ScholarWorks@성균관대학교

초록

Ammonia (NH3) recovery from wastewater represents an emerging opportunity for sustainable nitrogen management and carbon-free hydrogen (H2) production. Despite extensive research on ammonium (NH4+) and NH3 recovery technologies, direct comparisons of process performance using real wastewater remain limited, and most studies prioritize fertilizer reuse rather than hydrogen generation. These limitations obscure the true recovery efficiency and hydrogen production potential of wastewater-derived NH3. An integrated system coupling NH4+ recovery from wastewater with electrochemical NH3 conversion and catalytic H2 production is presented. The system comprises three sequential steps: NH4+ recovery via gas stripping, membrane dialysis, or electrodialysis; electrochemical conversion of NH4+ to NH3; and catalytic decomposition of NH3 to H2 using Ru-, Ni-, and alloy-based catalysts. Process performance was systematically compared by normalizing recovery results to equivalent real wastewater volumes, enabling quantitative assessment of both recovery efficiency and total NH3 yield. The fully integrated system exhibited a theoretical hydrogen production potential equivalent to approximately 43.6% of current global H-2 output, demonstrating wastewater as a viable renewable NH3 source and carbon-free hydrogen carrier. Techno-economic and environmental analyses further support the feasibility of wastewater-derived NH3 as a sustainable alternative to conventional Haber-Bosch-based hydrogen production.

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