Metallurgists & sustainable technologists Johnson Matthey are teaming up with chemical plant builders Thyssenkrupp Uhde to promote ways of making ammonia, with lower carbon emissions.
The duo are seeking to deepen their 25 year relationship around the compound of nitrogen & hydrogen.
Global demand for ammonia is estimated to grow to more than 600 million metric tonnes by 2050 due in part to its greater ease of storage and transport when compared with pure hydrogen. Operators of industrial processes, plus power generators and shipping lines are looking with increased interest at the compound. Its low carbon variant is predicted to meet two-thirds of ammonia demand by mid-century, implying an estimated market size for low carbon ammonia of over $200 billion then.
Johnson Matthey reckons its patented LCHTM technology captures as much as 99% of the CO2 released in producing ammonia. Combined with JM’s autothermal reformer, or in conjunction with JM’s gas heated reformer, the LCH method has been selected for early and prestigious blue hydrogen projects such as BP’s 700-megawatt H2Teesside hydrogen plant, and the 600-megawatt H2H Saltend project undertaken with Equinor and German company Linde.
Thyssenkrupp Uhde brings to the partnership its unique uhde® dual pressure technology.
The firm’s heritage includes licensing, engineering or building more than 130 ammonia plants worldwide since 1928. It says it leads the market in bigger plants, those producing more than 3,000 tonnes per day.
For Johnson Matthey, its managing director of CT licensing Alberto Giovanzana said: “We know multiple routes are needed in the energy transition. Ammonia provides several options because it can be used directly in power and shipping industries, and as a hydrogen carrier to safely transport hydrogen to areas it is not easy to produce.
“Combining our expertise and over two decades worth of partnership with thyssenkrupp Uhde, we are excited to offer this technology which will allow our customers to produce ammonia with significantly lower CO2 emissions.”
Thyssenkrupp Uhde’s chief operating officer Lucretia Löscher said: “We are committed to our purpose, ‘we create a livable planet’. With this strong partnership we further broaden our portfolio of climate-friendly solutions and can help our customers even better to reach their sustainability goals.”
