# US 2024/0200210 A1 · Electrochemical hydrogen production via ammonia cracking

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- Number: US 2024/0200210 A1
- Document ID: US20240200210A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/493,109
- Filed: 2023-10-24
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-16
- Assignees: Utility Global, Inc.
- Applicants: Utility Global, Inc.
- Inventors: Matthew Dawson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200210A1

## CPC

- C25B 9/19: with diaphragms
- C25B 1/00: Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
- C25B 1/02: Hydrogen or oxygen
- C25B 9/23: comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
- C25B 11/077: the compound being a non-noble metal oxide
- C25B 13/07: based on ceramics
- C25B 15/021: of heating or cooling
- C25B 15/083: {Separating products}
- C25B 9/015: Cylindrical cells
- C25B 11/031: Porous electrodes
- H01M 8/222: {Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on compounds containing nitrogen, e.g. hydrazine, ammonia}
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode, wherein the membrane conducts both electrons and protons, wherein the anode and cathode are porous; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises ammonia or a cracked ammonia product; and (c) extracting a second stream from the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises hydrogen, wherein the first stream and the second stream are separated by the membrane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing hydrogen comprising:
(a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode, wherein the membrane conducts both electrons and protons, wherein the anode and cathode are porous;
(b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises ammonia or a cracked ammonia product; and
(c) extracting a second stream from the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises hydrogen, wherein the first stream and the second stream are separated by the membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein ammonia cracking takes place in situ at the anode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 comprising applying vacuum to the cathode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane, the anode and the cathode have the same elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane, the anode, and the cathode comprise a proton-conducting phase and an electron-conducting phase.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the proton-conducting phase comprises BaHfxCe0.8-xY0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BHCYYb), BaZrxCe0.8-xY0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BZCYYb), Yttrium-doped barium zirconate, Yttrium-Doped Barium Zirconate-Cerate, Barium zirconate-cerate, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the electron-conducting phase comprises doped lanthanum chromite, lanthanum-doped strontium titanate (LST), an electronically conductive metal, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein hydrogen partial pressure at the anode is higher than that at the cathode.

### Claim 9

A hydrogen production system comprising
an ammonia source or a cracked ammonia product source, and
an electrochemical (EC) reactor comprising an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode, wherein the membrane conducts both electrons and protons, wherein the anode and cathode are porous,
wherein the EC reactor is configured to receive a first stream from the ammonia or cracked ammonia product source on the anode side,
wherein the EC reactor is configured to output a second stream on the cathode side, wherein the second stream comprises hydrogen.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the reactor comprises no interconnect and no current collector.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the anode, the cathode, and the membrane have the same elements.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the anode, the cathode, and the membrane comprise a proton-conducting phase and an electron-conducting phase.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the proton-conducting phase comprises BaHfxCe0.8-xY0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BHCYYb), BaZrxCe0.8-xY0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BZCYYb), Yttrium-doped barium zirconate, Yttrium-Doped Barium Zirconate-Cerate, Barium zirconate-cerate, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the electron-conducting phase comprises doped lanthanum chromite, lanthanum-doped strontium titanate (LST), an electronically conductive metal, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the LST comprises LaSrCaTiO3.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the conductive metal comprises Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, Pt, Rh, Co, Ru, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the doped lanthanum chromite comprises strontium doped lanthanum chromite, iron doped lanthanum chromite, strontium and iron doped lanthanum chromite, lanthanum calcium chromite, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the cathode is configured to receive a vacuum.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the first stream and the second stream are separated by the membrane.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the reactor is configured to operate at a temperature of 500° C. or higher.

### Claim 21 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein hydrogen partial pressure at the anode is higher than that at the cathode.