Device for producing hydrogen and nitrogen from supplied ammonia

Abstract

A device is described that is adapted to produce H₂ and N₂ from supplied ammonia under pressure The device comprises means for rotating a rotary unit (2) with an inlet for ammonia (12) having radial channels (13), and outlets for liquid N₂ (26) and H₂ (27), which may also be in liquid form. The rotary unit includes a hollow cylindrical evaporator (7), an ammonia splitter / cracker AC (8) connected to the evaporator (7) and provided with catalysts for converting ammonia into H₂ and N₂. These gases, together with residual ammonia, are directed to an ammonia separator ASEP (9) to condense out ammonia, which is returned to the ammonia splitter AC (8), while the remaining gases H₂ and N₂ are directed to a nitrogen separator NSEP (10).

Description

[0001] DEVICE FOR PRODUCING HYDROGEN AND NITROGEN FROM SUPPLIED AMMONIA

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] 5

[0004] The present invention relates to a device for generating hydrogen and nitrogen by splitting / cracking supplied ammonia.

[0005] Technical Background

[0006] 10 Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen (NHs) that can exist in gaseous or liquid form.

[0007] Current methods and devices for producing hydrogen and nitrogen from ammonia via a heated and catalytic process are predominantly carried out in centralized, large Ammonia Cracker (AC) plants, using ammonia and an AC catalytic reactor. 15 These plants produce H2 and N2 gases, which are then directed to a first condenser (ASEP) that separates any unreacted ammonia. Pure H2 and N2 are then directed to a gas separator (NSEP), where N2 can be condensed, allowing H2 and N2 to be separated from each other. Another method in use involves Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants, where nitrogen and residual ammonia are captured and 20 pure hydrogen is either compressed or liquefied.

[0008] The challenge with current AC plants is that they require a significant input of heat energy, as the process is endothermic. This heat is supplied indirectly through combustion, which far exceeds the energy needed for the splitting process itself, due to substantial heat loss from exhaust gases and radiation from the large plant.

[0009] 25 Flow rates must be slow to prevent cooling in the AC, which is highly endothermic and does not receive sufficient heat rapidly. This also causes temperature fluctuations that degrade the catalysts, which must be replaced regularly under current operation. Additionally, exhaust from combustion leads to both heat loss and, if methane is used as fuel, emissions of significant greenhouse gases,

[0010] 30 including CO2 and unburned methane, which is 25 times more climate-damaging than CO2. Capturing CO2 from the exhaust is highly energy-intensive due to the large amounts of nitrogen (N) from the supplied air. Current PSA separation plants for H2 and N2 are large, can account for up to 50% of the cost of a complete AC plant, and are also highly energy-intensive during operation.

[0011] Summary of the Invention

[0012] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a compact and economical device for producing hydrogen and nitrogen suitable for high temperature and pressure.

[0013] The device comprises means for rotating a rotating device with an inlet for ammonia with radial channels, and outlets for liquid nitrogen and hydrogen, which may also be liquid. The rotating device includes a hollow cylindrical evaporator supported internally and at the periphery of the rotary device. The evaporator is connected to the ammonia inlets with radial channels and is equipped with a heat exchanger receiving a circulating heat fluid from a heat pump (HP) to indirectly heat and evaporate the flowing ammonia,

[0014] an ammonia splitter / cracker connected to the evaporator and equipped with catalysts for converting ammonia into H2 and N2. These gases, together with any remaining ammonia, are directed via ammonia separation channels to an ammonia separator (ASEP) with an internal ammonia-separator heat exchanger, which condenses the ammonia and returns it to the radial ammonia channels. The residual H2 and N2 gases are directed via radial channels inward to a nitrogen separator (NSEP) connected to ASEP and HP, equipped with multiple heat exchangers that condense N2, which is directed as pressurized liquid in the N2 outlet channel (26), and finally the remaining H2, cold pressurized gas, is directed into the H2 outlet channel (28), where it also can be delivered in liquid form.

[0015] Rotation of the device achieves a favorable radial distribution of pressure and temperature within the device due to centrifugal forces acting on the fluids.

[0016] The scope of the invention is defined in the appended patent claims.

[0017] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the appended figures, with additional features and advantages of the invention evident from the following detailed description. Fig. 1 shows a schematic embodiment of the invention with a mounted and rotatable rotating device, illustrating a section along the rotational axis, and a half of the rotating device; the other half is a mirror image of the half structure shown along one side of the longitudinal rotation axis.

