Compressor and method for compressing a working medium

A method for compressing molecular hydrogen comprising the steps of:

• moving a high-pressure piston back and forth within a cylinder between a first end position and a second end position to compress the molecular hydrogen;
• arranging a high-pressure seal for sealing the high-pressure piston;
• arranging a magazine with a receptacle for the high-pressure seal and with at least one replacement high-pressure seal in a first operating position in which the high-pressure piston is sealed by the high-pressure seal;
• and
• transferring the magazine from the first operating position into a second operating position in which the high-pressure piston is sealed by the replacement high-pressure seal,
• wherein the high-pressure seal, in the first operating position, and the replacement high-pressure seal, in the second operating position, respectively, sits sealingly on a cylindrical sealing surface of the high-pressure piston moving back and forth between the first end position and the second end position to compress the molecular hydrogen, the cylindrical sealing surface of the high-pressure piston having a constant distance from a central axis of the high-pressure piston, and
• wherein in the first operating position only the high-pressure seal is circumferentially surrounding the high-pressure piston and in the second operating position only the replacement high-pressure seal is circumferentially surrounding the high-pressure piston.