Ammonia storage at Ambient Condition for Efficient Agriculture

Ammonia is essential to agriculture in the United States, with over 12 million tons used annually as fertilizer. Direct anhydrous ammonia is far more cost-effective than manufactured chemical fertilizers because of its higher nitrogen content, but its adoption has been limited by the challenges of traditional storage. Existing systems rely on high-pressure, thick-walled steel tanks that are costly to purchase and maintain, and present serious safety risks due to potential leaks and ammonia's toxicity. Over the past few years, more than 140 ammonia leak incidents have occurred, including a major accident in Illinois in 2019 that hospitalized over 80 people.Farmers, who typically earn less than 15 cents of every dollar spent on food, need safer and more affordable options to access direct ammonia as fertilizer. This project addresses those challenges by developing an ambient-condition storage system that allows anhydrous ammonia to be stored in liquid form at near-atmospheric pressure. By eliminating the need for high-pressure storage, the technology reduces leak risks by over 90%, greatly improving safety for farmers and nearby communities.Additionally, the milder storage conditions make it possible to use readily available, lower-cost tanks instead of specialized steel vessels, reducing equipment and maintenance costs by more than 26%. This innovation lowers barriers to adopting direct ammonia use on farms of all sizes, helping farmers reduce fertilizer expenses, improve profitability, and strengthen the domestic food supply chain.