Session: 20-03: Hydrogen and Natural Gas Compression and Infrastructure

Paper Number: 151201

The Need for Speed: Technical Options for Hydrogen Compressors 

The use of Hydrogen as energy carrier is a key concept for carbon reduction. For most applications, hydrogen will have to be compressed, and the amount of hydrogen volume will require centrifugal compressors as the compressors of choice. Centrifugal compressors have been used in refineries for hydrogen compression for decades. However, unlike hydrogen in refinery applications, the hydrogen used as energy carrier will be relatively pure, and thus has a very low mole weight and a high heat capacity. Hydrogen as a light gas with a high heat capacity requires significantly more work (or enthalpy rise) to achieve a certain pressure ratio than other gases like natural gas or CO₂.  To achieve a sufficiently high pressure ratio with Hydrogen, one has the choice to either have a larger number of compressor stages, or to increase the tip speed of the impellers. A large number of stages may be commercially unattractive, although methods are suggested to reduce the impact. The increase in tip velocity increases the stress levels in the impeller. The paper discusses a number of methods to increase the work input per impeller while managing stress levels, including open face and closed face impellers, as well as material options.    

Presenting Author: Rainer Kurz RKSBenergy

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Rainer Kurz is the Principal of RKSBenergy LLC, as well as an Adj. Professor at San Diego State University.He retired recently as the Manager, Gas Compressor Engineering, Solar Turbines Incorporated, with responsibilities for the design, research and development of Solar’s Centrifugal Gas Compressors. Dr. Kurz attended the Universität der Bundeswehr in Hamburg, Germany, where he received the degree of a Dr.-Ing. in 1991. He has authored numerous publications about turbomachinery related topics, is an ASME fellow, a member of the GMRC Board, and a member of the Turbomachinery Symposium Advisory Committee. He also won the ASME Industrial Gas Turbine Award in 2013.

Authors:

Rainer Kurz RKSBenergy
Klaus Brun Ebara Elliott Energy
Lutz Bungeroth Thinktank-H2
Karl Wygant Ebara Elliott Energy