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Apparatus and methods are provided for separately preheating gaseous ammonia and an oxygen-containing gas mixture, combusting them to form a hydrogen-containing gas mixture, and cooling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next ammonia and the preheating of t

Apparatus and methods are provided for separately preheating gaseous ammonia and an oxygen-containing gas mixture, combusting them to form a hydrogen-containing gas mixture, and cooling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next ammonia and the preheating of the next oxygen-containing gas mixture. Combustion may occur at combinations of pressure and temperature that permit rapid and non-catalyzed decomposition of the ammonia.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of autothermally cracking ammonia with air or oxygen, comprising the steps of: providing a counterflow heat exchanger having a first inlet for receiving gaseous ammonia, a second inlet, separate from the first, for receiving an oxygen-containing gas mixture, an outlet for expelling a hyd

1. A method of autothermally cracking ammonia with air or oxygen, comprising the steps of: providing a counterflow heat exchanger having a first inlet for receiving gaseous ammonia, a second inlet, separate from the first, for receiving an oxygen-containing gas mixture, an outlet for expelling a hydrogen-containing gas mixture, a combustor, incoming flow channels for separately flowing the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture from the respective inlets to the combustor, and one or more outgoing flow channels for flowing the hydrogen-containing gas mixture to the outlet;flowing the ammonia into the first inlet;flowing the oxygen-containing gas mixture into the second inlet;separately preheating the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture within the incoming flow channels;separately flowing the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture into the combustor;combusting the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture within or downstream of the combustor, thereby forming the hydrogen-containing gas mixture from the ammonia and from the oxygen-containing gas mixture;cooling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture within one or more of the outgoing flow channels; andflowing the hydrogen-containing gas mixture out of the outlet;wherein the heat exchanger performs the cooling of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming ammonia and also in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming oxygen-containing gas mixture. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are combusted at a gas temperature that is higher than 1200° C. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are combusted at a gas temperature that is higher than 1300° C. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are combusted at a gas temperature that is higher than 1400° C. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are combusted at a gas pressure that is higher than 10 bars. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are combusted at a gas pressure that is higher than 1 bar. 7. The method of claim 1, including a control method of using a temperature sensor and feedback control of a ratio of the ammonia to the oxygen-containing gas mixture for obtaining a target operating temperature, the control method comprising: monitoring an operating temperature with the temperature sensor;increasing the ratio of the ammonia to the oxygen-containing gas mixture if the monitored operating temperature is higher than the target operating temperature; anddecreasing the ratio of the ammonia to the oxygen-containing gas mixture if the monitored operating temperature is lower than the target operating temperature. 8. The method of claim 1, including a starting method, the starting method comprising: flowing a starting mixture into the heat exchanger, wherein the starting mixture comprises a fuel component and an oxidizer component, separate from the fuel component;separately flowing the fuel component and the oxidizer component into the combustor;combusting the starting mixture within or downstream of the combustor, thereby releasing heat for raising a temperature of the heat exchanger. 9. A method of autothermally cracking ammonia with air or oxygen, comprising the steps of: providing a counterflow heat exchanger having one or more inlets in gas flow communication with one or more incoming flow channels, one or more outgoing flow channels in gas flow communication with an outlet, and a turnaround region in gas flow communication with the incoming and outgoing flow channels;flowing gaseous ammonia into an inlet of the heat exchanger;flowing an oxygen-containing gas mixture into an inlet of the heat exchanger;preheating the ammonia within one or more of the incoming flow channels;preheating the oxygen-containing gas mixture within one or more of the incoming flow channels;combusting the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture within the heat exchanger at a gas temperature that is higher than 1400° C., or at a gas temperature that is higher than 1300° C. in combination with a gas pressure that is higher than 1 bar, or at a gas temperature that is higher than 1200° C. in combination with a gas pressure that is higher than 10 bars, thereby forming a hydrogen-containing gas mixture from the ammonia and from the oxygen-containing gas mixture;cooling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture within one or more of the outgoing flow channels; andflowing the hydrogen-containing gas mixture out of the outlet of the heat exchanger;wherein the heat exchanger performs the cooling of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming ammonia and also in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming oxygen-containing gas mixture. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are preheated together as a single reactant mixture, the method further comprising the steps of: combining the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture into a single reactant mixture containing ammonia and oxygen;flowing the reactant mixture into one or more of the incoming flow channels; andpreheating the reactant mixture to ignition within one or more of the incoming flow channels;wherein the heat exchanger performs the cooling of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming reactant mixture. