The company is to add external pilot projects this year and plans to launch the systems in 2024.
Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management, said: “Above all, the production of green hydrogen requires ultrapure water. With our special-purpose systems, water treatment can be done anywhere, even in the most remote areas of the world, in an economical and environmentally friendly way.”
The systems designed by Bosch Manufacturing Solutions are said to eliminate the need for chemicals in water treatment.
“We’re developing technology for water treatment as well as for the generation, compression, storage, and use of hydrogen – and doing so for various sectors,” Hartung added.
Electrolysers require ultrapure water for the production of hydrogen. Dr. Wolfgang Schleifenbaum, head of the Hydrogen business unit at Bosch Manufacturing Solutions, said: “Impurities in the water can render electrolysers inoperative in a very short time.”
In the future, hydrogen will be produced in areas with strong winds or abundant sunshine – Africa, South America, or Northern Europe, for example. Locations offshore or in the desert present particular challenges: considerable distances from the technical facilities, or the water high in salt or minerals. As a result, there is a high demand for special equipment. Bosch expects that starting in 2035, around 500 of the company’s special-purpose water treatment systems will be needed worldwide each year.
The Bosch systems remove minerals from the water by means of thermal and electrochemical processes to obtain ultrapure water. It is possible for operators to dispense with the use of chemicals due to a treatment process without filter media.
“Green hydrogen is sustainable only if its production doesn’t cause collateral damage to the environment; for example, by putting chemicals into our already heavily polluted waters,” Schleifenbaum explained.
For predictive maintenance of equipment, Bosch offers software solutions that are expected to ensure robust operation in harsh environmental conditions.
“Hydrogen will play a crucial role in the energy supply of the future. Industries worldwide must use hydrogen if they want to become climate neutral. Bosch supplies water treatment technology that meets different requirements with regard to the size, performance, and location of the electrolysers,” Schleifenbaum added.
For water treatment in developed areas, Bosch plans to expand its portfolio to include industrial systems that use reverse-osmosis processes and ion exchangers to turn tap water into the ultrapure water electrolysers need. With this combination of industrial and special purpose equipment, Bosch is claimed to fulfil the requirements for electrolysis projects worldwide.