Synthesis of ammonia

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399860-B2
Application number	US-201615776721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2016
Priority date	Nov 16, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

An ammonia synthesis apparatus has a piston arranged to reciprocate within a cylinder, a piston rod arranged to drive the piston in a reciprocal motion within the cylinder, an inlet valve linking a supply of nitrogen and hydrogen to the interior of the cylinder; an outlet valve allowing exhaust of ammonia from the cylinder, and a drive mechanism providing drive to the piston rod.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Ammonia synthesis apparatus comprising a piston arranged to reciprocate within a cylinder, a piston rod arranged to drive the piston in a reciprocal motion within the cylinder; an inlet valve linking a supply of nitrogen and hydrogen to the interior of the cylinder; an outlet valve allowing exhaust of ammonia from the cylinder, and a drive mechanism providing drive to the piston rod, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a linear electric motor under control of a controller.

2. Ammonia synthesis apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a porous catalyst within the cylinder.

3. Ammonia synthesis apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the porous catalyst comprises iron or rhodium.

4. Ammonia synthesis apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a further piston arranged to reciprocate within a further cylinder, a further piston rod arranged to drive the further piston in a reciprocal motion within the further cylinder; a further inlet valve linking a supply of nitrogen and hydrogen to the interior of the further cylinder; and a further outlet valve allowing exhaust of gas from the cylinder, wherein the further piston rod ( 6 ) is arranged to be driven by the drive mechanism.

5. Ammonia synthesis apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a porous catalyst is provided within the further cylinder.

6. Ammonia synthesis apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the porous catalyst within the further cylinder comprises iron or rhodium.

7. Ammonia synthesis apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage arrangement connected to receive the ammonia exhausted from the outlet valve.

8. An energy storage apparatus comprising:
an ammonia synthesizing apparatus comprising a piston arranged to reciprocate within a cylinder, a piston rod arranged to drive the piston in a reciprocal motion within the cylinder, an inlet valve linking a supply of nitrogen and hydrogen to the interior of the cylinder: an outlet valve allowing exhaust of ammonia from the cylinder, and a drive mechanism providing drive to the piston rod, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a linear electric motor under control of a controller;
an electrical generator that supplies power to the ammonia synthesizing apparatus; and
a storage arrangement connected to receive ammonia from the ammonia synthesizing apparatus.

9. A method for the synthesis of ammonia comprising the steps of:
introducing a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen into a piston cylinder;
compressing the mixture by operation of a drive mechanism arranged to drive a piston in a reciprocal motion within the piston cylinder, thereby heating the mixture to cause synthesis of ammonia from the mixture; and
removing synthesized ammonia from the piston cylinder, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a linear electric motor under control of a controller.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein a catalyst comprising iron or rhodium is provided within the cylinder.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen comprises hydrogen and nitrogen in stoichiometric ratio for synthesis of ammonia.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of storing the synthesized ammonia.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of liquefaction of the ammonia.

14. A method of energy storage comprising the steps of:
generating electricity; and
using the generated electricity to operate an ammonia synthesizing apparatus comprising a piston arranged to reciprocate within a cylinder, a piston rod arranged to drive the piston in a reciprocal motion within the cylinder; an inlet valve linking a supply of nitrogen and hydrogen to the interior of the cylinder: an outlet valve allowing exhaust of ammonia from the cylinder, and a drive mechanism providing drive to the piston rod, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a linear electric motor under control of a controller by introducing a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen into the piston cylinder, compressing the mixture by operation of the drive mechanism arranged to drive piston in reciprocal motion within the cylinder, thereby heating the mixture to cause synthesis of ammonia from the mixture, and removing synthesized ammonia from the cylinder.

15. A method for energy storage according to claim 14 further comprising a step of combusting of the synthesized ammonia for energy generation.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Hughes Timothy
• Wilkinson Ian

Classifications

• Y02P20/52

  using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts · CPC title

• B01J19/185

  of the pulsating type · CPC title

• B01J19/18

  Stationary reactors having moving elements inside (B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• C01C1/0488

  Processes integrated with preparations of other compounds, e.g. methanol, urea or with processes for power generation · CPC title

• C01C1/0417 Primary

  characterised by the synthesis reactor, e.g. arrangement of catalyst beds and heat exchangers in the reactor · CPC title