[0019] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0020] Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section along the rotation axis 1 of one side of the rotating device 2. It has a cylindrical shape with an inlet side containing a hollow inlet shaft 3 supported by an inlet bearing 4, and similarly on the outlet side a hollow outlet shaft 5 with an outlet bearing 6, which allows the rotating device 2 to rotate. It contains and supports, from the periphery, an evaporator 7, AC (Ammonia Cracker) reactor 8, ASEP (Ammonia Separator) 9, NSEP (Nitrogen Separator) 10, and HP (Heat Pump) 11.

[0021] On the inlet side, inside the hollow inlet shaft 3, an ammonia inlet channel 12 is arranged within an axial tube around the rotation axis 1, sealed within the rotating device 2 against the inner end of the tube. The inlet channel 12 is further connected to several radial ammonia channels 13, which branch outward and inward to one axial side of the evaporator 7. The ammonia may be liquid or gaseous, and in gaseous form the evaporator functions as a preheater.

[0022] The evaporator 7 is shaped as a hollow cylinder supported along the inner side to the periphery of the rotating device 2's peripheral tube. The radial ammonia channels 13 are connected to recycled ammonia channels 14 from ASEP 9, where residual ammonia is condensed using the cold side 20 of the HP channel. In the figure, the radial ammonia channels 13 are shown with a compression symbol 15 on arrows / fluid channels outward / downward to indicate increasing centrifugal force that compresses the gas and increases its temperature (downward arrows in the figure symbolize fluid in channels moving outward toward the periphery being compressed by increasing G-force, and upward arrows symbolize fluid moving inward being decompressed toward the rotation axis due to decreasing G). This applies to all radial outward channels, and conversely for inward-flowing fluids, where expansion is shown with expansion symbols, like HP 16 in lines 17, 18, 19, and 21.

[0023] In evaporator 7, ammonia may be in gas or liquid form and is indirectly heated by HP 11 via the heat fluid channel 25 from the periphery to a dry gas mixture at the desired temperature. The gas mixture continues through several inward channels to one end of AC 8 at its outer periphery, where it contacts the inner periphery of evaporator 7, providing additional inward heat, and continues along the outer periphery into AC 8, maintaining a stable temperature. An additional heat exchanger with a heat pump may also be arranged to further increase the temperature in AC 8. Endothermic catalytic splitting of the gas mixture occurs, converting it into hydrogen, nitrogen, and some unconverted ammonia.

[0024] The gas mixture passes through AC 8 to its other end at the inner periphery and then inward to ASEP 9 through several radial ASEP channels 18, where the gas mixture transfers heat indirectly to the HP cooling medium in the ASEP heat exchanger 20. The HP heat exchanger first flows the fluid counter-current in evaporator 7 against the ammonia, so that the HP fluid 17 exiting evaporator 7 may reach nearly the same temperature as the incoming ammonia 13, which can be liquid and cold. The HP gas from evaporator 7 is further cooled inward by lower pressure, symbolized in the figure with an expansion symbol 16 on cooling channel 17. This applies to all other inward channels 18, 19, and 21 with different fluids.

[0025] After transferring heat to the cooling fluid in the ASEP heat exchanger 20, the gas mixture condenses traces of ammonia, which are sent to the recycled-ammonia channel 14 at higher pressure back to the ammonia inlet channel 13. The remaining gases in ASEP 9, now nitrogen and hydrogen, are transported further inward through several radial NSEP gas channels 19, which branch inward to one end of NSEP 10 containing dedicated heat exchangers with HP cooling medium from ASEP in several radial channels 21. Nitrogen then condenses in NSEP 10 and is expelled from the rotor via collection channels (not shown) from NSEP 10 to a nitrogen outlet channel 26, which surrounds and is centered around the rotation axis in a tube enclosing the hydrogen channel / pipe, leaving space for gas between the tubes 26 and 27. Pure, cold hydrogen gas is similarly led out of the rotor via dedicated hydrogen collection channels from NSEP 10 to the inner hydrogen outlet pipe 27.

[0026] When nitrogen condenses in NSEP 10, the partial pressure on the remaining hydrogen gas increases significantly, as well as on the nitrogen as it condenses into liquid. With further cooling, nearly all nitrogen is liquefied and discharged under pressure via the nitrogen outlet channel 26 and hydrogen outlet channel 27, which may be similar in design to the ammonia inlet channel 13.

