Systems and methods for engine-mounted catalytic production of hydrogen from ammonia for use as a combustion co-fuel along with ammonia

A vehicle system utilizing ammonia and hydrogen as co-fuels for an internal combustion engine, the vehicle system comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• an ammonia tank containing ammonia;
• and
• an on-board ammonia cracking system coupled to the internal combustion engine, wherein the on-board ammonia cracking system includes:
• a hydrogen fuel rail coupled to the internal combustion engine,
• an ammonia fuel rail coupled to the internal combustion engine and further coupled to the ammonia tank via a supply line,
• a heat exchange catalyst unit receiving exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine and receiving ammonia from the ammonia tank, the heat exchange catalyst unit configured to crack ammonia into hydrogen if the exhaust gas has a temperature sufficient to perform an ammonia cracking process, and
• an electric catalyst unit coupled in series to the heat exchange catalyst unit, the electric catalyst unit configured to crack ammonia into hydrogen if the exhaust gas does not have a temperature sufficient to perform the ammonia cracking process,
• wherein hydrogen resulting from the ammonia cracking process flows from either the heat exchange catalyst unit or the electric catalyst unit to the hydrogen fuel rail, and
• wherein ammonia flows from the ammonia tank to the ammonia fuel rail via the supply line.

A vehicle system utilizing ammonia and hydrogen as co-fuels for an internal combustion engine, the vehicle system comprising:

• an internal combustion engine having an injection system;
• an ammonia tank containing ammonia;
• and
• at least two on-board ammonia cracking systems coupled to the internal combustion engine, wherein each of the at least two on-board ammonia cracking systems includes:
• a hydrogen fuel rail coupled to the internal combustion engine,
• an ammonia fuel rail coupled to the internal combustion engine, the ammonia fuel rail receiving ammonia from the ammonia tank via a supply line,
• a heat exchange catalyst unit receiving exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine and receiving ammonia from the ammonia tank, the heat exchange catalyst unit configured to crack ammonia into hydrogen if the exhaust gas has a temperature sufficient to an perform ammonia cracking process, and
• an electric catalyst unit coupled in series to the heat exchange catalyst unit, the electric catalyst unit configured to crack ammonia into hydrogen if the exhaust gas does not have a temperature sufficient to perform the ammonia cracking process,
• wherein hydrogen resulting from the ammonia cracking process flows from either the heat exchange catalyst unit or the electric catalyst unit to the hydrogen fuel rail, and
• wherein the injection system utilizes the ammonia from the supply line and the hydrogen resulting from the ammonia cracking process to power the internal combustion engine.