Your questions, our answers
One widely used method of storing hydrogen is in cylinders.
In gaseous form, hydrogen is 11 times lighter than air. To store 1kg of hydrogen, a tank of 11m3 would be needed. Hence the need to increase the density of this gas in order to contain it in larger quantities.
Thus at 700 bar, hydrogen has a density of 42 kg/m3 against 0.090 kg/m3 at normal pressure and temperature. In a 125L cylinder, we can therefore store 5 kg of hydrogen.
There are different production techniques:
The most widely used technique is steam gas reforming. This method consists in reacting methane with water: we obtain a mixture containing hydrogen and CO2. In order to obtain a decarbonated hydrogen, the ideal is to capture and store the CO2 produced. It is also possible to use biomethane instead of natural gas. We will speak of blue hydrogen (if the CO2 is captured and stored)
Another technique used is the electrolysis of water, which uses electricity and water. The electrolyzer separates a water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen. This method is not very widespread because it is very expensive. We speak of green hydrogen (if the electricity used comes from renewable energy) or yellow hydrogen (if the electricity used comes from nuclear energy).
Finally, it is also possible to produce hydrogen from gasification: it consists in producing a mixture of CO and hydrogen from the combustion of coal or biomass. This process emits a lot of CO2 (we speak of grey or brown hydrogen)
Once manufactured, the hydrogen is stored and then transported to the distribution site.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It is the main component of stars and gaseous planets.
In general, hydrogen is rarely found in its pure state, especially on Earth. It is generally combined with other atoms such as oxygen in water (H2O) or carbon in hydrocarbons (CH4, C2H6, …).
It can be found in gaseous form when two hydrogen atoms are combined – we speak then of “dihydrogen” – and in liquid form when the gas has been cooled to -252.87°C.
Hydrogen is not an energy but an energy carrier. The production of electricity from hydrogen requires a fuel cell.
The fuel cell converts chemical energy into electricity, heat and water.
The principle is based on a simple chemical reaction:
Hydrogen + Oxygen → Electricity + Water + Heat
In the cell, a redox reaction is formed that creates electricity and heat. At the anode, the hydrogen molecule, in contact with a catalyst, decomposes and releases electrons that will create the electric current. This is the oxidation.
On the other hand, at the cathode, the oxygen, in contact with the electrons released by the previous reaction reacts. This is the reduction.
Finally, the hydrogen protons, when they arrive at the cathode, recombine with the oxygen ions and form water.
More information here
Hybridization consists of combining two different energy sources, such as a fuel cell system with a lithium battery pack.
This technology makes it possible to meet greater energy needs by combining two sources that deliver electricity, and thus to size and optimize the equipment according to energy needs.
There are different fuel cell technologies:
Alkaline fuel cells : used notably in the Apollo space missions, their operating temperature is limited to between 65°C and 90°C. They have been used in industry for over 100 years, and on a large scale. It can reach 250°C under pressure with a very concentrated electrolyte. Its efficiency is around 50%.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells: these fuel cells operate at low temperatures (below 100°C) with a yield of around 50%. They have the ability to start up quickly, at full power, which makes it possible to supply energy to vehicles and small or medium-sized installations. PEMFC batteries can be found in power ranges from a few milliwatts to several hundred kilowatts.
Phosphoric acid fuel cells : PAFC technology is one of the most advanced in terms of development and marketing. It operates between 180°C and 210°C and can power stationary installations of several megawatts. The high heat released by the cell allows its use for cogeneration.
Molten carbonate fuel cells: Their operating temperatures are quite high, between 600°C and 700°C. They are used to operate large stationary energy productions (several tens of MW). They have a fairly high yield ranging from 60% to 80% depending on the application.
Solid oxide fuel cells: These cells operate at very high temperatures, between 800°C and 1000°C, which considerably improves the kinetic reactions. This avoids the need to use rare metal catalysts. However, the cells take longer to start up and the very high temperatures in the system require very good insulation and components that are very resistant to these temperatures. They are mainly used in stationary power generation.
H2SYS uses air-cooled PEM fuel cells.
These fuel cells have the ability to start up quickly, at full power, which makes it possible to supply energy to small and medium-sized vehicles and installations.
A generator is a self-contained device capable of producing electricity.
Generating sets are used :
– either in areas not connected to the electrical network,
– or in emergency stations on sites where power cuts can have serious consequences, such as in hospitals, rescue centers, data centers…
H2SYS hydrogen generators are hybrid generators, i.e. they are equipped with a fuel cell coupled with batteries. These batteries are designed to improve the performance of the fuel cell, and to manage the power peaks that may be required from the fuel cell. The batteries allow a better performance of the fuel cell, and optimize its life span.
H2SYS hydrogen generators are designed to replace fossil fuel generators.
They can be used in emergency mode in industries where energy is vital for vital or economic activities – such as data centers or hospitals.
They can also be used on sites not connected to the electrical grid, on urban construction sites, or in the event industry.
H2SYS hydrogen generators can be transported, they are equipped with fork passages and/or lifting rings depending on the model.
They are not subject to the ADR.
The hydrogen generators designed and manufactured by H2SYS can be rented in France from our partners:
Revolt location
Cap générateur
It will soon be possible to rent our generators from partners in different countries in Europe and America.
You can get hydrogen from an industrial gas supplier, either local suppliers or from a large group
You can consult all our offers in the Recruitment section
If no offer corresponds to your profile, do not hesitate to send us an unsolicited application by e-mail recrutement@h2sys.fr
All our hydrogen generator sets are designed and manufactured on our production site, in the north of Franche-Comté, in Belfort.