[0027] All heat is quickly conducted inward in the fluids with high convection at high G-force. This ensures good and rapid contact between fluids and heat exchangers, distributing heat inward quickly and cold outward even in AC reactor 8. With suitable catalysts and high mass transport under this high convection, a relatively stable temperature is maintained in the endothermic reaction, allowing the process to proceed much faster while increasing the conversion of ammonia to hydrogen and nitrogen. Under high G, heat finds it difficult to move outward in the fluid and thus acts as an insulator, which can be exploited in the rotating device where desired. For example, a colder fluid or cold liquid ammonia may first flow outside of the evaporator 7 in a hollow cylindrical form. The fluid flows laminarly through the heat inside the high G this will keep the outer and supporting peripheral tube relatively cold and maintain its strength.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 1, the rotating device 2 and its contents 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and heat exchangers (not shown) may be arranged with axial tubes of different dimensions, materials, and radius, either inside each other or in series in some cases. The tubes surround and are centered around rotation axis 1. Tubes inside will almost "float" on the outer fluids, and tubes within the rotor can thus be relatively thin, improving heat transfer where needed. The outermost, largest, and most massive tube forms the periphery of the rotating device 2 and may act as the periphery for the heat fluid in evaporator 7. The next inward tube is a heat exchange tube between the heat fluid and the evaporator 7, where the supplied ammonia is heated to a hot dry gas, held in place by the next inner heat exchange tube, which also transfers heat and serves as the outer peripheral tube for AC 8, forming a space with the next insulation tube inside.

[0029] The gas mixture from evaporator 7 is conducted through several channels / holes inward to one end of the AC 8 chamber at its periphery. AC 8 contains catalysts that convert most of the ammonia into nitrogen and hydrogen gas. The axial tube within AC 8 may be thermally insulated. Within this tube, a chamber for NSEP 9 may be arranged between a larger and a smaller tube, where gases from AC 8 are conducted via several radial channels. Within the innermost tube in ASEP 9, a smaller tube forms a chamber for the ASEP cooler, supplied with HP cooling medium 17 through several radial channels from evaporator 7, which cools the ASEP gases, allowing residual ammonia to liquefy. This is conducted through dedicated channels to the ammonia inlet channels 13, where the ammonia from the recycled-ammonia channels 14 is mixed. The remaining cold nitrogen and hydrogen are transported from the other end's inner peripheral tube, inward through several radial NSEP gas channels 19 or holes to NSEP 10, which consists of multiple heat exchangers composed of several axial tubes forming nested chambers inward toward the rotation axis. Every other tube is for the products from NSEP channels 19, and the others are for cooling fluid from NSEP channels 21.

[0030] The NSEP channels 21 must be inside the ones from which they draw inward heat from their respective product heat exchange chambers, where nitrogen condenses and is discharged as a liquid in nitrogen outlet channel 26. Immediately afterward, cold, pressurized, and pure H2 gas is discharged into the H2 outlet channel 27.

[0031] There may be several similar heat exchangers as mentioned (not shown), arranged within AC 8 and ASEP 9, which heat ammonia on its outward path to evaporator 7 and / or heat HP cold fluid on its inward path and / or after first being conducted from evaporator 7 directly into separator 10 for the lowest temperature there, then outward to one or more heat exchangers to extract heat during inward transport to HP 11, which is supported by a tube that may be conical and optionally have stators on the inside, adapted for an axial compressor rotor if used. And / or a cylindrical tube and at least one centrifugal compressor with a blade diffuser outside, which at its periphery is connected to the heat fluid channels 25.

[0032] The aforementioned axial tubes around the rotation axis are supported and sealed at their ends by means of disks (not shown), which are further centered and supported by the rotating device 2, and where all channels are sealed and fastened against each other. These disks may contain axial channels through the disks and radial channels inside them or between them, for transporting all fluids within the rotating device via their axial tube channels and connected to all inlets and outlets, with sealing and fastening means for all channel connection points outward / inward.

[0033] The heat pump (HP) 11 is practically arranged closer to the rotation axis than shown in the schematic Fig. 1 and contains a compressor (not shown), which may be of axial and / or centrifugal type, with its shaft centered along the rotation axis 1 of the rotating device 2 and coupled to an electric motor 24 (not shown) for rotation. The motor may be balanced and mounted inside the rotating device 2, centered around the rotation axis 1 (not shown), enclosed in the HP 11 circuit with insulated wires to its slip rings isolated outside the outlet shaft 5, contacting the respective static brushes for power supply. A separate motor (not shown) is connected to one of the shafts 3, 5 for adapted rotation of the rotating device 2. Alternatively, an electric motor 24 (not shown) axially outside one of the rotating device's 2 shafts 3, 5 is connected to the HP 11 compressor via a magnetic coupling for hermetic sealing of its gas, where the electric motor provides rotation to both the compressor and rotating device 2 through the kinetics of HP fluid from the compressor against stators and / or diffusers attached to the rotating device 2, providing the desired rotational force.

