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GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES EN 1/23

“GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES” is the new independent media platform for energy supply, efficiency improvement and alternative energy sources and storage. There is still a high potential to save energy in industry. Efficiency is not only important for the profitability of a company, it is also target-oriented and saves resources. The importance of efficiency, especially in energy production, the role played by hydrogen, industrial processes, resource and recycling management, how energy can be stored and much more can be found in the new GET. “GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES” is a publication of the of PuK. The trade medium will be published in 2023 in German as a print and digital edition on 25 May and 7 November and in English only as a digital edition on 5 July and 29 November.

“GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES” is the new independent media platform for energy supply, efficiency improvement and alternative energy sources and storage.

There is still a high potential to save energy in industry. Efficiency is not only important for the profitability of a company, it is also target-oriented and saves resources.

The importance of efficiency, especially in energy production, the role played by hydrogen, industrial processes, resource and recycling management, how energy can be stored and much more can be found in the new GET.

“GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES” is a publication of the of PuK. The trade medium will be published in 2023 in German as a print and digital edition on 25 May and 7 November and in English only as a digital edition on 5 July and 29 November.

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<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong><br />

<strong>EN</strong> 1/<strong>23</strong><br />

Hydrogen and Process Technology<br />

Energy Supply<br />

Industrial Processes Circular Economy Ressources<br />

Decentralisation<br />

Energy and Heat Network<br />

Logistics<br />

RESOURCE CONSERVATION<br />

WITH MAGNET DRIVE PUMPS<br />

FICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICIE<br />

CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY E<br />

FICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFIC<br />

CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY<br />

FFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFIC<br />

NCY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY<br />

EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFF<br />

<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>C<br />

EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFF<br />

I<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>C<br />

EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EF<br />

CI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong><br />

Y EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY E<br />

ICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICIE<br />

CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY<br />

FICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICIE<br />

CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY<br />

NCY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<br />

FICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY<br />

Y EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFIC<br />

<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>C<br />

FICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFI<br />

Y EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong><br />

I<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>CY EFF<br />

<strong>GET</strong> <strong>–</strong> <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> a publication of PuK


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Editorial<br />

Harvest the sun<br />

Humanity consumed 595 EJ (exajoules) of energy in 2021. That corresponds to 165,410 TWh or 165,410,000,000,000 KWh.<br />

We produced around 80 per cent of this energy by burning fossil fuels. Our electricity demand accounted for one-seventh<br />

of the 165,410 TWh. Humanity discharged nearly 38 billion tons of additional CO 2 into the Earth’s atmosphere for this<br />

in 2021 alone. Notwithstanding all the lip service of the countries responsible about intentions to save energy, a pronounced<br />

upward trend continues. Meanwhile, global climate change as the quintessence of this behaviour has become<br />

impossible to ignore. The consequences have become too glaring and obvious, including wildfires that are almost<br />

impossible to extinguish, collapsing mountain peaks and <strong>–</strong> especially ominous <strong>–</strong> continent-wide droughts that last for<br />

months alternating with disastrous flooding caused by extremely heavy rain.<br />

Smart energy generation and consumption<br />

Humanity has to make two crucial changes: Decarbonise energy generation and reduce consumption with smart technology.<br />

While neither is free, both can be realised without working miracles. On the energy generation side, the sun<br />

could make the biggest contribution as a backstop technology. Year after year, it supplies approximately 1.5 · 10 18 KWh<br />

(1,500,000,000,000,000,000 KWh) of energy to Earth’s surface. That is more than 5,000 times humanity’s current global<br />

energy demand <strong>–</strong> for free! Unfortunately, the use of photovoltaics is tied to the location and time of day. Wind as a<br />

secondary form of energy largely lacks the necessary constancy as well. Energy for run-of-river power stations also<br />

originates from the sun. They are sensitive to water shortages caused by extended droughts. Their number is often<br />

limited by geomorphologic conditions, especially in densely populated industrialised countries.<br />

Complicated transport<br />

Humanity is bound to transport energy from high-yield regions to the points of consumption. Unfortunately, this is<br />

anything but trivial. The profoundly humorous nickname “Stromkanister” (“electricity canister”) of a participant in a<br />

German online forum is a good example. On closer examination, this name reveals the crucial weakness of electricity,<br />

which is currently being celebrated as a cure-all. Unlike fossil fuels, transporting it in a simple canister is in fact impossible.<br />

Storing electricity in rechargeable batteries is expensive, and the storage volumes are small. Even giant pumped-storage<br />

power plants lack the capacity to meet the demand of industrial nations for more than a day. And there are too few of<br />

them. The world does not have cross-continental high-voltage power networks. Hydrogen suggests itself here as a carbonfree<br />

energy storage medium. The article contributed by Hydrogenious LOHC offers a solution for its worldwide efficient<br />

transportation.<br />

Save, save, save<br />

Using the laboriously transferred energy intelligently is the other adjustment. Numerous solutions for this exist, ranging<br />

from simple to spectacularly high-tech. A few particularly interesting ones are found on the following pages.<br />

Have fun reading!<br />

Ottmar Holz<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

3


<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong><br />

Contents<br />

Cover<br />

Rising energy costs and a<br />

growing awareness of limiting<br />

the CO 2 impact of production<br />

lead to increasing concern<br />

in many sectors on how to<br />

reduce energy consumption.<br />

Of course, pumps and their<br />

drives are one of the biggest<br />

energy consumers to look<br />

at, both directly (drive power<br />

consumption) as well as indirectly<br />

(other utility consumptions<br />

and maintenance<br />

requirements).<br />

Contents<br />

Editorial<br />

Harvest the sun 3<br />

Leading article<br />

Unafraid of hydrogen 6<br />

Cover story<br />

Conserving energy and saving CO 2 using non-metallic containment shells<br />

in magnetic coupled pumps 8<br />

Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Hydrogen transport - technologies and challenges 14<br />

Anything but standard: Elastomer seal challenges in hydrogen applications 17<br />

Energy efficiency<br />

Double-stage compressed air packages with heat recovery 20<br />

From the research<br />

Listening closely 24<br />

Efficient manufacturing<br />

Thinking big, without compromising on precision 28<br />

Decarbonisation<br />

Defossilization of road-based freight transport through electrified semitrailer systems 30<br />

Decarbonizing heavy-duty and commercial transport safely, reliably and efficiently 34<br />

Revolutionary oxygen impulse technology for steel production 38<br />

Circular energy<br />

Sustainable solutions in fish farming leads to high value health ingredients 42<br />

