Rajesh Inder Singh
Principal Technical Professional
KBR
Rajesh Inder Singh is Technical Catalyst Lead for Clean Ammonia and Hydrogen Technologies at KBR, located at Pune, India. Rajesh is an experienced chemical engineer with over 14 years in the syngas industry, primarily focused on catalyst technical solutions and catalyst development. Rajesh holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from IIT Roorkee and an MBA in Sustainability, Energy, and Environment. He combines his technical knowledge with a commitment to sustainability, aiming to support innovation in the energy sector.
Participates in
TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Energy Fuels and Molecules
Hydrogen (green and blue); Ammonia; Methanol
Forum 14 | Technical Programme Hall 3
28
April
10:00
11:30
UTC+3
The primary challenge inherent in the current energy system is its substantial environmental footprint, largely attributable to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. In recent decades, there has been extensive exploration into utilization of hydrogen as a clean energy. Hydrogen could account for up to 12% of global energy by 2050. However, to make it economically feasible, there must be a significant reduction in the production costs associated with both renewable electricity generation and electrolysis.
Another key hurdle in hydrogen technologies is the effective storage and transport of hydrogen, which boasts a very high energy density by mass (119.7 MJ/kg) and very low energy density per unit volume (33.2MK/kg in compressed form at 40 MPa or 8.5 MJ/kg in liquefied form at -253°C). A recent development in this realm is the consideration of ammonia as a viable hydrogen carrier. Ammonia boasts a high hydrogen content by weight (17.8%) and is capable of liquefying at low pressure, 1 bar at -33 °C. This strategic approach capitalizes on existing, dependable infrastructure that can be readily expanded to accommodate the burgeoning market demand. More than 100 MTPA of Ammonia is expected to be traded via ships by 2050.
KBR has a long history as a market leader in ammonia technology. Built on a legacy of technology innovation and industry records, KBR’s Ammonia Cracking technology, H2ACT®, delivers a pathway to large scale, sustainable hydrogen production, with efficiency and high technology readiness at the heart of the process. H2ACT® is built using proven, reliable technology elements and process operations from the ammonia production industry, capable of providing a record single-train capacity of 1,200 MTPD of clean hydrogen.
Selecting the most suitable catalyst is pivotal to advancing ammonia cracking technology. KBR has an agnostic approach for selection of catalyst for H2ACT® technology. The approach focuses on a comprehensive catalyst evaluation framework that ensures optimal performance, longevity, and cost-effectiveness. Catalyst candidates are required to be screened through a combination of thermodynamic and kinetic modelling to predict their behaviour under varying operating conditions. Subsequently, critical parameters such as ammonia conversion efficiency, hydrogen purity, thermal stability, and resistance to deactivation over extended runs has to be evaluated. Selection criteria are grounded in achieving high catalytic activity at lower temperatures, minimal pressure drop, robustness against sintering and poisoning. Process optimization is carried out using detailed simulation tools that integrate catalyst performance data to fine-tune reactor design and operating conditions. This integrated strategy enables the selection of a catalyst that suits best to KBR’s H2ACT® technology.
This paper presents the details of KBR catalysts selection roadmap to ensure the most suitable catalyst for KBR’s ammonia cracking technology, H2ACT®.
Co-author/s:
Rafael Camejo, Senior Technical Advisor, KBR.
Amit Parekh, Senior Technical Advisor, KBR.
Another key hurdle in hydrogen technologies is the effective storage and transport of hydrogen, which boasts a very high energy density by mass (119.7 MJ/kg) and very low energy density per unit volume (33.2MK/kg in compressed form at 40 MPa or 8.5 MJ/kg in liquefied form at -253°C). A recent development in this realm is the consideration of ammonia as a viable hydrogen carrier. Ammonia boasts a high hydrogen content by weight (17.8%) and is capable of liquefying at low pressure, 1 bar at -33 °C. This strategic approach capitalizes on existing, dependable infrastructure that can be readily expanded to accommodate the burgeoning market demand. More than 100 MTPA of Ammonia is expected to be traded via ships by 2050.
KBR has a long history as a market leader in ammonia technology. Built on a legacy of technology innovation and industry records, KBR’s Ammonia Cracking technology, H2ACT®, delivers a pathway to large scale, sustainable hydrogen production, with efficiency and high technology readiness at the heart of the process. H2ACT® is built using proven, reliable technology elements and process operations from the ammonia production industry, capable of providing a record single-train capacity of 1,200 MTPD of clean hydrogen.
Selecting the most suitable catalyst is pivotal to advancing ammonia cracking technology. KBR has an agnostic approach for selection of catalyst for H2ACT® technology. The approach focuses on a comprehensive catalyst evaluation framework that ensures optimal performance, longevity, and cost-effectiveness. Catalyst candidates are required to be screened through a combination of thermodynamic and kinetic modelling to predict their behaviour under varying operating conditions. Subsequently, critical parameters such as ammonia conversion efficiency, hydrogen purity, thermal stability, and resistance to deactivation over extended runs has to be evaluated. Selection criteria are grounded in achieving high catalytic activity at lower temperatures, minimal pressure drop, robustness against sintering and poisoning. Process optimization is carried out using detailed simulation tools that integrate catalyst performance data to fine-tune reactor design and operating conditions. This integrated strategy enables the selection of a catalyst that suits best to KBR’s H2ACT® technology.
This paper presents the details of KBR catalysts selection roadmap to ensure the most suitable catalyst for KBR’s ammonia cracking technology, H2ACT®.
Co-author/s:
Rafael Camejo, Senior Technical Advisor, KBR.
Amit Parekh, Senior Technical Advisor, KBR.
