Emerson is working with its customers to develop a hydrogen ecosystem, starting with research and innovation, and scaling up production and transportation. These efforts are an important focus of the European Union’s strategy on hydrogen, adopted in 2020, and of similar efforts in other countries and regions worldwide.
That plan took a huge leap forward last December with the approval by Bureau Veritas Italia of the company’s BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve for use in applications with up to 100 percent hydrogen and pressures up to 100 bar. The certification was achieved as a result of the commitment of Emerson and Bureau Veritas Italia to ensure suitable products are available for use in new hydrogen infrastructure.
The certification granted to the Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve confirms the verification of material suitability, based on internal and external seal tests performed at the Emerson production plant in Castel Maggiore, Bologna, Italy. Certifying key components, such as the Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve, is a critical step for these types of projects.
COMMITTED TO SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY
“The Bureau Veritas procedure, relating to the issue of Type Approval for hydrogen-operated actuators and valves, defines the audit process for the issue, maintenance, and renewal of the certification for actuators and valves used with hydrogen or hydrogen mixtures,” says Giuseppe Signoretta, hydrogen technical manager, Bureau Veritas.
“This procedure supports the certification of products ready to be used in the hydrogen field, and it provides a suitable tool for the concrete implementation of the European plans for energy independence and reduction of carbon emissions. The collaboration between Emerson and Bureau Veritas demonstrates a concrete commitment to offer suitable and safe products for natural gas distribution networks,” adds Signoretta.
QUALITY AND ADAPTABILITY, ALL IN ONE
To ensure product quality, safety, and conformity, Emerson is collaborating with the testing and certification agency Bureau Veritas Italia, and it has developed internal procedures to assess the suitability of products to be used in gas infrastructure applications.
The Emerson procedures describe the requirements, tests, and inspection methods for metallic and non-metallic materials, as well as internal and external sealing necessary to use pressure control products in contact with natural gas and blended hydrogen, or pure hydrogen. After the first certification obtained for the Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve, Emerson will continue to certify other equipment used in hydrogen infrastructure to ensure sustainability and reliability for this rapidly developing market.
BM6X SERIES SLAM-SHUT VALVE IN THE FIELD
The Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve has multiple applications throughout gas transmission networks, regulating stations, and end use infrastructure. For example, natural gas transmission and distribution companies can blend hydrogen into their distribution systems, reducing emissions when the blended mixture of hydrogen and natural gas is burned in homes for cooking, heating, and other uses. Industrial end users can reduce emissions by using a mix of hydrogen and natural gas as fuel for turbines used for power generation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Oscar Bressan is a standardization and product engineer with Emerson’s pressure management research and development team. Emerson is a global technology and software company providing innovative solutions for the world’s most essential industries. Emerson is an automation leader that helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers optimize operations, protect personnel, reduce emissions, and achieve their sustainability goals through its unmatched automation portfolio. For more information, visit www.emerson.com.
MODERN PUMPING TODAY, April 2023
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