cover story example , each of Velan ’ s relevant plants have all the testing facilities necessary to verify the efficacy of the products ; the valves are dipped into liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees Celsius . Once the valve has reached this temperature , gaseous helium is sent through it to measure leakage . For the most part , Velan uses the BS standard , BS6364 . The plant can also tailor products specifically to the client ’ s needs , creating valves that will work for them , whether they are butterfly valves for LNG , or cryogenic control globe valves for other liquefied gases like helium and hydrogen .
Advances in hydrogen
“ One of the most intriguing new developments at Velan is our work with hydrogen ,” said Blanquet . “ A few years ago , one of our customers started developing hydrogen , and we were able to supply valves to their first hydrogen liquefaction plants in the US . Although it is still quite a new market , hydrogen is becoming more of a focus in our industry .” Velan has been successful in this market so far and has been able to adapt its valves and materials to new hydrogen applications . Liquid Hydrogen ( LH 2
) is cooled to temperatures of 20K , when liquid helium used in particle accelerators at CERN and some other applications are cooled at 4K , so Velan ’ s experience has proven a good fit . Although hydrogen may still be at the beginning phases , Velan is able to leverage existing proven expertise within other markets regarding designs , materials , and fugitive emissions requirements to meet the new requirements . Additionally , ongoing development projects are being done to further provide quality solutions for hydrogen production , use , storage , and transportation to meet new applications . Velan ’ s success and reputation for highquality products provides reassurance for customers in a newly developing energy market . When asked what is next for hydrogen , Blanquet explained : “ At the moment , hydrogen is a big subject , but the question is , how will it go ? How big will it be ? Will it be as big as oil ? Or will it just stay as it is today ? Right now no one can answer these questions .” Hydrogen is one way to reduce CO 2 emissions and pollution , so many companies are interested in this possibility because of the positive impact it could have on the environment . “ The opportunity to produce valves that can lead to a smaller carbon footprint , is just one of the reasons Velan is excited to be advancing with hydrogen
Velan bellows seal control valves used to cool liquid helium at the CERN Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator .
technology ,” stated Velan . “ We cannot predict which technology will take off , but our strategy is to partner with industry leaders to supply and support them in bringing new technologies to the market . This was part of the strategy the company was founded on and continues to be a part of our DNA today .”
What is next ?
When asked what is next , most companies in the oil & gas industry tend to discuss the environmental impact of their work , and what they are doing to improve or mitigate that impact . Velan is no different ; it is focused on the environment as it moves forward with its research . LNG and green hydrogen are promising first steps and can allow the company to eventually transition into using more green technology .
“ The LNG market had slowed down , but has suddenly re-emerged because of the war in Ukraine . Everybody wants to have LNG import plants , especially in Europe , because they cannot buy Russian gas .” Blanquet explained . “ This situation , coupled with the renewed interest in nuclear energy in the world , as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , has placed Velan in an ideal position to continue to strengthen its efforts in the energy sector .” Velan ’ s efforts in the marketplace are summed up by Bruno Carbonaro , CEO , “ A main goal of the company moving forward is to support our customers with safe and reliable valves for their existing and emergent needs . The energy transition creates many challenges as well as opportunities , and we are excited about playing a role .” www . valve-world . net Valve World August 2022
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