AMMONEX: Converting ammonia into hydrogen

Existing technologies for converting ammonia into hydrogen (cracking) have low efficiency, poor durability, and require a large surface area. This makes large-scale hydrogen imports via ammonia unfeasible. Duiker has developed a highly improved ammonia-cracking process. The process operates at high pressure and achieves very high efficiency (over 90%), has a long lifetime, is extremely compact, and environmentally friendly. In this project, Duiker is testing the innovative reactor that enables this ammonia-cracking process.

AMMONEX: objectives and actions

With the AMMONEX pilot project (AMMOnia Cracking Reactor for NEXt-generation Efficiency & Flexibility), Duiker will design, develop, build, and operate an ammonia-cracking reactor. The aim is to demonstrate the reliability and efficiency of the reactor for scaling up hydrogen production. In addition, Duiker seeks to prove not only the operational flexibility with minimal catalyst deactivation, but also the resilience of the materials and the accuracy of advanced reactor models.

The project takes into account technical, commercial, financial, and risk considerations. It reduces overall construction risks and minimizes unforeseen challenges by streamlining permitting procedures and engineering separate units. Duiker will mainly perform the design and engineering, supported by external experts for specialized tasks. After construction, two testing campaigns will be conducted. The first will verify the reactor model and its operational capabilities. The second will focus on long-term testing.

Results

The key outcome is the physical pilot installation: does the reactor meet technical standards and function as intended? Commercial validation is equally important: how reliable and effective will the reactor prove to be in the long run? By gaining experience with the construction and operation of the pilot installation, Duiker increases the likelihood of success in a subsequent large-scale project. The AMMONEX project is thus a step towards a technology that could make affordable hydrogen widely available in the Netherlands and Europe.

The AMMONEX consortium

The consortium consists of: Duiker Clean Technologies.