First in Japan to use ammonia combustion as fuel for a commercial naphtha cracking furnace - Achieving over 20% fuel conversion and reducing CO₂ emissions in the chemical industry -

We are working on provide for society of next-generation energy sources such as ammonia fuel in order to realize carbon neutrality society in 2050. In April 2023, we were selected for the "Oil Supply Structure Advanced Project Subsidy (Fossil Fuel Supply Business Reconstruction Support Project, part of the Transition Promotion Project for the Stable Supply of Next-Generation Fuels)" and have been working with IHI Corporation and IHI Corporation Plant Corporation to install intermediate supply facilities such as ammonia storage tanks and piping, as well as ammonia combustion equipment for naphtha cracking furnaces, at our Tokuyama Tokuyama Complex. The equipment was completed in February of this year, and in the same month, we conducted the first demonstration of ammonia combustion in Japan.

Toward the realization of a carbon-free society, ammonia, which does not emit CO2 when burned, is attracting attention as an energy carrier and a new fuel for power generation and industrial boilers. However, compared to fossil fuels, ammonia has a lower calorific value and is difficult to ignite, making it considered to have inferior combustibility. In addition, it is necessary to address the issue of suppressing the nitrogen oxides that are generated during combustion, and in Japan, ammonia combustion technology has been developed using test facilities.
On the other hand, burning ammonia at large chemical plants and other operating factories has never been done before due to the risks to operations and the large investment required for facility maintenance.

This time, a demonstration of ammonia combustion using an operating plant was carried out in a naphtha cracking furnace that is not equipped with denitrification equipment to reduce nitrogen oxides in the combustion exhaust gas, and it was confirmed that nitrogen oxides were below environmental regulation values by adopting a burner dedicated to ammonia and by controlling combustion, etc. It was also confirmed that the combustibility was comparable to that of fossil fuels, and that there was no impact on operations.

The results of this demonstration are expected to contribute greatly to the application of this technology to naphtha cracking furnaces, which account for a large portion of CO2 emissions from Japan's chemical industry. Going forward, we will continue to use this facility to accumulate data and know-how toward the practical application of ammonia fuel, with the aim of providing ammonia fuel conversion solutions for industrial heating furnaces in the chemical industry and other fields.

We are working with various stakeholders to build a supply chain that covers everything from the production and procurement of clean ammonia to its supply. Through this initiative, we will contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality society.