Sealing Solutions for Hydrogen

High thermal requirements, extreme pressures, and chemical resistance are the key challenges to be met by reliable sealing systems in hydrogen production plants. In addition to suitable materials, Parker Prädifa offers specialty seal designs – also in very large dimensions – that withstand such extreme conditions.

Hydrogen is not freely available but must be produced from hydrogen-containing compounds such as water using thermal, electrochemical, or biochemical processes.

The partly high temperatures and pressures occurring in steam reformation or methane pyrolysis require specialty materials and seal designs reliably withstanding such extreme conditions. 

When sealing electrolysis or biochemical systems it must be ensured that neither components of the sealing systems nor any production residues or dirt on them contaminate the sensitive electrochemical cells or bacteria. Neither may foreign particles cause any undesirable deposits on surfaces or clogging in delicate supply and/or diffusion channels. That is why we recommend our sealing solutions with high purity and cleanliness.

Hydrogen is a highly diffusible and volatile element. It is typically stored under high pressure, in cold conditions, or in special carriers. For hydrogen systems, Parker Prädifa uses an intelligent seal design, paired with low-permeation, mechanically robust low-temperature materials.

The storage of hydrogen is a reversible process with the objective of retaining its chemical and physical properties for further use. Hydrogen can be stored in various ways:

• In gaseous form under high pressure in pressure tanks
• In liquid form in insulated cryogenic tanks
• In chemically bound form using carriers such as metal hydrides or thermal oils

Hydrogen storage entails a variety of challenges. For instance, the use of low-permeation, mechanically robust low-temperature sealing materials is essential to efficient and safe storage.

Especially during the filling process of tank systems seals are exposed to major pressure gradients. In combination with the previously mentioned diffusion tendency, explosive decompression is conducive to seal damage. In addition, the sealing materials must be mechanically resistant and deliver reliable sealing performance even at extremely low temperatures.

Carriers such as LOHC (liquid organic hydrogen carrier) additionally make high demands on chemical resistance and thus require the selection of suitable sealing materials.

Like storage, the transportation of hydrogen takes place in suitable storage systems under high pressure, in cryogenic conditions, or bound in a carrier. In addition, sealing solutions for transportation purposes have to exhibit high mechanical strength against vibrations or potential damage/deformation in the event of accidents.

Intelligent sealing solutions featuring specific designs combined with low-permeation, mechanically robust low-temperature materials from Parker Prädifa are the right choice.

Efficient and safe transportation of hydrogen makes exacting demands on the leak tightness of the transportation systems. On the one hand, unnecessarily high losses during transportion must be avoided. On the other hand, the resistance of the transportation systems against high mechanical stress that may, for instance, occur due to vibrations or in accidents must be ensured. For the sealing systems, that means pressure resistance, low permeation/leakage, and reliable performance in cryogenic conditions. Moreover, sealing systems must be able to compensate for vibrations or mechanical deformation. In addition to standard products, Parker Prädifa offers the development of specialty sealing solutions to satisfy the exacting requirements for sealing systems in the transportation sector.

In the filling process of vehicles and other consumers or of decentralized, stationary tanks, seals are exposed to significant pressure gradients. In combination with hydrogen’s high diffusion tendency, there is a risk of seal damage due to explosive decompression. The seals used for filling purposes must be resistant to mechanical stress and deliver reliable performance even at low temperatures.

For hydrogen systems, Parker Prädifa uses a special, intelligent seal design paired with low-permeation, mechanically robust low-temperature materials.

Due to its properties, hydrogen is regarded as a potential “universal solution” for replacing fossil fuels in road and rail transportation, aviation and maritime transporation, in industry, or in domestic uses. The wide range of possible uses requires an equally wide variety of sealing solutions adapted to them. Parker Prädifa offers suitable sealing solutions covering the entire range of applications.

Whether in transportation, domestic settings, in industry, or for energy production, hydrogen can be used in many areas and in various ways: In fuel cells to propel vehicles or for electrical energy and heating in our own four walls. As a process gas and intermediate product in the chemical industry, for instance to produce synthetic fuels or fertilizers. As a fuel for gas-heating systems in residential buildings, or for blast furnaces and power generation in gas-fired powerplants. The diversity of hydrogen uses is matched by the variety of demands made on suitable sealing systems. Parker Prädifa supports customers with an extensive selection of optimal sealing solutions for all hydrogen applications.