Valves Safety-Related Performance Analysis Towards Ready for Hydrogen

Current environmental issues including climate change have greatly influenced for alternative clean energy sources. Hydrogen is globally recognized as one of the key sources to contribute to the ambitious net-zero climate change mitigation. Interestingly, Scotland is blessed with ample potentials for generating renewable energy such as hydrogen. In such clean energy-based market model, safety issue is crucial to prevent future economy disruptions towards hydrogen energy usage enabling public commodity through viable commercialisation. Currently, production of hydrogen energy is quite established, however, the crucial challenge that restricts the hydrogen usage is safety involving hydrogen embrittlement and leakage issues although the reviving concept of hydrogen being sustainable clean energy is attracting interests across the sector. Addressing those issues, engineering components need to be designed and tested to meet safety regulations when issued for the hydrogen market. Therefore, a project team has been set up comprising two SMEs, to design then manufacture 10 units of two different type Valves. Once completed, these will be split into two batches, one for Hydrogen Leakage testing and the other for Embrittlement testing based on the UN Reg 134. The results as noted will enable a very quick progression to a “Hydrogen Approved Valve” when required.