01H2-DRY and H2-PURE: solutions for drying and purifying hydrogen
Hydrogen purification is essential for achieving the required gas quality, protecting equipment and ensuring reliable operation of downstream processes. Without proper treatment, produced hydrogen often contains moisture and residual oxygen, which can have a negative effect on the safety and efficiency of the system.
Today hydrogen is produced by various methods, including electrolysis, steam reforming and biomass gasification. Regardless of the technology, however, the final gas requires additional drying and purification to be suitable for industrial and energy applications – especially for fuel cells, where purity standards are extremely strict.
OMEGA AIR has developed the H2-DRY and H2-PURE systems – fully automated solutions designed for continuous drying and purification of hydrogen. These systems deliver stable performance, efficiently remove oxygen and moisture, and provide a reliable supply of high-purity compressed hydrogen.
As Baptiste Calvet, sales manager at OMEGA AIR, points out:
“Over the years we have developed the dryer design, introduced new features such as DeOxo and advanced instrumentation, offered complete solutions such as SKID and container systems, and – most importantly – continuously improved the technology. Today we produce more than 50 units a year, with maximum efficiency (0% H2 loss) and purity levels down to 1 ppm O2 and H2O where required.”
02The evolution of the H2-DRY system
The development of hydrogen technologies is not only about producing hydrogen, but also about ensuring its stability and purity. OMEGA AIR has developed systems that reach a purity higher than 99.999%, which makes them suitable even for the most demanding applications, including fuel cells in line with ISO 14687:2019.
The company offers three key solutions:
- H2-DRY systems – designed for the continuous removal of water vapour from compressed hydrogen, with precise dew point control and process protection.
- H2-PURE units – provide advanced purification by removing moisture, oxygen and solid particles.
- H2 BOX – a fully integrated hydrogen station in a compact container format, ready for outdoor conditions and fast installation.
All systems are designed for maximum efficiency and stable operation, with no hydrogen losses and constant performance regardless of load (0–100%). Full automation allows reliable operation without operator intervention.
03How the H2-DRY and H2-PURE systems work
The drying process is based on adsorption, where moisture molecules bind to the surface of a porous adsorbent (most often activated alumina). The system uses two columns that work alternately through three phases:
- Adsorption
- Heating
- Cooling
The columns then switch over and the cycle continues.
Purification process
Oxygen is removed using the DeOxo reaction, in which hydrogen and oxygen combine into water, which is then condensed and removed from the system. This technology reduces the oxygen content to less than 5 ppm, or down to 1 ppm where required.
Adsorbent regeneration
During regeneration the adsorbed moisture is removed. The process includes:
- heating the column in a closed loop (recirculation)
- cooling once heating is complete
The entire regeneration cycle takes up to 4 hours, while the drying process can last up to 6 hours under nominal conditions.
04Technology and technical specifications
OMEGA AIR systems use TSA (Temperature Swing Adsorption) technology, which is based on the temperature dependence of gas adsorption.
Key technical specifications:
- Operating pressure: up to 37 (45) bar
- Inlet temperature: up to +80 °C
- Ambient temperature: 1.5 °C to 50 °C
- Dew point: down to -40 °C (lower on request)
- Power supply: 400 V, 50 Hz
- Protection: IP65
- Communication: Modbus TCP/IP, Profinet
Regeneration is thermal, with minimal gas losses (max. 1–2%). It is particularly significant that the HP-DRY X version allows operation without any hydrogen loss in a closed system.
05Conclusion
The continuous development of the H2-DRY and H2-PURE systems clearly shows OMEGA AIR’s commitment to advancing hydrogen treatment technologies. These solutions not only keep pace with growing market demands, but actively contribute to the development of hydrogen infrastructure and decarbonisation projects in industry, energy and transport.
Working with OMEGA AIR means a partnership in developing sustainable technology solutions – and a concrete step towards realising the potential of hydrogen as a key energy source of the future.
