Blending hydrogen (H2) into the existing natural gas pipeline networks is a viable mean of reducing carbon emissions and accelerate the transition to clean hydrogen as an energy source. However, hydrogen has different thermo-physical properties than natural gas, so the amount injected into the pipeline must remain below 20% of the overall gas volume to keep the full blend within pipeline-quality gas specifications. This helps protect the integrity of the network, mitigate public safety risks and eliminate modification requirements for end-use systems, including industrial or power generation equipment, as well as household boilers and stoves.
Using the right analytical instrumentation is key to reliable control and monitoring of H2 concentration injection into the pipeline. The Rosemount 700XA Gas Chromatograph tracks gas quality changes from the initial blend point through the network by providing compositional analysis of the full blended stream, its calorific value and Wobbe index.