Next generation SCR systemfor fuel-efficient NOx reduction

Conference Selective Catalytic Reduction 2011

26 - 28 September, 2011,Dorint Pallas Wiesbaden, Germany

Dr. Tue Johannessen

Amminex A/S

tj@amminex.com

1IQPC - SCR 2011

• NO2 is already today a major problem in many European cities

• Focus on low CO2 ⇒ efficient engines.

• Efficient diesel engines ⇒ low exhaust temperature– (often below 200°C

⇒ Significant challenge for future legislative targetsand off-cycle NOx control with AdBlue®

The environmental paradox: Low CO2

- but at the expense of NOX?

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Annual mean NO2 concentration (ug/m3) in London

Limit for 2010

US study on off-cycle performance

with urea-SCR Pick-up truck

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0.2 g/bhp-hr

Avg. urban

engine-out

(No DEF)

Average urban

tailpipeUrban driving

– with DEF in the tank

DEF = Diesel Exhaust Fluid = North America generic name for Aqueous Urea Solution

• NOx conversion data with NH3provided by Haldor TopsøeA/S

• Test conditions:– 250 ppm NOx– Conversion measured

with 20 ppm NH3 slip– Space velocity: 63000 hr-1. – Catalyst: Fe-zeolite; aged for

50hr at 750C– NO2 content: NO2/NOx= 0.3

• Curve for AdBlue is based on the assumption that:

– AdBlue gives as high conversion as pure ammonia gas as long as injection is possible (urea hydrolysis complete)

– Steady-state AdBlue injection requires an exhaust temperature of 190-200°C(e.g. Dr. Rusch: “Urea SCR – Interaction of spray generation and exhaust system”,CTI Forum: SCR systems, Stuttgart, Oct. 08)

Ammonia-SCR: High NOx reduction potential in cold exhaust

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0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

150 160 170 180 190 200

NO

X c

on

vers

ion

re

lati

ve t

o 2

00

°° °°C

SCR catalyst temperature (°°°°C)

NH3-dosing: Normalized

conversion (NO2/NOx=0.3)

AdBlue (inj. at Tscr >190 °C)

Urban NOx control

with ammonia gas

Illustration of urban NOx

control potential with

liquid injection (AdBlue)

AdAmmineTM: Safe storage enables ammonia for mobile applications

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Ammonia is very useful in many applications – incl. mobile and portable

• Storage of ammonia as

pressurized liquid

is inherently dangerous :

• AdAmmineTM: Safe storage in compacted solid

provides the safety essentially

without loss of volumetric capacity:

AdAmmine:

Usable capacity:

∼ 450g NH3 per liter AdAmmine

Ammonia release: Controlled thermal desorption

Sr(NH3)XCl2 ↔ Sr(NH3)X-1Cl2 + NH3

• Ammonia stored in an AdAmmine cartridge is about four orders of magnitude less ‘accessible’ than pressurized anhydrous ammonia.

• Even with a broken automotive cartridge/connector, passive release is very slow

– About 300 days before 1.65kg has diffused out of the broken cartridge at ambient conditions

– 3.6 liter cartridge for LD/automotive:

• Fire test shows no risk of cartridge bursting.– Plastic connector melts and causes controlled venting of ammonia. Vented ammonia is

oxidized in the flames.

How safe is it?

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• Amminex is working jointly with OEMs primarily on two system variants

• ASDS-1: Electrical system for small/medium cars– Two smaller main cartridges pr. system

– 3.5-4.5 liter cartridges

– Control strategy for low fuel economy impact

• ASDS-2: Engine coolant system for MD/HD– Main cartridge(s) is approx. 11 liters

– Modular system concept (1-3 cartridges)

Amminex ASDS technology:Ammonia Storage and Delivery Systems

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Key features:

• Start-up unit: Rapid dosing after cold start

• Main unit(s): System capacity

• AFM: Dosing manifold

• SW: Control of NH3-release on-demand

• Two-tank system– ∼ 11 liter cartridge (∼24 liter AdBlue)

– 4.5kg NH3 per main unit

• Start-up unit– 1.2 liter; 550W heater

• AFM (ammonia Flow Manifold)• Heating/Mounting bracket• Stand-alone ‘Box’ for easy installation• ASDS-controller + Amminex SW

• Production parts:

ASDS-2:Example of system for MD/HD

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Ammonia dosing performance:

– Dosing turn-down ratio is at least 1/100

• Example: Min/Max: 1/100 mg NH3/s (or zero flow).

• Can be varied by control SW.

– Accuracy is at least ±5% on actual measured value in the

entire range (not ‘just’ ± 5% of max. flow).