[0034] HP 11 may also be positioned outside the rotor, with inlet and outlet channels 23 to it, or a smaller HP inside and a larger outside the rotor, with their channels 23 connected. The purpose of this special HP 11 is to generate heat and cold. This is achieved using a heavy gas as the working medium, which is not consumed and has a low heat capacity (Cp). It may be neon, argon, krypton, or xenon, or a custom mixture of these in gaseous form, pressurized throughout the hermetically sealed HP 11 circuit during operation. A working medium with such gases becomes hotter than other gases in the rotor outward toward the periphery, and colder than the other gases in the rotor from the periphery inward toward the center. The fluid is referred to as heat fluid on the outward path and cold fluid on the inward path, all the way to the compressor in HP 11. The dominant heat production in the HP circuit occurs after the compressor and inside the branched radial heat fluid channels 25, as the heavy working gas is compressed by the high centrifugal force (G), generating increasing heat outward, which is eventually transferred indirectly from the periphery in a controlled amount inward to both evaporator 7 and AC 8 to enable the process.

[0035] There is an equivalent absolute delta temperature (AT = - — ) in the heat fluid

[0036]

[0037] 2Cp

[0038] channels 25 outward and in the corresponding inward cooling fluid channels 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 returning to HP 11, where the fluid is converted into a cold fluid moving inward through its cooling channels from evaporator 7. The working medium has a much lower Cp than the process fluids and therefore becomes hotter outward and colder inward. After releasing heat at the periphery to evaporator 7, the fluid flows inward through its cooling channels 17, 21, and immediately becomes much colder than the other products at the same radius, thereby receiving significant return heat inward. The more heat it receives further outward toward the periphery, the less cold it is at the center, which also reduces the compression work required on the heat fluid in HP 11 to drive the colder cooling fluid with higher G inward again.

[0039] However, the cold fluid can also first be conducted directly through several radial channels branching inward (not shown) to NSEP 10 for the lowest possible temperature of the cooling fluid, optimizing separation there, before the heat fluid returns outward to the ASEP heat exchanger 20 to receive heat from the products there. Alternatively, the cooling fluid is directed from NSEP 10 via NSEP cooling channel 22 directly to HP 11, or first outside the rotor via cooling outlet channel 23, where it extracts heat indirectly from the surroundings and then enters HP 11 through its cooling inlet channel 23, with each channel represented by a single arrow in the schematic figure.

[0040] Custom cooling of the ASEP heat exchanger 20, and / or a similar heat exchanger inside AC 8, which cools the gas mixture into ASEP channel 18, can instead be accomplished with ammonia flowing outward in channels 13, evaporating before reaching evaporator 7. The aforementioned HP 11 circuit from evaporator 7 all the way to SEP 10 and then outward again to ASEP heat exchanger 20 requires higher compression work in HP 11. Nevertheless, this energy is lower than the endothermic energy required by AC 8 during constant rotation of the rotating device 2, which has the same rotational resistance whether all fluids move outward and inward or if the fluids are stationary, effectively like a massive rotor with or without fluid movement. Work transferred from the rotor to the mediums outward is returned to the rotor when the same medium moves inward toward the center, and this force is equivalent.

[0041] The cooling channel to HP 11 from the periphery may also pass through a heat exchanger as shown in the ASEP heat exchanger 20, with the cooling medium conducted directly to HP 11. For a cooling circuit with cooling fluid in / out 23 of the rotor to extract heat indirectly from the surroundings via an inlet channel, the cooling fluid may be the same gas and be directly connected to channels in the inner rotor circuit, or it can be a separate circuit with its own fluid, which may be an antifreeze fluid transferring heat via a heat exchanger to the inner cooling fluid circuit before HP Il's compressor.

[0042] The rotating device 2 may contain multiple heat pumps (not shown) beyond the depicted HP 11, each with its own hermetically sealed, high-pressure circuit. The heat pumps may be magnetically coupled together for rotation and hermetic sealing, or at least one HP may be coupled to the other shaft with the same rotation direction or counter-rotating, where at least one of the other heat pumps has higher rotational force to drive adapted rotation of rotating device 2 as described. A HP circuit may, for example, liquefy H2 for output (not shown) by having at least one of the other heat pumps pre-cool H2, leaving only cold H2 inside SEP 10, while another HP circuit contains a separate pressurized gas as cooling fluid, which may be argon, neon, helium, or a tailored gas mixture at controlled pressure and quantity conducted in channels, similar to HP 11, and to a separate evaporator outside the aforementioned evaporator 7 with the same function, with the heat fluid gas delivered to one end of its outermost heat fluid chamber. From ammonia inlet channel 12, a cold liquid, possibly liquid ammonia, is fed to the other end of evaporator 7 into its inner ammonia chamber, where, with added heat via the peripheral heat exchanger tube, it evaporates the liquid ammonia into gas with counterflow indirect heat exchange with the heat fluid outside. The evaporated gas is conducted from ammonia evaporator channels inward for possible further heating before entering its second evaporator 7 for additional heating as mentioned previously.

