Industries worldwide face escalating pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources. Stricter environmental regulations, coupled with increasing consumer and investor demand for sustainable practices, are driving the adoption of alternative fuels like ammonia. This technology directly addresses the critical challenge of making ammonia combustion environmentally viable, enabling industries to meet compliance targets and enhance their sustainability profiles in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Significantly reduces N2O emissions by optimizing liquid fuel injection timing based on the ammonia supply ratio, suppressing the generation of high global warming potential nitrous oxide (N2O) and reducing environmental impact.
Suppresses ammonia slip by effectively reducing unburnt ammonia emissions, lowering the load on exhaust gas after-treatment systems, which contributes to reduced operational costs and improved safety.
Balances combustion efficiency and environmental performance by enabling higher ammonia co-combustion ratios while improving exhaust gas properties, thereby achieving both the transition to decarbonized fuels and compliance with environmental regulations.
This patent protects a broad scope, including the ammonia co-combustion method, the engine itself, and vessels equipped with it, across 15 claims. Its patentability was established through precise amendments and arguments in response to an examiner's rejection, indicating high validity and stability of the claims, making it robust against invalidation attempts.
This patent focuses on combustion control for N2O and ammonia slip reduction. Licensees could develop complementary IP in areas such as advanced ammonia storage and delivery systems, or novel exhaust gas heat recovery and energy conversion technologies, without direct conflict.
For large vessels utilizing ammonia co-combustion engines, reducing N2O and ammonia slip in exhaust gas lessens the load on after-treatment systems (e.g., SCR systems). This could decrease catalyst replacement frequency and reduce urea solution consumption. Specifically, an estimated 15% reduction in existing exhaust gas treatment system operating costs (e.g., ~$1.0M/year (AI est.) × 15% = ~$150K/year (AI est.)) combined with reduced future carbon tax and emissions trading costs from N2O emission reductions (e.g., ~250 tons-CO2 equivalent/year × ~$65/ton (AI est.)) could result in an estimated annual cost reduction of ~$150K (AI est.).
X: Environmental Impact Reduction
Y: Decarbonized Fuel Compatibility