The hydrogen challenge: safety and integrity at high pressure
The rapid expansion of the hydrogen sector faces a critical engineering hurdle: managing a highly volatile, low-density gas at extreme pressures. Infrastructure must be engineered to prevent hydrogen embrittlement and leakage, requiring meticulous material selection and precision engineering.
Facilities must integrate high-capacity power supplies for electrolysis while managing significant thermal loads. Whether for green, blue, or grey hydrogen, manufacturers require resilient infrastructure that meets the rigours of DSEAR/ATEX regulations and international safety standards, ensuring 24/7 operational continuity in a mission-critical environment.
Precision at every bar: specialist environments for hydrogen innovation
Equans Sci-Tech provides end-to-end design and construction for hydrogen production and refuelling facilities. We recognise that hydrogen infrastructure is a high-stakes environment where safety and process efficiency are inseparable. We deliver airtight gas management systems and explosion-proof electrical installations tailored to your specific pressure and purity requirements.
Our expertise in high-pressure systems and hazardous area classification ensures your infrastructure supports maximum uptime and safety. We deliver reliable, high-performance environments that allow you to scale hydrogen production efficiently while maintaining total control over your assets.
From electrolyser integration to high-pressure containment, we provide the specialist engineering required to support the entire hydrogen value chain
- Electrolyser integration:Specialist design of balance-of-plant (BoP) for PEM, Alkaline, and solid oxide electrolyser technologies.
- High-pressure gas distributionPrecision-engineered piping systems designed to mitigate the risks of hydrogen embrittlement and permeation.
- Hazardous area compliance (ATEX/DSEAR)Full multi-disciplinary engineering design for Zone 0, 1, and 2 environments, including explosion relief and advanced leak detection.
- Thermal management & coolingIntegrated cooling water circuits and heat recovery systems to manage the significant thermal output of large-scale hydrogen production.
Find the answers to your questions
The primary hurdle is "system integration." Moving from a standalone electrolyser to a full-scale facility requires complex balancing of high-voltage power inputs, deionised water supplies, and high-pressure compression. We design your infrastructure to synchronise these utilities, ensuring stable production even during peak demand.
We strictly adhere to specialist material standards, typically utilising high-nickel-content stainless steel and specialised polymer seals. Our construction teams employ certified orbital welding and non-destructive testing (NDT) to ensure every joint is capable of withstanding high-pressure hydrogen without degrading over time.
Yes. While gaseous hydrogen is more common, we have the technical capability to design cryogenic infrastructure for liquid hydrogen storage and handling. This includes vacuum-insulated piping (VIP) and specialised venting systems to manage boil-off gas safely.
Safety is designed into the building fabric. We integrate advanced gas detection arrays, automated shut-off valves, and specialised safety systems.. Additionally, we design architectural features like light-weight explosion relief roofs to ensure that, in the unlikely event of an incident, the impact is safely contained and directed.