[0043] The cooling fluid from the ammonia evaporator outlet may then be as cold as the incoming liquid ammonia. The cooling fluid temperature drops further as it flows inward through channels, similarly as mentioned earlier, to the innermost part of NSEP 10 around the rotation axis 1, where the radial cooling fluid channels connect to one of the sealed ends into a centered axial cooling tube forming a cooling fluid heat exchanger, which is filled with the very cold cooling fluid, potentially making it even colder via at least one pressure drop constriction at its inlet or through multiple passages in its heat exchanger channels where the cooling fluid receives heat toward the outlet at the other end. On the outer side of the cooling fluid heat exchanger tube, a new tube is arranged and centered, sealed at the ends, forming a chamber similar to described earlier, where cold H2 under high pressure is introduced from the first separator 10, from its channels located at the opposite axial end of the inlet to the cold neon, to form a counterflow heat exchanger, where H2 transfers heat to the cooling fluid inside, which has a controlled temperature and pressure lower than the critical temperature of high-pressure H2, and is adapted so that H2 becomes liquid. The H2 cooling cylinder contains nickel catalysts to convert H2 from the ortho-H2 to para-H2 state before being led to its H2 outlet channel 27. Cooling fluid from the cooling fluid heat exchanger can be used for further heat extraction / cooling in and / or from outside the rotor, as mentioned previously, before the cooling fluid is returned to its compressor in its HP circuit for a new outward cycle toward the periphery.

[0044] The rotating device 2 can thus be relatively cold on the outside, and in addition to extracting heat from the process, products, and the surroundings outside the rotor, this utilizes low-temperature heat and therefore provides a device with very high efficiency. Instead of using cold liquid ammonia to cool the additional cooling circuit, a separate liquid gas may also be used in dedicated channels from the inlet, through the evaporator, to the outlet. This gas may be liquid nitrogen, methane, or a similar very low-temperature gas. The liquefied nitrogen from the first heat pump can be directed to the periphery to cool the working medium in the second heat pump circuit, before cold nitrogen gas is released. The rotating device 2 can also operate at a lower rotational speed, with the compressor(s) in the heat pump(s) performing the dominant compression and heat production, and at least one adapted constriction is arranged at the inlet to the axial heat exchangers inward, each of which may contain several throttles that provide a controlled lower temperature for the cooling fluid as it moves inward, and can also be adapted to condense axially and then evaporate by absorbing heat as described, before the cooling fluid finally returns to its compressor(s).

[0045] Liquid inlet ammonia in channels 12, 13, and recycled ammonia in channel 14 can also be routed in separate channels and heat exchangers inside AC 8, which transfer heat to it, sufficient for the gas to remain liquid in its channel 13, 14, and the gas evaporates just before reaching evaporator 7, which then heats it further to the desired temperature. As liquid provides the highest compression, evaporation at a lower radius gives lower pressure to evaporator 7 and further inward from it. This can be adapted so that a water lock channel (not shown) first directs the vapor inward to an appropriate radius before it is fed to evaporator 7.

[0046] At least one turbine (not shown) may also be arranged in the center, connected to one or more heat pumps at the center via a magnetic coupling, where at least one of the hotter pressurized gases from the periphery can perform work in the turbine, simultaneously causing both pressure drop and temperature drop. This rotational force correspondingly reduces the electrical power 24 supplied to the heat pump(s)' electric motor. After the turbine, the respective working gas continues through the system as described.

[0047] AC 8 consists of a low-temperature (LT) and high-temperature (HT) zone, with catalysts adapted for each zone.

[0048] So far, ASEP 9 has been described as located inside of AC 8, but ASEP 9 can also be placed at the periphery of rotating device 2, axially alongside one of the ends of evaporator 7 and AC 8, with the inner radius advantageously matching that of AC 8. ASEP 9 can thus be axially shorter and operate under higher G, which is advantageous, and it can be made smaller while maintaining the same capacity as before at the inner radius. Inlets / outlets to / from ASEP 9 and heat exchangers can be as described previously and can advantageously be located at the periphery of ammonia channels 13, 14.

