Increasing the

Viability of
Blue Hydrogen
Clean Hydrogen
Helps to Enable
Global Decarbonization
Hydrogen has an important role to play in efforts
to reach the target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
Hydrogen is expected to provide cleaner energy for
hard-to-decarbonize industrial processes, parts of
the transport sector and long-term energy storage.
However, for it to be considered a truly clean fuel,
it is essential to reduce CO2 during production.

Today, about 95% of hydrogen produced globally

is ‘grey’ hydrogen. To make ‘blue’ hydrogen,
producers must remove the carbon dioxide during
the production process. While green hydrogen
is the ideal aspiration for a low-carbon energy
future, it will be a number of years before it is price
competitive. In the interim, blue hydrogen can help
create the demand and distribution networks for
hydrogen, helping to accelerate the transition from
traditional fossil fuels.

2
Increasing Demand
For Blue Hydrogen
Remaining on track with net-zero targets requires
an increase in demand for cleaner fuels such as
blue hydrogen, particularly from new applications.
The majority of hydrogen is used by refineries
and petrochemical plants for hydrotreating,
hydrocracking and isomerization. As new markets
emerge for cleaner hydrogen, such as domestic
heating, power generation and transport fuel, the
demand for blue hydrogen is expected to grow
significantly. Current production of hydrogen is
approximately 94 million tons a year, but this is
expected to grow to 500-680 million tons by 2050.

Although there is significant investment in ‘green’

hydrogen, produced using electrolysis powered by
sustainable energy, the processes used to produce
blue hydrogen are more easily scaled and well
tested. Blue hydrogen will be essential in meeting
future demand, but an abundance of hydrocarbon
feedstock could also provide a cost advantage in
the market.

3
Transition to Blue Hydrogen
Hydrogen is predominantly produced from fossil fuels,
usually natural gas, using the process of steam methane
reforming (SMR). SMR is the lowest-cost method of
production, which involves reacting natural gas or other light
hydrocarbons with steam at high temperature and pressure
to produce hydrogen, with CO2 formed as a by-product.
When carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions are applied
to production, this creates ‘blue’ hydrogen, which helps to
minimize emissions and supports decarbonization.

4
Carbon Capture Solutions
Post-combustion amine-based absorption is the most mature and deployed carbon capture process. After a chemical solvent captures the
CO2 from the flue gas, the chemical solvent is regenerated while the CO2 is extracted. Vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) and pressure swing
adsorption (PSA) processes are also used to purify a hydrogen stream, by extracting impurities and CO2. Using these carbon capture solutions,
CO2 sequestration rates above 90% can be achieved. Auto-thermal reforming, where oxygen is introduced to burn part of the feedstock as
opposed to separately burning natural gas, creates the possibility of over 95% capture of CO2 emissions.

Export Steam

Air

Induced Draft Fan Makeup Fuel

Boiler Feed Water
Heat Exchanger

SMR

Fuel
Boiler

Steam
Superheater

H2 Product
Feedstock Feed Heat
(Natural Gas) Pretreat Recovery PSA

5
Blue Hydrogen
Industry Challenges
Blue hydrogen production is already operating at scale
at a number of plants around the world as feedstock
or energy in many industrial applications, but use of
hydrogen, blended with natural gas, in residential areas
is being piloted and may soon be available.

Key production challenges:

• Improve equipment reliability, to reduce process
downtime and maintenance costs
• Achieve the highest possible CO2 capture rates
• Increase and maintain peak production efficiency
• Lower energy consumption and costs
• Minimize upstream leaks and emissions
• Enhance the safety of plant and workers

6
The Role of
Automation
With its power to improve efficiency,
reliability and safety, advanced automation
technology is playing a central role in solving
many of these problems. Automation can aid
engineering, optimize the production and
carbon capture processes, save energy and
improve the reliability of essential equipment
like compressors, heat exchangers, fans,
valves and pumps. Along pipelines and at
any point where hydrogen changes hands,
automation helps to keep contaminant-free,
pressurized, at the ideal density, and fully
accounted for in fiscal transactions.

7
SMR Performance
Challenges
The throughput and efficiency of the
SMR process depends on maintaining
an optimal ratio of steam to carbon
entering the reformer reactor, protecting
the catalyst from coking and managing
energy usage. However, controlling the
steam-to-carbon ratio in the reformer
reactor is challenging when the fuel
changes composition, potentially
reducing the output or thermal efficiency
of the plant and increasing energy use
and operational costs.

8
Advanced Automation Maximizes SMR Performance
Advanced automation solutions can improve the efficiency and profitability of SMR units by controlling the steam-to-carbon ratio with
greater precision, using advanced process control systems, online asset monitoring and mass flow meters. The life of the catalyst can be
extended by continuous chemical composition analysis, which is essential for improving the performance of carbon capture methods.

