BASF has worked with Shell to evaluate and de-risk BASF’s Puristar® R0-20 and Sorbead® Adsorption Technology for use in green hydrogen production. The two technologies purify and dehydrate the product hydrogen stream from the water electrolysis process which can then be used for liquefaction and transportation, as an energy source or chemical feedstock. The Puristar and Sorbead technologies are now in Shell’s portfolio for potential use in Shell’s global green hydrogen projects.

Puristar® R0-20 is a robust, versatile, and proven catalyst that excels at removing trace oxygen from the hydrogen stream following electrolysis
- Sorbead® Adsorption Technology provides a reliable, low-energy solution for hydrogen dehydration to achieve low water outlet specifications
- Green hydrogen purification is a critical step required for further processing, transport, and usage of hydrogen as an energy source or chemical feedstock

The hydrogen product stream from water electrolysis contains water and remnant oxygen, which are impurities that need to be removed prior to downstream processing or utilization of the hydrogen. First, the Puristar R0-20 catalyst removes the oxygen by converting it to water in the DeOxo Unit. After the DeOxo step, Sorbead Adsorption Technology is used to dehydrate the hydrogen. Following the hydrogen purification, the hydrogen can be used as an energy source or chemical feedstock. Through recent R&D and pilot activities, BASF has created a new DeOxo design tool that focused specifically on optimizing DeOxo units operating downstream of an electrolyzer. This new modeling tool allows for the design of smaller DeOxo vessels, providing CapEx and OpEx benefits to the project.
The highly efficient Puristar R0-20 catalyst operates at low temperatures and with minimal precious metal content in the catalyst. Additionally, BASF Sorbead Adsorption provides several advantages for green hydrogen applications, including a minimal energy footprint compared to alternative materials, reliability, simple operation, high capacity for water, and lower regeneration temperatures compared to activated alumina or molecular sieves. Customers also benefit from long life, operational turndown flexibility and immediate on-spec gas at startup.
“BASF shares the ambition of Shell to work towards net-zero emissions in the future. Green hydrogen is a major component in achieving this goal and the de-risking of Puristar R0-20 and Sorbead Adsorption Technology for Shell’s projects will support us on our way”, said Detlef Ruff, Senior Vice President, Process Catalysts at BASF.