GAS COMPRESSION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING HYDROGEN

Gas compression system (100) having a compressor (1) for compressing hydrogen, at least one recovery device (10) for recovering hydrogen that escapes from the compressor (1) as leakage gas during compression, and a leakage gas return line (30) designed to return the leakage gas (2) recovered by the at least one recovery device (10) to a point (5) in the gas compression system (100) upstream of the compressor (1) and/or into the suction line (3a) of a compressor stage (5a) of the compressor (1), wherein the compressor (1) has a leakage gas discharge line (4) for discharging the leakage gas (2) from the compressor (1), wherein each recovery device (10) can be fluidically connected to the leakage gas discharge line (4) and the leakage gas return line (30) and each has at least one metal hydride store (11a), which is thermally coupled to a heat exchanger (12a) in each case, wherein each metal hydride store (11a) has at least one hydride-forming metal alloy (15a), which is designed for cyclic desorption or absorption of leakage gas (2) with heat supply or heat release through the respective heat exchanger (12a), and wherein each recovery device (10) is designed to increase the leakage gas pressure (pL) in the leakage gas discharge line (4) to at least the pressure (p) at the point (5) of the gas compression system (100) and/or to at least the suction pressure (ps) in the suction line (3a) of the compressor stage (5a).