Specialty Gases

Definition

High-purity hydrogen refers to hydrogen gas that has been refined to extremely high purity levels, typically 99.999% or higher. At standard temperature and pressure, high-purity hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas with a very low density and is poorly soluble in water.

 

Applications of High-Purity Hydrogen

• Electronics Industry

High-purity hydrogen is a crucial raw material in the electronics industry, widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, integrated circuit production, and fiber optic preform manufacturing. For example:

In the semiconductor industry, high-purity hydrogen is used to formulate SiH₄/H₂ mixtures as carrier gases in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes.

In fiber optic preform manufacturing, high-purity hydrogen is used in hydrogen-oxygen flame heating, where the purity and cleanliness of hydrogen are extremely important.

In 2023. the electronics and semiconductor industries had the highest consumption of high-purity hydrogen, reaching 144.800 tons.

• Fine Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Intermediates

High-purity hydrogen is a fundamental raw material for the production of fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates. The purity of hydrogen directly affects product quality and energy consumption. For example:

In catalytic hydrogenation processes, the impurity content in hydrogen determines the lifespan of catalysts and the product pass rate, which in turn affects production costs.

In 2023. the consumption of high-purity hydrogen in the fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates industry was 54.200 tons.

• Metallurgical Industry

High-purity hydrogen is used as a reducing agent in the metallurgical industry to reduce metal oxides to pure metals, especially in the production of high-quality metals such as tungsten, titanium, aluminum, steel, nickel, and chromium. In 2023. the consumption of high-purity hydrogen in the metallurgical industry was 36.400 tons.

• Energy Sector

As a clean and efficient energy carrier, high-purity hydrogen has broad application prospects in the energy field. For example:

Fuel Cell Vehicles: High-purity hydrogen is used as fuel in fuel cells, offering high efficiency and low pollution, making it a promising direction for the development of new energy vehicles.

Energy Storage: Hydrogen plays an important role in seasonal energy storage for renewable energy power systems.

 

Research and Experimental Fields

High-purity hydrogen is used as a reference material in scientific research to verify the accuracy and reliability of chemical reactions. It is also an important medium for many physical experiments and materials research.

• Other Fields

High-purity hydrogen is also widely used in petrochemicals, food processing, float glass manufacturing, aerospace, and other fields.

Production Techniques of High-Purity Hydrogen

• Fossil Fuel Reforming

Fossil fuel reforming, including coal gasification and natural gas reforming, is currently the most widely used hydrogen production method in China.

• Industrial Byproduct Hydrogen

Hydrogen is extracted from byproducts of industrial processes such as coke oven gas, chlor-alkali tail gas, and propane dehydrogenation.

• Electrolysis of Water

Electrolysis of water produces hydrogen through the electrolysis of water and is a clean and environmentally friendly method of hydrogen production. Common electrolysis technologies include:

Alkaline Electrolysis: Uses KOH as the electrolyte and nickel-based electrodes, with reaction temperatures of 70-90°C.

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Electrolysis: Uses pure water electrolysis with an efficiency of over 75%.

High-Temperature Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOEC): Operates at 800-1000°C with an energy conversion efficiency exceeding 85%.

Utilization of Hydrogen-Rich Tail Gas

Hydrogen is extracted from the tail gas of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through a gas separation and purification system, which involves adsorption, multi-stage pressure reduction, forward and reverse flushing, and other steps to produce high-purity hydrogen.

 

Future Development Trends

With the increasing demand for environmental protection and renewable energy, high-purity hydrogen, as a clean and efficient energy carrier, has a broad market prospect. Future development trends in the high-purity hydrogen industry include:

Market Growth: Driven by the development of the hydrogen energy industry and the “dual carbon” goals, the Chinese high-purity hydrogen market will have a broader development space.

Technological Progress: Breakthroughs in electrolysis of water technology will lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs, making green hydrogen production more feasible.

Expanded Applications: The application of high-purity hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles will accelerate, and its use in the metallurgical, chemical, and other industrial fields will gradually expand.

 

In summary, high-purity hydrogen has broad application prospects and great potential in multiple fields. With continuous technological advancements and expanding applications, high-purity hydrogen will play an important role in promoting energy transformation and achieving carbon neutrality goals.

If you're ready to take the next step, Leave your message below and we’ll reply soon. 20+ years of chemical manufacturing & export experience, a partner you can trust.