Electrically enhanced haber-bosch (eehb) anhydrous ammonia synthesis

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for enhancing the production of ammonia from gaseous hydrogen and nitrogen. Advantageously, the method and system does not emit carbon gases during production. The method and system enhances the production of ammonia compared to traditional Haber-Bosch reactions.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to enhance a production rate of NH 3  on an electride-supported metal catalyst, comprising:
 providing hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas to a reactor, wherein the reactor includes the catalyst;   providing an electrical bias to the reactor; and   reacting the hydrogen gas and the nitrogen gas at between about 25° C. and 600° C. to produce ammonia.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical bias is selected from the group consisting of DC, pulsed DC, NEMCA-mode electrical bias, an electrical field enhancement, or AC electrical current. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a catalyst of the electride-supported metal catalyst comprises a ruthenium material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a catalyst of the electride-supported metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a metal, and an alkali promoted iron. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the reaction is between about 300° C. and 600° C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the hydrogen gas to the nitrogen gas is between about 3:1 and about 1:1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the catalyst is a metal nitride comprised at least partially of a cobalt molybdenum nitride material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a support material of the electride-supported metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of C12A7, C5A3, CA, C3A and CaO. 
     
     
         9 . A method to enhance a production rate of NH 3  on an electride-supported metal catalyst using a time-varying electric field, comprising:
 providing hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas to a reactor, wherein the reactor includes a catalyst;   providing an electric field to the reactor; and   reacting the hydrogen gas and the nitrogen gas at between about 25° C. and 600° C. to produce ammonia.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electride-supported metal catalyst comprises ruthenium. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a support for the electride-supported metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of is selected from the group consisting of C12A7, C5A3, CA, C3A and CaO. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a metal, and an alkali promoted iron. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a temperature of the reaction is between about 300° C. and 600° C. 
     
     
         14 . A reactor for producing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gas with a supported catalyst, comprising:
 a reactor body;   an inlet for providing the nitrogen and hydrogen gas to the reactor;   an electrical port;   a container, wherein the container comprises an electride-supported metal catalyst; and   an outlet for receiving product gases.   
     
     
         15 . The reactor of  claim 14 , further comprising a condenser for condensing an ammonia gas in the product gases to ammonia liquid. 
     
     
         16 . The reactor of  claim 14 , wherein the supported catalyst comprises ruthenium. 
     
     
         17 . The reactor of  claim 14 , wherein a support material of the electride-supported metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of C12A7, C5A3, CA, C3A and CaO. 
     
     
         18 . The reactor of  claim 14 , wherein a weight percent of a catalyst on the electride-supported metal catalyst is between about 0.5 wt. % and about 20 wt. %. 
     
     
         19 . The reactor of  claim 14 , wherein a catalyst dispersion of the electride-supported metal catalyst is between 0.1% and about 90%. 
     
     
         20 . The reactor of  claim 14 , wherein a surface area of the electride-supported metal catalyst is between about 1 and 100 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         21 . The reactor of  claim 14 , wherein the electrical port provides an electrical current selected from the group consisting of DC, pulsed DC, NEMCA-mode electrical bias, an electrical field enhancement or AC electrical current. 
     
     
         22 . A method to make an electride supported metal catalyst, comprises:
 providing a support material, wherein the electride support material is at least one of C12A7, CA, C5A3, C3A, or CaO;   annealing the support material at a temperature between about 600° C. and about 1100° C., for a duration between about 0.1 hours and about 30 hours, in an environment comprising between about 5 vol. % and about 100 vol. % of a reducing gas; and   converting at least a portion of the support material to an electrically conductive support material.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the duration is between about 1 hours and about 15 hours. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the duration is about 15 hours. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the temperature is about 900° C. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the environment comprises about 100 vol. % of the reducing gas. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the reducing gas is carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         28 . A method to enhance a production rate of NH 3  on an electride-supported metal catalyst using a time-varying electric field, comprising:
 providing hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas to a reactor, wherein the reactor includes a catalyst on a support, wherein a support material for the electride-supported metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of is selected from the group consisting of C5A3, CA, C3A and CaO; and   reacting the hydrogen gas and the nitrogen gas at between about 25° C. and 600° C. to produce ammonia.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the electride-supported metal catalyst comprises a ruthenium material. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising providing an electrical current to the reaction between the hydrogen gas and the nitrogen gas, wherein the electrical current is selected from the group consisting of DC, pulsed DC, NEMCA-mode electrical bias, an electrical field enhancement or AC electrical current. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein a temperature of the reaction is between about 300° C. and 600° C. 
     
     
         32 . A reactor for producing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gas with a supported catalyst, comprising:
 a reactor body;   an inlet for providing the nitrogen and hydrogen gas to the reactor;   a container, wherein the container comprises an electride-supported metal catalyst, wherein a support material of the electride-supported metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of C5A3, CA, C3A and CaO; and   an outlet for receiving product gases.   
     
     
         33 . The reactor of  claim 32 , further comprising a condenser for condensing an ammonia gas in the product gases to ammonia liquid. 
     
     
         34 . The reactor of  claim 32 , wherein a catalyst material comprises ruthenium. 
     
     
         35 . The reactor of  claim 32 , wherein a weight percent of a catalyst on the electride-supported metal catalyst is between about 0.5 wt. % and about 20 wt. %. 
     
     
         36 . The reactor of  claim 32 , wherein a catalyst dispersion of the electride-supported metal catalyst is between 0.1% and about 90%. 
     
     
         37 . The reactor of  claim 32 , wherein a surface area of the electride-supported metal catalyst is between about 1 and 100 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         38 . The reactor of  claim 32 , further comprising an electrical port to provide an electrical current selected from the group consisting of DC, pulsed DC, NEMCA-mode electrical bias, an electrical field enhancement or AC electrical current.