2 ms·
Ammonia? WOW! As at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia#Combustion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia#Combustion 4 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 N2 + 6 H2O The stuff
by graycat 8y ago
Ammonia? WOW! As at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia#Combustion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia#Combustion
4 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 N2 + 6 H2O
The stuff is darned dangerous, quite challenging to handle, highly regulated due to the dangers, with lots of potential for toxicity, and likely close to ammonium nitrate, one heck of an explosive, etc., but a little arithmetic might show some astounding energy per gallon.
If it has a lot of potential, then I'd wonder why it has not been used in military piston/jet engines.
I would guess that a little too much O2 would give off nitric acid, etc.
- jessaustin 8y agoSure there are issues but a lot of infrastructure and regulations already exist for dealing with this fuel. And it completely eliminates the problems with hydrocarbons: no greenhouse, exhaust is harmless, with cheap enough power it can be made literally anywhere. A lot of the problems with ammonia are easily dealt with in a fleet situation. People can be trained to safely refuel, you can have a centralized solar-NH3 production facility, etc.