Valves for hydrogen applications are chosen based on functional requirements such as valve connection type, passage, type, etc. When choosing a valve, it’s also important to think about its type in the ways listed below.
1. Hydrogen service valve material:
Hydrogen atoms are so small that they can embed themselves within the crystal-like structure of a metal. This phenomenon causes the pressure and internal tensions within the material to rise without correspondingly raising the material’s strength.
Metal walls that have absorbed hydrogen can become brittle, which can lead to cracking and eventually failure.
Additionally, the metal’s tensile strength, hardness, and ductility are diminished, which might lead to a failure to meet the elongation-at-break standard set forth in the EPED 2014/68/EU.
Unfortunately, this issue cannot be resolved by resorting to the use of specific high-strength materials, which are typically effective in other difficult situations. If you are looking for the most distinguished Hydrogen Valves supplier in India, Arise Valves, Aira 4Matic Global Valve Automation, Tekno Valves, and Rotex Automation Ltd. are the most reliable ones, that can fulfil your hydrogen valve requirements.
Hydrogen embrittlement actually makes these materials more susceptible. Grids made from face-centred cubic metals, like those found in austenitic steel or aluminium, are the least susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement.
However, it is still vital to watch out for additional dangers despite having access to such resources. The nickel content of 316/316L is a key factor in determining its hydrogen compatibility. Steel with an adequate amount of nickel must be chosen to counteract this impact. Stress can also be decreased by making do with fewer of the components, as is the case with unalloyed steels.
Valve seals and lubricants, for example, should be made of hydrogen-compatible materials to ensure their safety and efficiency. The aforementioned databases and standards (Sandia, ISO/TR, SAE) each have lists of suggestions.
2. Creating Hydrogen Service Valves:
It is crucial to make sure that additional processing of the materials does not impair their integrity, in addition to selecting the right materials in the first place. Notches and residual strains from local plasticization, for instance, can result during the welding process and may contribute to hydrogen embrittlement. Arise Valves, Aira 4Matic Global Valve Automation, and Tekno Valves are the top-ranked Hydrogen Valves exporters in India.
3. Low-leakage hydrogen usage:
Hydrogen can seep through the tiniest of crevices since it is the lightest and smallest molecule. Even minute leakage outdoors may provide little threat.
However, even minute leakage in an enclosed place like a protective box might result in a highly combustible mixture. As a result, you should pay close attention to the qualification and associated results of the tests conducted with hydrogen valves.
It can be difficult to maintain a consistent environment of testing for measurements that are repeated during nonstop production. The hydrogen concentration in the surroundings may fluctuate due to battery charging, welding work, or simply normal breathing, thereby affecting the accuracy of the results.
Experts in the field of measurement, therefore, advise using helium in place of hydrogen for testing hydrogen valves. Testing using helium yields more accurate results since the surrounding environment is less variable compared to the inert gas.
Final Thoughts:
If we want to have a carbon-free economy in the next three decades, we need to start producing and using green hydrogen.
The generation, storage, transportation, and use of hydrogen all rely heavily on the proper functioning of hydrogen valves.
The tremendous flammability of hydrogen and its ability to make the metals brittle create substantial design and construction issues for valves.
Hydrogen valves need to be made from materials that are not only stable in the presence of hydrogen but also conduct electricity. It’s also important to make sure that these materials won’t get hydrogen embrittled if they’re processed anymore.
Last but not least, valves must undergo thorough testing to guarantee they are leak-free.
Keeping these factors in mind when choosing hydrogen valves supplied by the leading Hydrogen Valves supplier in India allows for prolonged use without risk.
The hydrogen industry is now working to standardise its valves. Plant engineers must coordinate closely with valve suppliers for the qualification, selection, as well as authentication of current installations until a uniform final standard develops. Local university material testing labs are another resource for advice and gear evaluation.
One key to a future with less carbon dioxide emissions is the utilisation of hydrogen as the carrier of energy. Getting there won’t be difficult, as there are plenty of high-quality hydrogen service valves readily available.
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