Applications
Core technology
The technology behind EXCITONICS catalysts can power a myriad of world-changing processes. Here are just a few of them:
Natural gas conversion to up-valued products such as ammonia and formaldehyde
Energy generation using geothermal and waste heat
Energy generation & storage using quantum vibrational effects
Quantum fuel cell energy generation using any fuel without combustion
Replace rare earth elements with earth-abundant elements
EV batteries of ultra-high capacity, light-weight, with no lithium
Ammonia is probably the most important chemical known to man, and is the building block in the manufacture of so many products in daily use around the world. In fact it is employed by industry, in agriculture, in household products, in metal treating, in petroleum production, and in manufacturing innumerable compounds.
Ammonia is also used in the manufacture of beverages, in wastewater treatment, by the leather, rubber and paper industries, and in food and pharmaceutical production. We think you get the idea… ammonia is a very important chemical.
Ammonia in agriculture
But the biggest use of ammonia is in the agricultural industries, which absorb about 90% of all ammonia production. That’s because ammonia acts as a rich source of nitrogen and other elements, enabling its use in fertiliser. And fertiliser sustains food production globally.
It is also used in the production of liquid fertilisers comprising compounds like ammonium nitrate, salts, and urea; and acts as an anti-fungal and preserving agent for certain fruits.
Ammonia and the hydrogen highway
Ammonia has long held the promise of being the fuel of the future hydrogen highway – if only it could be made efficiently and at a reasonable cost.
However current production of ammonia uses almost 2% of all the world’s energy. To achieve food security it is necessary to develop and employ a more efficient production process.
Ammonia production is driven by catalysts.
Ammonia production with EXCITONICS
The EXCITONICS ammonia production process will dramatically reduce production costs and unwanted emissions, opening the door to the hydrogen highway with low-cost and abundant carbon-free fuel, with the opportunity of fertilisers being produced locally.
That’s because by employing EXCITONICS catalysts, ammonia can be produced at atmospheric pressure and at temperatures only a little above ambient, a far cry from the commonly used and century-old Haber-Bosch process which is still used to this day, operating at high pressures and temperatures, consuming huge quantities of energy, and producing enormous quanities of CO2.
The result is massively reduced capital and operating costs, and elimination of the CO2 byproduct.
Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) technology converts natural gas into high-quality liquid products that would otherwise be made from crude oil. These liquid products include transportation fuels (gasoline and diesel), motor oils and the ingredients for everyday necessities like plastics, detergents and cosmetics.
In fact GTL technology is employed in producing many of the same products as petroleum with the advantage of having far fewer impurities.
GTL in the world today
Currently, GTL only accounts for 230k barrels/day – or about 0.2% of global liquids production. GTL requires expensive processing that makes it largely uncompetitive with oil-derived products.
There are only a handful of operational GTL mega-plants in the world, and all are built largely around catalysts discovered in 1925 requiring very high pressure and moderate-to-very-high temperatures to operate.
At present and due to the high cost of processing, GTL products are only competitive with petroleum products when oil is ~$65/barrel or higher.
However, the technology boom in shale gas extraction in North America provides a ready-made and advantageous feedstock for GTL processing and energy security.
EXCITONICS and GTL
The EXCITONICS GTL advantage
Small scale, efficient modular gas-to-liquid reactors
The EXCITONICS GTL catalyst system operates at or near atmospheric pressure, and at nominal heat. So plant design and economics change dramatically.
Major advantages
‣ A fraction of the upfront capital costs
‣ Savings in CAPEX, feedstock, and energy inputs
‣ Quicker response to market changes
‣ Ability to change catalyst to modify output to methanol, syncrude, formaldehyde, dimethyl ether
‣ Lower complexity
‣ Low temperature, no/low pressure, 3-in-1 processing plant
Formaldehyde is THE chemical precursor used worldwide to make building materials, household and paper products. It is also a common precursor to more complex compounds and materials such resins used in the textile industry.
In biochemistry an aqueous solution of formaldehyde can act as a disinfectant as it kills most bacteria and fungi. It is used as an additive in vaccine manufacturing to inactivate toxins and pathogens.
The applications for formaldehyde are myriad.
According to a recent Chemanalyst report, the global Formaldehyde market demand stood at 23 million tonnes in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.39% until 2032.
The largest formaldehyde producing countries are China (50%), USA (14.47%), and Russia (6.68%).
Production of formaldehyde resins accounts for more than half of formaldehyde consumption.
Industrial formaldehyde production
Formaldehyde is produced industrially by the catalytic oxidation of methanol. The most common catalysts are silver, Iron (III) oxide, iron molybdenum oxides, and vanadium oxides. In the commonly used formox process, methanol and oxygen react at approximately 250–400°C.
When employing a silver-based catalyst, the industrial formaldehyde production process usually operates at an higher temperature, about 650°C.
EXCITONICS catalysts in formaldehyde production
EXCITONICS catalysts not only significantly reduce formaldehyde production temperatures, but will also consume 662 kg per tonne of CO2 that would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere.
In fact, employing EXCITONICS catalyst technology, 73 wt. % of formaldehyde can actually be derived from CO2 at ambient temperatures.
KEY MARKETS
Ammonia Fertiliser
Gas & Stranded Gas
Gas-to-Liquids (GTL)
Hydrogen Highway
Industrial Chemistry
Food Security
Energy Security
Bio Gas
Find out more
If we’ve managed to whet your appetite for EXCITONICS new generation catalysts.
If you want to be a part of the future of less wasteful and greener energy production.
If you want to contribute to sustainable farming and agriculture.
Or if you simply want the world to be a better place through more thoughtful and people-centric industrial processes.
BXD EXCITONICS NEW GENERATION CATALYST TECHNOLOGY UP-VALUES AFFORDABLE BLUE AND GREEN PRODUCTS FROM NATURAL GAS INTO LOCAL & NATIONAL MARKETS WITH BEST-FOR-PEOPLE SOLUTIONS.