Kawasaki Heavy Industries has kicked off construction of what it claims is the world’s first centrifugal hydrogen compressor purpose-built for liquefaction plants.
Dubbed KM Comp-H2, the compressor reportedly increases the pressure of refrigerant hydrogen gas to improve efficiencies in the liquefaction process, which could reduce hydrogen supply costs.
Kawasaki has implemented an impeller designed to spin at ultra-high speeds, enabling it to compress hydrogen more effectively.
The company stated that the Japanese demonstration facility will be completed in November 2025, followed by one year of operational testing.
The project has been carried out as part of the Green Innovation Fund’s ‘Development of large-scale high-efficiency machinery for hydrogen liquefiers’ initiative. It’s also backed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO).
The year-long operational testing phase will assess the compressor’s ability to perform reliably under continuous, real-world industrial conditions.
Given the high rotational speeds involved, maintaining vibration control and dynamic stability will be critical to ensuring both safety and long-term durability.
1895 Podcast
Subscribe to the 1895 Podcast from gasworld Global Insights (GWGI) and listen to the latest analysis, insights and viewpoints on the biggest talking points in gases and energy each week.
The 1895 Podcast is a new addition to GWGI, aiming to bring insights, news, and interviews for the industrial gases and energy sectors in a laid-back and conversational manner. The podcast aims to discuss the key inflection points of the industry’s future – on a regional, technological and applications level – and its increasingly critical role in the energy transition of today and tomorrow.
Available on all major podcast platforms, from Apple to Spotify to Amazon Music, search for 1895 wherever you get yours – and like and subscribe to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
