Hydrogen (H2) is the lightest and most reactive of the gases used in the metal fabrication industry. It is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas. In its gaseous form at ambient temperatures and pressures, hydrogen is unreactive with most substances. However, at elevated pressures and moderate temperatures, hydrogen catalytically reacts with many hydrocarbon-based materials. At normal pressures and highly elevated temperatures, hydrogen reacts with oxygen and other gases and many metals and metal oxides - acting as a powerful reducing agent.
Lighter than air, it burns with an invisible, clean (carbon-free and soot-free) flame. It is the only fuel gas that does not contain any carbon atoms. This is why hydrogen is so well suited to applications where a clean surface finish is essential. H2 has the highest thermal conductivity of all gases. Combined with oxygen, the hydrogen flame reaches a temperature of 2,834°C (5,133°F).
Benefits of Hydrogen Fuel Gas at a Glance
Over 90% of hydrogen generated today is made by steam reforming hydrocarbon fuels. This is a high-temperature process where steam reacts with the fuel - typically natural gas. Hydrogen can also be generated through the electrolysis of water. If the electricity used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen is sourced from entirely renewable energy sources, the resulting hydrogen is carbon neutral. Other sources are partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, the chlor-alkali process that electrolyzes sodium chloride solution to produce chlorine, and various waste gas recovery plants, such as at oil refineries or steel plants (coke oven gas).
Hydrogen gas is highly combustible and will auto-ignite easily. For this reason, hydrogen cylinders must not be "snifted"; in other words, opening the valve momentarily to release small volumes of gas to clear dust from the valve neck. There is a risk that the hydrogen released by opening the valve will spontaneously ignite. As hydrogen is much lighter than air, it does not gather in low-lying areas - where it could pose a greater hazard.
Hydrogen atoms are extremely small in size. This means that this gas has a higher rate of diffusion through solids than other gases. By comparison, its permeability is four times greater than that of air. Consequently, special care should be taken when working with hydrogen as it can escape more easily from hoses and fittings that might otherwise be considered gas-tight.
To mitigate this risk, hydrogen should be supplied in metal pipelines with a minimum number of screwed fittings, and any flexible hoses should be as short as possible and constructed of a material that resists hydrogen permeation.
It should also be noted that a hydrogen flame is almost invisible to the naked eye, so safety notices and operator guards should be put in place.
We supply hydrogen in cylinders, cylinder bundles and tube trailers in purity grades ranging from hydrogen 4.6 (i.e. purity ≥99.996%) all the way to hydrogen 7.0 (i.e. purity ≥99.99999%) for purity-critical or research applications. Our cylinder materials are adapted to the risk of permeation (e.g. stainless steel).
Combine high pressure with rapid heating and precise process control - with hydrogen fuel gas.