Hydrogen Production Facility

Explore the equipment

Produce hydrogen by electrolysis, dry and compress it, and hold it at pressure for dispensing — keeping every hydrogen-containing volume outside its flammable range and away from ignition.

Components

• Electrolyser stackELY-201

  Splits demineralised water into hydrogen and oxygen

  Normally: Drawing rated DC load, cell voltages balanced

• Gas/liquid separatorSEP-201

  Separates entrained electrolyte from the hydrogen stream

  Normally: Level in the middle of the glass

• DryerDRY-201

  Removes residual moisture before compression

  Normally: Passing gas, dewpoint within spec

• CompressorCMP-201

  Raises hydrogen to storage pressure

  Normally: Running on demand, discharge temperature steady

• Storage tubesSTG-201

  Holds compressed hydrogen for dispensing

  Normally: Below maximum allowable working pressure

• Pressure relief valvePSV-201

  Relieves overpressure to a safe vent

  Normally: Closed, set above operating pressure

• Vent stackVNT-201

  Discharges relieved hydrogen at height, away from people

  Normally: Clear

• Gas detectorGD-201

  Detects hydrogen in air around the skid

  Normally: Below alarm threshold

Operating states

• Normal Production

  Stack at load, compressor cycling on storage pressure, detectors clear.

• Standby

  Stack idle, storage holding pressure, isolation valves closed.

• Purge

  Nitrogen displacing hydrogen before maintenance — the step that keeps a volume out of the flammable range.

Failure scenarios and safeguards

• MOREPressure

  Hydrogen is relieved to atmosphere at height through the vent stack, and production stops.

  Causes

  • Compressor fails to stop on the pressure switch
  • Dispensing valve closed against a running compressor

  How it develops

  1. 01Compressor keeps running past its stop setpoint.
  2. 02Storage pressure rises towards the maximum allowable working pressure.
  3. 03Relief valve lifts and discharges hydrogen through the vent stack.

  Safeguards

  • Relief valvePSV-201

    Lifts at set pressure and routes hydrogen to the vent stack

    If it fails: Storage is exposed to compressor discharge pressure with no relief path

  • Emergency shutdownESD-201

    Isolates storage and stops production on demand

    If it fails: Inventory keeps feeding a release

  Unmitigated: Storage is taken above its design pressure with no relief path.

• NOContainment

  Production trips and the leak is limited to the volume already outside isolation.

  Causes

  • Fitting loosened by vibration
  • Seal degradation at a compressor connection

  How it develops

  1. 01Hydrogen escapes at a connection on the discharge side.
  2. 02Gas detection rises through the alarm threshold.
  3. 03Trip stops production and isolates the storage inventory.

  Safeguards

  • Gas detection tripGD-201

    Alarms at a first gas threshold, then trips the stack and compressor at a higher one

    If it fails: A leak continues to accumulate with nothing calling for shutdown

  • Emergency shutdownESD-201

    Isolates storage and stops production on demand

    If it fails: Inventory keeps feeding a release

  Unmitigated: A hydrogen cloud accumulates in a congested space with ignition sources present.