Session: Technical Posters

Paper Number: 120546

120546 - Poster on Analysis of Nox Production & Ammonia Generation Efficiency in Ammonia/hydrogen Combustion Engines 

Ammonia/hydrogen fuel blends are being widely considered due to their inherent lack of carbon emissions and the ability to vary the mixture’s combustion properties by adjusting the mixture composition. Thus, existing natural gas engines could potentially be retrofitted to operate on a renewable fuel as part of larger decarbonization efforts. A Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma has been identified as a promising route for generating ammonia directly from nitrogen and hydrogen. The efficiency of a DBD based ammonia generator was monitored using a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and compared with reference measurements of known gases to determine the concentration of ammonia and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) produced by each experimental system. Initial experiments have identified some current challenges associated with this approach, including a low conversion efficiency and excessive NOx generation. During these early stage experiments, a low conversion efficiency (3 %) results in an insufficient concentration of ammonia while excessive NOx emissions require exhaust aftertreatment. Developments on DBD-based downstream exhaust treatment for NOx abatement are also being explored in addition with strategic metals impregnated into ammonia generating plasmas in order to help catalyze the formation of ammonia more efficiently.

Keywords: Hydrogen, Ammonia, Premixed Combustion, FTIR, Plasma Generation, Exhaust Analysis, Molecular Spectroscopy, NOx.

Presenting Author: Joshua Landis University of Massachusetts Lowell

Presenting Author Biography: Joshua Landis is a Graduate Research Student at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell studying Mechanical Engineering with a focus in spectroscopic diagnostics for exhaust analysis and trace metal differentiation for medical diagnostics.