Membrane-based autothermal ammonia reactor

An ammonia reactor, comprising:

• a chamber comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the chamber arranged to receive, through the fluid inlet, ammonia and a reaction fluid, the chamber comprising a combustion zone fluidly coupled with the inlet, a decomposition zone in thermal communication with the combustion zone, and a hydrogen zone downstream of the decomposition zone, the hydrogen zone fluidly coupled with the fluid outlet;
• and
• a hydrogen-separation membrane disposed within the chamber and separating the decomposition zone from the hydrogen zone;
• wherein the chamber is arranged to direct the reaction fluid and ammonia from the fluid inlet to the combustion zone to allow the reaction fluid and ammonia to exothermically react to generate thermal energy, the chamber arranged to direct ammonia to the decomposition zone to decompose into hydrogen and nitrogen under the thermal energy from the combustion zone, and the chamber is arranged to direct the hydrogen from the decomposition zone, through a surface of the hydrogen-separation membrane, to the hydrogen zone to allow the hydrogen to exit the chamber through the fluid outlet.

A method, comprising:

• directing ammonia and a reaction fluid into a combustion zone of a chamber of an ammonia reactor, allowing the ammonia and reaction fluid to exothermically react to generate thermal energy in the combustion zone;
• directing ammonia into a decomposition zone of the chamber, the decomposition zone in thermal communication with the combustion zone so that the ammonia in the decomposition zone decomposes, under the thermal energy from the combustion zone, into hydrogen and nitrogen;
• and
• directing the hydrogen from the decomposition zone, through a surface of a hydrogen-separation membrane disposed within the chamber, to a hydrogen zone to allow the hydrogen to exit the chamber.