[0049] Rotating device 2 is enclosed by a cylindrical protective housing (not shown), which supports the inlet bearing 4 and outlet bearing 6 at each end in the center, where dynamic seals (not shown) may also be arranged between the protective housing and shafts 3, 5, which can advantageously be on each side of each bearing 4, 6, and may be radial or axial bearings with ball or sliding surfaces adapted with means for lubrication and temperature balance. The inner side of the protective housing may form low pressure / vacuum via an outlet channel and associated means, reducing rotational resistance, noise, and heat loss from rotating device 2. The protective housing can be mounted horizontally or vertically to a fixed part with connecting means at the mentioned inlet and outlet. Centered at one end of the protective housing is the motor for HP 11 compressor and / or for rotation of rotating device 2 and possibly brushes if the compressor motor is inside its HP 11 circuit.

[0050] Adapted glands (not shown) are connected around each inlet channel 12, 23, and each outlet channel 26, 27, 23, where the static part of the gland is fixed and centered to the protective housing. The glands may be of cartridge type, brush seal with adapted attachment, sliding surface for high speed, temperature, pressure, fluid in / out, where the sliding surface may be carbide.

[0051] AC 8 may be filled and arranged with several thin catalytic disks (not shown) perpendicular to rotation axis 1, arranged around the entire inner and outer periphery inside AC 8. The disks are thin and may have radially backward-curved small blades and a porous the catalytic surface structure across the entire face of each disk, where all blades may be backward-curved in the rotation direction, or every other disk has this, and the alternating disks between them have forward-curved blades on each side. When compressed together, the blades intersect and lie axially on top of each other. This arrangement creates a controlled space between the blades and enhances turbulence in addition to the high G-forces, which further improves gas contact with the catalyst and promotes mixing of density changes as ammonia splits into hydrogen and nitrogen. The gases move along the disks and blades outward / inward, improving contact with the catalysts and increasing conversion, which can proceed very rapidly without excessive cooling due to heat carried by the extra thermal energy from the heat fluid over the short distance to evaporator 7 via the periphery, which transfers additional heat inward through both the disks and the gas in AC 8.

[0052] The self-supporting disk core is made of a material that resists high temperatures, nitridation, and the forces present in AC 8 during rotation and operation. The disk surfaces are coated with at least one catalyst and are centered in contact with the inner and outer peripheries of AC 8 for heat transfer through the disks and within AC 8. Each disk has multiple holes or semicircular grooves evenly spaced along the inner and outer periphery, which in assembled position form axial channels along the inner and outer periphery of AC 8. Some disks may lock these holes or grooves along either the inner or outer periphery. At the fluid inlets at one end of AC 8, after a suitable number of disks, a disk without peripheral holes / grooves blocks the axial channel along the periphery, forcing the fluid to flow inward between the other disks and along the inner peripheral channels. After a similar number of disks from the disk that blocked the outer peripheral channel, a disk without holes / grooves at its inner periphery forces the fluid outward again, continuing inward and outward several times through AC 8 to its outlet, as described previously for the fluids at its inner periphery at the opposite end. The H2 liquefaction chamber may be built similarly with its adapted nickel catalyst disks.

[0053] Due to large temperature variations inside rotating device 2 and considering the materials' expansion at high temperatures and contraction at low temperatures, adapted radial and axial expansion zones are provided to accommodate this movement without excessive stress, while maintaining tightness and providing structural reinforcement to keep components in rotating device 2 in place to avoid imbalance. Advantageously, at certain locations (not shown), all mentioned tubes / hollow cylinders may have, along all or part of their length, a wave-shaped / corrugated structure oriented completely perpendicular to the rotation axis or with a form similar to corrugated external and internal threads on the same location on the outer and inner sides, providing uniform wall thickness and axial spring support. Similar arrangements may also be provided fully or partially radially on the disks supporting the tube ends.

[0054] The catalytic disks in AC 8 may be adapted to these corrugated threads and screwed into position with adapted holes / grooves at the inner and outer periphery to form axial channels, which now follow the threads, or in the case of transverse corrugation and threading, an inner and outer tube may be inserted, with their outer surfaces resting against the inner peaks of the corrugation. The inner and outer tubes may advantageously have multiple holes replacing the catalytic disks' holes / grooves, adapted to lead fluid in and out of each corrugation for the same function as mentioned, with the holes aligned to guide the flow.

[0055] The end caps of rotating device 2, which attach and seal to its outer tube with each shaft 3, 5 in the center, may advantageously be spherical in shape, such as a hollow hemisphere or dome, or conical venting axially outward or inward, with a wall thickness uniform radially outward and facing axially outward at each end. This provides greater radial and axial flexibility, reduces material consumption for the required strength, and similar shapes may be applied to the previously described disks (not shown) supporting all internal tubes, with each hemisphere fixed and sealed axially to its respective tube at each end. The space between each hemisphere, with outward blades arranged in balance and centered against the hemisphere's inner side, may form channels for fluid outward / inward fully or partially, allowing different fluids to share the same channel while being sealed from other fluids in a radius where they are guided through dedicated channels in / out to / from reactors or heat exchangers inside rotating device 2. The end caps may also be shaped to curve axially outward from the periphery and then curve axially inward again at a radius, where the shafts 3, 5, fixed at the end caps in the center, are positioned axially closer to each other's ends. The protective housing will have an inner shape matching the outer shape of rotating device 2, with appropriate clearance between them.

