Power & Energy Total Gas Management

"the strategic partnership working for long term solutions for all parties"

Hydrogen – The Environmentally Friendly Energy of the Future

Within the total gas management workshop Linde has always worked with its partners to develop the most ecconimical and environmental solution for existing and future production and ecological requirements.

The damage to our environment caused by burning fossil fuels has already reached dangerous proportions. In view of these ecological problems and the limited supply of fossil energy sources, new, environmentally friendly energy sources must be developed on a large scale.
Hydrogen energy offers a promising way of doing this, as one of the commonest elements on the planet earth, hydrogen is available in almost unlimited quantities. When hydrogen is burnt neither the dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced, but just water (H2O). Hydrogen (H2) as a clean energy carrier presents no storage problems and can be used in different ways, as fuel in combustion engines and for highly efficient electric power generation in fuel cells. It is in these very areas that possibility with great future potential of minimising environmentally damaging emissions and of meeting mankind’s energy needs over the long-term are currently opening up.
With its vast experience in hydrogen technology, Linde has always played an important role as an international technology supplier, engineering solution company, plant constructor and manufacturer of industrial gases for various projects connected with the theme,

"Hydrogen (H2) is an environmentally friendly energy carrier of the future".
Linde supports these developments with world leading know how and innovative technology, at the same time offering comprehensive complete solutions covering process technology and plant installation, production of gaseous and low temperature liquefied hydrogen of any desired quality, transport and storage of both gaseous and liquefied hydrogen, distribution as well as the supply of customised cryogenic H2 vehicle tanks and filling stations.

Energy supply with class...
In the field of stationary applications Linde was involved in a project with considerable future potential: the Hamburg Electricity and Gas Works Association’s fuel cell block-type thermal power station. This power station operating in the middle of a Hamburg residential area was supplied with LH2 from a bulk storage tank.This "cold" combustion with its impressive efficiency (overall efficiency 85%) realised important future potential.

And finally, there is probably no doubt that "hydrogen - the gift from heaven" will sooner dominate the market. This is also proved by the aforementioned project which represent important milestones on the road to the „hydrogen future“

Hydrogen: Some facts and figures
14 times lighter than air, hydrogen, the lightest of all the elements, is a colourless and odourless gas with a boiling point of -253 oC. It is non toxic but flammable.
Currently, one of the most economical ways of producing hydrogen which is also used by Linde on a large scale is the steam reforming process: In the steam reformer, as it is termed, natural gas or other hydrocarbons are catalytically split by steam to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The crude hydrogen is removed from the resulting mixture of gases and then purified by pressure swing adsorption.
Another promising way of producing hydrogen is by the electrolysis of water, i.e. splitting it electrochemically into hydrogen and oxygen. This method is predominantly of ecological interest where the electrical power required for the process is produced from renewable resources, for example, from solar cells or from hydroelectric power stations.
For economical storage or distribution hydrogen must be transported in a compressed gaseous form or - and this is considerably more effective - in a low temperature liquefied form.