Energy and exergy analysis of hydrogen production from ammonia decomposition systems using non-thermal plasma

In the current study, the energy and exergy efficiencies of three hydrogen production systems from ammonia decomposition using dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD) were comparatively evaluated. The hydrogen gas was separated in a cylindrical plasma membrane reactor (PMR) using the Pd–Cu40% membrane with a thickness of 20 μm. The pre-catalytic reactor (CR) is added to the second system (CR-PMR), additionally, the CR is filled with the catalytic material type of 2%Ru/Al2O3 and the CR temperature is raised to 450 °C. Furthermore, the zeolite material type of SA-600 A was added to the PMR in the third H2 production system (PMR) to enhance the hydrogen permeation through the Pd–Cu membrane. The hydrogen production rate was enhanced by combining the plasma and zeolite material in the third system (CR-CPMR). Moreover, the maximum obtained hydrogen production rates were 2.66, 81.6, and 96.6% in PMR, CR-PMR, and CR-CPMR or catalytic PMR, respectively. Also, it was observed that the energy efficiency increased by adding the CR to the system, while, the exergy efficiency values of all ammonia decomposition systems were still low due to the effect of system irreversibility. Additionally, the maximum energy efficiencies values were 0.8, 16.1, 44.1%, while the maximum exergy efficiencies values were 0.156, 4.91, and 6.344% for PMR, CR-PMR, and CR-CPMR, respectively. The exergy destruction rate of all NH3 decomposition systems was still high although using the modified systems. The depletion factor is enhanced with the feeding ammonia flow rate increased while the sustainability index decreased at the same flow rates. Moreover, it was seen that the depletion factor results of PMR only were higher than other systems due to the exergy destruction rate was high.