Pressurized Reactor: Electrochemical Storage of Renewable Energy as Liquid Fuel

PROJECT NUMBER: 66

AUTHOR: Michelle Butler, Mechanical Engineering

MENTOR: Neal Sullivan, Mechanical Engineering | MENTOR: Carolina Herradon, Mechanical Engineering

ABSTRACT

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The purpose of this project is to design, create, and commission a test stand that will convert renewable electricity into stable, valuable liquid fuels. The energy community seeks technology to enable long-term storage of the intermittent electricity generated from wind and solar power. In this project, we use renewable electricity to drive electrochemical and thermochemical reactions to produce ammonia. Ammonia has great promise as a clean energy carrier: it is “carbon neutral”, forming no greenhouse gases when combusted; it is easily transported due to its liquid phase; and it contains a large amount of hydrogen for clean energy production. In this research, we will exploit the unique properties of proton-conducting ceramics developed at CSM to “electrochemically synthesize” ammonia from nitrogen, water vapor, and renewable electricity feedstocks. Both productivity and efficiency of electrochemical synthesis increase as temperature and pressures are increased. Higher temperatures drive electrochemistry by increasing the electrochemical reaction sites, while higher pressures move equilibrium to form more ammonia. In order to support higher temperatures and pressures for this test, we are commissioning a pressurized test stand that we designed to analyze ammonia synthesis using proton-conducting ceramics.

VISUAL PRESENTATION

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

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Michelle is a graduating senior in mechanical engineering. She has been a contributing team member to this research project at the Colorado Fuel Cell Center for the past two years. She will continue to be a part of the team next year as she works towards a masters degree in thermal fluid and energy systems in mechanical engineering.

Sponsored by Phillips 66