a little E...ALL that H20... plus air = NH3

[biglentil]

Nh3 Liquified at 150 psi has less than half energy density per volume as Diesel fuel which is much simpler and less dangerous to handle. Gotta love diesel.

[TOM4CWB]

Its all about the money Willy,

$100's of Billions have been spent on the century-old Haber-Bosch process currently in use all over the world. Those who own these nh3 manufacturing plants stand to lose it all...$$$ billions multiplied... so simple... yet who is stupid enough to challenge those with so much to lose. Oil and Gas... are in a massive hole... and gov. lost taxes would mean massive economic structural change.

"Water and air are all you need to make one of world’s most important chemicals
August 7, 2014 4.40pm EDT

"Greener fertilisers are coming your way.

Researchers have developed a method to produce ammonia simply from air and water. Not only is it more energy efficient than the century-old Haber-Bosch process currently in use all over the world, but it is also greener.

Ammonia – made up of three parts hydrogen and one part nitrogen (or NH3) – has had a momentous impact on society. Without the mass production of this chemical, it is estimated that as many as a third of us won’t be alive. This is because its main use is to make fertilisers, which have helped improve crop yields and sustain a large population.

Developed in 1909, the Haber-Bosch process – often cited as the most important invention of the 20th century – involves heating purified nitrogen and hydrogen gas at very high temperature and pressure in presence of an iron catalyst. The presence of the catalyst, which doesn’t take part in the reaction but lowers the energy threshold of the reaction, is vital. Despite which, ammonia’s production – about 140m tons in 2012 – consumes nearly 2% of the world’s energy supply.

Apart from large energy requirements to achieve reaction conditions, the current production method is inefficient because it needs hydrogen gas, which is obtained by processing natural gas. The byproduct of the process is carbon dioxide. Stuart Licht and his colleagues at the George Washington University thought they could do better if they could find a way of using water instead of natural gas as a source of hydrogen.

Previous attempts at combining water (made up of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen) with air (which consists of 78% nitrogen) to form ammonia have been less successful. Licht’s solution was to bubble wet air through a mixture of tiny particles of iron oxide and molten chemicals (made up of sodium and potassium hyroxide) that is zapped with electricity.

Any chemical reaction is basically the exchange of electrons between atoms. In this case, those electrons are necessary to tease out the hydrogen from water and then combine with nitrogen. “When electricity is applied, the iron oxide captures electrons to permit water and air to directly react to form ammonia,” Licht said.

This method claims to use only two-thirds of the energy of the Haber-Bosch process. Along with the elimination of the need to produce hydrogen from natural gas, the overall emissions are reduced quite significantly. The whole process also takes place at milder conditions, not requiring 450°C and 200 times atmospheric pressure as the Haber-Bosch process does.

These are not all that make Licht’s method attractive. Some of the energy is sourced through another technology Licht has developed called solar thermal electrochemical production, or STEP. It is considered to be one of the most efficient solar cells currently in use.

The reaction also produces hydrogen gas as a byproduct, which would be suitable for hydrogen fuel cells, another popular avenue for clean-energy enthusiasts, according to David Fermin, professor of electrochemistry at the University of Bristol. “Hydrogen generated in this manner is significantly cleaner,” he said.

However, it is one thing to show off the success of chemical production in labs and quite another to replicate it on an industrial scale. Licht admits that there is room for improvement but he is confident that it could work. Fermin has a caveat to add, “Before going for full scale up, a better understanding of the mechanism in this complex multi-electron transfer reaction will be required.”

But even with Licht’s method, Fermin points out that we are far away from being able to replicate nature’s efficiency at converting nitrogen from the air to useful chemicals, which is done by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. “What is truly remarkable is that nature does it incredibly efficiently at low-temperature,” Fermin added.

And yet, if something more efficient can replace the Haber-Bosch process, it would lower the energy input of the production of one of the worlds most important chemicals and lead to a notable reduction in global CO2 emissions."

http://theconversation.com/water-and-air-are-all-you-need-to-make-one-of-worlds-most-important-chemicals-30173

[WiltonRanch]

Now correct me if I'm wrong. Converting water to its constituents is a rather simple process that is done through electrolysis. Done it in grade 8 chemistry. Separating nitrogen from atmospheric air is done simply by way of a separator. Now it's the mixing of n and h to make nh3 where it gets complex. You need either a lightning bolt or a source of heat and an electric arc to create nh3. The big question is the energy put into process given back when it's used for fuel? Someone enlighten me this topic is very interesting. There was talk about a small scale nh3 plant running on wind and solar power. Something like a million dollar price tag and the ability to produce a substantial amount with renewable power.

[tweety]

You're not completely wrong Wilton, have a look at the Licht process.

[TOM4CWB]

WiltonRanch

I believe if you go to nh3canada.com, and read through the basic systems, they give a good background to where energy is going in the near future.

If we are near a big electrical transmssion line... we can suck off cheap 2-3 cent per KW/H when winds are high and the sun shines... and sell back the electricity during the minus 30 cold calm cloudy winter... at 12 cents per KW/H... clean bio fuel flax straw... etc... can be integrated into the structure... high H fuels to make NH3 and use the moisture from the straw... syngas type process... to also create NH3.

The opportunity for some of us... sitting beside the $15B e-grid... just built here... is astounding... if we use just a little imagination...

[MBgrower]

The simplest process would be to use windpower to create hydrogen gas which can be stored and used to power anything. Downside, need to find a way to stabilize it to make it safer to use. Lots of unused land in canada to locate wind turbines to generate h2. There is no shortage of wind in this country.

[tweety]

Big Lentil, what if there is no diesel?

[Klause]

Exactly. You need electricity to finish the process... which we can gain from wind or solar.

Remember there is no free lunch in physics. Energy must come from somewhere at some point at all times.

[cottonpicken]

Jesus I need to get my brother on here. Basically me but ten times smarter. Masters degree in mechanical engineering. Klause get a hold of me on fb if you get any ideas. He may suprise you but I know what you think of engineers,he is farm smart lol.

[grassfarmer]

Funny how solar power was so horribly inefficient it was a joke in a previous thread now you guys are all over it.