With clean hydrogen gaining recognition worldwide as a carbon-free fuel capable of making a significant contribution to addressing climate change, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will field test a new technology that can simultaneously separate and compress hydrogen from a blend of hydrogen and natural gas. Created by Netherlands-based HyET Hydrogen , the technology is designed to provide pure highly-compressed hydrogen wherever a natural gas distribution system exists. Operation principle of an electrochemical hydrogen compressor. Rhandi et al. The new technology—Electrochemical Hydrogen Purification and Compression (EHPC)—works by applying an electrical current across a hydrogen-selective membrane to allow only hydrogen to permeate it while blocking the natural gas components. Continuously applying the electrical current builds up and pressurizes the hydrogen. Hydrogen is supplied to the anode side of the membrane surface where a platinum-alloy catalyst splits the molecule into protons. The electrons are transferred via an external circuit to the […]