How Does Swagelok Design Product for Hydrogen Service?
Hydrogen embrittlement is not a new problem, but the ins and outs of hydrogen embrittlement can still be difficult to grasp for those new to dealing with hydrogen. That's why we put together a four-part Ask Swagelok video series detailing what it is, how components can be affected, and what can be done to counter embrittlement issues. In the fourth video, Senior Scientist Cal Brown explains how Swagelok is helping customers combat hydrogen embrittlement, from materials selection and product design to following strict manufacturing, verification, and validation protocols.
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CRAIG GIFFORD:
Welcome to Ask Swagelok. I'm Craig Gifford, here today with Cal Brown, who's a senior scientist for new product development here at Swagelok. And we've been talking about hydrogen embrittlement. One of the things we're going to talk about is, “How does Ask Swagelok design products for hydrogen service?”
CAL BROWN:
Well, hydrogen applications have some unique challenges in the way of the impact of hydrogen on materials. Just about all materials are impacted by hydrogen. In the design of a hydrogen product, there are many important aspects. Specifically, the selection of materials, the overall design, as well as manufacturing elements come into play. High performance, high quality products need to look at some key areas, such as the effects of hydrogen embrittlement, the reduction of stresses, seal performance, and surface finish in a high performing product. Our hydrogen development team is composed of both material scientists as well as engineers with specialties in material selection, material evaluation, stress analysis, seal design, and product testing. So, a lot goes into it.
CRAIG GIFFORD:
So, what kind of tools do you use to design these products?
CAL BROWN:
Two important tools are the material characterization for hydrogen, which is very important as it leads into our advanced computational analysis approach using FEA to develop products. That helps us refine the product for performance. We also do physical product testing in the way of accelerated impulse testing as well as cycle testing of products.
CRAIG GIFFORD:
So, what kind of product limitations are there when it comes to hydrogen application?
CAL BROWN:
There are a few limitations and strong considerations, including material selection, as that will affect the overall performance of the product and its potential life. From the standpoint of polymer materials, we also look at rapid decompression as well as permeation characteristics of the materials that we select.
CRAIG GIFFORD:
Well, thank you, Cal. We really appreciate it. And thank you for joining us for Ask Swagelok.