Membrane technology to fuel cars with hydrogen beyond expectations

RE: Membrane technology to fuel cars with hydrogen beyond expectations

mp2100 — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 04:51:16 GMT

This is very interesting, but there are so many engineering concepts covered very quickly. I realize you can't explain everything in a short posting. You mention that the membrane separates ammonia and hydrogen. There's a lot going on there, several steps involved, all happening simultaneously. The information that the membrane is metal in it is important. The metal can dis-associate ammonia (NH3) into hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2).

2-NH3 ------------------> 1-N2 + 3-H2.

catalyst

Then the membrane can let the small molecule (hydrogen) through, separating the components. Sounds like an interesting membrane.

Ammonia is a good source for H2, giving us those 3 molecules hydrogen from only 2 molecules ammonia, very useful. No pollution, yes. Nitrogen is 79% of the Earth's air so there's no pollution there. And in the car's fuel cell, it combines H2 and oxygen O2 into water, no pollution there. Hydrogen cars that use a tank of H2 instead of NH3 as the fuel are the competition, along with electric cars. Each choice has advantages and disadvantages. H2 is, as mentioned, highly flammable. For a hydrogen tank in the car, there's the choice of liquid H2 or compressed H2. I assume the ammonia tank is liquid ammonia, at normal temperatures. Ammonia has disadvantages too. A leak can be a problem for humans. What is the expected source for the ammonia? Often it comes from the similar source as hydrogen, a reformer process. So there are many advantages and disadvantages for any fuel choice you make.

RE: Membrane technology to fuel cars with hydrogen beyond expectations

DAB — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 20:35:00 GMT

Hydrogen, like any fuel is perfectly safe until it is mixed with oxygen or some other catalyst.

If this technology works, then it just depends upon the rate at which the hydrogen can be harvested and over what time frame before it would be a viable fuel.

As Donald Lane pointed out, concentrated ammonia is nasty stuff. That alone makes it much less attractive than gasoline or diesel.

It would make more sense to combine the hydrogen from the ammonia process with methane to produce a good stable hydrocarbon fuel, but it still depends upon the cost effectiveness.

You just cannot beat oil as a source of fuel.

DAB

RE: Membrane technology to fuel cars with hydrogen beyond expectations

three-phase — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 20:21:20 GMT

An ammonia powered car was built many years ago, but was never really progressed. In high levels of concentrations, presumably required for this application, ammonia isn't that good a product to have around.

Youtube - ammonia powered car

Kind regards