US-headed global advanced materials and high-performance solutions provider Greene, Tweed & Co., Inc. (Greene Tweed), has announced that it has achieved a significant advancement in hydrogen compression technology. The company’s newly engineered composite closed impeller set a record-breaking tip speed of 688 m/s in testing – nearly double that of traditional metallic impellers.
According to a statement, the innovation highlights the potential of advanced composite materials to enhance performance, reduce costs, and improve efficiency in critical hydrogen pipeline infrastructure, specifically the transportation, storage, and utilization market segments.
Transporting hydrogen through pipelines requires large centrifugal compressors to maintain pressure.
Conventional metallic impellers typically operate at speeds of up to 360 m/s for closed designs and 500 m/s for open designs before burst, limiting the achievable compression ratio for lighter gases and thus requiring more compressor stages, increasing the system size, cost, and maintenance requirements.
With Europe planning tens of thousands of kilometers of hydrogen pipelines by 2040, the demand for faster, more durable, and cost-effective compressor technology is surging.
Greene Tweed began developing its composite closed impeller in 2020, leveraging the high specific strength and temperature resistance of carbon fiber reinforced PEEK (C/PEEK). Our goal was to create a design that could exceed 600 m/s tip speed for compressing light gases like hydrogen. After three rigorous development and testing cycles, the impeller achieved a tip speed of 688 m/s, far exceeding the project’s original target and setting a new industry benchmark, said Samuel Stutz, Technology Manager at Greene Tweed.
The Greene Tweed composite closed impeller design offers several key advantages. It is remarkably lightweight – up to five times lighter than conventional metallic impellers – while offering three times the strength-to-weight ratio.
This design also boosts efficiency, as higher operational speeds improve hydrogen compression, supporting global clean energy goals.
We aim to revolutionize hydrogen infrastructure by breaking past the limitations of metals. By delivering solutions that cut costs, simplify operations, and drive scalability, Greene Tweed is setting a new standard for the industry. We are now collaborating with centrifugal compressor OEMs to bring this technology to real-world applications, said Magen Buterbaugh, President and CEO at Greene Tweed.
As hydrogen infrastructure rapidly grows to meet global energy demands, Greene Tweed’s composite impeller positions the company at the forefront of clean energy innovation.