Companies <strong>–</strong> Innovations <strong>–</strong> Products 44<br />

Brand name register 50<br />

Index of Advertisers/Impressum 52<br />

4<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


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Leading article<br />

Unafraid of hydrogen<br />

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Weimer<br />

The topic in this paper is the sealing<br />

of hydrogen using static flat gaskets<br />

made of fibrous materials (FA).<br />

Hydrogen is being hailed as the<br />

“oil of the future”, underlining how<br />

many designers and practitioners<br />

will have to become familiar with<br />

using it in their construction projects,<br />

plant designs, procurement<br />

scenarios and assembly activities.<br />

This includes determining how to<br />

seal components properly when<br />

working with hydrogen. The aim of<br />

this article is to raise awareness of<br />

this issue and provide information<br />

to enable proper decision-making<br />

for the material selection and the<br />

installation situation.<br />

Static gaskets - Soft gaskets<br />

Fig. 2: Flange with high-pressure seal<br />

(Photo © : KLINGER)<br />

One of the most common forms of<br />

sealing is static sealing, where the<br />

components to be sealed remain<br />

immobile in relation to each other.<br />

With these connections, considerable<br />

pressure is exerted on the sealing<br />

material installed between the<br />

flanges - the high-pressure seal.<br />

To seal properly, the material<br />

used must be adaptable and migrate<br />

into the roughness of the flange surface<br />

as well as compensate for its<br />

waviness. Conversely, despite the<br />

high forces involved, the material<br />

must remain intact - a typical technical<br />

compromise.<br />

Klinger has developed a manufacturing<br />

process to meet this compromise:<br />

The calendering process involves processing<br />

a mixture of fibres and fillers<br />

with elastomer as a binder into a sealing<br />

sheet on a hot roller by exerting<br />

enormous pressure.<br />

The result is a highly resilient<br />

seal, typically capable of withstanding<br />

loads of over 200 MPa (approx.<br />

2 tonnes per cm²) at room temperature,<br />

which has the smallest of pores<br />

and allows adaptation to the surface<br />

roughness by compressing the pores<br />

and the elastomer.<br />

Pressing together, e.g. via screws,<br />

prevents surface leakage and leakage<br />

through the sealing material - the<br />

higher the sealing force, the tighter<br />

the connection.<br />

Leakage requirements<br />

for gas supply<br />

The DIN-DVGW type test according<br />

to DIN 3535-6 of April 2019 specifies<br />

corresponding values. The specific<br />

leakage rate must be ≤ 0.1 mg /(s x m).<br />

For FA gasket materials, a gasket<br />

thickness of 2.0 mm, internal pressure<br />

of 40 bar and surface pressure<br />

of 32 MPa are assumed. The test gas<br />

is nitrogen.<br />

So far, we have been using fossil<br />

media such as natural gas (predominantly<br />

methane) and propane and<br />

butane as standards for our energy<br />

supply. For these gases, the tightness<br />

requirements are sufficient - but<br />

what about hydrogen?<br />

Does hydrogen differ from the<br />

usual fuel gases?<br />

Fig. 1: Sealing surface and seal<br />

Hydrogen gas has a low density and<br />

the atom has very low spatial expan-<br />

6<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Leading article<br />

sion. In fact, it is the smallest atom in<br />

the periodic table of elements. This is<br />

why, in theory, it traverses the smallest<br />

channels with greater ease than<br />

larger atoms. The reality, however, is<br />

different, because hydrogen is only<br />

atomic when produced and immediately<br />

combines with the next hydrogen<br />

atom to form the hydrogen molecule<br />

H 2 , which can be pictured in the<br />

shape of a dumbbell. Nevertheless,<br />

the fuel gases having proliferated to<br />

date, methane CH 4 (the main component<br />

of natural gas), propane C 3 H 8<br />

and butane C 4 H 10 are all clearly larger.<br />

Recent years have seen a growing<br />

shift in the use of helium (He) rather<br />

than nitrogen as the test gas for<br />

measuring any leakage from sealed<br />

joints. Accordingly, now we have the<br />

second-smallest atom in the periodic<br />

table of elements as our standard<br />

test gas, which is usable to detect<br />

the smallest leaks. Rather than being<br />

rigid, our gas particles move due to<br />

Brownian molecular motion. If we<br />

now compare the kinetic diameters<br />

of the relevant gas particles, we see<br />

that the helium atom and hydrogen<br />

molecule are comparable in size.<br />

In the table of kinetic diameters<br />

(www.arnold-chemie.de) we see<br />

hydrogen H 2 <br />

helium He <br />

and for methane CH 4 <br />

where 1 Å = 0.1 nm<br />

2.3 <strong>–</strong> 2.9 Å<br />

2.6 <strong>–</strong> 2.7 Å<br />

3.8 Å<br />

And what we notice is that hydrogen,<br />

although "smaller" than methane,<br />

is on a par with our test gas helium,<br />

size-wise. Similarly, previous actual<br />

comparative measurements have<br />

shown that, despite differences in the<br />

quantities of hydrogen and helium<br />

leaking, they are of the same order of<br />

magnitude.<br />

One other thing to note about<br />

hydrogen is that it burns faster than<br />

natural gas, which explains the smaller<br />

distances between the burner nozzle<br />

and flame in gas burners. As a result,<br />

both the flame detection technology<br />

and the material selection of the burner<br />

nozzle and other parameters have<br />

to be adjusted. Furthermore, unlike<br />

other gases, hydrogen has a negative<br />

Joule-Thompson effect. But none of this<br />

is relevant in the context of tightness of<br />

connections.<br />

What practical experience do you<br />

have?<br />

Hydrogen has been a common raw<br />

material in the chemical industry for<br />

many years. According to the VCI,<br />

hydrogen is crucial here and forms<br />

the starting point of important chemical<br />

value chains. Already today, about<br />

12.5 billion cubic metres of hydrogen<br />

are used annually in Germany<br />

(according to vci.de).<br />

The town gas used in the past<br />

contained hydrogen up to around<br />

50 %. Hydrogen is not chemically<br />

aggressive and does not attack the<br />

usual fibre, graphite and PTFE sealing<br />

materials used.<br />

Ample proof of our strong familiarity<br />

with the medium and the fact we<br />

have long been successfully implementing<br />

corresponding sealing<br />

strategies.<br />

A look at the potential dangers of<br />

hydrogen<br />

As with all fuel gases, there is also a<br />

risk of unintentional combustion in<br />

the form of an explosion with hydrogen.<br />

And here, the explosion limits<br />

of the various fuel gases must be<br />

observed. The lower explosion limit<br />

(LEL) in air is 4 vol% for hydrogen and<br />

4.4 vol% for methane. - which resembles<br />

the figures just mentioned. The<br />

upper explosion limits, however, at<br />

77 vol% H 2 and 16.5 vol% CH 4 are<br />

poles apart.<br />

Within C<strong>EN</strong>/TC 58 - Safety and<br />

control devices for Burners and appliances<br />

burning gaseous or liquid fuels<br />

- there is working group 15, which<br />

handles the subject of hydrogen and<br />

prepares information for international<br />

standardisation. Among other<br />

things, the "C<strong>EN</strong>/TC 58 WG 15 evaluations<br />

2022-04-14" presentation<br />

deals with a comparison of fuel gases<br />

methane, propane and butane with<br />

hydrogen and hydrogen/natural gas<br />

mixtures 20 % to 80 % with a view to<br />

gas installation equipment. Gas fixtures<br />

installed, like heating system<br />

burners, appliances and household<br />

devices, offer wide-ranging potential<br />

for future hydrogen applications.<br />

With all this in mind, the working<br />

group performed a hazard assessment,<br />

the scope of which included<br />

extensive calculations and initial<br />

measurements to get a clear picture.<br />

The danger from combustible<br />

gases is influenced not only by their<br />

leakage behaviour but also their ignitability.<br />

So the working group assessed<br />

such influences and described them<br />

mathematically. Clearly, although<br />

the hazard potential of hydrogen<br />

exceeds that of natural gas (me-<br />

thane), it remains well below that of<br />

propane and butane.<br />

Conclusion<br />

1. We have positive experience with<br />

our well-known and high-quality<br />

FA sealing materials from a history of<br />

safe sealing of hydrogen.<br />

2. Independent leakage measurements<br />

also show that we are within<br />

the usual ranges for fuel gases with<br />

hydrogen.<br />

3. And with the potential explosion<br />

hazard in mind, our experience with<br />

hydrogen underlines our progress<br />

within a familiar framework that<br />

has been safely controlled for many<br />

years.<br />

In sum, therefore, we see no need<br />

to fear hydrogen as a future carbon-<br />

free energy carrier. Contingent<br />

on appropriate design and having<br />

professionals in to install, hydrogen<br />

can be a safe means of achieving<br />

decarbonisation. The hydrogen age is<br />

on the horizon!<br />

The Author: Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Weimer,<br />

KLINGER GmbH<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong> 7


Cover story<br />

Conserving energy and saving CO 2<br />

using non-metallic containment shells<br />

in magnetic coupled pumps<br />

Ralf Schienhammer<br />

Fig. 1: Conserving Energy is a growing concern both for the use and the production of pumps<br />

