Hydrogen
Air
Products is the largest supplier of hydrogen in
the world. We pioneered the use of large volumes
of hydrogen for the U.S. Space Program. We developed
the concept of liquid hydrogen pumping systems in
the late 1970s and continue to lead in high-pressure
liquid hydrogen systems technology.
Air
Products maintains a range of supply options, including
pipeline supply, a hydrogen plant at your facility,
delivered hydrogen, jumbo tube trailers for temporary
supply, and our new Mobile Hydrogen Services program
for spot requirements. The most economical and reliable
option is recommended based on your flow and pressure
requirements and proximity to one of our hydrogen
production and redistribution facilities.
Our
understanding of hydrogen and our worldwide leadership
can help you:
Maximize
onstream time
Our
wide range of short- or long-term hydrogen supply
capabilities provides the flexibility to help maintain
onstream time. During outages or periods of peak
demand, Air Products can economically supply the
necessary hydrogen to maintain production.
Reduce
start-up costs
When
production is intermittent and reformer start-ups
and shutdowns are frequent, considerable amounts
of time and energy can be wasted. Many on-site hydrogen
generators require up to 16 hours for start-up.
That amounts to 16 hours of potential production
time and 16 hours of energy usage. Storing hydrogen
at your facility makes it available on demand, so
lost production and start-up-related costs are minimized.
Minimize
hydrogen costs
Our
extensive hydrogen experience allows us to develop
systems that minimize capital and venting loss during
operation. Air Products can help chemical, pharmaceutical,
and edible oil processors develop hydrogenation
systems that use less hydrogen per pound of product.
Maintain
safe operation
A
commitment to safety is part of the Air Products
culture. We believe that nothing is more important
than safety--not production, not sales, not profits.
We've earned more safety-related awards than any
other industrial gas company. And we're among the
top Chemical Manufacturer Association safety performers,
year after year. Air Products brings a commitment
to the highest safety standards to every job we
do.
What
is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen
(H2), the lightest element, has a gaseous specific
gravity of 0.0695 and a boiling point of -423°F
(-252.8°C) at atmospheric pressure. It is a colorless,
odorless, tasteless, flammable gas found at concentrations
of about 0.0001% in air. Hydrogen is produced by
several methods, including steam/methane reforming,
dissociation of ammonia, and recovery from by-product
streams from chemical manufacturing and petroleum
reforming. Hydrogen can be stored and transported
as either a gas or a cryogenic liquid.
Hydrogen
is widely used in petroleum refining processes such
as hydrotreating, catalytic reforming, and hydrocracking.
It is a raw material for innumerable chemical processes
ranging from the manufacturing of high-density polyethylene
and polypropylene resins to the hydrogenation of
food-grade oils. Hydrogen is also used as a reducing
gas in metals processing operations. Applications
in the electronics industry are found in the manufacture
of silicon wafers and computer chips. Rocket engine
fuel is another major use for hydrogen.
Last Update
Friday, February 9, 2007 11:16