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture are flowed into separate inlets and preheated separately before combustion, the method further comprising the steps of: providing a combustor within the heat exchanger;separately flowing the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture into the combustor; andcombusting the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture within or downstream of the combustor. 12. A method of autothermally cracking ammonia with an oxygen-containing gas mixture, comprising the steps of: providing a counterflow heat exchanger having flow channels for separately preheating gaseous ammonia and an oxygen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with cooling of reaction products which are formed from the ammonia and from the oxygen-containing gas mixture;separately preheating the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture by the heat exchanger;decomposing some or all of the preheated ammonia within the heat exchanger, thereby forming a hydrogen-containing gas mixture from at least a portion of the ammonia;burning a portion of the preheated ammonia or a portion of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture with the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture within the heat exchanger, thereby forming an exhaust gas and releasing heat for the decomposition of the ammonia; andcooling the exhaust gas and the hydrogen-containing gas mixture by the heat exchanger;wherein the heat exchanger performs the cooling of the exhaust gas and the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming ammonia and next incoming oxygen-containing gas mixture. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the ammonia is decomposed at a gas temperature that is higher than 1400° C., or at a gas temperature that is higher than 1300° C. in combination with a gas pressure that is higher than 1 bar, or at a gas temperature that is higher than 1200° C. in combination with a gas pressure that is higher than 10 bars. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas mixture and the exhaust gas are cooled as separate mixtures. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: preheating a reserved portion of the cooled hydrogen-containing gas mixture separately from the ammonia and separately from the oxygen-containing gas mixture by the heat exchanger; andburning the preheated reserved portion of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture with the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture within the heat exchanger, thereby forming the exhaust gas and releasing heat for the decomposition of the ammonia. 16. A method of starting an autothermal ammonia cracker, comprising the steps of: providing a counterflow heat exchanger having a first inlet in gas flow communication with a first set of one or more incoming flow channels, a second inlet in gas flow communication with a second set of one or more incoming flow channels, wherein the first and second inlets are separate, a set of one or more outgoing flow channels in gas flow communication with an outlet, and a turnaround region or combustor in gas flow communication with the incoming and outgoing flow channels;flowing a flammable starting mixture into the heat exchanger in conjunction with a starting period, wherein the starting mixture comprises a fuel component and an oxidizer component, separate from the fuel component;flowing the fuel component into the first inlet;flowing the oxidizer component into the second inlet;separately flowing the fuel component and the oxidizer component through the incoming flow channels and into the turnaround region or combustor;combusting the starting mixture within or downstream of the turnaround region or combustor, thereby releasing heat for raising a temperature of the heat exchanger. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: providing a catalyst within the heat exchanger. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the fuel component comprises ammonia or hydrogen and the oxidizer component comprises oxygen or air. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising a running method used after the starting period, the running method comprising: separately flowing gaseous ammonia and an oxygen-containing gas mixture into the separate inlets of the heat exchanger;separately preheating the ammonia and the oxygen-containing gas mixture within the incoming flow channels;separately flowing the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen containing gas mixture into the turnaround region or combustor;combusting the preheated ammonia and the preheated oxygen-containing gas mixture within or downstream of the turnaround region or combustor, thereby forming a hydrogen-containing gas mixture from the ammonia and from the oxygen-containing gas mixture;cooling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture within the outgoing flow channel or channels;flowing the hydrogen-containing gas mixture out of the outlet;wherein the heat exchanger performs the cooling of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming ammonia and also in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming oxygen-containing gas mixture. 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising a running method used after the starting period, the running method comprising: combining gaseous ammonia and an oxygen-containing gas mixture into a single reactant mixture containing ammonia and oxygen;flowing the reactant mixture into one or both sets of incoming flow channels;preheating the reactant mixture within one or more of the incoming flow channels;combusting the reactant mixture within the heat exchanger, thereby forming a hydrogen-containing gas mixture from the reactant mixture;cooling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture within the outgoing flow channel or channels;flowing the hydrogen-containing gas mixture out of the outlet;wherein the heat exchanger performs the cooling of the hydrogen-containing gas mixture in conjunction with the preheating of the next incoming reactant mixture.