NH3SHIELD
SHIELDing steel from NH3 induced corrosion using innovative coatings to enable NH3 fueled marine engines
Background
Ammonia (NH3) is promising as a green, carbon-free fuel for shipping, but high-temperature NH3 causes severe corrosion and nitridation of common steel components in marine engines and ammonia crackers. Current solutions require expensive, exotic alloys and do not address the needs of cost-effective, widespread adoption. NH3SHIELD aims to address this critical barrier by developing and validating innovative, protective coatings that allow the use of affordable steel alloys, making green NH3 fueling viable in marine applications.
Objectives
- Identify coatings for steel that resist nitridation at 600–800°C in NH3, with less than 1% N2 uptake after 100h.
- Develop a low-friction coating (<0.5 friction coefficient) with nitridation protection for marine engines.
- Establish a method for coating internal component structures.
- Demonstrate corrosion resistance of coated engine/cracker components meeting target standards.
- Prove a 1 kW NH3 cracker prototype with >95% conversion and <1% nitridation after 100h.
Expected results/impact
The NH3SHIELD project will enable safe and cost-effective use of ammonia as a green marine fuel by developing protective coatings for steel engine and cracker components, thus overcoming major corrosion challenges. This innovation will reduce material costs by up to 80%, making ammonia-fueled technologies more accessible for large-scale marine applications. By accelerating the adoption of ammonia in shipping, the project directly supports climate targets and the transition to sustainable transport. Enhanced safety and durability of components will promote societal acceptance and industry confidence in ammonia as a green fuel. Overall, NH3SHIELD will facilitate global market integration for Danish and partner technologies.
Contact
Christoffer Mølleskov Pedersen
Team Manager
Budget
9.14 M DKK
Partners
5
Start
Duration
24 months
Partners