Rising energy costs and a growing<br />

awareness of limiting the CO 2<br />

impact of production lead to increasing<br />

concern in many sectors on<br />

how to reduce energy consumption.<br />

Of course, pumps and their drives<br />

are one of the biggest energy consumers<br />

to look at, both directly (drive<br />

power consumption) as well as indirectly<br />

(other utility consumptions<br />

and maintenance requirements).<br />

The current situation<br />

The first steps to securing a more<br />

energy-efficient fluid handling were<br />

<strong>–</strong> and still are <strong>–</strong> taken by putting<br />

increasing importance on the energy<br />

efficiency of the pump drivers.<br />

Higher and higher nominal efficiencies<br />

are required for electric motors<br />

to meet with current and future regulations<br />

(not considering the resource<br />

requirements due to the need for<br />

more and more copper to achieve<br />

these).<br />

For the example of a typical<br />

45 kW 2-pole motor the following<br />

minimum efficiencies apply:<br />

- IE2: 92.9 %<br />

- IE3: 94.0 %<br />

- IE4: 95.0 %<br />

By this rule, assuming we have an<br />

optimally loaded pump and motor<br />

combination operating close to the<br />

rated power difference and assuming<br />

again a pump operating 24 hours<br />

a day all year the difference between<br />

an IE2 and an IE3 motor would be<br />

approximately. 4,965 kWh, while the<br />

difference between an IE3 and an IE4<br />

motor would be approx. 4,414 kWh.<br />

If we’re checking the EAA website<br />

for their latest published CO 2 equivalent<br />

data, they publish the following<br />

values for 2021: we get an average<br />

equivalent for all 27 European<br />

Member states of 275 g CO 2 e/kWh,<br />

with some heavily industrialized<br />

nations having considerably higher<br />

values (Germany 402 g CO 2 e/kWh,<br />

Netherlands 418 g CO 2 e/kWh) while<br />

others are of course considerably<br />

lower (France 67 g CO 2 e/kWh or Sweden<br />

with only 9 g CO 2 e/kWh.)<br />

8<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Cover story<br />

Efficiency Class IE2 IE3 IE4<br />

Minimum Efficiency 92.9 % 94.0 % 95.0 %<br />

Operating Hours 8,760 h 8,760 h 8,760 h<br />

Total Power Consumption 424,327 kWh 419,362 kWh 414,947 kWh<br />

CO 2 e produced 116.7 tons CO 2 e 115.3 tons CO 2 e 114.1 tons CO 2 e<br />

Energy Costs 89,108.67 € 88,066.02 € 87,138.87 €<br />

So, installing an IE4 instead of an IE3 motor will save <strong>–</strong> best case <strong>–</strong> 927.15 € and approximately 1.2 tons of CO 2 equivalents per year.<br />

The average electricity price for<br />

non-household consumers in the EU<br />

in the second half of 2022 was specified<br />

at 0.21 €/kWh, again with a wide<br />

range depending on the country. If<br />

we plug in these numbers, we reach<br />

the following results for a 45 kW<br />

Motor operating all year around at<br />

peak power demand.<br />

The simplest step <strong>–</strong> direct action<br />

Companies have spent considerable<br />

time and money to upgrade the<br />

installed base of electrical motors<br />

while ignoring a sometimes much<br />

easier and more impactful way of<br />

upgrading the energy efficiency<br />

of their sealless pumps: The containment<br />

techno logy. By using<br />

non-metallic containment shells<br />

made from heavy-duty industrial<br />

ceramics, the efficiency of sealless<br />

pumps can be increased by<br />

5% to 10% for small and by 10 to 20%<br />

for larger hydraulics. That techno logy<br />

is now field proven for more than<br />

25 years and is in use for the most<br />

demanding applications.<br />

As the non-metallic containment<br />

shells are not electrically conductive,<br />

they transmit the power without generating<br />

any eddy current losses and<br />

thus are operating loss-free, giving a<br />

direct impact on power consumption,<br />

allowing the use of smaller, more efficient<br />

motors and thus have a very<br />

direct impact on the existing pump<br />

installations without requiring any<br />

new equipment to be installed.<br />

Looking back at the earlier example<br />

we would not be talking about<br />

such minuscule savings but the ability<br />

to save 17.7 tons of CO 2 e per year or<br />

13,554.90 Euro of electricity costs per<br />

year. When talking about these numbers<br />

it doesn’t matter that we’re using<br />

the numbers for an IE4 motor as a base.<br />

Going further<br />

But it would be a mistake to limit the<br />

applicability of the non-metallic containment<br />

shell technology only to<br />

those installations already sealless<br />

today. Sealless pumps are still a vast<br />

minority of installed pumps, even<br />

though they offer a lot more benefits<br />

when looking at the overall pump<br />

population in any kind of plant or factory<br />

when compared to mechanically<br />

sealed pumps:<br />

• Mechanical seals have finite operating<br />

life <strong>–</strong> requiring shut down for<br />

maintenance when the seals are<br />

worn out.<br />

• The unavoidable leakage through<br />

the seals, whether it is to the<br />

atmosphere (for single-acting<br />

seals) or the product (for doubleacting<br />

seals) means a loss of product<br />

or product quality and environmental<br />

contamination, either by<br />

product or by the barrier /quench<br />

liquid<br />

• Double-acting and/or quenched<br />

seals require additional utilities<br />

such as barrier liquids, steam,<br />

nitrogen, or oxygen, which<br />

requires energy and supplemental<br />

equipment to<br />

prepare and supply.<br />

One obvious solution<br />

to this would<br />

be to use sealless<br />

pumps (magnetic<br />

coupled or canned<br />

motor type). Yet<br />

they still are largely<br />

not considered as<br />

a solution to these<br />

questions because of<br />

a few prevalent myths told about<br />

them. However, with the developments<br />

of technology during the last<br />

decades there exist field-proven<br />

solutions for pretty much every point<br />

sealless pumps still get criticized for<br />

today.<br />

Myth 1: Sealless pumps are less<br />

efficient than mechanically sealed<br />

pumps<br />

This is a typical criticism and one of<br />

the most complex ones to address<br />

because pump efficiency has multiple<br />

aspects:<br />

• Pump hydraulic efficiency<br />

• Drive efficiency<br />

• Impact of the power transmission<br />

Myth 1a <strong>–</strong> Sealless pump hydraulics<br />

have worse efficiency than sealed<br />

hydraulics<br />

The first part, hydraulic pump efficiency<br />

is the easiest one to put to<br />

rest. For most manufacturers, the<br />

hydraulics used are the same for the<br />

sealed and sealless designs with no<br />

appreciable energy impact.<br />

Fig. 2: Standard Hydraulic Unit <strong>–</strong> Identical with<br />

that of a mechanical sealed pump<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong> 9


