Ammonia synthesis methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440808-B2
Application number	US-201716314979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing ammonia are described. In one embodiment, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are dissolved in a solution. A glutamine synthetase inhibitor and autotrophic diazotroph bacteria are also placed in the solution.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing ammonia, the method comprising:
dissolving hydrogen in a solution;
dissolving carbon dioxide in the solution;
dissolving nitrogen in the solution;
placing a glutamine synthetase inhibitor in the solution;
placing autotrophic diazotroph bacteria in the solution, and
metabolizing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen with the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria to produce the ammonia.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving hydrogen in the solution further comprises splitting water in the solution to form hydrogen and oxygen.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein splitting water in the solution further comprises splitting water using a cathode including cobalt-phosphorus alloy and an anode including cobalt phosphate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the solution includes a phosphate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the solution further comprises bubbling carbon dioxide and nitrogen through the solution.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria includes nitrogenase and hydrogenase enzymes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria include Xanthobacter autotrophicus and/or Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glutamine synthetase inhibitor includes glufosinate (PPT) and/or methionine sulfoximine (MSO).

Assignees

• Harvard College

Inventors

• Colon Brendan Cruz
• Liu Chong
• Nocera Daniel G
• Silver Pamela Ann

Classifications

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• B01J19/087

  employing electric or magnetic energy · CPC title

• C12P3/00

  Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide {(recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02)} · CPC title

• B01J2219/00761

  Details of the reactor · CPC title

• C01C1/04

  Preparation of ammonia by synthesis (preparation or purification of gas mixtures for ammonia synthesis C01B3/025) · CPC title