TY - JOUR
T1 - A review on the non-thermal plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis technologies
AU - Peng, Peng
AU - Chen, Paul L
AU - Schiappacasse, Charles
AU - Zhou, Nan
AU - Anderson, Erik
AU - Chen, Dongjie
AU - Liu, Juer
AU - Cheng, Yanling
AU - Hatzenbeller, Raymond
AU - Addy, Min M
AU - Zhang, Yaning
AU - Liu, Yuhuan
AU - Ruan, R. R
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2018/3/10
Y1 - 2018/3/10
N2 - Ammonia has been intensively studied as a clean, sustainable fuel source and an efficient energy storage medium due to its effectiveness as a hydrogen carrier molecule. However, the current method of ammonia synthesis, known as the Haber-Bosch process, requires a large fossil fuel input, high temperatures and pressures, as well as a significant capital investment. These volatile conditions and high operating costs prevent decentralized and small-scale ammonia production at the level of small farms and local communities. This article provides systematic review of the plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis under low temperature and pressure conditions. Non-thermal plasma technology represents a promising alternative method of clean ammonia synthesis, as it circumvents the volatile operating conditions, fossil fuel use, and high capital costs of the Haber-Bosch process. This technology could be beneficial to the ammonia industry, through its potential to promote localized and environmentally friendly energy production and storage. The opportunities of the non-thermal plasma technology lie with providing an avenue towards a cleaner ammonia industry, including a renewable pathway that incorporates this technology with other renewable energy approaches. However, the two most critical challenges of this technology are the fixation of nitrogen gas and back reactions. To overcome these challenges, researchers could work to further develop catalysts with stronger plasma synergistic activities, and optimizing reactor designs for rapid separation of ammonia after being synthesized.
AB - Ammonia has been intensively studied as a clean, sustainable fuel source and an efficient energy storage medium due to its effectiveness as a hydrogen carrier molecule. However, the current method of ammonia synthesis, known as the Haber-Bosch process, requires a large fossil fuel input, high temperatures and pressures, as well as a significant capital investment. These volatile conditions and high operating costs prevent decentralized and small-scale ammonia production at the level of small farms and local communities. This article provides systematic review of the plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis under low temperature and pressure conditions. Non-thermal plasma technology represents a promising alternative method of clean ammonia synthesis, as it circumvents the volatile operating conditions, fossil fuel use, and high capital costs of the Haber-Bosch process. This technology could be beneficial to the ammonia industry, through its potential to promote localized and environmentally friendly energy production and storage. The opportunities of the non-thermal plasma technology lie with providing an avenue towards a cleaner ammonia industry, including a renewable pathway that incorporates this technology with other renewable energy approaches. However, the two most critical challenges of this technology are the fixation of nitrogen gas and back reactions. To overcome these challenges, researchers could work to further develop catalysts with stronger plasma synergistic activities, and optimizing reactor designs for rapid separation of ammonia after being synthesized.
KW - Ammonia synthesis
KW - Clean fuel and fertilizer
KW - Low temperature and pressure synthesis
KW - Sustainable ammonia production
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.229
DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.229
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85041103386
SN - 0959-6526
VL - 177
SP - 597
EP - 609
JO - Journal of Cleaner Production
JF - Journal of Cleaner Production
ER -