Ammonia synthesis methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12570536-B2
Application number	US-202217880756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2022
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

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

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for producing ammonia comprising:
a reactor chamber with a solution contained therein, wherein the solution includes dissolved hydrogen, dissolved carbon dioxide, dissolved nitrogen, a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, and autotrophic diazotroph bacteria, wherein the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria metabolize hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen to produce the ammonia.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to split water in the solution to form hydrogen and oxygen to provide the dissolved hydrogen in the solution.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a power source connected to a first electrode comprising a cobalt phosphorus alloy and a second electrode comprising cobalt phosphate, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are at least partially immersed in the solution within the reactor chamber.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a phosphate in the solution.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gas inlet configured to bubble gas through the solution within the reactor chamber.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising one or more gas sources comprising at least one selected from nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide fluidly connected to the gas inlet.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more gas sources comprise the nitrogen and the carbon dioxide.

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

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

10 . The system 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

• B01J2219/00761

  Details of the reactor · CPC title

• B01J19/087

  employing electric or magnetic energy · CPC title

• C25B11/061

  Metal or alloy · CPC title

• C12P3/00

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