NOVEL ROUTES AND CATALYSTS FOR SYNTHESIS OF AMMONIA AS ALTERNATIVE RENEWABLE FUEL

Project Information

ORACLE

Grant agreement ID: 101022738

DOI

10.3030/101022738

Project closed

EC signature date 9 April 2021

Start date 1 May 2021

End date 31 October 2024

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 2 846 078,75

EU contribution

€ 2 846 078,75

Coordinated by

AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ORACLE (NOVEL ROUTES AND CATALYSTS FOR SYNTHESIS OF AMMONIA AS ALTERNATIVE RENEWABLE FUEL)

Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2024-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ORACLE project aims at developing and testing at TRL 3 technologies of ammonia production that are suitable for decentralised production. Ammonia production is highly centralised and there is a spatial mismatch between renewable energy production technology and ammonia production, a challenge ORACLE addresses. Ammonia has been identified by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Programme as a potential hydrogen carrier for hydrogen delivery to be used in the transition towards the hydrogen economy.   Its is used in “green” fertiliser production, which is on the rise. Ammonia is of great social importance, as it supports food production. Ammonia production today is heavily dependent on natural gas, and the prices have recently skyrocketed in Europe due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Our main goals are to develop thermocatalytic, electrocatalytic and plasma-assisted electrocatalytic processes. We work on developing new materials and processes, as well as to ensure optimal conditions for the synthesis to occur.  

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In WP2, key achievements are:
- developed and validated multiscale model for a thermocatalytic reactor
- identification of Mn as a promising electrocatalyst (atomistic scale), recalculations on Ga and Indium, insights in Li ion will help favouring nitrogen reduction (C2CAT input)
- successful reduction of computationally extensive CFD model to a 1D plug flow reactor

In WP3,the optimised configurations were validated at TRL3 demonstrating an increase in efficiency than non-optimised benchmark thermo-catalytic packed beds. The NiCo-Ru catalyst showed increasing ammonia synthesis rates with increasing temperatures (400–600 °C) and pressures (up to 6.5 MPa), with an optimum H2/N2 ratio of 2:1.Long-term stability tests demonstrated that both the NiCo-Ru and NiCo-Ru-Ba catalysts maintained consistent ammonia production of up to 1500 mmol NH3 gRu-1h-1.

In WP4, best results were achieved with lithium-mediated approach, FE of 60%, EE of 13.6% and productivity of 150 nmol cm-2 s-1.We have developed novel OER catalysts, for water and WiSe, and we also filled a patent on a new method fro impedance analysis.

In WP5, Plasma-enabled synthesis of NO from feedstock N2 and H2O. In brief the NO production rate obtained in ORACLE is approximately 11 times higher than the performance that we had reported before the beginning of the project. Similarly the energy consumption decreased by a factor of 36, considering the measured coupling efficiency (i.e. the fraction of the injected RF power, which was 30 ± 3%), while reported selectivity was in the same range as in the beginning of the project.
In WP5, Plasma modelling. In brief, we laid the foundation for the development of more efficient plasma-based nitrogen fixation technologies. By integrating both surface and volume chemistry, the research addresses critical gaps in existing models and paves the way for future studies aimed at optimizing catalysts and improving energy efficiency.
In WP5, Plasma-enabled synthesis of NH3 from feedstock N2 and H2O. The NH3 production rates at the end of the ORACLE project are 9 times higher than the performance observed at the beginning of the project. Similarly, energy consumption decreased by a factor of 30, considering the measured coupling efficiency (i.e. the fraction of the injected RF power, which was 30 ± 3%), while selectivity range remained consistent.
In WP5, Feedstock NOx and H2 for NH3 synthesis in aqueous media at low temperatures. AU team got a proof of concept of an Electrochemical Enhanced Catalysis of NO to NH3, which enabled energy-efficient transformation of NO to ammonia, at near-stoichiometric conditions and ambient conditions. We report a maximum productivity, of about 30 nmol cm-2 s-1, at cell voltage of 10 mV, and the energy consumption of NO reduction of 6.597 kWh/kg NO.
In WP6, TEA and LCA were made to benchmark technologies.

In WP7, Communication and Dissemination as well as Final Exploitation plan are made.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

We have advanced the state of the art by filling out two patent applications, and publishing 10 peer-reviewed publications. Although also some other parts of progress presented in this report goes beyond state of the art, they have not been published/exploited yet.

Expected Impact
‘the exchange of knowledge through the targeted research activities with Japan will progress the technology state-of-the-art ’
This exchange og knowledge happened in WP4 and WP5, in great extent. Japanese partners visit AU numerous times during the project duration, while the most intensive collaboration happened in October 2024, where Jun Maruyama spent 1 month in the AU lab. ORACLE went beyond the state-of-the-art by state of the art in two work packages, in a collaboration with Japanese partners. Clustering workshops were organised, and ORACLE participated in Tokio and Brussels, as also reported in D7.6.

‘it will strengthen the European and Japanese technology base’
ORACLE collaboration including EU and Japanese partners on ammonia is for green ammonia demonstrations in the power generation sector, industrial sector and the transportation sector (for examples: green ammonia synthesis, ammonia SOFC, ammonia furnace, on-site ammonia cracking / purification for PEM FC).
‘it is expected that the development of renewable fuels that outperform the best fossil fuel alternatives is accelerated’
As industrial ammonia production is currently responsible for about 3% of global energy consumption, ORACLE used techno-economic evaluations, based on validated TRL4 process performance, to verify the energy consumption. Thermochemical approach, as a low-pressure Haber-Bosch process showed the potential to outperform the fossil-fuel alternatives.

ORACLE’s impact on European growth and competitiveness: carbon-free fuel and additional market opportunities for ammonia as renewable fuel
ORACLE did not create a company or new jobs, however ORACLE reached TRL3 and advanced the state of the art of the 3 technologies. ORACLE made effort to promote carbon-free economy as well as additional market opportunities for ammonia as renewable fuel. We attended more than 20 international conferences, 3 fairs, published 1 article in the magazine, attended 2 clustering activities EU/Japan where we promoted use of ammonia as a renewable fuel and market opportunities for ammonia. More is reported in D7.6.
ORACLE’s main contribution to job creation, competitiveness and employment is:
i) new knowledge gathered, here WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6 and WP7 . This knowledge does not make an impact today, as companies are not started based on that. however, the new principles observed, improved performance and solid Techno-Economical analysis as well as Exploitation plan provide good basis for further technological improvements and job creation in EU in the renewable energy sector.
ii) Education of young researchers, who will take lead in the renewable energy market. ORACLE has impacted career of a great number of young researchers, who are now trained in this specific technological area, and they can help in technological advancements in the future career steps as well as job creation within renewable energy sector.

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