Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has cracked ammonia into 99% pure hydrogen using a steam-heated process at its pilot plant in Japan. The trial at MHI’s Nagasaki District Research & Innovation Centre was carried out in collaboration with chemicals producer Nippon Shokubai and power utility Hokkaido Electric Power Company to demonstrate the novel cracking technology.

Whereas conventional technologies utilise heat from the combustion process, MHI’s steam heating system operates at lower reaction temperatures, which it claims will reduce operating costs. In addition, because a combustion furnace is not required, the system offers  the potential for miniaturisation, allowing installation at ports to support hydrogen imports.

The project was selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) for its ‘Development of Technologies for Building a Competitive Hydrogen Supply Chain’ project. Ammonia is viewed as a hydrogen transportation solution because it can store hydrogen densely in a stable, easily liquefied form that can be moved and handled more efficiently than pure hydrogen.