© 2019 JGC Corporation

Demonstration and optimization of Green Ammonia production operation responding to fluctuating hydrogen production from renewable energy

Yasushi Fujimura1, Mototaka Kai1, Takayoshi Fujimoto1, Sho Fujimoto1, Ryousuke Atsumi2, Masayasu Nishi3, Takehisa Mochizuki3 and Tetsuya Nanba2

(1) JGC Corporation(2) Renewable Energy Research Center, AIST(3) Research Institute of Energy Frontier, AIST

2019 AIChE Annual Meeting, Ammonia Energy Topical Conference12 November 2019 @ Hyatt Regency Orlando, USA

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Contents

Supply chain of CO2-free ammonia for Power Generation1

Demonstration of ammonia synthesis

Optimization of operation of the ammonia production system3

Summary

2

4

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JGC’s Business Field

Gas Processing

Environmental &Energy Conservation

Refineries Petrochemicals & Chemicals

Industrial

Power Generation

LNG

Up & Mid Stream

Medical Facilities &Research Laboratories

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JGC’s contribution to decarbonization in Energy Sector

Oil

JGC focuses on CO2-free Ammonia in Future

Gas Processing

Photo) http://www.japanccs.com/en/business/demonstration/

LNG

CCS

Mega Solar

CO2-free Ammonia

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Contents

Supply chain of CO2-free ammonia for Power Generation1

Demonstration of ammonia synthesis

Optimization of operation of the ammonia production system3

Summary

2

4

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Energy Industries,

42.7 %

Manufacturing Industries and Construction,

23.0%

Transport, 17.3%

Commercial, 5.7%

Residential, 5.0%

Industrial process, 4.0%

Agriculture,1.4%

Waste, 1.0%

CO2 emission in Japan and Reduction Target

Japan’s target for Paris agreement

【Middle Term】Reduce GHG emissions by 26.0%by FY2030 compared to FY2013

【Long Term】Reduce GHG emissions by 80% by 2050

Zero-emission power generation should be introduced.

CO22emissions in Japan in 2017

1,190 million ton

CO2

Source : National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report of JAPAN (2019)

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Supply Chain of CO2-free Ammonia

Solar(PV or CSP)

Electricity

Ammonia Synthesis

CO2-freeHydrogen

WaterNitrogen from Air

Water Electrolysis

Wind

CO2-free Ammonia

Hydro

Fossil Fuels(Natural Gas)

Hydrogen+Nitrogen

Air

Reforming& Purification

CCS or EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery)CO2

PowerGeneration

Ammonia Fuel Cell

Ammonia Gas Turbine

G

Coal Fired Power Station

Renewable Route

Fossil Fuel Route

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Contents

Supply chain of CO2-free ammonia for Power Generation1

Demonstration of ammonia synthesis

Optimization of operation of the ammonia production system3

Summary

2

4

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Development of Ammonia Synthesis from Renewables

Step 1: Development of new catalyst Ø High performance at lower press. and temp.Ø Industrial production of developed catalyst

Step 2: Demonstration test of new catalystØ Obtain Catalyst Performance DataØ Demonstrate Ammonia Chain ConceptØ Confirm Operation Flexibility (Load Changing Operation)

Ru/CeO2 catalyst produced on a semi-industrial scale

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Ammonia Synthesis Demonstration Plant

FC

FC

PC

PC

LC

FCPC

TC

Feedstock Section

Pretreatment andCompressor Section

Ammonia Separation and Storage section

Hot Oil Section Reactor

N2 CylindersH2 Cylinders

Control Room

Liquid NH3 Tank

NH3 Synthesis Reactor（Behind this Vessel）

Fukushima Renewable Energy

Institute, AIST (FREA)

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Demonstration of CO2-free Ammonia Value Chain

＊) Collaboration with AIST-FREA,and SIP Ammonia Direct Combustion Team

Ammonia Synthesisusing developed Catalyst

Photovoltaics*

Electricity CO2 -free H2

Electrolyzer*

G

100% Ammonia Gas Turbine *N2

Electricity+ -

H2O2

water

CO2 -free NH3

太陽光発電

水電解装置

アンモニア合成実証試験装置

アンモニアガスタービン試験装置

Electrolyzer

Photovoltaics

Ammonia SynthesisDemo. Plant

Ammonia Gas Turbine

Test Unit

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Load Changing Operation in Demonstration Plant

0

4

8

12

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Pres

sure

[M

PaG

] / F

low

rate

[N

m3 /h

r]

Tem

pera

ture

[de

gC]

NH

3ge

nera

tion

rate

[kg/

day]

Operation Time [hours]

Peak temp. in Rx. NH3 generation rate Rx. inlet Press.Feed N2 Flowrate Feed H2 Flowrate

0 10 20 50 6030 40 70 80

H2 Feed

NH3 production

N2 Feed

Reaction Press.