Cover story<br />

Myth 1b <strong>–</strong> Sealless pump drives are less efficient than<br />

mechanical sealed pump drives<br />

The veracity of this myth depends on the type of sealless<br />

pump. A magnetic pump utilizes the same standard<br />

motors as a mechanically sealed pump, so there is no difference.<br />

The electrical efficiency of canned motor pumps<br />

depends on the quality of the electrical motor and thus<br />

the manufacturer, as they are not using standard motors.<br />

To address the latter point first: With a carefully controlled<br />

liquid gap in the containment area the liquid drag can be<br />

eliminated for centrifugal pump purposes, and even in the<br />

high viscosities that are handled by positive displacement<br />

pumps, any liquid gap can be minimized by controlling and<br />

adjusting the liquid gap and the pump speed.<br />

The former point has not been true in 25 years, especially<br />

for magnetic coupled pumps. Non-metallic containment<br />

shells, ideally made from heavy-duty industrial<br />

ceramics, allow for a loss-free power transmission. With<br />

up-to-date magnetic drive technologies powers up to<br />

1 MW can be transferred, depending on application and<br />

other situations, putting no longer any practical limit on<br />

the use of magnetic couplings both in terms of size or<br />

pumps or applications.<br />

Myth 2: Sealless pumps have more wear parts than<br />

mechanical sealed pumps<br />

Fig. 3: Adapting the liquid gap if necessary to reduce liquid drag<br />

Myth 1c <strong>–</strong> Whatever can be saved in utilities is wasted<br />

in the power transmission utilized by sealless pumps<br />

through the containment<br />

Typically, this claim refers to the transmission losses due<br />

to the metallic containment or in the case of more desperate<br />

arguments the liquid drag of the sealless pumps.<br />

Again, it depends on the design of the pump and customer<br />

specifications. But a close coupled magnetic coupled<br />

pump, which can be reliably used from very low to very<br />

high temperatures (-200…+400 °C), does not have more<br />

but fewer wear parts than a mechanical sealed pump. The<br />

close-coupled technology places the outer magnet carrier<br />

directly on the shaft of a standard electrical motor. In this<br />

design, there are fewer wear parts, because it operates<br />

without the need for a dynamic sealing element, without<br />

a shaft coupling, and an additional bearing carrier. This<br />

reduces maintenance requirements and costs considerably<br />

compared to mechanical sealed pumps.<br />

The journal bearings are typically maintenance-free if<br />

the pump is properly operated in clean liquids (or the bearings<br />

have been selected accordingly, more on that later).<br />

Fig. 4: Heavy duty containment shells made from<br />

industriall ceramics up to 63 bar<br />

Fig. 5: Maintenance friendly close-coupled magnetic coupled centrifugal<br />

pumps reducing the installation and maintenance costs<br />

10<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Cover story<br />

Myth 3: Journal bearings of sealless<br />

pumps can’t handle low viscosities<br />

This used to be true for a long time.<br />

But with the reliable high-technology<br />

materials available today it is possible<br />

to handle even liquified gasses<br />

with viscosities below 0.1 cP without<br />

issues, even for the largest pumps.<br />

Solutions for high viscous liquids are<br />

in existence for decades, but also<br />

low viscosity operation is no longer<br />

any problem today, even without<br />

any utilities required for cooling and/<br />

or flushing.<br />

Myth 4: Journal bearings of sealless<br />

pumps can’t handle solids very well<br />

Fig. 6: Pump handling liquid nitrogen on a test loop for new bearings<br />

The key here is more open and honest<br />

communication with the pump<br />

supplier. Modern materials allow<br />

for extremely solid loads without<br />

damage to the journal bearings.<br />

The highly wear-resistant industrial<br />

ceramic containment shells available<br />

today further improve wear resistance<br />

and do not wear even where the<br />

traditional dynamic shaft seals would<br />

come to their endurance limits. Additionally,<br />

magnetic filters can allow<br />

even the handling of liquids containing<br />

ferrous solids such as iron oxides<br />

if required.<br />

Myth 5: Sealless pumps are more<br />

sensitive to the wrong operation<br />

than mechanical sealed pumps<br />

Fig. 7: Totally worn out pump impeller after heavy sand load with undamaged ceramic containment<br />

shell<br />

The reality of this claim again depends<br />

on the type of pump and open, honest<br />

communication between the customer<br />

and the manufacturer. Today’s<br />

technology utilizing non-metallic containment<br />

shells allows for journal<br />

bearings that can handle operation<br />

outside the normal operating range<br />

very well, or even allow dry running<br />

for a surprisingly long time (Klaus<br />

Union verified dry run capability for<br />

more than one hour without adverse<br />

effects on bearing performance. And<br />

while we do not recommend such<br />

long-term dry running customers<br />

inadvertently verified our tests are<br />

sound by doing the same in a production<br />

environment).<br />

Fig. 8: Dry run capable magnetic<br />

coupled pumps have long been<br />

field proven<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong> 11


Cover story<br />

Myth 6: Sealless pumps need more and very expensive<br />

instrumentation for use in hazardous areas<br />

Again <strong>–</strong> this has not been true with the advent of nonmetallic<br />

containment shells. When using a non-metallic<br />

containment shell a magnetic coupled pump can be<br />

operated without any additional instrumentation<br />

in a hazardous area zone, provided the customer<br />

makes sure the pump is operating in its intended<br />

parameters.<br />

Fig. 9: Standard centrifugal pump without any additional instrumentation overhead<br />

Conclusion<br />

It is of course true that no technology is the ideal solution<br />

for all applications. That is true for sealless magnetic<br />

coupled pumps just as well <strong>–</strong> they are not the wonder to<br />

solve everything. But there are many applications where<br />

their ability to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance<br />

is still overlooked today, because engineers and maintenance<br />

personnel have become used to the situation as it<br />

had developed in the past decades <strong>–</strong> and maybe even have<br />

been burned by improperly selected pumps in the past.<br />

Fig. 10: Magnetic coupled twin screw pump for handling Bitumen without the need of any seal supply system or steam quenching.<br />

