Hydrogen compressor

A hydrogen compressor is a device that increases the pressure of hydrogen by reducing its volume resulting in compressed hydrogen or liquid hydrogen.

Hydrogen compressors are closely related to hydrogen pumps and gas compressors: both increase the pressure on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a pipe. As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the volume of hydrogen gas, whereas the main result of a pump raising the pressure of a liquid is to allow the liquid hydrogen to be transported elsewhere.

A proven method to compress Hydrogen is to apply reciprocating piston compressors. Widely used in refineries, they are the backbone of refining crude oil. Reciprocating piston compressors are commonly available as either oil-lubricated or non-lubricated; for high pressure (350 - 700 bar), non-lubricated compressors are preferred to avoid oil contamination of the Hydrogen. Expert know-how on piston sealing and packing rings can ensure that reciprocating compressors outperform the competing technologies in terms of MTBO (Mean Time Between Overhaul).

An ionic liquid piston compressor is a hydrogen compressor based on an ionic liquid piston instead of a metal piston as in a piston-metal diaphragm compressor.

A multi-stage electrochemical hydrogen compressor incorporates a series of membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs), similar to those used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells; this type of compressor has no moving parts and is compact. With electrochemical compression of hydrogen, a pressure of 5000 psi is achieved. Pressure is believed to go beyond 10,000 psi to the structural limits of the design. A patent is pending for an exergy efficiency of 70 to 80% for pressures up to 10,000 psi or 700 bars. A single stage electrochemical compression to 800 bar was reached in 2011. DOE has supported developments related to developing low cost electrochemical hydrogen compressors for heat pumps with Xergy Inc.[1]</ref.>

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