Automation solutions:
Advanced measurement and control technology Process gas analyzers and gas chromatographs
ensures precise control and reduced process provide highly accurate continuous gas
variability, optimizing SMR performance and composition analysis, enabling reforming and
throughput shift converter efficiency to be monitored

Assured measurement accuracy, provided by Online monitoring solutions for heat exchangers
Coriolis mass flow meters, enables optimized help to maintain efficiency and reduce energy
steam-to-carbon ratio, extending catalyst life, consumption
decreasing energy costs and increasing safety

Wireless sensors support continuous monitoring

 igh-accuracy temperature transmitters ensure
H of equipment and pipework to prevent corrosion
critical temperature control and safety loops are and containment issues
optimized, supporting enhanced process control

 nergy management information systems

E
support the evaluation of energy-related KPIs
and help achieve optimal steam and electricity
usage targets

9
Carbon Capture
Challenges
Amine-based absorption involves a trade-off
between the energy needed to regenerate the
chemical solvent used in the carbon capture
process and the rate of efficiency of the process
itself. The main challenges for the operation of PSA
and VSA processes are ensuring safety, purity and
reliability, despite very high cycle rates. It is also
essential to prevent leaks that cause lower capture
efficiency.

Key challenges:
• Maximize carbon capture efficiency
• Decrease energy consumption and costs
• Ensure hydrogen purity
• Minimize safety risks, leaks and fugitive emissions
• Increase availability and reduce maintenance costs

10
Enhancing Amine Treatment Process
When using amine treatment to capture CO2 there is a trade-off between capture efficiency and energy cost to regenerate solvent.
Meeting the target CO2 capture rate in the most efficient manner is the key challenge. Because corrosion and erosion are prevalent within
amine treating units, there is a need for predictive maintenance to maximize uptime, safety and throughput. Implementing automation
solutions helps increase visibility to process equipment health, which ensures greater operational efficiency, process uptime and safety.

Automation solutions:

Online analysis allows process optimization  oriolis density meters automate lean amine
C
through multivariable control and analytics concentration measurement to determine
solvent circulation rate to achieve desired
capture efficiency at lowest cost

Advanced controls and alarm management

software help optimize operational
performance, while digital twin technology Pressure safety valves offer greater stability
improves operator performance and tightness, helping to reduce leakages and
discharges

Energy management information systems that

detect poor performance can reduce site energy Wireless corrosion monitoring systems
usage by up to 15% eliminate manual inspections and provide
real-time asset integrity data to improve
planned maintenance timing and scope

11
Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) and
Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)
The PSA and VSA cyclical processes require high levels of hydrogen purity to
remove CO2 from continuous gas streams. Improved process control supported
by greater measurement accuracy and reliability helps to optimize the process,
which can provide an immediate impact on the unit cost of production.

Automation solutions:

High-performance gas analyzers continuously monitor

hydrogen purity to ensure hydrogen meets appropriate
specification

Dedicated control and rotary valves suitable for critical

high-cycle operations and stringent leak requirements
minimize safety risks and emissions

Precise control of rotating equipment can reduce energy

consumption, while online machinery health monitoring
reduces downtime

Prioritized maintenance based on asset integrity analysis

helps to avoid loss of containment, increase unit uptime
and reduce maintenance costs

12
Selecting The Right
Automation Partner
Partnering with a supplier able to provide a complete
portfolio of automation solutions together with extensive
project expertise can help to reduce project complexity,
drive operational efficiency and maximize plant safety
and reliability.
Emerson offers an extensive range of measurement,
control and electrical equipment for hazardous areas,
and has deep experience in setting industry standards.
This makes it the perfect partner to support companies in
the fast-growing hydrogen market by providing solutions
to meet their most demanding applications. Emerson’s
advanced automation technologies are designed to
optimize the SMR, anime treatment, VSA and PSA
processes, by delivering advanced control, increased
process visibility and actionable information for improved
decision-making.
Emerson’s project engineering services, combined with
extensive industry expertise available globally, reduces
project risk and helps to ensure delivery of large-scale
capital projects, on time and within budget.

13
Transition to Low Carbon Future
Emerson delivers environmentally sustainable solutions for customers
across the hydrogen value chain, from production to transmission and
storage, to distribution and consumption. Our advanced automation
technologies are helping to improve productivity, reduce variability,
decrease energy usage, lower emissions and validate the sustainability
of operations.

14
 As the demand for blue hydrogen fuel grows, we
continue to develop innovative solutions to meet the
challenges of expanding production, safe and lower
cost distribution and reliable fuel cell operation.

emerson.com/uk/bluehydrogen

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