Peak temp.

Succeeded in load changing operation as planned

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Contents

Supply chain of CO2-free ammonia for Power Generation1

Demonstration of ammonia synthesis

Optimization of operation of the ammonia production system3

Summary

2

4

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Case Study of PV based CO2-free Ammonia Production

PV WaterElectrolyzer

Hydrogen Storage@200bar

CompressorAmmoniaSynthesis

Air Separation

Power from grid

Green Ammonia

300MW 170MW 100ton-NH3/day

Solar irradiation assumedin Fukushima, Japan

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Simulation of one year operationCase-1 : NH3 plant operate full load for whole year

Operation in 100% Loadfor whole year

PV WaterElectrolyzer

Hydrogen Storage

Compressor AmmoniaSynthesis

Air Separation

170MWCapacity factor 24.0%

100ton-NH3/dayCapacity factor 100%

300MW

4.0ｘ106 Nm3

(20 days)Green Ammonia

Power from PV H2 from Electrolyzer Stored H2 Volume Load of NH3 Plant

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Simulation of one year operation Case-2 : NH3 plant load changes every 30 days

Load changesIn every 30 days

PV WaterElectrolyzer

Hydrogen Storage

Compressor AmmoniaSynthesis

Air Separation

1.5ｘ106 Nm3

(7.5days)

170MWCapacity factor 24.0%

100ton-NH3/dayCapacity factor 94.5%

300MW 63% Reductionfrom Case-1

Green Ammonia

Power from PV H2 from Electrolyzer Stored H2 Volume Load of NH3 Plant

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Simulation of one year operation Case-3 : NH3 plant load changes every 4 days

PV WaterElectrolyzer

Hydrogen Storage

Compressor AmmoniaSynthesis

Air Separation

Load changesIn every 30 days

Load changesevery 4 daysbased on prediction

Daily fluctuation

170MWCapacity factor 23.5%

100ton-NH3/dayCapacity factor 87.3%

300MW

5.0ｘ105 Nm3

(2.5days)

67% Reductionfrom Case-2

Green Ammonia

Power from PV H2 from Electrolyzer Storied H2 Volume Load of NH3 Plant

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Benefit of Low Pressure Synthesis

In the case of NH3 synthesis at 150 bar

In the case of NH3 synthesisat 80 bar

Hydrogen can be supplied to NH3 synthesis using tank pressure

H2

Tank

Pre

ssur

e [b

arG

]

Hours in a year [hr]

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Electricity,292

Water Electrolyzer,

238

Hydrogen Tank,

86

Ammonia Synthesis,

102

Building, 14

Utility, 42

Labor, 68

Maintenance, 21

Total863 US$/ton-NH3

Cost Estimation for Case-3

ü PV Power price : 3￠/kWh

ü Water Electrolyzer Efficiency :5.0 kWh/Nm3-H2

ü Water Electrolyzer System Cost : 570 US$/kW

ü Capacity factor of Water Electrolyzer :23.5 %

[Unit : US$/ton-NH3]

Conditions of Cost Estimation

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Summary

u JGC and AIST developed new ammonia synthesis catalysts and demonstrated its performance.

u Load changing operation with the prediction of hydrogen production can minimize the capacity of the hydrogen storage tank.

u PV-based green ammonia production meets the needs of ammonia in areas far from the ammonia supply chain.

u Low-cost renewable power and cost reduction of electrolyzer is essential to reduce ammonia production cost.

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Thank you for your attention

This study was supported by the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program(SIP), “Energy Carriers” (Funding agency: JST)

Yasushi FujimuraJGC Corporationfujimura.yasushi@jgc.com