【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) uses a steam heating process in a pilot plant to crack ammonia into 99% pure hydrogen.

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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) uses a steam heating process in a pilot plant to crack ammonia into 99% pure hydrogen. 　　The tests conducted at the MHI Nagasaki Regional Research and Innovation Center were carried out in collaboration with the chemical manufacturer Nippon Shokubai and Hokkaido Electric Power Company to demonstrate this new pyrolysis technology. 　　Unlike traditional systems that use heat generated by burning to drive the reaction, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries claims that its system uses steam to lower the reaction temperature, which may reduce operating costs. 　　Furthermore, MHI believes that the system can be miniaturized without using burners, which means it can be more easily installed in ports to support hydrogen imports. 　　　Ammonia is considered a solution for hydrogen transportation, as it allows hydrogen to be stored in a dense form that is stable and easy to liquefy, enabling more efficient transport and handling compared to pure hydrogen. 　　Although this compound is already used in quantities of tens of millions of tons for fertilizers and other applications, critics argue that the energy-intensive synthesis and cracking processes undermine its potential. 　　Japan is increasingly seeking to increase its imports of clean hydrogen in order to achieve its decarbonization goals in areas such as transportation and power generation. However, limited land availability and a relatively low penetration rate of renewable energy seem to make it more dependent on importing these green molecules at low cost.