Compressed Air & Gas Filters

Hydrogen Filter

Clean hydrogen from electrolyser to dispenser, protecting the fuel cells, catalysts and seals that make it worth producing.

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A stainless steel hydrogen filter housing with a threaded port in its head

Product overview

Particle, aerosol and oil-free hydrogen, at full pressure

Every hydrogen source carries contaminants: electrolyte mist and water from electrolysers, adsorbent and catalyst dust from dryers and purifiers, oil from lubricated compressors, and scale from cylinders, hoses and pipework. Our hydrogen filters remove the solid particles and liquid aerosols and, in the adsorption stage, the oil and hydrocarbon vapours.

Coalescing filtration takes out water, potassium hydroxide (KOH) mist and oil aerosol, activated carbon holds oil and hydrocarbon vapour, and particulate filtration retains dust, fines and wear debris. They serve pressurised hydrogen lines from a few bar at an electrolyser outlet up to the 87.5 MPa maximum operating pressure of a 70 MPa vehicle dispenser.

Hydrogen ignites with as little as 0.017 mJ, permeates elastomer seals and embrittles susceptible metals, so every filter combines filtration performance with materials, seals, earthing and drain arrangements qualified for hydrogen service at its full design pressure.

A flanged stainless steel hydrogen filter housing beside its long filter element
  • 87.5 MPaMaximum operating pressure of a 70 MPa dispenser
  • 0.01 µmRetention of high-efficiency stages
  • 1 mg/kgISO 14687:2019 Grade D particulate limit
  • 0.017 mJEnergy that can ignite hydrogen

Benefits

The problems it solves

Fuel cells, catalysts and high-pressure seals tolerate very little contamination. Here is what reaches them without filtration, and how the filters stop it.

  • Damaged fuel cells

    The problem

    Potassium from electrolyser mist reduces membrane conductivity, oil films block catalyst sites, and particles puncture or abrade membranes.

    How it solves it

    Particulate and oil removal supports ISO 14687:2019 Grade D compliance and protects your membranes and platinum catalysts.

  • Leaking high-pressure seats

    The problem

    Gas expanding across a valve seat from 87.5 MPa reaches sonic velocity, and a particle in that jet erodes the seat until it leaks.

    How it solves it

    Clean gas keeps your valve seats, check valves and breakaway couplings sealing, reducing hydrogen leak sources.

  • Poisoned catalysts and adsorbents

    The problem

    Caustic droplets coat and deactivate de-oxo catalyst, and oil, particles or salts take hydrogenation catalysts out of service.

    How it solves it

    Coalescing ahead of your de-oxo unit and dryer keeps catalysts and adsorbents free of liquid and oil films for longer.

  • Worn compressors

    The problem

    Abrasive particles in the suction gas wear compressor valves and piston rings.

    How it solves it

    Filtered gas reduces valve and piston ring wear, lowering your compressor maintenance.

  • Risky element changes

    The problem

    Opening a housing that still contains hydrogen creates a flammable mixture exactly where the technician works.

    How it solves it

    Isolation valves, a nitrogen purge and a vent let you change an element without releasing hydrogen into the work area.

  • Ignition in hazardous areas

    The problem

    Particles and droplets moving at speed generate static charge, and a small spark from an unearthed housing can ignite escaping hydrogen.

    How it solves it

    A mechanical filter with bonded, earthed housings brings no electrical ignition source into your group IIC zones.

Where it’s used

From electrolyser to end use

Wherever hydrogen is made, compressed, stored or consumed, the filters sit close to the equipment they protect.

  • Test tubes of coloured chemicals in a laboratory rack

    Refining, ammonia and methanol

    Make-up hydrogen for hydrotreaters and hydrocrackers, and synthesis gas compressors and catalyst beds.

  • Molten metal pouring from a ladle in a foundry

    Metals

    Bright annealing, powder sintering and direct reduction of iron ore.

  • Glowing glass bottles being formed on a production machine

    Glass

    Nitrogen–hydrogen atmospheres in float glass tin baths.

  • Electricity pylons and power lines at sunset

    Power generation

    Filtered make-up hydrogen keeping the cooling gas clean in hydrogen-cooled turbo-generators.

  • Wine bottles moving along a bottling line

    Food processing

    Edible oil hydrogenation over nickel catalysts that sulphur and oil deposits deactivate.

  • Yellow tablets spilling from a medicine bottle

    Pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals

    Catalytic hydrogenation over palladium and platinum catalysts that need particle- and oil-free hydrogen.

Also hydrogen refuelling stations, PEM and alkaline electrolysis plants, fuel-cell mobility and stationary power, semiconductors and optical fibre, laboratories, gas networks, and welding and cutting.

How it works

Coalesce, adsorb, polish

Each stage removes one form of contamination, in the order that protects the stage after it, inside housings built for hydrogen at full pressure.

How hydrogen filtration works: hydrogen passes a coalescing filter that drains water, potassium hydroxide and oil droplets to closed collection, an activated carbon filter that adsorbs oil and hydrocarbon vapour, and a particulate filter that holds carbon fines, adsorbent dust and scale, before a sample point checks the gas leaving. Every housing is bonded to earth, and isolation valves, a nitrogen purge and a vent let each element be changed safely. SP Hydrogen inUp to 87.5 MPaCoalescing0.01 µmLiquid to closed collection Activatedcarbon Particulate1 µm or 0.01 µmSample pointParticulate ≤ 1 mg/kgFiltered hydrogen out Every housing bonded to earth N₂ purge inVent to asafe location 12345Hydrogen, as suppliedFiltered hydrogenLiquid drainedWater, KOH and oil dropletsOil and hydrocarbon vapourParticles and carbon finesValve openValve closedEarth bonding

  1. 1. CoalesceHydrogen flows from the core of the element outward through the medium. Water droplets, KOH mist and oil aerosol are captured, merge into larger drops, drain to the sump and leave through the drain to closed collection.

  2. 2. AdsorbActivated carbon holds the oil and hydrocarbon vapours that pass the coalescer as gas. It always follows a coalescing stage, because liquid oil would block its pores.

  3. 3. Polish and checkA particulate filter retains carbon fines, adsorbent dust and pipe scale, typically to 1 µm or 0.01 µm. A sample point downstream lets you verify the gas against ISO 14687, whose Grade D limit for particulate is 1 mg/kg.

  4. 4. Earth every housingEach housing is bonded and earthed, because particles and droplets moving through a filter generate static charge, and hydrogen needs only 0.017 mJ to ignite.

  5. 5. Purge before serviceIsolation valves close, the housing is vented, and nitrogen pressure purging dilutes the hydrogen: three cycles to 10 bar absolute take it from 100 % to 0.1 %, far below the 4 % lower flammability limit.

Get the full details

Our brochure covers it in detail, and our questionnaire tells us what we need to recommend the right one for your plant.

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