Technical Data Sheet Hydrogen Production & Purification

28 July, 2025

All, Hydrogen, Instructional

Summary

Showcasing HengYe Inc.® Products, Technical Service, and Quality for Fuel Hydrogen Production & Purification.

Fuel Hydrogen Production & Purification

PSA Unit for Hydrogen Purification
In a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit for hydrogen purification, the most common adsorbents include activated carbon, zeolites (such as 5A and 13X), and occasionally alumina or silica gel. These materials are selected for their ability to selectively adsorb impurities such as CO, CO₂ and other hydrocarbons, enabling the separation and purification of hydrogen gas.

The choice of adsorbent and the configuration of the PSA unit can be tailored to the specific composition of the hydrogen-containing gas stream and the desired purity of the final hydrogen product.

Industrial Applications

Hydrogen is remarked as the fuel of the future because of the clean environment it produces when being used and the many resources that it can be obtained from.

Hydrogen can be produced from fossil fuels, biomass, and water electrolysis with wind, solar, or grid electricity. Hydrogen fuel can provide motive power for liquid-propellant rockets, cars, trucks, trains, boats and airplanes, portable fuel cell applications or stationary fuel cell applications, which can power an electric motor.

Type of Adsorbents

· Zeolites (HYD10D Molecular Sieve / HYGB500A Molecular Sieve)
Zeolites, particularly 5ACa and 13NaX & 13CaX, are known for their ability to selectively adsorb molecules based on their size and polarity. They are effective in separating CO₂ and other impurities from hydrogen.

· Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS 260)
Activated carbon is a widely used adsorbent due to its large surface area and porous structure, allowing for the effective adsorption of various impurities.

· Alumina & Silica Gel (HYAS200 Activated Alumina / HY SG W & HY SG H)
Alumina and silica gel can also be used, specifically to treat specific impurities or in combination with other adsorbents.

· Multi-layered Bed Configurations
PSA units can employ layered beds with different adsorbents to optimize the removal of multiple impurities. For example, a layered bed might have activated carbon at the base to remove bulk impurities and a zeolite layer on top to polish the hydrogen stream.

The existing commercial hydrogen purification PSA processes use layered beds with an activated carbon layer (to completely remove strongly adsorbed compounds: H₂O and CO² and some CH₄) followed by a zeolite layer (to remove the light components: remaining CH₄, CO and N₂).

Since PSA is a dynamic separation process, it is important to know the rate of diffusion of the gases in the porous structure of each adsorbent used and thus to verify if the process is equilibrium or kinetically controlled. By these reasons both adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of pure gases are fundamental information for the theoretical design of an adsorption process. Thus, adsorption equilibrium and kinetic data of the gases exiting the SMR reactor were studied on different commercial activated carbons and zeolites.

For the activated carbon sample, H₂O was the most adsorbed gas followed by CO₂, CH₄, CO, N₂ and finally H2. On the other hand, the following order of adsorption (from the most adsorbed compound to the less adsorbed gas) was observed in zeolite sample: CO² > CO > CH₄ > N₂ > H2.

Certifications

ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems
ISO 14001:2015 – Environmental Management System
Reach Certified – European Union Chemical Safety