Everything You Need to Know About High-Pressure Hydrogen Filters

There’s a rising demand for hydrogen filters in various manufacturing and utility industries. SC Industrial Sales is an authorized distributor of world-class filtration systems built in the United States. Our filters for sale can withstand pressures of up to 6,000 psi (413 bar) and are made from sintered stainless steel for high-efficiency filtering and hazardous particle removal.

Our hydrogen filters are available in 316 stainless steel and Nitronic 50 stainless steel for increased corrosion resistance and mechanical performance. Nitronic 50 has more chromium than 316 and can work at elevated and subzero temperatures, making it an excellent material for hydrogen filters.

What Is a Hydrogen Filter?

Producing hydrogen gas generates a considerable amount of water. Removing this water is essential to produce pure hydrogen. A hydrogen filter separates the liquid and gas in your system while protecting your system from particle contaminants that may cause damage. 

Types of Hydrogen Filters 

Durable filtering systems help eliminate dangerous pollutants using superior micron technology and wide temperature ranges for any factory or utility application. We provide many hydrogen filters to satisfy your requirements.

HY20 Series

20 Series air filters remove harmful particles from high-pressure systems, protecting important downstream components. These in-line filters are adjustable and easy to install, with configurable end fittings and several micron ratings available. They feature a welded brass structure, a 10-micron sintered element and a maximum working pressure of 6,000 PSIG.

HY31 Series

31 Series inlet filters are available in 316 stainless steel and Nitronic 50 with up to 10,000 psi operating pressures. This filter features various micron ratings, including 304 stainless steel cleanable and disposable micro glass, and flows up to 5,500 SCFM. The 31 Series is suited for eliminating impurities from hydrogen products.

HY33 Series

33 Series in-line filters have a rated operating pressure of 1,500 PSI stainless steel and 20,000 PSI Nitronic 50. It features various port sizes and multiple micron ratings and flows up to 250 SCFM. These filters remove various pollutants, such as dirt, rust and scale, to prevent them from causing damage to your system components.

HY41 Series

41 Series mini tee-type filters have a maximum operating pressure of 5,000 PSI stainless steel and 7,500 PSI Nitronic 50. It has a wide range of micron ratings and flows up to 1,500 SCFM. These filters assist in eliminating harmful impurities from hydrogen, allowing your systems to run as effectively as possible.

HY43 Series

43 Series in-line filters are rated to operate at up to 10,000 psi stainless steel and 15,000 psi Nitronic SS. These filters are made of 17-4PH stainless steel and can handle flows of up to 7.5 or 210 SCFM. They are available in various port sizes. These filters prevent system failure and have applications in multiple sectors.

HY51 Series

51 Series filters have an operating pressure of 6,000 psi stainless steel or 3,000 psi aluminum. This series has three different element types. They include excellent features such as differential pressure indications, a broad range of micron ratings, bowl drain choices and a large selection of O-ring options for specific fluid filter applications.

HY52 Series

52 Series tee-type filters have Nitronic housings and can withstand pressures of up to 15,000 PSI. This filter has a selection of various micron ratings. You can also choose fiber metal felt, micro-glass, standard stainless steel or porous sintered stainless steel for your components. These filters have significant flow rates and various port diameters. 

Applications of Hydrogen Filters

Regardless of your sector, if you use hydrogen, it’s critical to install hydrogen filters to safeguard your product from pollutants that might harm the quality of your fuel or system components. Hydrogen filters have uses in various operations, including those that employ hydrogen as a substitute fuel source.

Hydrogen filters are ideal for many applications, including:

• Manufacturing: The production of hydrogen leaves impurities like water behind. These filters help separate the liquid in electrolysis, coal vaporization, steam-methane reforming and power-generation systems.
• Storing and hauling: To maintain the excellent quality of your hydrogen, you need hydrogen filters. Liquid hydrogen tankers, high-pressure tube trailers and pipelines are some of the storage and transit applications for hydrogen filters.
• Distribution and wholesale: Hydrogen is used in the ammonia industry and oil refineries. You can also find hydrogen in synthetic hydrogen production plants, fuel cell cars and metal processing plants. There are hydrogen fuel cells in commercial vehicles, forklifts and backup power systems. Trains, ships, heating grids, electricity networks and hydrogen fueling stations are all examples of other uses for hydrogen filters.
• Transportation and automotive: Hydrogen plays a crucial role in transportation, as it acts as a clean energy carrier that can power vehicles without emitting harmful pollutants into the environment. Hydrogen filters can be used to purify hydrogen gases pre-fuel cell and hydrogen tank storage. Hydrogen filters can also be used to filter out particulates or contaminants post-storage. 
• Aerospace and Propulsion: Hydrogen is only set to see growing demand in the aerospace and propulsion industries. Specifically, the airline industry aims to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In order to accomplish this, airliners and propulsion system manufacturers are turning towards alternative fuels such as hydrogen. In order for these aircraft systems to operate properly, they need highly pure hydrogen fuel, that is free of water and other contaminants. Hydrogen filters are ideal in that they can be used to purify the fuel during fuel production, in aircraft systems, and in fuel storage systems.

Advantages of Hydrogen Filters

One of the most important and noticeable benefits of hydrogen filters is their capacity to increase the life span of your system and its components. The filters restrict impurities’ input while removing new ones, producing pollution-free gas or fluid.

These filters also assist in safeguarding your components from system failure. Without filters, particle impurities build up between tight spaces and gears in your system. Preventing abrasive wear minimizes the likelihood of failure and improves the safety of your operation. Prevention of damage also reduces downtime and saves money on equipment replacements and falling behind schedule.

How to Choose the Right Hydrogen Filter

Choosing hydrogen filters that meet your equipment’s specifications is crucial to prevent future issues with your system. To determine the appropriate filter size, consider factors like cost, capacity and the ease of replacement. Other variables include:

• Material: We recommend using stainless steel tubing and fittings for reactive gases like hydrogen.
• Flow volume: The impurity concentration levels must be determined to calculate the size of the flow orifice and channels.
• Impurities: Smaller particles need a higher filtering grade. Higher filter quality causes increased density in the filtering materials, increasing pressure losses. This loss of pressure needs to be offset by more extensive filtering surfaces.
• Maximum allowable pressure loss: The pressure decreases when the fluid travels through the filter. It’s important to keep this pressure loss as low as possible since a small drop in pressure from the filter results in a larger filtration surface, which increases the total footprint.

Choose SC Industrial Sales for Hydrogen Filters

SC Industrial Sales has more than 30 years of expertise in the industry. We provide many filters for various sectors, including high-pressure hydrogen filters that are resistant to high temperatures and rust. Our team offers quick turnaround and delivery times as well as outstanding customer support. We can even develop a custom solution that matches your application’s unique requirements. 

Contact us today to learn more about what we offer and request a quote.