Novel carbon-free innovation in centralised ammonia cracking for a sustainable hydrogen economy: the hybrid air-volt ammonia cracker (HAVAC) process

The hybrid air-volt ammonia cracker (HAVAC) represents a novel approach to centralised ammonia cracking for hydrogen production, enhancing both efficiency and scalability. This novel process integrates renewable electricity and autothermal operation to crack blue or green ammonia, achieving a high thermal efficiency of 94% to 95%. HAVAC demonstrates impressive ammonia conversion rates up to 99.4% and hydrogen yields between 84% and 99.5%, with hydrogen purity of 99.99% meeting ISO 14687:2019 standards. Key innovations include the process's flexibility to operate in three modes: 100% renewable electricity, 100% air autothermal, or a hybrid approach. This versatility optimizes energy use and adapts to varying conditions. The gas heated cracker (GHC) within HAVAC efficiently reduces energy demands by utilizing waste heat. Modelled using the Aspen Plus Simulator and validated against experimental data, HAVAC's economic analysis indicates a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) between $3.80 per kg-H₂ and $6.00 per kg-H₂. The process's environmental benefits include reduced greenhouse gas emissions and effective NOx waste management. Future research will focus on scaling up, reducing ammonia feed cost, optimizing catalysts, and enhancing waste management. HAVAC offers substantial promise for advancing hydrogen production and supporting a sustainable, carbon-free hydrogen economy. The technical and economic data generated by this analysis will assist decision-makers and researchers in advancing the pursuit of a carbon-free hydrogen economy.