[0056] The rotating device's channels from inlet to outlet may be thermally insulated or adapted for heat exchange to and from all heat exchangers and rotary components 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

[0057] Rotating device 2 must be made of materials capable of withstanding the forces during high rotation, high pressure, high and low temperatures, and chemical reactions, ensuring that structural strength is maintained during rotation and operation of the process.

[0058] Heat exchangers must be made of a material with good thermal conductivity and sufficient strength relative to the temperature and pressure at which they operate. The rotating device may be equipped with self-balancing means, which can include at least one peripheral channel partially filled with a liquid.

[0059] So far, rotating device 2 has been described in several components, assembled with fastening devices, seals, insulators, and catalysts. However, the entire rotor or parts of it may also be 3D-printed, where each medium and consistency is built up layer by layer axially to form a complete, balanced, sealed rotor with channels, which are simultaneously joined.

[0060] The catalysts in AC 8 may be in any form, with or without oxide, or in combination of: platinum, nickel, iridium, cobalt, iron, yttrium, zirconium, strontium, lanthanum, manganese, copper, zinc, lithium, aluminum, or materials with similar properties.

[0061] Figure 1 is schematic and does not show the actual configuration of the device. Reference numbers for components with comments:

[0062] 1. Rotation axis

[0063] 2. Rotating device, including the components listed below

[0064] 3. Inlet shaft, hollow

[0065] 4. Inlet bearing

[0066] 5. Outlet shaft, hollow

[0067] 6. Outlet bearing

[0068] 7. Evaporator for liquid ammonia or preheater in gas form

[0069] 8. AC (Ammonia Cracker) reactor

[0070] 9. ASEP (Ammonia Separator) under high-pressure cooling

[0071] 10. NSEP (Nitrogen Separator), condensation separator containing a series of axial heat exchangers, where heat is transferred from the products to the cooling fluid, which is always inside the warmer products in NSEP

[0072] 11. HP (Heat Pump), contains a compressor

[0073] 12. Ammonia inlet channel, axial tube

[0074] 13. Radial ammonia channels, branching from center 12 outward to evaporator 7

[0075] 14. Ammonia channels, from the periphery of ASEP 9 to radial ammonia channels 13

[0076] 15. Compression symbol, on all arrows / fluids outward with increasing centrifugal force; gas becomes hotter, and gas with the lowest Cp (heat capacity) becomes the hottest, as the heat medium / HP working medium

[0077] 16. Expansion symbol, on all arrows / fluids inward with decreasing centrifugal force; gas becomes colder, and gas with the lowest Cp becomes the coldest, as the heat medium / HP working medium

[0078] 17. Cooling fluid channels from evaporator 7, branching inward with decompression symbol, as for all inward arrows / fluids with decreasing centrifugal force and cooling

[0079] 18. ASEP gas channels, branching inward from the end of AC 8 into one end of ASEP 9

[0080] 19. NSEP gas channels, branching inward from the end of ASEP 9 into one end of NSEP 10

[0081] 20. NSEP cooler, with cooling fluid from evaporator 7 via radial cooling fluid channels 17

[0082] 21. Cooling medium, branching from the end of NSEP cooler 20 inwards to one end of NSEP 10 with at least one cooler

[0083] 22. Cooling channel, from NSEP 10 cooler(s) with cooling medium into HP 11 23. Cooling fluid outlet and inlet channels, absorbing ambient heat, shown in the figure with a common arrow for each channel in / out

[0084] 24. EL, supplied electricity to the electric motor driving the compressor in HP 11 and the rotating device 2

[0085] 25. Heat fluid channels, from HP 11 compressor to the periphery of evaporator 7, where the temperature in the heat fluid increases progressively outward in the channels, shown with compression symbol

[0086] 26. Nitrogen outlet channel, for pressurized condensed cold N2 from NSEP 10 27. Hydrogen outlet channel, with pressurized cold H2 gas, or liquefied with multiple HP 11 units and nickel catalysts adapted in NSEP 10 and other adjustments mentioned in the description

