Xebec installs Gas-as-a-Service on-site hydrogen production plant in Turkey
Tayras re-refinery shows the importance of producing hydrogen locally and reducing the carbon footprint of oils through recycling.
HyGear, a subsidiary of Canadian clean energy solutions provider Xebec Adsorption Inc., has successfully commissioned an on-site hydrogen generation system for Tayras used lubricant oil re-refinery in Turkey.
The plant will deliver around 560 kg/day of hydrogen under 125 bar on a 24/7 basis under a 15-year Gas-as-a-Service contract. The facility is the first of its kind in Turkey, which would help reduce carbon emissions from API Group II base lubricating oils. The hydrogen will be used to hydro-treat the used oils and remove sulphur, chlorine, nitrogen, phosphorous, silica and saturation of aromatics employing special catalysts.
The capacity of Tayras’s plant is 60k tonnes/year of used lubricating oil, which is expected to produce about 45k tonnes/year of Group II base oil (N70, N100, N220). It is estimated that around 50% of used motor oil is re-refined in Europe. This ratio is between 10% and 15% in North America and around 7% in Turkey.
Marinus van Driel, President of Xebec Europe, said, “Our on-site hydrogen offers the lowest cost and emissions option by cutting out the transportation and liquefaction steps from centralised hydrogen supply. This level of operation will lend well to other applications such as hydrogen refuelling stations where this pressure and reliability is also needed.”
Early this month, HyGear also signed a 10-year hydrogen recycling Gas-as-a-Service contract with a world-leading glass producer under the pay-per-use contract valued at around $1.6 million in total revenues over the 10-year agreement. The contract was signed after successfully validating gas quality over several tests at two flat-glass manufacturing facilities in Germany.
In February 2021, HyGear also signed a similar agreement valued at approximately $1.2 million in total revenues with Obeikan Glass Company, the largest float, coated, and laminated glass manufacturer in the Middle East. Delivery of this unit is expected to occur later this year.
Hydrogen and nitrogen gas mixtures are used in float glass production to prevent oxidation and are injected into a tin bath where liquid glass is floated on molten tin. Commonly, the used gases are vent to the atmosphere. However, HyGear’s gas recovery system can recover used gases, clean them to a production-grade standard, and use it in the production process, reducing costs and keeping the environment clean.
