H2scan starts shipping prototypes of its inline hydrogen sensor

H2scan, a pioneer in the development of proven, proprietary hydrogen sensors and technology for the hydrogen economy, announced that it has begun distributing prototypes of its new HY-OPTIMA 5000 Series for process industries.

The HY-OPTIMA 5000 Series analyzer is the most accurate, tolerant, and cost-effective tool for measuring hydrogen process gases in industrial applications. It is optimized for cost-sensitive emerging applications such as power-to-gas (hydrogen blending into natural gas pipelines), electrolyzers, and other process applications such as laboratories, alternative energy, hydrogen-cooled generators, and turbines.

The HY-OPTIMA 5000 sensors utilize the same unique autocalibration technology as the highly successful GRIDSCAN 5000 and older sensors from H2scan. Since its inception in 2012, H2scan has sold and delivered over 15,000 transformer sensors worldwide, with no sensor requiring calibration.

For direct hydrogen detection in process gas streams, the HY-OPTIMA 5000 Series utilizes a solid-state, non-consumable sensor. The HY-OPTIMA 5000 sensor bundle weighs one pound and measures 5.9 inches long by 1.6 inches wide/deep. This compact size is possible because of H2scan’s revolutionary 1.2 million-transistor application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The HY-OPTIMA 5000 is IP68-rated, submersible for 14 days in up to 30 feet of water, and marine-compatible.

The prototype inline hydrogen process analyzer is the first of its kind to include auto calibration and is appropriate for standalone use or OEM incorporation into existing analyzers. It may be employed in gas streams where real-time, hydrogen-specific measurements can help improve process plant efficiency, yields, and maintenance costs, while also enabling a green hydrogen economy.

H2scan’s proprietary auto calibration technology eliminates drift and the need for periodic calibrations once installed and field calibrated. No additional maintenance is required. Serial contact with the unit is accomplished using Modbus RTU over RS485.

The general-purpose-rated analyzer directly detects hydrogen in process gas streams with no cross-sensitivity to other gases. In 2022, hazardous area-rated products are scheduled to be released.

The HY-OPTIMA 5000 series analyzers include the versions 5031, 5033, and 5034, which are all designed for usage with or without hydrogen in non-condensing gas streams.

“Innovation in hydrogen sensors is critical to the measurement and safety needs of the hydrogen economy, and the HY-OPTIMA 5000 offers groundbreaking accuracy, is maintenance free and has a small size,” said Dennis Reid, President and CEO of H2scan. “The HY-OPTIMA 5000 is designed for low-cost use in power-to-gas, hydrogen metering in homes, measuring purity for electrolyzers and a number of other emerging applications. We are looking forward to the ongoing trials and continued collaboration with large gas suppliers, manufacturers of electrolyzers, pipeline manufacturers and others in order to be the defacto hydrogen sensor technology used in all hydrogen-related applications.”

Reid went on to say, “I’m also excited about the HY-ALERTA 5000 safety systems that will soon be delivered. When that product ships, H2scan will have the only hydrogen safety sensor for this market, that I know of, that needs no calibration or maintenance for up to 10 years.”