12 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Cover story<br />

Sealless pumps, both centrifugal and positive displacement<br />

types, using non-metallic containment shells of<br />

heavy-duty industrial ceramics open the possibility of saving<br />

money and energy, both directly by eliminating eddy<br />

current losses and the need for utilities, but also indirectly<br />

by reducing maintenance, wear parts, and increasing the<br />

reliability when compared to traditional approaches to<br />

pump seals.<br />

Fig. 11: Twin screw pump handling<br />

high viscosity polymer without<br />

needing any additional utilities<br />

Fig. 12: Heavy duty<br />

vertical inline centrifugal<br />

pump designed<br />

for a service with high<br />

solids and a risk of<br />

dry running<br />

They can be used from liquified natural<br />

gasses, over cryogenic CO 2 , the<br />

most dangerous chemical and petrochemical<br />

products, and even just<br />

difficult-to-seal products such as<br />

vacuum residues, tar, bitumen, and<br />

asphaltenes as well as polymers,<br />

largely without the need for any<br />

utilities except a power supply for<br />

the main motor, simplifying plants,<br />

reducing both investment and operation<br />

and maintenance costs, just by<br />

carefully applying proven reliable and<br />

robust technologies.<br />

The Author:<br />

Ralf Schienhammer<br />

Sales Director Pumps & Projects<br />

Klaus Union GmbH & Co. KG<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

13


Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Transport<br />

Hydrogen transport -<br />

technologies and challenges<br />

Birka Friedrich<br />

• Large-scale import and export<br />

of green hydrogen is necessary<br />

for the energy transition and the<br />

global decarbonisation of industry.<br />

• There are various possible transport<br />

technologies for hydrogen<br />

- each with different advantages<br />

and disadvantages.<br />

• To build the global hydrogen<br />

economy in a timely manner and<br />

achieve the energy policy goals,<br />

all hydrogen transport technologies<br />

are equally needed.<br />

1<br />

3<br />

2<br />

Renewable energy sources such<br />

as solar, wind and hydropower are<br />

increasingly used worldwide due to<br />

their availability, cost efficiency and<br />

environmental friendliness. However,<br />

one of the challenges with these<br />

energy sources is their variability, i. e.<br />

they do not provide constant power<br />

generation. To solve this problem,<br />

scientists and engineers have been<br />

looking for ways to store and transport<br />

renewable energy for later use.<br />

One of the most promising solutions<br />

for that purpose are green molecules<br />

such as hydrogen.<br />

Hydrogen is a versatile, cleanly<br />

usable energy carrier that can be<br />

obtained from renewable sources<br />

such as solar and wind energy. When<br />

green hydrogen is burned, only water<br />

vapour and heat are produced. This<br />

makes it an emission-free fuel that<br />

can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions<br />

and combat climate change.<br />

However, what makes hydrogen<br />

particularly valuable for the renewable<br />

energy industry is its potential<br />

for storing and transporting energy<br />

over long distances and time spans.<br />

In addition, hydrogen can be used as<br />

a feedstock for industrial processes<br />

such as steel production, refineries or<br />

the chemical industry. For these reasons,<br />

many companies are currently<br />

looking for ways to convert their processes<br />

to hydrogen.<br />

1. Hydrogen storage in our LOHC: Hydrogenation. The hydrogen molecules are chemically<br />

bound to the LOHC via a catalytic reaction in a continuous process. The hydrogenation is an<br />

exothermic process generating approx. 10 kWhth/kgH 2 heat at approx. 250 °C.<br />

2. Hydrogen release from our LOHC: Dehydrogenation. The hydrogen molecules are chemically<br />

released from the LOHC via a catalytic reaction in a continuous process. The dehydrogenation<br />

is an endothermic process, that requires approx. 11 kWhth/kgH 2 heat at approx.<br />

300 °C. The hydrogen can be released on-demand, assuring hydrogen-purity according to<br />

ISO-14687 in addition.<br />

3. Hydrogen transportation in our LOHC. Easy and cost-efficient logistics utilizing the existing<br />

infrastructure for fossil fuels via ship, barge, train or truck. Same applies to LOHC stocking<br />

