Driving a cleaner future —

Hydrogen Solutions from

Atlas Copco Gas and Process
Hydrogen is a critical part of our vision to reduce
greenhouse gases and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Leaning on our extensive experience in cryogenic process
applications, Atlas Copco Gas and Process provides several
solutions to power your energy transition.
 The challenges of hydrogen
At Atlas Copco Gas and Process, we see hydrogen
processing and handling
as a key driver in powering the energy transition,
with the goal of reaching net zero emissions by
2050. We have technology today to help you reduce
environmental emissions and make a circular,
sustainable economy a reality.
Cold operating
From blue / grey hydrogen produced by separating
H2 in traditional hydrocarbon processes, to providing
environment
equipment for green hydrogen liquefaction, we have
the solutions now and for a greener future. • To liquefy H2, extremely cold temperatures are needed.
At temperatures below -250°C, care must be taken in
minimizing heat transfer into the process.
• Thermal insulation is a key design feature for liquefaction,
and we are collaborating with cold box manufacturers an
integrated expander cold box interface that minimizes heat
transfer and maximizes process efficiency.
• At these cryogenic temperatures, standard internal
components can become brittle and fail unexpectedly. We
lean on our decades of cryogenic gas processing experience

Hydrocarbons to ensure we design each unit with suitable materials to

reduce the chance of embrittlement.

and Hydrogen:
Closer than you think, Lightweight gas
process-wise properties

• Hydrogen is the lightest molecule which poses some

When you think of hydrogen, applications like gas
challenges for turbomachinery. Multiple stages are often
processing, LNG or petrochemical processes most
required to achieve the desired results.
likely do not come to mind. While gas properties vary,
the machines needed to process them are remarkably • We manufacture integrally-geared compressors that can
similar. Our decades of LNG, natural gas processing, feature up to eight stages, allowing for the necessary
chemical / petrochemical, fuel gas boosters and air compression requirements while reducing the overall
separation experience have Atlas Copco Gas and footprint of your process equipment.
Process well positioned to apply these technologies to
hydrogen processes. Creating a boil-off-gas compressor
that can handle hydrogen is similar to the hundreds of
BOG compressors we have produced for LNG storage
and transportation. With a few key modifications to
material choices and manufacturing techniques, we Energy intensive
can apply our many years of expertise to these and transportation
emerging hydrogen markets.

• Gaseous hydrogen has a relatively small energy density,

making it cost-prohibitive to transport. Liquefaction makes
transportation feasible, but there are still gains to be realized
here. We are continuously working with our customers to
increase our machines’ efficiencies in order to increase LH2
production to support growing H2 fuel station demands.
Unique technologies
Hydrogen pressure let down
(energy recovery)
Utilizing readily available high pressure
H2, our PLD expanders harness the
energy expelled in the pressure
Hydrogen Boil Off Gas (BOG) compressor letdown process via integrally-geared
for seafaring H2 transportation expander-generators.

Using our extensive experience in cryogenic LNG processing,

we were able to meet an extreme customer request - to safely This form of power
and reliably compress H2 BOG in the coldest environment generation is
currently recorded for hydrogen transportation.
completely
This single stage, integrally-
green and can help
geared compressor improve your plant’s
can reliably operate in overall efficiency.
environments as cold as
-253°C

Refrigeration compressors
Hydrogen liquefaction expanders Not all equipment for H2
liquefaction directly involves
Our expander-compressors for hydrogen liquefaction use hydrogen gas (or liquid).
several technologies to extract increased efficiency from
your process.
No matter your hydrogen
By utilizing oil-free magnetic refrigeration needs (whether
bearings, our hermetically- nitrogen or mixed refrigerant),
sealed turboexpanders offer Atlas Copco has the
efficient power solution to optimize
recovery with no your LH2 pre-cooling
loss of seal gas. process.
 Atlas Copco’s range of
hydrogen boosters for
high-pressure compression
Atlas Copco also provides a range of reciprocating compressor-boosters beyond
our Gas and Process offerings. Below are a few examples of our hydrogen booster
products for air compression.

Production
Hydrogen production can be realized in different ways. For
example, by using technologies such as the Steam Methane
Reformer (SMR), Autothermal Reforming (ATR), or electrolysis.
From hydrocarbon-dominant grey hydrogen sources to increasingly
Hydrogen oil-free Hydrogen hydraulic Hydrogen piston
sustainable “blue” and “green” hydrogen, Atlas Copco Gas and boosters oil-free boosters boosters
Process designs centrifugal compressors and expanders engineered
to rise to the challenges of hydrogen production.
• H2D range • H2Y range • H2P range
• Min inlet 0.01 bar, max • Mini inlet 5 bar, max • Min inlet 0.1 bar, max
discharge 100 bar discharge 1000 bar discharge 350 bar

Transportation • Proven design for several

decades in hydrogen
• Global installations in
mobility & grid injection
• Several global installations
for hydrogen & other gases
application applications
• Modular design for
• Standardized portfolio • Standard plug & play industrial applications
One economically viable method to enable hydrogen
developed for Green containerized design for
transportation is liquefaction. Turboexpanders and
Hydrogen applications trailer filling & hydrogen
compressors are critical in efficient LH2 plant designs. Our
refueling stations
solutions enable plant operators to achieve lower specific
energy consumptions. Our equipment can operate in the
industry’s most cryogenic working environments.
We also offer BOG compressors to capture and re-liquefy
LH2 for storage, as well as compress the gas further for use
in hydrogen-burning propulsion systems.

Usage
Pure hydrogen is essential as a feedstock and fuel in many
applications of modern industries. This includes the mobility sector,
power generation, chemical/petrochemical, fertilizer and refinery
(i.e., ammonia production). Due to hydrogen’s chemical makeup
and extremely low process temperatures, special attention needs to
be paid to the equipment that will be processing the gas / liquid.
 © 2021 Atlas Copco Gas and Process. Printed in Germany April 2022

Atlas Copco Gas and Process

Schlehenweg 15,
50999 Cologne, Germany
www.atlascopco-gap.com