Hydrogen Removal with Recombiner Technologies: Performance Data and Applications

Zhe Liang; Lee Gardner; Kanchan Dutta; Laura Merlo-Sosa

doi:10.58895/hysafe.54

Hydrogen Removal with Recombiner Technologies: Performance Data and Applications

Hydrogen Safety

Volume 3 (2026): Issue 1

By: Zhe Liang , Lee Gardner , Kanchan Dutta and Laura Merlo-Sosa

Open Access

|May 2026

Abstract

Catalytic hydrogen combustion has been widely used for both heat generation such as heaters, burners, and cookers, and safety applications (i.e., removal of undesired hydrogen). This study provides an assessment of three types of catalytic recombiners across various hydrogen management scenarios. Passive autocatalytic recombiners, originally developed to mitigate hydrogen explosion risks in nuclear containments, can also serve as alternative or supplementary measures in other confined environments prone to hydrogen accumulation. Monolith-type recombiners can be integrated with venting or purging systems to facilitate hydrogen removal during both routine operations and accidental releases. Trickle-bed recombiners, designed to oxidize stoichiometric hydrogen–oxygen mixtures at low temperatures, are particularly suited for gas purification. Selected experiments are presented to evaluate the operational characteristics, potential applications, and limitations of these recombiners. The findings demonstrate that appropriately designed and sized recombiners can effectively maintain hydrogen concentrations within safe limits.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58895/hysafe.54

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Language: English

Page range: 126 - 138

Submitted on: Feb 4, 2026

Accepted on: Apr 29, 2026

Published on: May 8, 2026

Published by: KIT Scientific Publishing

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

Catalytic combustion,

recombiner,

hydrogen removal,

gas purification

© 2026 Zhe Liang, Lee Gardner, Kanchan Dutta, Laura Merlo-Sosa, published by KIT Scientific Publishing
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 3 (2026): Issue 1