How does a hydrogen generator work?

Hydrogen is a colorless and odorless chemical element. It is very abundant in the universe, making up about 75% of all matter, and is found mainly in water (H₂O) and organic compounds. Although hydrogen can be found everywhere, separating this chemical element is another matter. This is where hydrogen generators come into play.

Decomposition of H2O using water electrolysis

Water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, connected by covalent bonds. Breaking down water is one of the most direct ways to obtain a source of hydrogen. Most hydrogen generators use a process called water electrolysis to break these covalent bonds and split the H2O molecules.
Hydrogen gas generators contain an electrolytic cell, to which a series of reactions are initiated by applying a steady voltage. Oxygen atoms are attracted to an anodic catalyst, while hydrogen atoms move to a cathodic catalyst. The atom separation process allows the generator to produce pure, high quality hydrogen almost immediately.

Hydrogen Gas Generator Applications

Fighting Food Fraud

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that food fraud costs the food industry a staggering $40 billion annually. Hydrogen gas generators provide the gas for chromatographs, which are used to trace the origin of food and determine authenticity. Along with visible spectroscopy, gas chromatography is one of several analytical techniques used to address the global problem of food fraud.

Completing toxicology reports

Forensic scientists rely on hydrogen generators to operate the gas chromatographs used to conduct toxicology reports. This sophisticated instrument separates individual elements from samples and is used to identify alcohol, drugs, poisons and other substances.

Oil and Gas Refining

From detecting contaminants in a sample to analyzing the quality of a finished product, gas chromatography is widely used in the oil and gas field. The analytical technique is used to separate samples into individual components and generate molecular fingerprints. The data is used to monitor refinery process operations, perform quality control analyses and maximize yields.