Hydrogen
SMART, SUSTAINABLE, HOLISTIC: Hydrogen strategy for the future
Hydrogen has many beneficial properties: it has no environmental impact, presents no aquatic hazard and provides a high energy density. Additionally, the cost of the climate-friendly generation of green hydrogen continues to drop. These aspects underline why hydrogen plays a key role in energy transition. As a fuel or energy carrier, it will be used for clean mobility in the energy sector and as a process gas in industrial applications. Contrary to fossil fuels, however, no carbon dioxide is emitted as part of its usage.
SAMSON continues to supply valves for hydrogen service to customers all across the world who are active in the generation, transport and supply of energy as well as in the chemical and petrochemical industries. The valve portfolio ranges from high-quality control and shut-off valves in small, medium and large valve sizes to specialized valves for pressure swing adsorption, low temperatures and/or high pressures as well as other challenging process conditions. Properly sized and selected, our valves operate reliably over many years and are capable of withstanding the material-embrittling properties of hydrogen.
Supply
Hydrogen generated from renewable energy sources can be fed into existing (natural) gas networks. Opportunities for its further use include applications such as electricity generation, heat supply and transport. This presents a sustainable solution for the storage and conversion in energy networks based on renewable energy sources.
Power and energy
The electricity required to produce green hydrogen is generated in solar-thermal power plants, for example. In such plants, solar radiation is bundled by reflectors (mirrors) to heat up oil, water or molten salt for the downstream generation of steam to generate electricity. SAMSON has the right solutions to meet the strict material and control accuracy requirements that apply throughout the entire process.
Electrolysis
Green hydrogen is generated by decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. In the different procedures, precise, rugged control is necessary to guarantee the highest levels of efficiency and reliability in supply and the output stages across a wide load range. For years, products by SAMSON have been used successfully in our customers' plants.
Ammonia production
Green hydrogen and nitrogen are fed into high-pressure reactors for the sustainable production of ammonia. Ammonia is more than an essential intermediate product in the production of fertilizers; it can also serve as a high-density fuel. To ensure proper control of the media at high temperatures and pressures, SAMSON valves are a proven, rugged choice.
Liquefaction and transport
Hydrogen is cooled down in several stages to liquefy it. The two main methods used are the Joule-Thomson effect and Claude's process. Tanker ships or tank trucks are used for transport. The SAMSON control equipment necessary for liquefaction and transport, which comes with a design temperature of –253 °C, has been proven in service for many years.
Refineries
In refineries, hydrogen is used in raw oil refining processes: In hydrocracking, hydrogen serves to break long-chain hydrocarbon molecules. In hydrotreating, hydrogen is used to remove sulfur and other unwanted compounds from petroleum products through hydrogenation. SAMSON has been supplying valves, actuators, explosion-protected positioners, limit switches and solenoid valves for these key applications for decades.
Hydrogen refueling stations
Hydrogen is stored as a liquid to reduce its volume. When refueling vehicles, the cryogenic hydrogen is evaporated and subsequently compressed before it is introduced into the vehicle tank. At many stations, SAMSON self-operated regulators are used to control the pressure during the evaporation process.
Chemical industry
The industrial-scale production of high-purity polysilicon for microelectronics and solar panels mainly takes place in a process that is based on chemical vapor deposition using trichlorosilane and hydrogen. Control valves by SAMSON even surpass the highest purity levels to be met and, thanks to exact control, they guarantee reliable operation, prime quality and high yields.
Hydrogen strategy for the future
Green hydrogen is generated using renewable energy. This type of climate-friendly energy strongly depends on the existing climatic and weather conditions. This is why energy storage is essential to provide electricity even when the sun is not shining or when there is no wind. One storage method involves scalable redox flow batteries that store electricity in the form of chemical energy. The system comprises tanks with chemical components dissolved in liquids and battery cells: electricity is saved in the electrolyte when energy is introduced into the system; energy is withdrawn from the electrolyte when electricity is fed into the power network.
