The French company BMS Industrie, created in 2008, is the exclusive representative in France of the manufacturer Magnet-Schultz Memmingen (MSM), which represents 50% of its activity. This German company of 2,600 people is a specialist in electromagnetic systems, in particular electromagnetic valves specifically adapted to hydrogen mobility.
LHydrogen is an extremely light and highly explosive molecule, which therefore requires very reliable technology. Among the activities of MSM, whose turnover is 500 million euros, the automotive sector represents a significant part. However, the automobile sector is undergoing major changes, with in particular the ban on the sale of new thermal vehicles from 2035. MSM therefore wanted to diversify, in particular towards the green mobility sector, such as the fuel cell sector. Thus, it has developed valves that achieve the feat of miniaturization and resistance to high pressures, up to 1,050 bars. Designed for the fuel cell, these solenoid valves are also suitable for CNG gas applications, compressed air and static hydrogen applications.
The range includes four valves for high pressure cut-off (up to 1050 bar!), safety shutdown, proportional flow control and purge/drain. Note that static and mobile applications meet different regulations, all of which are taken into account by MSM. The key to this exceptional small size/high pressure capability comes from an innovative design: the high gas pressure is balanced around a sealed primary tube that houses the valve through which the gas flows. This pressurised gas is purged from each side of the coil, allowing the coil to move freely under simple magnetic control, thanks to a very small pressure difference. The valve bodies are only 32 to 40 mm in diameter and are ultra-lightweight. This makes them suitable for automotive applications, as they require less space for installation and an operating voltage of 12 VDC suitable for automotive battery power systems.
