Blue Hydrogen Valve, Regulator & Actuator Solutions

Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas or coal using steam methane reforming (SMR) or autothermal reforming (ATR).

Hydrogen production is often designated by color, which indicates the process’s environmental ramifications. Green hydrogen utilizes non-carbon sources of electricity, such as wind and solar. Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas or coal with relatively limited greenhouse emissions. It is currently less costly and more commercially viable than fully renewable green hydrogen.

Some benefits of blue hydrogen are:

• Less carbon-intensive than other forms of hydrogen, such as gray hydrogen, which is produced from fossil fuels without CCUS (carbon, capture, utilization and storage)
• Produced through easily scaled and well-tested processes vs renewable hydrogen from electrolysis
• Has a cost advantage for transportation and heavy industries due to the abundance of raw hydrocarbon feedstock

The primary concerns for blue hydrogen producers and users are safety, efficiency and reliability. Ensuring purity, precisely controlling process units, achieving the highest possible CO2 capture rates, optimizing storage capacity, and managing energy and maintenance costs are all necessary to make sure a steady supply of hydrogen is available to meet quickly rising demand.

Steam methane reforming (SMR) is the most common method of manufacturing blue hydrogen from natural gas. It applies steam under tremendous temperature and pressure to a chemical catalyst that separates hydrogen from feedstock and binds carbon to oxygen atoms from water, forming CO2 as a byproduct. Throughput and efficiency depend on maintaining an optimal ratio of steam-to-carbon entering the reformer, protecting the catalyst from coking and managing energy usage.

Shortened as CCUS, it refers to greenhouse emissions reduction technologies applied to the energy value chain. The common CCUS methods in blue hydrogen production are:

• Vacuum swing adsorption (VSA):  capture rates above 90%
• Pressure swing adsorption (PSA): capture rates above 90%
• Amine-based adsorption

Valves with low-emissions packing solutions help mitigate fugitive emissions of Methane and CO2 in SMR units, leading to low maintenance and long service life. Butterfly valves lab-tested in up to one million cycles allow for optimal catalyst bed control. Automation using advanced process control systems, online asset monitoring & mass flow meters can improve the efficiency and profitability of SMR units by controlling the steam-to-carbon ratio. Continuous chemical composition analysis can extend the life of the catalyst. Energy management information systems (EMIS) make it easier for hydrogen plants to hit optimal steam and electricity usage targets.