Brunel aiming to develop carbon-free transport fuel

News

Researchers at Brunel University London are using ammonia to develop what they describe as a new carbon-free transport fuel.

carbon-free transport fuel
Image: Shutterstock

Ammonia has potential as a 100 per cent renewable liquid fuel to for ships and lorries and power generators, but higher ignition energy, higher auto-ignition temperature and significantly lower flame speed are factors that restrict its usefulness in combustion engines

In the first-ever research into storing of hydrogen in liquid ammonia, Brunel will develop a new liquid ammonia blended with hydrogen that can be pumped like petrol into existing engines.

MORE FROM ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

It is one of 10 novel net zero ideas for new materials, devices, fuels and technologies to receive £250,000 UKRI funding.

“Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel and the hydrogen density in liquid ammonia is even higher than liquid hydrogen,” said Dr Xinyan Wang, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowon advanced fuel and propulsion technologies for low carbon and zero carbon transport. “That’s why it is a promising candidate to decarbonise the transport sector. However, its application to transport is limited by its poor combustion.”

According to Brunel, the new ammonia hydrogen liquid fuel blend is forecast to boost engine efficiency by 20 per cent and halve the amount of unburned ammonia compared with pure liquid ammonia fuel. This could lead to a 100 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions in long-haul transport, shipping and power generation. The fresh blend of fuel also takes less space to store than other zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen.

“Harnessing science, technology and innovation is fundamental to achieving clean growth,” said science minister George Freeman announcing the EPSRC funding on March 31, 2022. “By investing in innovative clean tech projects like those announced today we are supporting both UK research and our global clean tech sector.”

“We hope through this project we can successfully produce the proposed ammonia hydrogen blend and show its vast potential in raising efficiency and lowering emissions,” said Dr Wang. “Our evidence will then support future large-scale research and development for wider future use.”