ZERO EMISSION PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND GENERATOR SETS USING AMMONIA AS FUEL

The present invention relates to a zero emission propulsion system and generator sets using ammonia (NH) as fuel for engines and power plants such as steam boilers () for steam turbines (), piston engines (), fuel cells () or Stirling engines (). Due to the poor flammability of ammonia (NH), a hydrogen reactor () can split ammonia (NH) into hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N). The hydrogen (H) can be placed in a hydrogen tank () for intermediate storage and the nitrogen can be stored in a nitrogen tank (). The hydrogen (H) could be mixed with ammonia (NH) to improve flammability and thus facilitate the ignition of an air/ammonia (NH) mixture in engines or power plants (). Alternatively, hydrogen (¾) may be supplied in a separate fuel system (---) as a pilot fuel for pilot ignition of an air/ammonia (NH3) mixture. The hydrogen (H) can also be used in AIP systems along with oxygen (O2) from an oxygen tank (). The hydrogen (H) will then be used for fuel cells (), for combustion in a steam turbine inlet/high pressure side (-), or in a Stirling engine (). In addition to hydrogen (H), other bio and fossil fuels from the fuel tank () can be used as pilot fuel for pilot ignition of an air/ammonia (NH) mixture. The advantage of using existing bio or fossil fuels for pilot ignition is that engines or power plants () will have a pilot fuel system with sufficient capacity to maintain normal operations if ammonia (NH) is not available. Alternatively, that engines or power plants () have an additional fuel system for existing bio or fossil fuels in order to maintain normal operations if ammonia (NH) is not available. The nitrogen (N) in the nitrogen tank () can be used as a gas in fire extinguishing systems or for submarine ballast tank blows.