H2scan P&S Catalog 2025 - Flipbook - Page 26
the U.S.’s limited re昀椀nery capacity, which continues to be strained by higher
Also, understand that hydrogen monitoring is more than a tech “device”
online to meet that demand.
systems inside of stand-alone installations or OEM integration into existing
demand and, as previously mentioned, the lack of new re昀椀neries coming
or “sensor.” It’s become a full solution with the ability to embed monitoring
analyzers, both new and retros to existing equipment. So prepare for many
Real-time hydrogen monitoring also provides the ability to collect data
“monitor inside” opportunities.
planning needed for just-in-time maintenance. And it can even aid in
To avoid expensive maintenance, it’s also important for leaders to be
years).
be operational in the 昀椀eld for many years, sometimes a decade or more,
over time that can predict trends, indicate equipment health and support
long-lead-time asset acquisition planning (which is often measured in
aware of autocalibration technology that allows monitoring systems to
which minimizes and often eliminates the need for adjustments. Avoid
At a typical oil re昀椀nery, I’ve found there can be up to two dozen physical
those that require consumables that add to the costs of maintenance and
Knowing the precise concentration of hydrogen present at key points
years.
crucial for both optimizing operations and avoiding interruptions.
Bottom Line
There are many cost-saving bene昀椀ts to such monitoring: re昀椀nery uptime
It’s very important to monitor operations for safety and process
(stimulus) health, recycle contamination, solid fuel conversion (called
production is a problem and adds to the challenges as U.S. re昀椀nery
locations where real-time measurements of hydrogen are hypercritical.
throughout the re昀椀nery provides a heads-up to plant operators that are
and output, overall safety, product quality, process productivity, catalyst
“coking”) and 昀氀are (BTU) monitoring. Plus, better control of recycling
streams provides increased availability of net and recycle of hydrogen,
often removing the need to purchase tanks of expensive hydrogen from
third-party providers.
Now, this list may not make much sense to the non-energy-sector reader,
but it is a big deal in the world of oil re昀椀neries. The bottom line here is that
having this real-time information available allows operators to make
timely and precise adjustments that optimize the usage of hydrogen as a
catalyst and as a red 昀氀ag that something needs their immediate attention.
related labor costs. These are not razors that need a new blade every few
optimization to maximize cost savings. Anything that could disrupt
utilization reaches “as high as 95% on a monthly average basis this
summer in response to high product prices and crack spreads for gasoline,
distillate fuel oil, and jet fuel.”
Plus, older monitoring technologies are giving way to major safety and
effectiveness improvements, operating in real-time, 24/7. For example,
new technologies now support continuous hydrogen monitoring
using explosion-proof, solid-state, self-calibrating, non-consumable,
automatable and miniaturized systems that can be embeddable within
hydrogen-related equipment.
Best Practices For Hydrogen Monitoring
There is a learning curve to all this new technology, but when packaged
A key point here is to know that there have been massive advances in
much easier to quickly implement and utilize. But, such solutions still must
many for dramatic improvements. (Disclosure: My company provides
where possible. Look for creative concepts such as demo videos, case
and make sure that you de昀椀ne real-time monitoring as immediate,
help desk to call when needed.
as solutions, much of that sophistication is hidden in a way that makes it
re昀椀nery monitoring capabilities in recent years and the opportunities are
include effective product training that is visual, engaging and interactive
hydrogen monitoring solutions.) Be sure to fully investigate your options
studies (we all love stories), troubleshooting cheat sheets and, of course, a
continuous, 24/7 and that monitoring includes all the following abilities:
1.
Detect/sense.
2.
Measure.
3.
Record.
4.
Analyze.
5.
React immediately.
These advancements can be key to the entire future viability of the broader
“hydrogen economy” and as part of our country’s long-term clean energy
goals. Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Dennis Reid
Founder and Former CEO of H2Scan Corporation in Valencia, CA.
20+ year veteran in hydrogen-related industries, worldwide
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