Global Hydrogen Market
The global hydrogen market size was valued at $300 million (US) in 2020 and is projected to reach $9.8 billion by 2028, growing at a combined annual growth rate of 54.7% from 2021 to 2028. As we continue to explore for green energy sources, hydrogen appears to be an excellent opportunity because of its ability to reduce carbon emissions.
While hydrogen is not an energy source, it is an energy carrier and can deliver and store tremendous amounts of energy. When used in fuel cells it can produce electricity, power, and heat. Currently, it is most commonly used in refining and fertilizer production
Most hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels, specifically natural gas, using steam methane reformation. It is also commonly produced from water using electrolysis.
Boil-off Gas Compressors
So, what does that mean? It means there must be infrastructure growth as well. With all this hydrogen market growth, new production facilities will be needed, additional transportation infrastructure will be required and that means we are now seeing an increased demand for hydrogen compression.
The two primary compression applications are transportation and boil off gas. Hydrogen is processed at a relatively low pressure (20-30 bar) but must be compressed up to 750-1000 bar for transportation. This requires specialized compressors capable of achieving the very high compression ratios and ensuring there is no oil contamination of the pure hydrogen gas.
Boil-off gas compressors are used to maintain storage tank pressures for liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage. These compressors do not require the large compression ratios but still must be oil-free to prevent contamination.
Hydrogen Compression Application
S&S Technical can assist with most hydrogen compressor applications. Whether you need a small oil-free process compressor package or a large, 1000 bar loading compressor package, we can provide a solution. Along with our line of Blackmer oil-free recip compressors, we have also aligned with Howden Compressors to be able to offer the some of the world’s largest oil-free diaphragm compressors, ideal for high pressure hydrogen loading applications. Our design and engineering teams will provide a custom solution to fit your specific compression needs. We offer full turn-key packaged systems, system integration and start-up/commissioning support services to ensure project success.