Development of an ammonia decomposition reactor, afterburner and post-decomposition reactor for 1 kW solid oxide fuel cells using ammonia

Solid oxide fuel cells can overcome the poor flammability of ammonia by directly converting the chemical energy of ammonia into electricity. However, thermal stress by internal decomposition, nitriding at the solid oxide fuel cells stack and nitrogen oxides emissions must be considered when using ammonia in solid oxide fuel cells. In this study, an ammonia fuel processor was developed for stable operation and low emissions of solid oxide fuel cells using ammonia. The ammonia fuel processor consisting of an ammonia decomposition reactor, an afterburner and a post-decomposition reactor was tested using simulated off-gases of solid oxide fuel cells using ammonia. The ammonia conversion of the decomposition reactor varied from 32 % to 84 % with off-gas temperatures from 360 °C to 670 °C. When ammonia conversion after the solid oxide fuel cell stack was 99.70 %, nitrogen oxides emissions of the afterburner was 1.05 g/kWh, which is higher than the regulatory limit of 0.26 g/kWh. High fuel utilization and excess air ratio made nitrogen oxides emission even worse. The regulatory limit was successfully satisfied by using the post-decomposition reactor even when ammonia conversion after the solid oxide fuel cell stack was 99.10 %. The developed ammonia fuel processor could supply fuel at the optimal hydrogen-to-ammonia ratio and prevent nitrogen oxides emissions in solid oxide fuel cells using ammonia.