Project ACTIVATE: ammonia combustion engine R&D
Article

Project ACTIVATE: ammonia combustion engine R&D

Ryan Miller September 22, 2021

A team led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Silesian University of Technology (SUT) is currently working on Project ACTIVATE. Their goal is to field demonstrate an ammonia-powered, cost-competitive agricultural vehicle by late 2023.

Our Improved Farm Tractor Ammonia and Hydrogen Fueling System
Paper

Our Improved Farm Tractor Ammonia and Hydrogen Fueling System

Ryan Miller November 13, 2019

We have a large farm tractor that is fueled by a mixture of ammonia and hydrogen, or hydrogen alone. We will briefly describe the fueling and ignition improvements that have been made to the engine, and quantify the performance increases. These improvements can be applied to other internal combustion engine applications. This tractor runs only on renewable and CO2 free fuels.

NH3 Event in Rotterdam, June 6-7
Article

NH3 Event in Rotterdam, June 6-7

Ryan Miller May 24, 2019

This year's ammonia conference in Rotterdam, the third annual NH3 Event, begins two weeks from today. Since our guest post in March, announcing the initial roster of conference speakers, the organizers have confirmed new speakers, added more sessions, and announced

Improved Method of Using Hydrogen and Ammonia Fuels for an Internal Combustion Engine
Paper

Improved Method of Using Hydrogen and Ammonia Fuels for an Internal Combustion Engine

Ryan Miller December 14, 2018

A tractor mounted internal combustion engine is fueled by Hydrogen or a combination of Hydrogen and Ammonia. Developments of an improved method of fuel injection and ignition control. Hydrogen is port injected in the intake manifold, and liquid ammonia is injected in the throttle body. A dual fuel ECU, Engine Control Unit, controls the fuel mixtures and the firing of multiple coils for ignition. The paper will address significant engine performance improvements and the resulting fuel consumption and engine emissions levels.

Advances in Making High Purity Nitrogen for Small Scale Ammonia Generation
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Advances in Making High Purity Nitrogen for Small Scale Ammonia Generation

Ryan Miller October 31, 2018

The presentation will address recent developments in the Solar Hydrogen Demonstration Project in which hydrogen, nitrogen and ammonia are made from solar power, water, and air; and used to fuel a modified John Deere farm tractor. In industrial applications very pure nitrogen is made by cryogenic distillation of air. Using Pressure Swing Absorption systems alone it is extremely difficult to achieve the required purity. An improved method was developed for making high purity nitrogen, for smaller systems. Will discuss how, when Oxygen contaminates the reactor catalyst, Hydrogen is used to purge the catalyst, and subsequently used as fuel.

Our Iowa Renewable Hydrogen and Ammonia Generation System
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Our Iowa Renewable Hydrogen and Ammonia Generation System

Ryan Miller November 2, 2017

The presentation will summarize the development of the demonstration size renewable fuel and fertilizer system on my Iowa farm. Solar power, water, and air are used to make hydrogen and ammonia fuel used to power a modified John Deere 7810 tractor. The ammonia can also be used to fertilize corn cropland. The development of the ammonia reactor will be described and its performance discussed. There are no carbon emissions in either the generation or consumption of the hydrogen and ammonia.

My Solar Powered Ammonia Generation System
Paper

My Solar Powered Ammonia Generation System

Ryan Miller September 22, 2014

As a memorial to my father I have installed on the farm where he was raised, a demonstration Solar-Hydrogen system that has been producing and compressing hydrogen from solar power for several years. The hydrogen will be used to fuel a tractor which can also be fueled by ammonia. The ammonia was to be purchased until after last year’s conference when I was put in contact with Doug Carpenter, who has a low energy input catalytic method of making ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen. I will describe the demonstration system that is being installed. It consists of a nitrogen generator…