Andros is commercializing a low-temperature pressure reactor for ammonia synthesis. The reactor is a cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative to the Haber-Bosch process.
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Laron Burrows
Laron Burrows is the founder and CEO of Andros, a company commercializing low-pressure ammonia synthesis reactors for distributed ammonia production. Burrows earned a B.Sc. in chemical engineering from Kettering University and worked for DTE Energy as a reliability engineer for a 55-megawatt biomass power plant. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut, he invented Andros’ core technology and investigated distributed ammonia production for future use cases and alternative feedstocks.
TECHNOLOGY
Critical Need
Ammonia is one of the most important chemicals produced today. Fertilizers derived from ammonia feed nearly half of the human population, and globally, over 160M tons of ammonia are produced yearly, which is expected to triple by 2050. However, ammonia production today relies on the century-old Haber-Bosch process, which is both carbon- and energy-intensive, contributing to one percent of anthropogenic CO2 emissions annually while consuming one to two percent of global energy demand. Therefore, it is critical to develop ammonia production methods to sustain the human population without harming the planet.
Technology Vision
The traditional Haber-Bosch process is a high-temperature (450°C) and high-pressure (200 atmospheres) process requiring costly reactors and auxiliary equipment capable of achieving and withstanding those extreme conditions. In contrast, Andros’ innovative reactor operates at low pressure (one atmosphere) and temperature (270°C), significantly reducing the capital cost of the reactor loop and the energy demand of ammonia production.
Potential for Impact
Andros is advancing the commercialization of its reactors by developing low-carbon ammonia production plants. Once operating at scale, these plants have the potential to prevent over 140M tons of CO2 emissions annually while simultaneously supplying ammonia to sustain over three billion people.