Systems and methods for charging a dedicated power supply for an electric catalyst unit of an on-board ammonia cracking system

An electric cracking system for on-board hydrogen production, the electric cracking system comprising:

• an electric cracking unit having an inlet configured to receive ammonia, and an outlet coupled to an injection system for an internal combustion engine;
• a heating element disposed within the electric cracking unit;
• a power supply configured to provide approximately 250 amperes of electric current to only the heating element, the power supply not providing electric current to the internal combustion engine and comprising a plurality of batteries connected to collectively provide at least 24 volts and at least 200 amperes per battery, the power supply being electrically isolated from a primary vehicle battery;
• and
• a motor-generator coupled to the power supply, the motor-generator providing electric charge to the power supply during regenerative braking of the vehicle, the motor-generator being dedicated to charging only the power supply and not charging the primary vehicle battery,
• wherein the heating element energizes when electric current is drawn from the power supply and the ammonia undergoes an endothermic cracking process resulting in hydrogen that exits the outlet and flows to the injection system.

An electric cracking system for on-board hydrogen production, the electric cracking system comprising:

• an electric cracking unit having an inlet configured to receive ammonia, and an outlet coupled to an injection system for an internal combustion engine, the electric cracking unit comprising a ceramic tube housing a heating element constructed of a nickel alloy and positioned between first and second nickel-alloy screens;
• a heating element disposed within the electric cracking unit;
• a power supply configured to provide approximately 250 amperes of electric current to only the heating element, the power supply not providing electric current to the internal combustion engine and comprising a dedicated multi-battery high-voltage pack electrically isolated by an isolator switch or voltage-sensing relay from a primary vehicle battery;
• and
• an energy harvesting mechanism coupled to the power supply, the energy harvesting mechanism providing electric charge to the power supply, the energy harvesting mechanism comprising at least one of:
• a regenerative shock absorber, a thermoelectric generator, a photovoltaic panel, a wind-driven generator, or a regenerative braking motor-generator dedicated exclusively to charging the power supply,
• wherein the heating element energizes when electric current is drawn from the power supply and the ammonia undergoes an endothermic cracking process resulting in hydrogen that exits the outlet and flows to the injection system.