Gas Treatment & Generation · Engineered by SorbiTech

Hydrogen PSA Purification Package

Name: Hydrogen PSA Purification Package
Brand: SorbiTech

On site hydrogen PSA package using a layered adsorbent bed for high purity hydrogen recovery from steam methane reformer off gas or electrolyser product.

Capacity / Flow 50–50,000 Nm³/h H₂

Design Standards ASME VIII Div.1 · PED · ATEX/IECEx for hydrogen service

Inlet Conditions Reformer off gas at 15–30 barg · electrolyser at 5–35 barg

Outlet Specification H₂ purity 99.9 % to 99.999 % · CO < 0.2 ppm · S < 0.004 ppm

Operating Pressure (bar) 15–35

Quick Answer

A Hydrogen PSA Purification Package recovers high purity hydrogen (99.9 to 99.999 percent) from steam methane reformer off gas, chlor alkali by product gas, or green hydrogen electrolyser output using a layered adsorbent bed of activated carbon, 13X molecular sieve, and a polishing CMS layer in a pressure swing adsorption cycle.

Hydrogen Recovery on a Layered Adsorbent Bed

The SorbiTech Hydrogen PSA Purification Package separates high purity hydrogen from impurity laden feed gas on a multi vessel pressure swing adsorption cycle. The deciding engineering feature is the layered adsorbent bed: activated carbon at the inlet captures carbon dioxide and the heavier hydrocarbons, SorbiTech 13X molecular sieve in the middle layer holds carbon monoxide and residual water, and a polishing layer of carbon molecular sieve captures the trace methane and nitrogen that would otherwise reach the product header. The recovered hydrogen meets ISO 14687 Grade D fuel cell specification.

The unit is engineered by SorbiTech to ASME VIII or PED, with ATEX or IECEx zone certification mandatory for the hydrogen service envelope.

Process Cycle and Vessel Configuration

The standard configuration uses four to twelve adsorber vessels running in a staggered pressure swing cycle: adsorption at the feed pressure, pressure equalisation between high and low pressure vessels (this recovers hydrogen that would otherwise vent and lifts the recovery efficiency to 80 to 90 percent), provide purge gas to a regenerating vessel, depressurise to atmospheric, purge with product gas, then re pressurise back to feed pressure. The cycle repeats every 4 to 12 minutes depending on the vessel count and the contracted purity.

Scope of Supply

A complete package engineered by SorbiTech includes:

Four to twelve adsorber vessels to ASME VIII or PED with 316L internals
Layered adsorbent charge: activated carbon, SorbiTech 13X, and carbon molecular sieve from SorbiTech
Switching valve manifold with high cycle life valves rated for hydrogen service
Surge tank and product purity analyser (TCD or moisture analyser)
PLC or DCS sequence control with automatic off specification venting
ATEX or IECEx zone certified electrical and instrumentation

Markets and Applications

Refinery hydrogen recovery from steam methane reformer off gas is the largest market; the package recovers 80 to 90 percent of the hydrogen at a purity that feeds the hydrotreater and hydrocracker. Green hydrogen producers (alkaline and PEM electrolysers) use a smaller version to polish the electrolyser product before it enters a refuelling station or a pipeline. Chlor alkali plants recover by product hydrogen for combustion or chemical synthesis. Sector coverage spans petrochemicals and refining and industrial gas and air separation.

Delivery and Lifecycle

Delivered turnkey by SorbiTech or fabricated to client drawings. Commissioning includes the first cycle performance test on the contracted feed gas and a 72 hour continuous run to demonstrate purity stability. The CMS and 13X charge gives 7 to 10 years of service before replacement; SorbiTech maintains the forward inventory plan that aligns SorbiTech media supply to the operator turnaround calendar.