Thermal Hydrogen
Compressors
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April 2014
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www.hystorsys.no
HYSTORSYS
The MH unit of the
compressor
Bringing you hydrogen
compression solutions
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HYSTORSYS is a spin-off company from the Norwegian
Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), and focuses on the
use of metal hydrides for compression of hydrogen by
means of thermal energy.
HYSTORSYS benefits from more than 40 years
experience from IFE concerning the properties,
synthesis and behaviour of hydrogen in solid
materials – the metal hydrides (MH).
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HYSTORSYS supplies thermal compressors for hydrogen
with virtually no moving parts and practically no noise and
vibrations. Exploiting waste heat, the compressor may be
operated at almost no energy cost.
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HYSTORSYS is developing metal hydride compressors
with a very low maintenance level, and hence also low
maintenance cost.
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HYSTORSYS metal hydride compressors, named
HYMEHC-x (x denoting Nm3/h H2, i.e., the hydrogen flow
rate), will be available in capacity from 0.5 - 30 Nm3/h and
pressures 100 - 200 bar (depending on inlet pressure).
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HYMEHC
–the thermal hydrogen compressors from HYSTORSYS
–an innovative compressor solution featuring
economical as well as technical advantages compared
to other compressor designs.
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Filling of the metal lattice
structure with hydrogen
Hydrogen is used in wide range
of industries today. Hydrogen is
considered as the most viable fuel
alternative to petrol and diesel for
road transport.
Hydrogen is usually stored as
compressed gas and in special
cases as liquid hydrogen.
Compression is typically achieved
by means of mechanical
compression, while liquefaction
requires cooling to a temperature
of -253°C.
How does it work?
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The hydrogen molecules are split into
atomic hydrogen at the metal surfaces
About metal hydrides
Metal hydrides have the unique feature of adsorbing
hydrogen when they are cooled and releasing
hydrogen when they are heated. Moreover, the gas
quality might actually improve during this process.
HYSTORSYS is using these features in its new
compressor design.
Special alloys of metals will ensure optimal operation
of the compressors in the selected temperature range.
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The atomic hydrogen gradually fills the
metal lattice
Metal hydride alloy powder
Fully ”charged” the volumetric hydrogen density of the MH-system is of
the same order as for liquid hydrogen
or better
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The 5 Nm3/h compressor HYMEHC-5
The metal hydride compressor
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The first full scale metal hydride hydrogen compressor,
a HYMEHC-10 (10 Nm3/h), is in operation at the HyNor
Lillestrøm hydrogen refuelling station in Norway
(www.hynor-lillestrom.no).
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A second compressor, a HYMEHC-5 (5 Nm3/h), is
currently undergoing testing and validation at our
research facilities – providing valuable information to
further improve design features.
In the unlikely event there is traces of impurities in the
inlet hydrogen it will be removed by the metal hydride
– in this way the compressor acts as a purification unit.
This provides high quality hydrogen and guarantees a
high purity level for required applications.
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The 10 Nm3/h HYMECH-10
HYSTORSYS goal
Furthermore, the HYMEHC hydrogen compressor from
HYSTORSYS is flexible in production and design. The
compressor can be made to specific customer needs
with respect to size/capacity installations (floor, roof- or
wall-mounted) and operated unattended.
To provide customers with an
improved compressor quality
with:
HYMEHC-x
• Lower failure rates
• High H2 purity
• Lower operational costs
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Inlet pressure
Discharge pressure
3-10 bar
100-150 bar
>10 bar
150-200 bar
The hydride compressor takes thermal energy from hot
water for compression. Access to waste heat or geo­
thermal water will give customers a big advantage as
then energy consumption will be minimal compared to
mechanical compressors. Thus it fits perfectly for many
industries and/or in combination with reformers which
usually operates at high temperatures.
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Examples for metal hydride compressors
Industry
Hydrogen is widely used in industry. Some have their
own on-site plants for hydrogen production, while
many get their gas trucked in in cylinders from
industrial gas companies. A majority of these
customers have regular deliveries of standard
200 bar / 50 litre hydrogen bottles (i.e., 10 Nm3 of
hydrogen).
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The 2-stage proof of concept 10 Nm3/h compressor at Hynor Lillestrøm.
Inlet pressure 10 bar, outlet 200 bar.
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As road transport of hydrogen becomes more
challenging, hydrogen consumers have started to
explore the option of securing their hydrogen supply
by establishing small on-site hydrogen generation
plants. In order for such on-site hydrogen plants to
be efficient, a hydrogen backup/storage solution
involving hydrogen compression is needed.
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Tube trailer for hydrogen transport
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HYSTORSYS metal hydride compressors can serve the
industrial gas companies as well as the industries and
companies establishing their own on-site hydrogen
generation plants, potentially providing a solution for
on-site bottling of hydrogen for backup. The HYMEHC
is easily scalable from 0,5 Nm3 and up. Possible small
compressors fit well for such backup solutions and/or
other applications where small quantity is needed.
Hydrogen refuelling stations
Hydrogen refuelling stations for cars and buses are a
growing market for hydrogen compressors. Hyundai,
Toyota and Honda are all bringing vehicles to the market in
the 2015-17 timeframe. Other car manufacturers will follow
in the 2017 onwards timeframe. Hence, over the
next few decades hundreds or thousands of hydrogen
stations are expected worldwide with the majority in
Europe, USA, and Japan.
It’s our ambition is to supply compressors to this new
market sector as well, specifically where waste heat is
available, i.e. from H2 production.
Fuelling station for hydrogen
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About HYSTORSYS
HYSTORSYS AS is a Norwegian company owned by
Norsk Innovasjonskapital III AS (managed by
Televenture Management), Prototech AS and Jon
Eriksen, who is the company’s founder and Managing
Director.
Chairman of the board is Christopher Kloed (Honorary
Member of the Norwegian Hydrogen Forum) who has
more than 20 years of working experience from the
hydrogen sector.
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Partnerships
The company have maintained strong links to IFE
which through their long-term research efforts
possesses a world-leading expertise on hydrogen
systems in general and metal hydrides in particular.
HYSTORSYS subcontracts most of the production with
carefully selected partners, leaving the metal hydride
technology, prototype development and design as the
corner stones of the in-house activity. The first
compressors were built by Aquagas AB in Sweden.
HYSTORSYS also has a co-operation arrangement with
its owner Prototech and the hydrogen refuelling
provider HyNor Lillestrøm AS.
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Partnering process
As the company expands, HYSTORSYS plan to partner
with one or more companies/financial institutions that
can complement HYSTORSYS both on the financial and
technical side.
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HYSTORSYS AS
Postal P.O.Box 45, NO-2027, Kjeller, Norway
Visit
Instituttveien 18, NO-2007 Kjeller, Norway
[email protected]
Webwww.hystorsys.no
Company registration No: NO-989 001 841
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