Hydrogen

High Performance to Meet Your Specifications

Hydrogen is formed purely from electrolysis, where water is “split” into its component molecules, isolating the hydrogen and leaving only O2 as a byproduct. Given its simplistic production and indefinite sustainability, hydrogen has proven to be 3 times as powerful as current fossil fuels and used most commonly in large scale production or manufacturing applications which would normally be high carbon expenders. However, hydrogen usage is finding its way into other, smaller scale applications to meet sustainability targets and receive financial incentives. Key features include: 

  • Can produce up to 3 times as much energy as fossil fuels 
  • Renewable
  • Little to no carbon emissions
  • Overview
  • Application
Overview

The Challenges and Considerations of Hydrogen Firing in Steam Generation

Hydrogen is often blended with natural gas as a fuel source in large industrial applications, particularly where excess hydrogen is available or when facilities aim to reduce emissions and meet environmental regulations. However, this transition comes with technical challenges that must be addressed to ensure stable combustion and prevent costly outages.

Key Challenges of Hydrogen FiringHigher Combustion Speed – Hydrogen burns ~5 times faster than natural gas, requiring specialized burner and gas nozzle designs to control fuel velocity.
Increased Flame Temperature – With a stoichiometric adiabatic flame temperature ~450°F higher than natural gas, burner components must be upgraded to high-grade steel or alloys to withstand the heat.

Thermal NOx Emissions – Hydrogen’s higher combustion temperature makes it more prone to thermal NOx formation, requiring emission control strategies such as:

  • Flue Gas Recirculation (FGR)

  • Steam Injection

  • Ultra-Low NOx Burners

Successfully integrating hydrogen into steam generation systems demands a strategic approach to burner design, material selection, and emissions control. With the right modifications, hydrogen can be a viable and sustainable fuel option while maintaining safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

See also: Automatic, Variable Ratio, Firing of a Blend of “Free” and Purchased Fuels

Application

Preferred’s Hydrogen Firing Solution

Preferred’s Special Combustion Engineering (PSCE) division has developed a high-efficiency Hydrogen burner designed for safe and sustainable reclamation of waste hydrogen. This technology enables chemical plants to utilize green, blue, gray, or white hydrogen, significantly reducing their reliance on fossil fuels for process steam generation while lowering their carbon footprint.

With extensive experience in coal-to-natural gas conversions and alternative fuel applications, PSCE ensures reliable fuel blending and combustion, minimizing plant downtime and maintaining operational efficiency.

PSCE provides a fully integrated combustion solution, including:
Burners
Boiler and fuel handling
Blending systems
Advanced combustion controls

By specializing in multi-fuel combustion, PSCE gives plant managers confidence that their burners will reliably ignite, regardless of the hydrogen blend used.