Definition (^1):
Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. With a standard atomic weight of 1.008, hydrogen is the lightest element in the periodic table.
Industrial production is mainly from steam reforming natural gas, and less often from more energy-intensive methods such as the electrolysis of water. Most hydrogen is used near the site of its production, the two largest uses being fossil fuel processing (e.g., hydrocracking) and ammonia production, mostly for the fertilizer market. Hydrogen is problematic in metallurgy because it can embrittle many metals, complicating the design of pipelines and storage tanks.
Significant datas for hydrogen [^2]:
- Chemical Formula : H2
- Molecular Weight : 2.016 g/mol
- Boiling Point at 1 atm : -423.2 F (-252.9 C)
- Freezing Point at 1 atm : -434.8 F (-259.3 C)
- Critical Temperature : -400.4 F (-240.2 C)
- Critical Pressure 186 psia (12.7 atm)
- Density, Gas at 68 F (20 C), 1 atm 0.005229 lb./cu.ft. (0.0838 kg/m^3)
We consider several methods for production:
- Electrolysis (SOEC, PEM, AWE)
- Plasma-Cracking
- Water-Gas Shift
^1: Hydrogen Wikipedia page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen
[^2]: Engineering Toolbox, https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com