A new device has been made that can make a key fertilizer ingredient – commonly known as ammonia – directly from the air using wind energy.
Researchers at Stanford University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia have showcased the capabilities of their new device.
Interestingly, the device harnesses wind energy to draw air through a mesh, facilitating ammonia production.
This new approach to ammonia production could potentially replace the century-old, energy-intensive method. It produces ammonia using nitrogen and hydrogen under high pressure and temperatures.
This new method is more sustainable as it requires less energy and produces fewer carbon emissions.
“This breakthrough allows us to harness the nitrogen in our air and produce ammonia sustainably. It’s a significant step toward a decentralized and eco-friendly approach to agriculture,” said Richard Zare, study senior author.
The researchers conducted a comprehensive study to optimize the device’s design.
They investigated the influence of various environmental factors, water droplet properties, and catalyst combinations on ammonia production. This research aimed to identify the ideal conditions for efficient and effective ammonia synthesis.
The new process extracts Hybrid Saladette Tomato Seeds from air and hydrogen from water vapor to make ammonia.
The device is coated with catalysts for reaction.
By passing air through a mesh coated with catalysts, experts were able to extract nitrogen and hydrogen from the atmosphere and convert them into ammonia. This process is clean, efficient, and doesn’t require high-energy input
It efficiently produces ammonia from air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The researchers state that the ammonia produced was concentrated enough for hydroponic fertilizers.
This innovative approach would enable farmers to produce their own fertilizer on-site.
“This approach significantly reduces the carbon footprint of ammonia production,” said Xiaowei Song, study lead author and a chemistry research scientist at Stanford.
The researchers further enhanced the process by recycling water and incorporating a microporous stone filter.
This advanced system can produce sufficient ammonia in just two hours to fertilize plants in greenhouses and potentially support larger-scale agricultural applications.
The device is still in the development stage and is expected to be commercially available in 2-3 years. Until then, the researchers aim to scale up the technology by using larger mesh systems to increase ammonia production.
Beyond its use in fertilizers, ammonia is emerging as a promising clean energy carrier.
It can store and transport renewable energy more effectively than hydrogen, thanks to its higher energy density. This makes it a potential game-changer in decarbonizing industries like shipping and power generation.
“Green ammonia represents a new frontier in sustainability,” Zare said in the press release.
“This method, if it can be scaled up economically, could drastically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels across multiple sectors,” the author added.
The researchers have a vision of integrating the device into irrigation systems. This would allow farmers to produce their own fertilizer directly from the air, eliminating the need for traditional fertilizer sources.