Hydrogen+ : Parker engineers contributed to the return to Earth of the Apollo 13 module in 1970, intervening from “Houston” to manage the “problem”! So who is the Parker group, present for more than 50 years in the hydrogen sector?
Marc Mendowski : An American company headquartered in Cleveland, Parker now has 55,000 employees across all continents, a turnover of $15.8 billion and more than 900,000 products listed. We operate in the field of technology associated with movement: aeronautics, railways, road transport and off-road machinery, naval sector, energy production, oil and gas and we have 3,000 products in our catalog for the hydrogen sector.
If Parker’s history begins with aviation and Lindberg, we have also been present in the hydrogen sector since 1969 with the Apollo missions. Since then, Parker has continued to work with industrialists using hydrogen by providing products and systems for different applications. We therefore have a strong experience in this field. Our extensive range of products in the catalogue and our ability to develop specific products make Parker a preferred partner for technologies and processes in contact with hydrogen.
With the recent deployment of green hydrogen, have you expanded your activities?
We are present throughout the value chain. In addition to all the hydrogen production processes from petroleum products, storage and transport in which we have been present for a long time, we have also followed the recent deployments of green hydrogen production by hydrolysis and applications on mobility. These developments involve many technological challenges, particularly in terms of sealing, instrumentation and connection as well as filtration. It is indeed necessary to connect these devices together, to ensure sealing at high pressure over a wide range of temperatures, to ensure filtration for fuel cells (PAC) for example. The skills that we have developed on the hydrogen molecule, in gaseous or liquid form, allow us to offer a very large number of products, available in all our general or specialized distribution points in France and Europe. If an adaptation is sometimes required, our engineering offices also provide personalized support to identify and develop solutions. For example, we have worked with various customers on water supply in electrolysers in gigafactories, on optimised filtration for heat pumps, on small capacity storage and connections for distribution stations or on vehicle tanks.
Is Parker present across the entire value chain?
Our strength is being able to offer our customers global solutions for their entire hydrogen environment with a single Parker contact. Thus, with the ban on internal combustion engines in 2035, fuel cells are set to play an important role in heavy mobility (trains, boats, etc.). These must be powered by pure hydrogen: we have the appropriate filtration elements. A connection to the hydrogen supply, a water exhaust system, heat evacuation are also required, and we can intervene on these points. Around the heat pump, we also know how to manage the electric motor, the drive control, the hydraulic installation, the regulation pumps. We provide our skills for an industrial system. Another example, in a service station, we can provide the distribution, the hoses, the couplers, the flow measurement, etc.
The The hydrogen market is evolving very quickly. We are following technical and regulatory developments very closely. Hydrogen is a small molecule that passes everywhere. It passes through certain metals and can also weaken certain materials by penetrating them. For example, our experience has allowed us to select specific thermoplastic synthesis materials according to the pressure and temperature on flexible hoses to ensure optimum sealing. This is a necessary safety measure for an extremely flammable molecule.
We work with both large groups and startups that are launching new processes.
We are present with our network of distributors in France for standard products, with stocks available in all departments, and with our two distributors with specific hydrogen skills: Cuenot Régulation in Martigues (exhibitor at Hyvolution – stand 6F66) and HPP Systems in Cambrai (exhibitor at Hyvolution – stand 6H31). Member of the Hydrogen Council and France Hydrogène, our specialists will be present at the Hyvolution Paris show on stand 6F58 and will be able to answer all questions.