facilities.<br />

Currently, heavy industry mainly<br />

uses hydrogen from natural gas and<br />

crude oil. With green hydrogen from<br />

renewable energies these industries<br />

can reduce their carbon footprint<br />

and contribute to a more sustainable<br />

development. To meet the overall<br />

demand for affordable green hydrogen<br />

in industrialised countries like<br />

Germany, large-volume imports from<br />

very sun- and wind-rich regions will<br />

become part of the supply.<br />

What transport technologies are<br />

available and what are the differences,<br />

advantages and disadvantages?<br />

There are various ways of transporting<br />

hydrogen, which have their specific<br />

advantages and disadvantages<br />

depending on the application. Some<br />

of the most common, non-pipeline<br />

hydrogen transport technologies are<br />

presented below:<br />

Compressed hydrogen<br />

Compressed hydrogen is the simplest<br />

and most widely used form of<br />

hydrogen transport. Here, the hydrogen<br />

gas is compressed to a high<br />

pressure (usually between 350 and<br />

700 bar) and stored in high-pressure<br />

tanks. The advantage of this method<br />

is its simplicity and its applicability<br />

on a small scale, e. g. in fuel cell vehicles<br />

and emergency power systems.<br />

However, compressed hydrogen has<br />

a low energy density, so large tanks<br />

are required and it is not suitable for<br />

long-distance transport or large-scale<br />

storage.<br />

14 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Transport<br />

Liquefied hydrogen<br />

Liquefied hydrogen is another<br />

common method of hydrogen<br />

transport. In this technique, the<br />

hydrogen gas is cooled to a very<br />

low temperature (-253 °C) and<br />

condensed into a liquid aggregate<br />

state, which is then stored in<br />

cryogenic tanks. The advantage<br />

of this method is that it requires<br />

no further conversion processes<br />

- the hydrogen can be used<br />

directly at its destination. It also<br />

enables a higher energy density<br />

compared to compressed<br />

hydrogen, which makes it interesting<br />

for storing large amounts<br />

of energy. However, liquefied<br />

hydrogen requires a complex<br />

and expensive infrastructure for<br />

handling and storage. Cooling<br />

down is very energy-intensive,<br />

and large-scale application of<br />

this technology still needs to be<br />

explored. For example, there is<br />

currently only one tank ship suitable<br />

for long-distance transport of<br />

liquefied hydrogen, the Suiso<br />

Frontier. Another disadvantage<br />

of large-scale application is the<br />

hydrogen losses in the form of<br />

boil-off effects (evaporation of<br />

the hydrogen).<br />

Hydrogen converted<br />

to ammonia<br />

Hydrogen can also be converted<br />

into ammonia, which is a<br />

widely traded feedstock for fertiliser<br />

production with an established<br />

infrastructure for storage<br />

and transport. Ammonia has a<br />

higher energy density than, for<br />

example, compressed hydrogen<br />

and is therefore discussed not<br />

only as a feedstock but also as a<br />

transport medium for hydrogen.<br />

The advantage of ammonia is its<br />

wide availability. However, the<br />

process of converting hydrogen<br />

into ammonia is energy-intensive,<br />

and the recovery of hydrogen<br />

on an industrial scale has yet<br />

to be researched. There is also<br />

the question of safety - ammonia<br />

is very toxic and corrosive, which<br />

makes it very difficult to handle,<br />

for example in urban environments<br />

and ports.<br />

Hydrogen bonded to liquid organic<br />

hydrogen carriers (LOHC)<br />

Hydrogen can be stored in<br />

Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers<br />

(LOHC). These are organic<br />

compounds that can absorb<br />

hydrogen in a chemical, catalytic<br />

process called hydrogenation<br />

and release it again in a chemical<br />

process called dehydrogenation.<br />

Instead of transporting the<br />

hydrogen in molecular form, it is<br />

bound to the LOHC, which is then<br />

transported to the customer by<br />

tanker truck, train, tanker ship<br />

or barge. There, the hydrogen is<br />

released from the LOHC again<br />

and can be used.<br />

There are several possible<br />

LOHCs, such as carbazole, toluene/methylcyclohexane,<br />

dibenzyltoluene<br />

or benzyltoluene. The<br />

latter has particularly positive<br />

properties as a hydrogen carrier,<br />

as it is a non-explosive, flame-retardant<br />

thermal oil with a comparable<br />

hazard potential to diesel.<br />

In contrast to other hydrogen<br />

transport methods, LOHCs based<br />

on benzyltoluene (LOHC-BT) can<br />

be stored under ambient temperature<br />

and transported over<br />

long distances in the existing<br />

liquid fuel infrastructure. There<br />

are no hydrogen losses (e. g.<br />

“boil-off”) even over long periods<br />

of time. After the hydrogen<br />

is released from the LOHC, the<br />

carrier material is not consumed,<br />

but transported back to the site<br />

of hydrogen production and<br />

reused several hundred times<br />

for hydrogen transport. By leveraging<br />

existing infrastructure,<br />

LOHC-BT is particularly quick and<br />

inexpensive to implement, and<br />

the flexibility of the technology<br />

favours diversification of import<br />

routes.<br />

While hydrogenation is<br />

an exothermic, catalytic process<br />

and generates excess heat<br />

energy, dehydrogenation is an<br />

endothermic, catalytic process -<br />

it requires additional energy in<br />

the form of heat. This opens up<br />

synergies on the hydrogen production<br />

side, where the excess<br />

heat from hydrogenation can be<br />

fed into local heat grids or used<br />

for seawater desalination, for<br />

example. On the offtake side,<br />

heavy industry with a lot of process<br />

heat (e.g. steel mills) could<br />

use their surplus heat to dehydrogenate<br />

the hydrogen from<br />

the LOHC-BT.<br />

Gaseous hydrogen transported<br />

via pipes/pipelines<br />

Transporting hydrogen by pipeline<br />

is another option, especially<br />

for countries with an existing<br />

natural gas pipeline infrastructure.<br />

Gaseous hydrogen can be<br />

transported under high pressure,<br />

which allows efficient transport<br />

over long distances. In some<br />

cases, hydrogen can even be<br />

mixed with natural gas and transported<br />

in the same pipelines,<br />

although this requires careful<br />

monitoring to ensure safe operation.<br />

One advantage of pipeline<br />

transport is that it is already a<br />

mature technology, as many<br />

countries have extensive pipeline<br />

networks for natural gas distribution.<br />

However, retrofitting existing<br />

pipelines for hydrogen transport<br />

may require significant investments,<br />

especially with regard to<br />

safety measures. Moreover, the<br />

availability of compressors suitable<br />

for large-scale hydrogen<br />

transport is still being researched,<br />

and connecting new consumers is<br />

not always possible.<br />

Another challenge is that<br />

hydrogen can embrittle some<br />

pipeline materials, especially<br />

those made of certain types of<br />

steel. This means that pipelines<br />

for hydrogen transport may have<br />

to be made of other materials or<br />

have additional coatings to prevent<br />

corrosion.<br />

COG MAKES ITS MARK:<br />

With products from<br />

COG <strong>–</strong> the future is now.<br />

Tested materials for reliable application in<br />

hydrogen technology.<br />

www.COG.de/en


Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Transport<br />

The small dehydrogenation or release system (ReleaseBox 10) operating in the<br />

H2Sektor demonstration project at the Erlangen hydrogen filling station releases<br />

around one kilogram of hydrogen per hour from around 20 litres of LOHC material.<br />

Since 2022, Hydrogenious has been pursuing the development of significantly larger<br />

