Luna is developing a new catalytic membrane reactor technology to produce nitrates for fertilizer with less energy, cost, and environmental impact than the conventional industrial methods

Luna Labs USA LLC received a $313,675 Project Grant award from the Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. Luna will develop and evaluate a catalytic membrane reactor technology to produce nitrates for fertilizer with lower energy usage, costs, and environmental impacts than conventional methods. In Phase I, Luna developed a molten phase formulation and demonstrated a tube membrane operating at the benchtop scale. In Phase II, Luna will produce and evaluate a complete membrane module, including design and techno-economic analysis of a multi-module pilot scale system to be built and tested in Phase III. The SBIR/STTR programs support scientific excellence and technological innovation through federal research funding to stimulate technological innovation and build a strong national economy.

The conventional approach to industrially producing nitrogenous fertilizers helps feed about half of the world's population but is energy inefficient and requires extensive infrastructure. Together, the conventional haber and ostwald processes use about 1 - 2 % of the world's produced energy and produce almost 3 % of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. A relatively simple, efficient, and inexpensive method is needed that can improve the productivity and profitability of farming for all of the world's population while lowering climatic impact. Advances in dual phase membrane technologies that luna has been developing for the department of energy for air separation and carbon capture have been adapted to directly fix nitrogen from air and steam to produce nitrates as nitric acid. The catalytic membrane reactor has been designed to potentially use a tenth of the energy with respect to the conventional processes, is independent of fossil fuel resources, and rapid startup and shutdown for use with intermittent renewable energy sources (i.e., wind, solar). In phase i, luna developed the molten phase formulation and demonstrate a tube membrane operating on the benchtop scale. In phase II, luna will produce and evaluate a complete membrane module. This phase II work will include the design and techno-economic analysis of the multi-module pilot scale system that will be built and tested in phase III.