Hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of water and when powered by renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar does not result in CO2 emissions and so is the ‘cleanest’ option. 'Green hydrogen' production has been proven to work at a small-scale, but challenges remain in scaling-up production and making it commercially viable.
Filtration and Separation are an essential part of the solution to unlock the potential of this transformational energy source.
Why is filtration needed:
There are currently three types of electrolyzer technologies being deployed. The alkaline, the polymer electrolyte membrane, and the solid oxide electrolyzers. Regardless of the technology used, filtration is critical to Hydrogen production:
- Solids present in the incoming water feed can impact electrolyzer performance and operational lifetime
- Post-hydrolysis, the liquids in the product stream can cause problems in downstream equipment. Compressor performance is linked to the degree of cleanliness of the gas.
- Solid contaminants originating from process piping or drier beds can affect subsequent processes and end-use applications
The technical challenge lies in purifying the hydrogen stream produced as the specifications around Hydrogen gas purity are extremely stringent. Concentrations of between 2,000-6,000 ppm (parts per million) of oxygen and more than 2,000 ppm of water are typically seen in produced hydrogen streams yet the maximum concentration recommended in international standard ISO 14687:2019 for hydrogen fuel cells is 5 ppm of each. Ensuring an oil-free stream post-compression is also critical to meet fuel cell specifications. Hence, several filtration, separation and purification process steps are needed to achieve the required purity levels.
How Pall can help:
The choice of separation equipment is influenced by factors such as quality needed, flow rate and types of contamination. Pall experts can conduct a thorough review, including lab testing and field trials to fully understand the problem and where to integrate the separation technology. With Pall’s advanced technology, you can be rest assured that your filtration solutions will be optimized for run length, size and flow rate - thereby bringing down your production costs significantly.
Typical Green Hydrogen process and Pall’s solutions
As a global leader in filtration technology and solutions, we understand that one solution cannot fit all. Our experts will provide bespoke solutions tailored to your needs in partnership with you. To find out more, contact us.