| Project Detail |
Through a hybrid advanced oxidation and electrolyser process, UNSW aims to directly convert air and water into ammonia, and also transform waste NOx into ammonia.
Need
This project was selected as part of the competitive Hydrogen R&D Funding Round under the Transformative Research Accelerating Commercialisation (TRAC) Program to rapidly develop the critical technologies required to build a clean, innovative, safe, and competitive hydrogen industry and position Australia as a major player globally. While hydrogen technologies and targets have continued to evolve, R&D investment remains a critical imperative to commercialise clean hydrogen. Projects supported by the Hydrogen R&D Funding Round seek to progress the commercialisation of low cost, clean hydrogen in Australia.
It is common to incorporate renewable hydrogen, produced via water electrolysis, into energy-intensive Haber-Bosch (HB) processes for the creation of renewable ammonia. This integration presents challenges due to the demanding requirements of high temperature and pressure – complicating the incorporation of intermittent renewable energy sources, limiting opportunities for decentralised, on-demand production.
To address these challenges, UNSW has developed a patented technology known as OzAmmonia, which facilitates the direct conversion of air (and water) into ammonia and has the capability to transform NOx found in waste flue gas and wastewater into ammonia, thus closing the NOx loop and unlock the zero-emissions future for fertilisers, fuels and beyond.
Action
This project aims to facilitate decentralised on-demand production of renewable ammonia, which serves as an energy carrier in the emerging hydrogen economy, by scaling the OzAmmonia technology to a commercially viable stage.
The Project will be delivered in two stages, a Core Research Stage (Stage 1), followed by a Research Commercialisation Stage (Stage 2).
The Core Research Stage will involve optimisation of various Advanced Air Oxidation systems () to enhance NOx generation from air and reduce Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) of multiphase electrolyser, exploring cost reduction for both Air-to-Ammonia and Waste-to-Ammonia systems through ongoing process optimisation and integration of scaled-up electrolyser and prototype development.
The Research Commercialisation Stage will build upon the progress in the Core Research Stage, including field testing and technology demonstration through validation of a prototype with publicly accessible performance trial result and optimisation of NOx input to electrolyser. |
