HYTING, a German manufacturer of hydrogen-based heating solutions, has commissioned what it describes as the “world’s first” customer-installed catalytic hydrogen air-heating system in a new industrial facility in Offenbach, Germany.
Paired with a heat pump, the 10kW (2.8TR) capacity catalytic unit supports the client’s peak heating demand, including in low ambient temperatures, using hydrogen supplied locally, according to HYTING. Flusys, a producer of pumps and fluid systems for industrial applications, installed the hybrid system to heat a 1,000m3 (35,300ft3) production space.
The catalytic unit engages based on the hybrid setup’s optimum operating cost, HYTING told NaturalRefrigerants.com. The switch-on point depends on the heat pump’s efficiency and the relative cost of electricity versus the cost of hydrogen.
“Our vision has always been to see hydrogen replace fossil fuels and make an invaluable contribution to decarbonizing the heating sector,” said Tim Hannig, Founder and Managing Director of HYTING. “Our technology is simple, safe, efficient and clean.”
Applications for the catalytic hydrogen technology include commercial and industrial building HVAC, up to 300°C (572°F) process heating and auxiliary heating for the automotive sector, according to HYTING. Initially the units will come in heating capacities of 10 or 50kW (2.8 or 14.2TR), with higher capacity requirements met through modular configurations. HYTING, founded in 2021, said that it is scaling the unit for series production, with another customer installation scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.
The technology: Rather than using flame-based combustion to generate heat, the process uses a catalytic chemical reaction. The technology produces no carbon emissions, nitrogen oxides or particulate matter, with water vapor as the only by-product.
- A controlled mixture of hydrogen and oxygen from the ambient air flows over HYTING’s proprietary catalyst surface, where it undergoes rapid oxidation, which generates heat.
- HYTING states that the unit is inherently safe, with hydrogen kept outside the catalyst zone in uncontrolled or hazardous concentrations.
- The technology, suitable for new installations and retrofits, can be combined with “any heat source,” the company said.
Validation/certification: Durability testing, conducted by an independent engineering service provider, simulated 10 years of real-world operation, according to HYTING.
- The unit completed 2,500 hours of testing without failure or measurable wear on critical safety components.
- HYTING’s catalytic hydrogen technology is EU Gas Appliance Regulation-certified, indicating that it meets the safety, health and environmental requirements for gas-fired appliances.
Optimizing systems: “Peak heating installations for commercial and industrial buildings can save customers costs from day one by drastically reducing capacity and demand charges and overall system costs,” HYTING said.
- Compared to installing a heat pump sized to meet peak demands, the hybrid setup can deliver up to 30% lower capital costs and up to 20% lower operating costs, depending on the price of hydrogen and the operating strategy, the company told NaturalRefrigerants.com.
- A simple retrofit solution can start around €20,000 ($23,600), HYTING said, with CAPEX costs based on project-specific requirements, including capacity and scope.
Quotable: “The Flusys’ installation will prove not only the efficacy of HYTING’s technology but also demonstrate that hydrogen can replace natural gas as a cleaner, more sustainable source of heating,” the company said.
“Our vision has always been to see hydrogen replace fossil fuels and make an invaluable contribution to decarbonizing the heating sector.”
Tim Hannig, Founder and Managing Director of HYTING