release systems with a capacity of at least 1.5 tonnes of hydrogen/day.<br />

<br />

©<br />

Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies<br />

Hydrogen fuelling stations supplied<br />

exclusively with compressed hydrogen,<br />

that have been predominant up to now,<br />

have limited storage capacities and a<br />

high space requirement. This is lower<br />

with liquid hydrogen filling stations, but<br />

hydrogen losses (boil-off) occur during<br />

longer storage periods. A future-proof<br />

solution on a small footprint and with<br />

particularly safe, simple handling of the<br />

hydrogen is demonstrated by the builder<br />

and operator H2 MOBILITY Germany<br />

with the world’s first hydrogen filling<br />

station, which also uses the LOHC<br />

technology from Hydrogenious LOHC<br />

Technologies for hydrogen storage and<br />

was inaugurated in Erlangen in July<br />

2022. The pilot unit of the LOHC market<br />

leader installed there in an urban area<br />

ensures the release of the gas molecules<br />

chemically bound in the LOHC.<br />

One of the convincing advantages of the<br />

hydrogen carrier material benzyltoluene<br />

used in this process: Storage and stockpiling<br />

require only conventional underground<br />

tanks for liquid fuels, installed<br />

in a space-saving manner directly below<br />

the release system. However, this application<br />

is only the preliminary stage for<br />

the LOHC plants currently being built<br />

on an industrial scale, such as at Chempark<br />

Dormagen for a 1,800 tonne H 2<br />

storage facility, the largest of its kind in<br />

the world (construction is scheduled to<br />

begin before the end of 20<strong>23</strong>).<br />

demand of many countries cannot be<br />

met by domestic production, imports<br />

from countries with large renewable<br />

energy capacities will become inevitable.<br />

Compressed hydrogen is a<br />

mature technology that can be used<br />

for short to medium distances. Liquefied<br />

hydrogen enables transport over<br />

longer distances, but requires a considerable<br />

amount of energy for the<br />

liquefaction process. The conversion<br />

of hydrogen into ammonia is a very<br />

mature process and the molecule is<br />

already an important feedstock, e. g.<br />

for the fertiliser industry. However,<br />

as a hydrogen transport medium,<br />

ammonia brings some challenges,<br />

such as the issue of safety and the<br />

complex cracking process for large<br />

amounts of hydrogen.<br />

LOHC technology is very promising,<br />

especially in terms of safety,<br />

cost and rapid feasibility, as it can<br />

use existing liquid fuel infrastructure,<br />

while pipeline transport is an attractive<br />

option for countries with existing<br />

infrastructure. Ultimately, the choice<br />

of hydrogen transport technology will<br />

depend on a variety of factors, including<br />

the distance to be covered, the<br />

available infrastructure and the specific<br />

needs of the end user.<br />

Conclusion<br />

Hydrogen is becoming an increasingly<br />

important medium for the storage,<br />

transport and trade of renewable<br />

energy. As the global energy<br />

transition and the decarbonisation<br />

of industry and mobility require the<br />

export and import of cheap, environmentally<br />

friendly hydrogen, a reliable<br />

and safe transport infrastructure for<br />

industrial hydrogen volumes is a key<br />

success factor.<br />

While there are several hydrogen<br />

transport technologies, each with<br />

their own advantages and disadvantages,<br />

none of them is a one-sizefits-all<br />

solution. Rather, a combination<br />

of technologies will be needed to<br />

meet the growing global demand for<br />

hydrogen as an energy source and<br />

as a feedstock for industry. Since the<br />

The Author: Birka Friedrich<br />

Head of Corporate Communications<br />

and Marketing<br />

Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies<br />

16 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Material selection<br />

Anything but standard: Elastomer seal<br />

challenges in hydrogen applications<br />

Dipl.-Ing (FH) Michael Krüger<br />

Fig. 1: COG H 2 Sealing hydrogen seal series<br />

(All photos © : COG)<br />

Mobility, the energy sector and<br />

industry <strong>–</strong> there is tremendous<br />

potential for modern hydrogen technologies<br />

in many areas. Hydrogen is<br />

of central importance as a versatile<br />

energy carrier and offers new possibilities<br />

for production processes as<br />

a chemical raw material. Therefore,<br />

science and industry experts are<br />

conducting intensive research in the<br />

vast field of hydrogen technologies<br />

and continuously develop their practical<br />

applications. The optimal coordination<br />

of components is among<br />

the most important success factors<br />

here. In particular, the seals being<br />

used are of the greatest importance<br />

in terms of functionality.<br />

Countless projects in the mechanical<br />

engineering segment are therefore<br />

dedicated to this topic. A central<br />

difficulty at this juncture for<br />

both users and seal manufacturers<br />

is that hydrogen projects and their<br />

applications are rarely comparable<br />

to each other. This difficulty begins<br />

with the umbrella term “hydrogen<br />

applications”. It describes an extensive<br />

domain starting with H 2 production<br />

and extending to transportation<br />

and distribution as well as<br />

the use and consumption of hydrogen.<br />

Many projects are still in the<br />

development phase, which means<br />

development teams are not making<br />

any project details public, protecting<br />

their development advantage<br />

for market strategy reasons.<br />

This in turn tends to produce individual<br />

solutions rather than standard<br />

applications.<br />

Choosing a suitable elastomer<br />

sealing material in the hydrogen environment<br />

is of vital importance. All<br />

operating parameters that occur in a<br />

real-world application must be taken<br />

into account.<br />

The following requirements for sealing<br />

materials (selection) have to be<br />

clarified:<br />

• Chemical resistance for all media<br />

that may come into contact with<br />

the seal (during operation, during<br />

assembly)<br />

• Temperature resistance (ambient<br />

temperature, operating temperature,<br />

also absolute short-term<br />

peak temperatures)<br />

• Pressure resistance, also in case of<br />

pronounced pressure fluctuations<br />

(resistance to explosive decompression<br />

where applicable)<br />

• Good physical properties<br />

(compressive deformation test,<br />

stress relaxation)<br />

• Low permeation (gas permeability)<br />

Hydrogen permeation<br />

Hydrogen permeation is an important<br />

selection criterion. Since the<br />

colourless and odourless H 2 gas is<br />

highly inflammable and the production<br />

of molecular hydrogen is complicated<br />

and expensive, preventing volatilisation<br />

is essential for both safety<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

17


Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Material selection<br />

Fig. 2: Test setup H 2 permeation test<br />

and cost reasons. The H 2 permeation<br />

coefficient varies considerably<br />

between the ASTM classes (elastomer<br />

material groups) and there are significant<br />

differences between the materials<br />

within an ASTM class as well. VMQ<br />

(silicone), for example, has a very<br />

poor permeation coefficient, EPDM<br />

has a much better one and FKM<br />

(fluororubber) has the best value in<br />

comparison. The temperature has<br />

a significant influence on the result<br />

as well. A value determined at <strong>23</strong> °C<br />

may, for example, exhibit a factor of<br />

+5 for EPDM materials and a factor of<br />

+3 to over 16 for FKM at 80 °C. Tested<br />

materials are therefore clearly recommended<br />

in H 2 applications.<br />

The field of application itself can<br />

also be an important selection criterion.<br />

Seals for natural gas containing<br />

hydrogen (in distribution/transport,<br />

for example) have to meet the<br />

requirements of the DVGW:<br />

Practical example <strong>–</strong><br />

hydrogen electrolyser<br />

Permeability is not always the decisive<br />

selection criterion. A manufacturer<br />

of AEM (anion exchange membrane)<br />

electrolysers for hydrogen<br />

production experienced major problems<br />

with the elastomer seals. The<br />

chosen NBR material failed after a<br />

short time. The medium in the electrolyser<br />

was 5 % caustic potash solution<br />

(KOH) at max. 65 °C. The seal<br />

manufacturer COG suggested a peroxide<br />

cross-linked EPDM as a suitable<br />

material. Surprisingly this too<br />

failed after approximately 100 hours.<br />

Exposure tests in caustic potash solution<br />

(KOH 5 %) at 65 °C did not result<br />

in any significant material changes.<br />

It was therefore presumed that the<br />

material incompatibility was related to<br />

the materials used in the electrolyser<br />

itself. AEM electrolysis requires a catalyst<br />

and nickel was used in this case.<br />

Nickel is known to be “toxic” to rubber.<br />

Ethylene propylene diene monomers<br />

(EPDM) are terpolymers made of ethylene,<br />

propylene and diene. Dienes<br />

contain two carbon-carbon double<br />

bonds (C=C double bonds). Nickel<br />

attacks precisely those double bonds<br />

in diene and destroys the rubber.<br />

COG then proposed using an<br />

ethy lene propylene copolymer (EPM).<br />

This rubber does not contain diene<br />

and therefore has no double bonds<br />

in the polymer. Its resistance to caus-<br />

• Gases according to DVGW worksheet<br />

G 260 (max. hydrogen content<br />

10%)<br />

• DIN-DVGW certification of the sealing<br />

material according to DIN <strong>EN</strong><br />

549 and/or DIN <strong>EN</strong> 682<br />

• Typical operating temperature<br />

ranges:<br />

• DIN <strong>EN</strong> 549: -20°C to +80°C (class<br />

B2)<br />

• DIN <strong>EN</strong> 682: -15°C to +50°C (type<br />

GBL)<br />

• Typical pressure ranges:<br />

• Up to 5 bar (DIN <strong>EN</strong> 549)<br />

• Up to 100 bar (DIN <strong>EN</strong> 682)<br />

A comprehensive survey of the application<br />

process is essential for the<br />

selection of materials.<br />

Fig 3: Permeation test evaluation <strong>–</strong> “Vi 840” as high-quality FKM comparison material<br />

18 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Energy carrier hydrogen<br />

Material selection<br />

281 Ncm 3 mm m -2 day -1 bar -1 on average.<br />

Its H 2 impermeability is therefore<br />

considerably better compared<br />

to what is normally expected for FKM<br />

compounds. A high chemical resistance<br />

and a broad operating temperature<br />

range from -10 to +200°C complete<br />

the material profile. The newly<br />

developed EPDM AP 208 also passed<br />

the H 2 permeation test with very convincing<br />

values for an EPDM material<br />

(hydrogen permeation coefficient:<br />

1317 Ncm 3 mm m -2 day -1 bar -1 ). With a<br />

compression set of


Energy efficiency<br />

Heat recovery<br />

From machine to system solution<br />

Double-stage compressed air packages with<br />

heat recovery<br />

Lothar Stoll<br />

Energy balance of a typical dry running<br />

single-stage screw compressor<br />

Thanks to open system integration,<br />

modular basic components as well<br />

as variable mechanical and electronic<br />

interfaces, the oil-free doublestage<br />

AERZ<strong>EN</strong> screw compressors<br />

of the 2C series offer the highest<br />

functional adaptability for different<br />

drive and control concepts. In combination<br />

with customised systems<br />

for heat recovery, the individually<br />

designed compressed air packages<br />

become real energy savers and are<br />

part of a system solution.<br />

A large amount of heat energy<br />

is generated during the production<br />

of compressed air. If this process<br />

heat is recovered by means of<br />

heat recovery for further operating<br />

processes such as water heating,<br />

drying processes or preheating of<br />

burner air, considerable energy savings,<br />

emission and cost reductions<br />

can be achieved. With high-performance<br />

compressor technology and<br />

customised heat recovery systems,<br />

AERZ<strong>EN</strong> offers just the right answer.<br />

The result: maximum resource efficiency<br />

and cost-effectiveness. One<br />

example are the 2C series doublestage<br />

screw compressors with heat<br />

recovery from the RKR Gebläse<br />

und Verdichter GmbH, a 100 %<br />

subsidiary of AERZ<strong>EN</strong> and the specialist<br />

for double-stage compressor<br />

solutions within AERZ<strong>EN</strong> Group.<br />

These double-stage compressor<br />

solutions are turned into an innovative<br />

system solution of the customer<br />

application by the AERZ<strong>EN</strong> customer<br />

20 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Energy efficiency<br />

Heat recovery<br />

Fig. 1: The traditional machine perspective focuses "only" on the inlet and outlet conditions <br />

