Hydrogen+ : Sealing is a key point for managing the hydrogen molecule. What solutions does Parker offer?
Olivier Hervé: For safety reasons, but also for efficiency, a good seal in terms of hydrogen is a necessity. The hydrogen molecule, which is very light, tends to infiltrate everywhere and can pass into certain materials, such as steel for example, which it then weakens. Furthermore, in this sector, hydrogen is used at temperatures of − 253 °C for cryogenics up to + 1,000 °C for thermolysis and at pressures of up to 700 bars. Contact with different chemical elements is also taken into account. However, the behavior of hydrogen differs according to the temperature and pressure, but also according to the other molecules with which it is in contact. For example, a poorly chosen elastomer can give rise to permeation (the hydrogen molecule penetrates it) which can lead to a decompression explosion! We intervene in a system to respond to the given temperatures and pressures with a systematic risk analysis.
This therefore imperatively implies case-by-case sealing solutions. However, at Parker, sealing is at the heart of our various businesses: storage, transport, distribution, production. We have therefore developed over time a high-level standard range for sealing solutions for different equipment such as valves, fittings, regulators, stacks, compressors, non-return valves, etc. We now have several hundred recipes for elastomer and polymer compounds that meet the regulatory requirements of the markets. And, although we already meet many applications, with the deployment of new technologies in production or mobility, we can also meet the specific technical needs of our customers thanks to the support of the application engineers of our divisions, going as far as the development of new polymers, elastomers, etc.
Obviously, we remain vigilant about the needs and developments of the hydrogen market as we do in others in order to meet the needs of the sector.