Off-cycle NOx control during urban driving: Improved SCR performance without additional fuel penalty

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0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

Time [s]

0

50

100

150

200

250

Flo

w [

mg

/s],

Tem

pera

ture

[°C

], S

pee

d [

km

ph

]

SCR_avg_T [°C]

NOx_conversion [%]

Vehicle_speed [kmph]

Ammonia_dosed [mg/s]

High NOx conversion possible

with continuous “cold” exhaust

gas using Amminex solid

storage technology.

SCR Catalyst

temperature

NO

x co

nve

rsio

n /

Ca

taly

st t

em

pe

ratu

re (

°C

) /

Spe

ed

(km

/hr)

/

Am

mo

nia

do

sin

g

Required catalyst temperature for

operating AdBlue:

> 200-225°C

ASDS-1: Electrically heated system for passenger cars

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• Start-up unit

• Main cartridge(s)

• Compact Ammonia Flow Manifold (AFM)

• Heating/mounting structure for main cartridges

• DCU with software

Example of components for automotive system

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• Dosing of pure ammonia gas– Example of applied dosing ranges: [0-30], [0-50] mg NH3/s

– Turn-down is at least 1:100

– High dosing accuracy (e.g. ± 5% on measured value)

• Time-to-dose from cold start:– Generally in the 60-180s range

– Depends on cold soak temperature, size and heating power

• Power consumption:– Peak power: 250W

– Average power consumption: 30-70W

• Main unit storage capacity:450 g NH3 (available NH3) per liter AdAmmineTM

Key performance parameters

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CO2-friendly control SW strategyfor ASDS-1

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• From a vehicle integration standpoint, electrical current is simpler than coolant ‘current’

• Target: Keep power low by using the STU ‘all the time’.

• Only use electrical power for heat main unit to transfer ammonia back into the STU (regeneration).

Time (Weeks)

STU fill level

Main unit fill level

Regeneration of STU by “activation of main unit

• High accuracy and robustness

• Attractive component cost structure

• Parts from automotive suppliers

• Dosing specs:– Dynamic turn-down ratio: 1:100

(e.g. 0.3 to 30 mg NH3/s)

– Accuracy: ±5% on measured value in

entire dosing range

• Operating pressure:– Pressure: 2 bar(a) < PCartridge < 6 bar(a)

– Exhaust back-pressure: Accuracy is not sensitive to dynamic changes in exhaust back-pressure caused by engine load.

Automotive AFM design

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On-going endurance test:

75 million valve cycles reached !

90 kg ammonia dosed

Accuracy remains at of ±5% on actual value.-5.0%

-2.5%

0.0%

2.5%

5.0%

0 10 20 30E

rro

r o

n a

ctu

al

do

sed

ma

ss (

%)

Dosing demand [mg NH3/s]

0 mill

43 mill

75 mill

Example from automotive testing of NH3-SCR

15

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M. Fischer. Honda R&D Europe, Emission Control Concepts, November 2010

High conversion– even for under-floor SCR position

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• NEDC test result with 200°C SOI temperature for Urea and

120°C for Ammonia

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Time [s]

NOx Engine Out

NOx post SCR NH3

NOx post SCR Urea

Vehicle Speed

Tem

pera

ture

[C

]59% less NOx

Start of

injection Urea

SCRStart of

injection NH3

SCR

SOI time difference between

Urea and NH3 gasTemperature upstream SCR

Temperature downstream SCR

SCR catalyst Temperature

0

20

40

60

80

100

Phase 1 Phase 2

NO

x c

on

versi

on

[%

]

AdBlue

NH3

97

4249

10

Source: M. Fischer. Honda R&D Europe

• Exhaust interface is a steel tube – not an injector.

• No droplets – high flexibility.

• High uniformity index at different exhaust flow conditions is demonstrated(the actual interface designed by Honda not disclosed)

High uniformity, no risk of deposits, low pressure drop

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Source: M. Fischer. Honda R&D Europe

• High uniformity with direct ammonia gas dosing

• Flexibility in SCR configuration– Close coupled

– Under-floor

– SCR-coated filter

• Flexibility in exhaust configuration– No risk of deposits

– Low pressure drop possible at ammonia inlet zone

– Significantly reduced corrosion risk (no acids intermediate of urea hydrolysis)

Benefits for exhaust system design

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AdAmmineTM industrialization

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• Approx. 11 liter unit.

• Material: Aluminum

• 4.5kg ammonia available for on-board usage.

• Quick-connector– Rapid exchange possible

• Approx. 500W heater (12V)

• Approx. 1.2 liter

• Quick-connector (gas)

• Electrical connector

• Other designs can be developed according to application requests.

