat exchange catalyst unit coupled to the ammonia tank, wherein the heat exchange catalyst unit receives exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine and receives the ammonia from the ammonia tank;
- an electric catalyst unit coupled in series to the heat exchange catalyst unit via a single fluid path such that exhaust gas does not flow from the heat exchange catalyst unit to the electric catalyst unit;
- an expansion valve coupled to an inlet of the electric catalyst unit, the expansion valve configured to maintain the ammonia in a gaseous state as the ammonia enters the electric catalyst unit;
- an injection system coupled to the internal combustion engine;
- and
- a supply line coupled between the ammonia tank and the injection system, the supply line providing ammonia from the ammonia tank to the injection system,
- wherein the ammonia undergoes a cracking process in the heat exchange catalyst unit if the exhaust gas has reached a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking, and
- if the exhaust gas has not reached a temperature sufficient to perform ammonia cracking:
- (1) the ammonia is pre-heated in the heat exchange catalyst unit,
- (2) the pre-heated ammonia exits the heat exchange catalyst unit and flows to the electric catalyst unit, and
- (3) the pre-heated ammonia undergoes the cracking process in the electric catalyst unit,
- wherein hydrogen resulting from the cracking process is supplied to the injection system for use as a co-fuel with ammonia from the supply line to power the internal combustion engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.