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World's First Ammonia-Fueled Ship Hits a Snag (spectrum.ieee.org)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] humanspiral 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Ammonia has higher energy content than LH2. Easier storage, and easier boil off management/concerns.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Those are fair considerations. However, I think in the context of a massive cargo ship, a penalty on energy density might be worth it to avoid the risks associated with ammonia releases. Of course, a nuclear reactor powered ship would run on the highest energy density fuel and is arguably safer to operate than a ship that runs on ammonia.

[–] humanspiral 1 points 1 week ago

LH2 can work well for commercial shipping. Use at pace of boil off. Ammonia toxicity is a bit overblown. The tiniest leak will smell strongly, and it leaks as a gas. The smell threshold is far below toxicity level. Go outside is a natural solution.

Ammonia and LH2 have tradeoffs. Compressed H2 in "trimaran pontoons" is an excellent solution that would permit sail assist as well. Nuclear is too expensive.