Hydrogen is made from ammonia by decomposing it into hydrogen and nitrogen using a process called ammonia cracking, typically carried out in a specialized unit known as an ammonia cracker.
The Ammonia Cracking Process
The process relies on the controlled breakdown of ammonia (NH₃) molecules into their constituent elements, nitrogen (N₂) and hydrogen (H₂).
Here are the key steps involved based on the reference provided:
- Heating Ammonia: First, the ammonia is heated until it evaporates, transforming it into a gaseous state. This prepares the ammonia for the decomposition reaction.
- Feeding into the Reactor: The gaseous ammonia is then fed into a reactor.
- Catalytic Splitting: Inside the reactor, ammonia splitting takes place catalytically. This means a catalyst is present to speed up and facilitate the decomposition reaction:
2NH₃ → N₂ + 3H₂ - Operating Conditions: The catalytic splitting process is typically conducted under specific conditions to ensure efficient conversion:
- Temperatures: Usually runs at temperatures of 600-900 °C.
- Pressure: Operates at a pressure of 20-40 bar.
This process yields a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen gases, from which the hydrogen can then be separated for various applications.
