Fraunhofer flagship project AmmonVektor

Challenges 

The industrial demand for electricity and process heat in Germany is immense and cannot be met without imports of sustainably produced energy sources. One such energy source of the future is hydrogen. However, a disadvantage of hydrogen is that its long-distance transport, regional distribution and local storage are technically complex and therefore expensive. In addition, hydrogen transportation is not yet technologically mature. 

Solution approach

Solutions to these logistical challenges are being developed as part of AmmonVektor. The Fraunhofer flagship project is focusing on ammonia as an energy vector, which in its liquid form can be transported easily and without great energy expenditure. Another advantage is that ammonia already has a global transport infrastructure due to fertilizer production.

Over the next three years, Fraunhofer researchers will be looking at the entire value chain: reactors and catalysts for flexible, energy-efficient ammonia synthesis as well as technologies for splitting ammonia and using it to generate electricity, heat and motion. Storage and logistics concepts are also being created and business models developed. All with the aim of making hydrogen available on a decentralized basis in the future.

Contributions of Fraunhofer IGB

In the Sustainable Catalytic Processes department, work focuses on the development of a flexible, energy-efficient ammonia synthesis route for decentralized applications.

The Department of Bioinspired Chemistry synthesizes new catalysts by using deep eutectic solvents (DES), which are intended to enable the mildest possible process conditions in ammonia synthesis.

The Membranes department develops membranes for the separation of H₂ and N₂ that can be integrated directly into a reactor for ammonia splitting.