Bodycote, a global provider of advanced heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services, is improving heat treat efficiency and reducing process costs by generating hydrogen on-site at its Rancho Dominguez, California, facility. The system supports controlled-atmosphere heat treatment and brazing operations for aerospace, automotive, energy, and defense applications while reducing reliance on delivered industrial gas.
Hydrogen is a critical industrial gas used in Bodycote’s precision heat treatment and surface coating operations, treating metal and metal-alloy components for industrial applications. At the Rancho Dominguez site, processes include annealing, vacuum heat treatment, diffusion bonding, and multiple brazing methods such as hydrogen, inert atmosphere, and induction brazing.
The installed system generates hydrogen from electricity and water at the point of use, eliminating the need for delivered bulk hydrogen and reducing emissions associated with transportation and handling. This approach can reduce related emissions by more than 90% while providing a more stable and lower-cost hydrogen supply.
Chief Executive Officer
Hgen
The hydrogen generation unit, developed in partnership with Hgen, is designed as a compact, modular system that can scale with process demand. Its footprint is 20 times smaller than conventional hydrogen production systems with comparable output, allowing for more efficient use of plant space and reduced system costs.
The containerized module was delivered pre-assembled and installed in less than two weeks, minimizing integration requirements and operational disruption. It also offers an alternative to externally sourced hydrogen. “On-site gas generation avoids the need for expensive gas compression, transport, and storage,” said Molly Yang, chief executive officer at Hgen. She adds that this technology allows Bodycote to reduce gas costs while advancing its sustainability goals.
The installation is expected to pave the way for broader deployment of distributed hydrogen generation across additional sites, reinforcing Bodycote’s long-term energy transition strategy and sustainability commitments.
Press release is available in its original form here.
The left half of the main image shows the Hgen module. | Image Credit: Bodycote
