Cryogenic valves on a hydrogen tank π www . valve-world . net Valve World October 2024
Explore the critical role of equipment selection in cryogenic operations , from vacuum-jacketed valves to ISO tanks . Learn how proper choices can overcome challenges in safety , efficiency and costeffectiveness across industries such as aerospace , medical and industrial manufacturing .
By Chris Herman
About the author Chris Herman is the Senior Product Planning & Business Development Manager for OPW Clean Energy Solutions and RegO ® Products . He can be reached at chris . herman @ regoproducts . com . OPW Clean Energy Solutions , formed in 2021 , specialises in cryogenic and industrial gas equipment . For more information on OPW , please visit opwces . com .
The word “ cryogenics ” has its roots in Ancient Greece , where “ kryos ” meant “ cold ” or “ frost ”. However , it wasn ’ t until the late 1880s that the term became mainstream in science and technology , with the first cryogenic laboratory constructed in 1882 in The Netherlands . Today , the widely accepted starting point for cryogenic temperatures is -292 ° F ( -180 ° C ), as the boiling point of many permanent gases like helium , hydrogen , neon , nitrogen and oxygen are below this temperature .
The challenge
Over the centuries , humankind has discovered abundant benefits and uses for low temperatures . In the cryogenic realm , this is best represented by the discovery that the production of lower and lower temperatures through the liquefaction of ambient gases could have many far-reaching positive benefits for countless technologies and industries .
CRYOGENIC EQUIPMENT
Essential equipment for efficient cryogenic operations
An outside industrial unit with tanks and vaporizers
Pictured is a portable hydrogen tank
There are seven general benefits attributed to the ability to produce and use cryogenic substances : 1 . Preservation of biological food and material 2 . Reduced thermal noise 3 . Creation of high fluid densities through gas liquefaction and separation 4 . Low vapour pressures 5 . Achieving temporary or permanent property changes 6 . Creation of superconductive or superfluid substances 7 . Mandatory tissue destruction However , cryogenic manufacturers must overcome several challenges :
• Ensuring safety when handling substances at excessively low temperatures
• Maintaining cryogenic liquids in a frigid-liquid state
• Managing heat sources that can cause unwanted “ boil off ”
• Increased power requirements and associated costs
Cryogenic valves on a hydrogen tank π www . valve-world . net Valve World October 2024
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