Claims

Claims1. A device for producing hydrogen and nitrogen from supplied ammonia in gaseous or liquid cold form,characterized by a rotating device (2), and means for rotating the rotating device,wherein the rotating device (2) comprises:• an ammonia inlet (12) branching into multiple radial ammonia channels (13) leading to a hollow cylindrical evaporator (7) supported internally and at the periphery of the rotating device (2), wherein the evaporator (7) is arranged with an evaporator heat exchanger to indirectly heat and vaporize the flowing ammonia,• an ammonia cracker (8) connected to the evaporator (7) and arranged with catalysts for converting the ammonia into a gas mixture of hydrogen, nitrogen, and residual ammonia, wherein the ammonia cracker (8) is arranged with a cracker heat exchanger (20),• an ammonia separator (9) connected to the ammonia cracker (8) via multiple radial ammonia separation channels (18) to condense residual ammonia, wherein the ammonia separator (9) is arranged with an ammonia heat exchanger,wherein residual ammonia is returned from the ammonia separator (9) via dedicated channels (14) back to the radial ammonia channels (13) for recirculation, and a nitrogen gas separator (10) which receives hydrogen and nitrogen from the ammonia separator (9) via nitrogen gas separator channels (19) into the nitrogen gas separator (10), wherein nitrogen is condensed and discharged under pressure from the rotating device (2) via a nitrogen outlet channel (26), the nitrogen gas separator (10) being arranged with at least one nitrogen gas heat exchanger,wherein hydrogen is discharged as cold pressurized gas via a hydrogen outlet channel (28),further comprising at least one circuit with a heat pump (11),wherein the heat pump delivers a flowing compressible working fluid to at least one of the heat exchangers before the working fluid is returned to the heat pump (11).

2. The device according to claim 1, comprising a single circuit with a single heat pump (11), wherein the heat pump (11) is serially connected to the evaporator heat exchanger, which is further connected to the cracker heatexchanger (20), which is further connected to the ammonia heat exchanger, which is further connected to the nitrogen gas heat exchanger, which is again connected to the heat pump (11).

3. The device according to claim 1, comprising multiple circuits, each with its own heat pump adapted for heating and cooling, wherein each heat pump is connected to its respective heat exchanger.

4. The device according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising an additional circuit with an extra heat pump connected to an extra heat exchanger in the ammonia cracker (8).

5. The device according to any preceding claim, wherein a circuit adapted for liquefying hydrogen comprises an additional heat exchanger that receives hydrogen gas from the hydrogen outlet channel (28), extracts heat from the hydrogen until it condenses under high pressure, and includes nickel catalysts to convert ortho-H2 to para-H2 before being discharged as liquid to the hydrogen outlet channel (28).

6. The device according to any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid is a pressurized noble gas, such as neon, argon, krypton, xenon, or a mixture thereof.

7. The device according to any preceding claim, wherein each said heat exchanger is centered around the rotation axis (1) and comprises three coaxial tubes forming inner and outer hollow cylindrical axial chambers, sealed and supported at the tube ends, wherein the hottest fluid is introduced into the outermost hollow cylindrical chamber at one axial end and discharged at the other end, and the coldest fluid is introduced into the innermost hollow cylindrical chamber at the axially opposite end of the hottest fluid inlet, wherein the coldest fluid receives heat from the hottest fluid outside via the middle tube in a countercurrent heat exchange, before the heated fluid is discharged at the axially opposite end.

8. The device according to claims 1-6, wherein the ammonia cracker (8) and nitrogen separator (10) comprise multiple thin disks of a self-supporting material, arranged perpendicular to the rotation axis (1) against and around the entire inner and outer periphery inside the ammonia cracker (8) and nitrogen separator (10), wherein the disks have radially backward -curved vanes, and the disks are coated with a porous catalytic surface structure on each side, and all vanes are either backward -curved in the rotation direction, or every other disk is backward -curved and every intervening disk has forward -curved vanes on each side, wherein a number of disks have holes or semicircular grooves evenly distributed along the inner and outerperiphery, which in assembled position form axial channels along the inner and outer periphery of the ammonia cracker (8) and nitrogen separator (10), additionally comprising disks that do not have these holes or grooves, such that from the fluid inlets at the periphery of the ammonia cracker (8) and nitrogen separator (10) at one end and after a specified number of disks, a disk without holes or grooves at its periphery blocks the axial channel along the periphery, forcing the fluid to flow inward between the other disks along inner axial peripheral channels, after a similar number of disks following the disk that blocked the outer peripheral channel, reaching a new disk without holes or grooves at its inner periphery, thereby forcing the fluid outward again, continuing in this manner inward and outward repeatedly through the ammonia cracker (8) and nitrogen separator (10) to their outlets (18, 26, 27) at the inner periphery at the opposite end.

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