POSCO, Doosan to develop ammonia power-generation technology

A POSCO flag stands alongside a Korean flag at the main gate of the steelmaker's headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in this undated photo. Courtesy of POSCO

By Kim Bo-eun

POSCO is seeking to develop power generation technology using ammonia synthesized from green and blue hydrogen.

The steelmaker is partnering with Doosan Heavy Industries and the Pohang-based Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST) to develop technology utilizing ammonia gas turbines. Representatives held discussions on Monday and agreed to work together to develop the necessary technology.

The power generation technology they are seeking to develop operates a turbine by burning hydrogen produced by decomposing ammonia.

Ammonia is a compound of one nitrogen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms. As a result, ammonia is considered as an optimal transportation mode for hydrogen.

However, there are limitations to using ammonia as fuel for power, due to its low combustion rate of only 20 percent compared to that of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is the fuel being used now for gas turbines.

For the first time in the world, POSCO, Doosan Heavy and RIST have developed a way to use ammonia cracking units, or "crackers," to decompose ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen and burn them to operate a gas turbine.

Burning hydrogen and nitrogen gas boosts the combustion rate and calorific value compared to burning ammonia.

POSCO's Hydrogen Business Office Head Cho Ju-ik, first from right, discusses with Doosan Heavy Industries Managing Director Lee Kwang-yol, second from left, ways to co-develop ammonia fuel power generation technology. Courtesy of POSCO

POSCO, Doosan Heavy and RIST plan to develop and apply a technology that recovers some of the heat from the exhaust gas generated by the combustion state, and re-inject it into the decomposer to increase the calorific value of the gas as well as improve power generation efficiency.

Ammonia fuel power generation is considered to be eco-friendly, because no carbon dioxide is emitted in the process. In the case that this technology is applied to LNG power generation, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced at existing power plants.

If ammonia as a mixture with LNG in a calorific ratio of 20 percent is combusted, carbon dioxide emissions can be cut down by about 20 percent compared to generating power from LNG alone.

According to the agreement, POSCO and RIST will develop ammonia crackers. The ammonia will be procured by synthesizing green hydrogen produced at POSCO's projects overseas.

Doosan succeeded in localizing technology used in gas turbines last year and has committed to developing hydrogen co-firing and burning turbines. With its technology, Doosan will develop a combustor and gas turbine that burns gas decomposed into hydrogen and nitrogen in one go.

The three entities are set to accelerate technological development, utilizing ammonia combustion experimental facilities that will be set up at RIST's hydrogen research center, based on their agreement.

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