In today’s decarbonization of industries and the world’s energy supply, many existing and new technologies are being developed. Hydrogen was already an important component in many manufacturing processes, and it has now also become a fast-growing means for temporary energy storage. The entire supply chain of energy goes from renewable energy used to make green hydrogen to other processes like SMR + CCS and Pyrolysis processes making blue and turquoise hydrogen.
There are various routes, through specific purification steps, to the required quality for handling and usage. After purification, hydrogen can be stored, transported, and used in many applications, including conversion to electricity in fuel cells, filling stations, and direct combustion. It can also be used as a reductive agent in the steel and semi-conductor industry.
In all these processes, operational safety and quality are of utmost importance. Next to electronic and mechanical-based control systems, in almost all cases, gas measurements are key to achieving the desired and optimal results.
PST offers a wide variety of sampling and measurement technologies to cover most of the hydrogen industries. As well as high-quality instruments, analyzers, and transmitters for hydrogen gas measurements, PST can draw on 40 years of experience with multiple origins of different fully owned brands, each with its own specialty, combined into a very complete and fit-for-purpose portfolio.
Product Selector
Metal Production
Application/Service |
Purpose of Measurement |
Measured Gas/Background Gas |
Typical Range |
Recommended Product |
Measurement of contaminants in hydrogen-rich furnace blanket gases used for metal heat treatment |
Maintain reducing properties of endothermic or forming gases |
N2/H2 or H2/N2/CO2 |
<-30Cwdp |
Easidew I.S. Easidew PRO XP |
Power Plants
Application/Service |
Purpose of Measurement |
Measured Gas/Background Gas |
Typical Range |
Recommended Product |
Monitoring contaminants in hydrogen cooled electricity generators in power plants |
Detect potential flammable gas mixture due to air ingress leakage. Avoid risk of high voltage arching due to water condensation |
H2 |
%O2 and % H2 <-20˚Cwdp at 10 barg |
XTP601 XTC601 Easidew I.S. Easidew PRO XP ES20 |
Hydrogen in Natural Gas
Application/Service |
Purpose of Measurement |
Measured Gas/Background Gas |
Typical Range |
Recommended Product |
Hydrogen in Natural Gas |
Concentration of H2 injected into natural gas distribution pipelines and storage |
Natural Gas/H2 |
%H2 in natural gas |
XTC601 |
Green Hydrogen Production
Application/Service |
Purpose of Measurement |
Measured Gas/Background Gas |
Typical Range |
Recommended Product |
Monitoring of quality of green hydrogen produced in PEM electrolysers |
O2 and moisture levels |
Hydrogen |
Typically -70 °Cwdp at ~30 barg |
XTC601 Easidew PRO XP
|
Monitoring quality of UHP hydrogen produced by PEM electrolysers |
Ensuring UHP Hydrogen Grade 5 (99.999 % H2) or Grade 6 (99.9999 % H2) |
Essential measurements for H2 in fuel cell applications:
Ar-O2-N2-CH4-CO-CO2-NMHC-H2O: 0-10ppm
Sulfurs: 0-500ppb
Ammonia: 0-1000ppb
Formaldehyde: 0-500ppb
Formic acid: 0-1000ppb
Halogenated: 0-1000ppb
Helium: 0-1000ppm
Other ranges available on request |
Grade 5: 0-10 ppm
Grade 6: 0-1 ppm |
HyDetek
|
Hydrogen Filling Stations
Application/Service |
Purpose of Measurement |
Measured Gas/Background Gas |
Typical Range |
Recommended Product |
Measurement of hydrogen quality sold to user |
Quality assurance to ISO14687 Part 2, prevent contamination by moisture and other trace impurities |
Hydrogen |
< 1ppmV, 350 and 700 barg |
Easidew PRO XP Easidew PRO I.S.
|
Hydrogen Generation Plants
Applications
The industry has many applications for Hydrogen, all with specific requirements for operation, safety, and quality.
Currently, around 8% of CO2 emissions come from steel production. Green Steel is an application eliminating CO2 emission, which is under close attention and development. Green hydrogen produced with renewable electricity and water electrolysis is used to directly reduce the iron ore to sponge iron with water as a by-product. The hydrogen used is subject to a quality standard with low impurities. The excess hydrogen after the direct production process contains water at percentage levels, which can be measured to control the reduction process accurately.
Very high-purity Hydrogen is one of the critical components used in the semiconductor industry for processes like plasma cleaning, removal of contaminants with etching, and creating precise patterns. Accurate trace impurity measurements are essential to ensure the hydrogen and process quality, as the slightest contamination will interfere with and damage the products.
In many other industries, hydrogen is used to create a desired, often reducing, atmosphere to improve production processes, like cutting, polishing, melting, and other heat treating (glass, metallurgy) or to promote reactions (chemical, petrochemical, refineries). In the pharmaceutical industry, hydrogen purifies other gases from oxygen and produces vitamins and medicine components. It is safe to say that in all these applications, measurements for control of safety and quality play a crucial role.