Rouwenhorst KHR, Jardali F, Bogaerts A, Lefferts L. From the Birkeland-Eyde process towards energy-efficient plasma-based NO
X synthesis: a techno-economic analysis.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2021;
14:2520-2534. [PMID:
34046082 PMCID:
PMC8133363 DOI:
10.1039/d0ee03763j]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plasma-based NO X synthesis via the Birkeland-Eyde process was one of the first industrial nitrogen fixation methods. However, this technology never played a dominant role for nitrogen fixation, due to the invention of the Haber-Bosch process. Recently, nitrogen fixation by plasma technology has gained significant interest again, due to the emergence of low cost, renewable electricity. We first present a short historical background of plasma-based NO X synthesis. Thereafter, we discuss the reported performance for plasma-based NO X synthesis in various types of plasma reactors, along with the current understanding regarding the reaction mechanisms in the plasma phase, as well as on a catalytic surface. Finally, we benchmark the plasma-based NO X synthesis process with the electrolysis-based Haber-Bosch process combined with the Ostwald process, in terms of the investment cost and energy consumption. This analysis shows that the energy consumption for NO X synthesis with plasma technology is almost competitive with the commercial process with its current best value of 2.4 MJ mol N-1, which is required to decrease further to about 0.7 MJ mol N-1 in order to become fully competitive. This may be accomplished through further plasma reactor optimization and effective plasma-catalyst coupling.
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