SPECIAL TOPIC : Hydrogen & Renewable Energy
Valve Solutions for Hydrogen Services
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the world . It is produced through different channels , such as coal , alkane dehydrogenation and natural gas . Each year , the world produces roughly 70 million tonnes of hydrogen . Almost 50 % is used for ammonia synthesis , 15 % for methanol production , and 35 % for refining .
The transition to a lower carbon energy system will rapidly lead to a fundamental restructuring and reshaping of the global energy system . There is a significant shift away from traditional hydrocarbons ( oil , natural gas , and coal ) towards non-fossil fuels , led by renewable energy , such as hydrogen energy . Generally , there are two hydrogen services : hydrogen gas and hydrogen liquid .
By Gobind N . Khiani , Fellow – Piping / Pipelines – Consultant
Technical Challenges in the Hydrogen Economy
The transition to a hydrogen economy towards decarbonization of energy consumption has technical challenges that need to be addressed . Some of the most prevalent challenges include :
Decarbonized Hydrogen Production
Some clients use natural gas as the feed stock to produce hydrogen . To accomplish this steam methane reforming is used . This process produces a large quantity of CO 2 as a by-product . Other processes such as auto-thermal reforming and pyrolysis are being developed to reduce the volume of CO 2 that is generated during hydrogen production .
CO 2 Transportation and Storage
As steam methane reforming produces CO 2 as a by-product , carbon capture , use and storage ( CCUS ) is necessary to support the transition to hydrogen .
Hydrogen Storage
A hydrogen transportation and distribution network is required to carry out some form of temporary storage . This will ensure an uninterrupted supply to hydrogen . Underground storage may be able to safely store large quantities of hydrogen .
Hydrogen End-Use
Heavy industry consumes 80 % of the world ’ s natural gas , making it viable
Figure 1 : Three-way hollow forging .
for a conversion to the use of hydrogen . Converting to hydrogen powered vehicles and converting residential and commercial end users to hydrogen for heat would contribute significantly to decarbonizing the energy system .
Hydrogen Export
LARGEST INVENTORY OF SAMBO GEARS IN THE US & CANADA !
Distribution partners now available across North America
Over $ 5M of inventory ready to ship !
Many industries are already supplying decarbonized hydrogen for use in various applications . It is currently exported in various forms including compressed or liquefied hydrogen , or as other products such as methanol or ammonia .
Safe Transportation of Hydrogen
The enormous cost and time required to design and build a hydrogen pipeline is not currently viable . Validating existing systems could , however , be a lowercost solution for current systems . Most industries are looking at hydrogen as a low-carbon energy carrier alternative to emissions-intensive energy sources of conventional oil & gas . This change could have a direct impact on legacy pipelines in terms of the material performance of the steels , as hydrogen can :
• diffuse into the steel and welds used in legacy pipelines ,
Figure 2 : Closed die forging .
• cause material embrittlement ,
• permeate the material resulting in leaks .
As a result , catastrophic failure may occur when the pipeline is under highpressure conditions . In these cases , it is likely beneficial to perform a retrofit of current pipelines by applying internal coatings in-situ in a cost-effective manner avoiding the need to dig up or remove the existing legacy pipeline . Coatings can become an efficient and cost-effective means of transitioning existing pipelines for the transportation of hydrogen .
Extended testing is also required to fully understand coating resistance to hydrogen under representative operating conditions .
Bevel Gears up to V-8 in stock Worm Gears up to WG-09 in stock
Low Temp Gears Gears Specific for Water / Wastewater and more !
To find a Sambo Distributor near you , visit www . mechadv . com quote @ mechadv . com 832-458-2362
Figure 3 : HT & HP metal seated ball valves .
18 Valve World Americas | March 2023 • www . valve-world-americas . net