SHERPA

SHERPA aims to develop and demonstrate an electrified, highly energy-efficient ammonia (NH₃) decomposition process to produce hydrogen (H₂) with an overall efficiency of 90%. The project combines the development of novel, cost-effective catalysts, implementation in a compact shockwave reactor, and efficient separation and purification of the produced H₂ using electrified layered-bed adsorption technology, delivering a scalable pathway for NH₃-to-H₂ conversion.

Context

The chemical industry and the renewable energy sector face a significant challenge in transitioning to climate-neutral operations. In many regions, including Flanders, future demand for low-carbon energy is expected to exceed the locally available renewable electricity supply. In this context, the import of renewable energy via H₂ or hydrogen carriers like ammonia can play an important supplementary role in providing the necessary flexibility. Ammonia benefits from established large-scale production and shipping infrastructure, and from its high energy density, but current NH₃-to-H₂ conversion faces technical and economic hurdles. Conventional cracking relies on high-temperature, endothermic processes (400–600 °C) and expensive Ru-based catalysts, while near-atmospheric operation increases reactor size and capital costs. Additional energy is required for ammonia decompression and hydrogen recompression, and indirect heating leads to energy losses and complex heat recovery, with downstream separation of H₂, N₂, and residual NH₃ remaining costly. There is an urgent need for integrated, energy-efficient, and cost-effective ammonia-to-hydrogen technologies to enable ammonia as a scalable, competitive, and sustainable hydrogen carrier.

Goals

SHERPA will tackle three linked technological challenges. 

1. Develop low-cost transition-metal catalysts based on high-entropy alloys, operable up to 20 bar and targeting near-equilibrium NH₃ conversions below 600 °C (~99% at 1 bar, ~95% at 20 bar), providing fundamental insight for noble-metal-free catalyst design. 

2. Deploy a novel electrified shockwave reactor that overcomes conventional fired-tubular inefficiencies, achieving heating rates >100 °C/ms, near-plug-flow behaviour, ~95% energy efficiency, fully electrified operation, rapid load-following, and modular scalability, reaching proof-of-concept readiness level 4 by 2028. 

3. Develop adsorption-based separation for H₂ purification and NH₃ recovery, using a single-column Temperature and Pressure Swing Adsorption system with electrically regenerable structured adsorbents, operating ≥100 °C and achieving >90% H₂ purity with NH₃ removal in the 1–5% range. 

Beyond unit operations, SHERPA will integrate catalyst, reactor, and separation innovations through full-process modelling, TEA, and LCA to quantify efficiency, emissions, and economic impacts, while defining boundary conditions for industrial-scale up and commercialization.

Intercluster project

The SHERPA project involves strategic basic research in a cluster context (cSBO). It is a collaboration under the umbrella of the Flemish spearhead clusters Catalisti, Flux50, and De Blauwe Cluster, which accelerate innovation into business in Flanders’ chemical and plastics industry, the Energy sector, and the blue economy. The project is supported by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO)

This multi-partner innovation project involves a collaboration between three knowledge institutes (UGent, VUB, and VKI) and is supported by an industrial advisory board.