Using the Right Hydrogen Generator

The hydrogen generator which is best for you will greatly depend on the type of process you need hydrogen for. Within a laboratory itself, there are several uses for hydrogen in procedures such as; gas chromatography, as a carrier gas, or as fuel gas. Moreover, with the shortage of helium, hydrogen gas demands have increased significantly, and the need for safer and more convenient supply of hydrogen is required. 

In this article, we will be placing our focus on switching from pressurized hydrogen cylinders to on-site hydrogen generators for the purpose of gas chromatography (GC). To know more about hydrogen generators, visit https://thsenergy.com/. 

What is Gas Chromatography?

The evaluation technique through which a chemical component within a sample mixture is detected is known as gas chromatography. In this procedure, the components of the sample mixture are first separated and then identified. 

The identification is necessary to determine if the required chemical component is present or absent in the sample. Under the circumstance that the chemical component is present, gas chromatography technique is also employed to evaluate its quantity.

Points to Consider when Purchasing the Right Hydrogen Generator

It is crucial to keep these points in mind when purchasing a hydrogen generator for gas chromatography. If you fall short on one or the other criteria, the result gained from GC will lose reliability. 

Purity 

This is an essential point. Typically, high-pressure hydrogen cylinders fluctuate in regard to the purity of hydrogen gas they supply. However, hydrogen generators are well-known for the fact that they provide an undisrupted and consistently pure form of hydrogen. Provided there is deionized water present at all times (raw material for extraction of hydrogen).

On the other hand, this criterion is not of such great importance if you require hydrogen gas for fueling applications such as Flame Ionization Detector (FID).

Flow

To accurately know whether your application is high on flow demand, you will need to make an evaluation of your application flow-rate demand during its peak consumption. Hydrogen cylinders only provide high flow rates and require you to manually adjust the flow through the opening and closing valves present on the pipes, whereas, with hydrogen generators, there is a generator for every application and its flow rate demand.

Pressure

The pressure requirements of your GC instrument will depend on the distance of the generator from the instruments and the length of the supply pipes. If your hydrogen generator is far from your instrument, you will have to take into account any pressure drop during the delivery. In most cases, 100psi (Pound-force per square inch) is not considered a cause of concern (1psi = 6894.76 Pascals).

Maintenance

Hydrogen generators are low maintenance equipment as compared to pressure cylinders. Pressure cylinders require consistent maintenance, and these maintenances add to the cost of using a gas cylinder. 

Moreover, any maintenance required for the generators can easily be carried out within the labs itself. Gas cylinders run out hence need to be removed and replaced; on the other hand, generators only need refilling of the deionized water approximately one time per week.