Amminex manufacturing for MD/HD

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The first AdAmmine plant:Nyborg, Denmark

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Land : 45.800m2. Building: 6.424 m2 (up to 20.000 m2 allowed)

Administration, lab, cantina : 850 m2

Production: 5.600 m2

The first 10 ton of NH3 at Nyborg

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• AdAmmineTM is not classified as hazardous goods for on-road, sea or air transportation

• European REACH:No outstanding issues

• AdAmmineTM cartridges do not have to fulfill requirements of theEuropean Pressure Directive

• Amminex has environmental approval for the Danish AdAmmineTM plant:

– 45 ton on-site ammonia storage

– Warehouse:• 10,000 HD cartridges

• 10,000 Start-up units

• Amminex HQ is ISO 9001 certified.– Production facility will be ISO and TS

certified

Applicable standards forAdAmmineTM cartridges

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AFTERMARKET

CARTRIDGE SERVICING & REFILLING

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• Standard production method: First-fit cartridges on new vehicles

• Cartridge replacement:Depleted cartridge is exchanged with a full unit (e.g. at OEM service station or fleet).Rapid exchange via quick-connecting (hot-swapping possible)

• Depleted cartridges can be:– Resaturated at a decentralized facility (however not directly at OEM dealer or Fleet)

– Once “exhausted”, a cartridge can be recycled completely with full utilization of raw materials.

• The AdAmmineTM “aerosol can”– For certain limited applications, the cartridge strategy may be complete recycle

because the value of the “housing” is low compared to the additional efforts of quality assuring a cartridge in a resaturation scenario.

Servicing strategy and aftermarket

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Aftermarket: AdAmmineTM cartridges –similarities with propane distribution

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Propane canister

(one-time use)

0.5-1kg propane

Price in retail: $2.5-3 EUR

(Including VAT)

Propane bottle

(refill)

11kg propane

Price in retail: 11-13 EUR

Propane transported in bottles:

hazardous goods (logistics “risk fee”)

Solid AdAmmineTM cartridges:

not hazardous goods

• US strategy:– Done by industrial partner

on a license basis

• Europe– Initially, refill can be done

at Amminex facility

• Amminex plant is an existing ammonia ‘hub’

• Ex. Works with 3rd party logistics company

– By industrial partner

• Other regions– To be done on a license

basis.

Refilling (resaturation)

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Refill

Examples of AdBlue price levels

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Cans

No of Cans Price

(£/litre)

Delivery Liter Price

(EUR/liter)

10 x 10L =

100 litres

1.60/litre Free £ 160 1001.92€

40 x 10L =

400 litres

0.85/litre Free £ 340 4001.02€

400 x 10L =

4000 litres

0.77/litre Free £ 3080 40000.92€

DrumsNo of

Drums

Price

(£/litre)

Delivery Liter Price

(EUR/liter)

2 x 210L =

420 litres

0.575/litre Free £ 241.5 4200.69€

12 x 210L =

2540 litres

0.49/litre Free £ 1244.6 25400.59€

24 x 210L =

5040 litres

0.46/litre Free £ 2318.4 50400.55€

IBCsNo of IBC's Price

(£/litre)

Delivery Liter Price

(EUR/liter)

1 x IBC =

1000 litres

0.400/litre Free £ 400 + deposit 10000.48€

5 x IBC =

5000 litres

0.379/litre Free £ 1895 + deposit 50000.45€

10 x IBC =

10000 litres

0.365/litre Free £ 3650 + deposit 100000.44€

Total Price (£ net)

Total Price (£ net)

Total Price (£ net)

Source: http://www.adblueonline.co.uk/home.php

Cans ∼∼∼∼ Cartridges

Drums ∼∼∼∼ Pallets

IBCs ∼∼∼∼ Containers

Cost level for end-users

depends on usage pattern

AdAmmineTM logistics

• There is a dialogue with Yara to use the synergy between existing NH3 plants and the establishment of cartridge recharge facilities to support development of infrastructure and for AdAmmineTM

aftermarket.

Bulk ammonia: Yara’s ammonia plants in Europe.

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Porsgrunn

BrunsbüttelSluiskil

Le Havre

Ferrara

Tertre

• 2.4: Volume saving factor relative to liquid urea tank with same ammonia quantity

• 27: Number of pending patent families

• 9: Solid benefits: – AdAmmine™: Safe solid-state ammonia storage.

– Direct, on-demand ammonia dosing to the SCR catalyst.

– High storage capacity.

– High dosing accuracy.

– No liquid injection and no risk of deposits in the exhaust line.

– High NOx conversion – also during urban driving.

– Mechanically simple – no problems with freezing.

– Customer-friendly: No refilling – fast cartridge replacement.

– Stable NOx reductant: Very long cartridge shelf life

• 70: Current number of employees in Amminex.

• 50: Number of millions of Euro invested in Amminex A/S– 20 Million Euro invested by Faurecia in January 2011.

• 2011: Year of first AdAmmineTM plant PPAP

Summary: A few key-numbers

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