Ammonia Cracking

Efficiency Focussed Components

Ammonia Cracking In The Clean Energy Transition

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, is central to current decarbonisation strategies. In 2024, global CO2 emissions exceeded 37.4 Gt, with the energy sector accounting for more than 75% of the total.

Hydrogen is widely regarded as a pivotal energy carrier for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors (heavy industry, long-haul transport and power balancing). Nevertheless, its low volumetric energy density and cryogenic storage requirements impose substantial logistical and economic constraints on large-scale deployment.

Ammonia has emerged as a practical hydrogen vector, it contains17.6% hydrogen by mass, can be liquified at moderate pressures, and leverages an established global production, transport and storage infrastructure primarily developed for fertilisers.

Proven performance up to 1200 °C

High-Temperature Reliability

Ammonia cracking is typically operated at 700-1000°C and is commonly catalysed by Ru, Ni,Fe or Co systems.

Process intensified concepts including membrane reactors, microwaved-assisted systems, and hybrid auto-thermal vacuum ammonia cracking aim to overcome equilibrium limitations, reduce energy penalties with an efficient process. Refractory Ni–Fe–Cr-based alloys typically used in such reactors face severe conditions that couple elevated temperatures, high total pressure, and aggressive nitrogen/hydrogen chemistries.

Under these conditions, nitridation becomes a dominant high-temperature corrosion mechanism, promoting the formation of internal and external nitrides that embrittle the microstructure, degrade creep strength, and reduce service life.

Innovation For Longer Life Components

What Is Different About Ammorite To Alloys On The Market?

Better Nitridation Properties

Ammorite shows much less mass gain that the benchmark.
Protect Against Nitridation

Ammorite shows a much thinner layer of nitridation than the benchmark.
Good Creep Properties

Ammorite shows a much thinner layer of nitridation than the benchmark.