Hydrogen

We know hydrogen (H2) as the lightest gas, and respect it for its exceptionally low ignition energy requirement and its invisible flame when burning outdoors. With its low liquid density and a liquid temperature almost as high as helium, with suitable equipment it may be liquefied and transported great distances. Hydrogen holds great promise as a potential clean energy source as its combustion doesn’t release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Historically, creation of commercial hydrogen utilized electrolytic cells, creating high purity hydrogen and high purity oxygen. Since electricity now costs so much, most hydrogen is now created by steam reformation of natural gas (conversion of methane to hydrogen and carbon monoxide) and where demand for basic chemicals requires, as a byproduct from chlorine and caustic soda manufacturing.

Most commercial hydrogen is produced and consumed in refinery operations to improve yields, changing aromatic hydrocarbons to aliphatic compounds that as a result perform as cleaner burning fuels.

High purity hydrogen is used in different applications covering multiple industries, including: Food, Chemical Synthesis, Metal Production and Fabrication, Pharmaceuticals, Aerospace, Electronics and, oddly enough, as a purging cooling agent in electric power generation.

PurityPlus purities reach Ultra Carrier and Research Grades with minimum purities of 99.9995 and 99.9999% respectively, as well as the more familiar Ultra High Purity at 99.999% pure. These products are most commonly used in gas chromatography, both as a carrier gas and a flame support gas for flame ionization (FID) and flame photometric (FPD) detectors commonly used for hydrocarbon and sulfur analysis.

For further details about PurityPlus^® Hydrogen and its availability, call PurityPlus^® Specialty Gases by Weldstar at 708-627-1007 or contact us online.