(All images: AERZ<strong>EN</strong>)<br />

consulting and engineering competence<br />

of RKR.<br />

One application in practice<br />

First of all, everything revolves around<br />

the application and use case, in this<br />

example the use of dry compressed<br />

air in the quenching and tempering<br />

process of steel production. A clear<br />

understanding of the application and<br />

the conditions of use, especially the<br />

different environmental conditions<br />

and operating points in the operating/annual<br />

cycle, is crucial. This shows<br />

that in addition to the machine-specific<br />

operating situation, such as full<br />

and partial load, the system existing<br />

outside of the compressor technology,<br />

for example a seasonal connection<br />

of refrigeration dryers or absorption<br />

dryers, must also be considered<br />

in a superordinate manner.<br />

From compressor to<br />

system solution<br />

While the traditional machine perspective<br />

focuses “only” on inlet and<br />

outlet conditions, understanding the<br />

application is a MUST for the system<br />

solution.<br />

Only a few key data apply to the<br />

machine as a black box, as the diagramme<br />

shows.<br />

In the system, on the other hand,<br />

other perspectives and requirements<br />

are coming along - namely the<br />

customer’s overall process and, in<br />

doing so, the aim of using the thermal<br />

energy contained in the compressed<br />

gas as a source for heating<br />

process water. So, it is no longer<br />

exclusively about a gas at the transfer<br />

point of the machine (see diagramme<br />

machine perspective), but<br />

rather about the question of how the<br />

greatest possible thermal energy can<br />

be supplied to an overall system, i. e.<br />

a process.<br />

An artifice for innovation<br />

A large part of the electrical drive<br />

energy in air-cooled or water-cooled<br />

oil-free compressors is bound in the<br />

gas flow as heat. Now the trick: the<br />

temperature increase of up to 200 K<br />

resulting from the multi-stage compression<br />

of the gas is used to bring<br />

a water-cooling circuit to the highest<br />

possible temperature level, while at<br />

the same time ensuring that the gas<br />

is kept at a maximum outlet temperature<br />

of 40 °C for the customer<br />

process. This provides further added<br />

value, as the gas is also made available<br />

to the downstream dryer at<br />

an optimum inlet temperature for<br />

drying.<br />

http://hydrogen.jumo.info<br />

You‘re on the safe side with JUMO<br />

JUMO offers sensor and automation solutions for such devices as electrolyzers, fuel cells, storage tanks, and synthesis plants. In doing so we support the<br />

production of green hydrogen and its use in the various application areas. As a result, we move the energy transition forward and develop solutions for the<br />

future.


Energy efficiency<br />

Heat recovery<br />

Fig. 2: A functional interconnection and control of several water coolers integrated<br />

in the system technology creates undreamt-of potential for the utilisation of the heat<br />

bound in the gas<br />

This can be done in different ways<br />

inside and outside the machine technology.<br />

However, the aim is to create<br />

an optimum of functional integration,<br />

cost-effectiveness and efficiency. This<br />

is where the engineering expertise<br />

and innovative creativity of RKR’s system<br />

solution come into effect. Functional<br />

interconnection and control<br />

of several water coolers integrated<br />

in the system technology creates<br />

undreamt-of potential for utilising<br />

the heat bound in the gas.<br />

Making sensible use of<br />

thermal energy<br />

As a result of the innovative interconnected<br />

system technology, it was<br />

possible to feed a heat output of<br />

1,200 kW (1.2 megawatts!) into the<br />

customer’s process after one hour,<br />

even with two machines operating at<br />

partial load. This meant that a large<br />

part of the electrical drive energy,<br />

which was converted into heat du ring<br />

compressed air generation, could<br />

be used for temperature control in<br />

the production process without having<br />

to resort to previously additional<br />

energy sources. This enables significant<br />

energy savings, improved economic<br />

efficiency, increased energy<br />

Fig. 3: Master-slave<br />

configuration using<br />

the example of a compressed<br />

air system with<br />

connected dryers<br />

22 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Energy efficiency<br />

Heat recovery<br />

Fig. 4: Machine control and HMI expand the system perspective<br />

efficiency of the overall system and,<br />

thus, an important contribution to<br />

the climate and the CO 2 footprint.<br />

Maximum plant performance<br />

thanks to customised compressed<br />

air solutions<br />

The air- or water-cooled compressors<br />

supply oil-free and absorption-free<br />

compressed air in the pressure<br />

range from 4 to 11.5 bar (g) and<br />

are designed for volume flows from<br />

166 m³/h to 9,300 m³/h. The modular<br />

concept guarantees a high degree<br />

of functional adaptability for different<br />

drive and control concepts and<br />

ensures the greatest flexibility in<br />

adapting to the application-specific<br />

requirements and customer-specific<br />

process conditions, as shown in the<br />

application described above. In addition<br />

to functionally tailored solutions,<br />

customised versions for particularly<br />

sound-reduced applications, outdoor<br />

installations or heavy-duty container<br />

configurations are also used.<br />

Scaling up to the automation level<br />

Also called: the individual solution is<br />

perfectly tailored to the application -<br />

whether as a stand-alone solution or<br />

in a machine and system network, see<br />

application example of a compressed<br />

air system with connected dryers in a<br />

so-called master-slave configuration.<br />

This tailored master-slave control in<br />

the system network makes it possible<br />

to operate several compressors<br />

and dryers in a coordinated manner<br />

in one system. Here, there is a master<br />

compressor that has control over the<br />

control unit and adjusts the output of<br />

the slave compressors according to<br />

the requirements of the system. The<br />

control unit monitors the operating<br />

parameters of the compressors, such<br />

as pressure and flow, and controls<br />

them so that they operate efficiently<br />

and reliably. An additional redundant<br />

control system provides an additional<br />

level of protection against failures in<br />

the control system. The combination<br />

of a master-slave control with a<br />

redundant control further increases<br />

the reliability of the system solution,<br />

as a failure of one control unit does<br />

not lead to a failure of the entire<br />

system.<br />

In this specific application, communication<br />

takes place between the<br />

compressors, the respective variable-speed<br />

drives via medium-voltage<br />

frequency inverters, the dryers and<br />

the DCS (Distributed Control System)<br />

via PROFINET. PROFINET as a proven<br />

industrial communication protocol<br />

enables fast and reliable communication<br />

between the various components<br />

of the entire system.<br />

With increasing automation and a<br />

more specific collection of operating<br />

data/conditions, further perspectives<br />

for system monitoring and optimisation<br />

arise: scalable system mo-<br />

dules with interfaces for remote and/<br />

or local operation and system analysis<br />

as well as service logs are available<br />

and can be combined with supplementary<br />

services as required.<br />

Customised system solutions<br />

with added value in the customer<br />

application<br />

With the combination of a machine<br />

and system perspective, creative,<br />

competent engineering and a proven<br />

modular scalable construction kit,<br />

RKR, as a specialist for double-stage<br />

compressor solutions within AERZ<strong>EN</strong><br />

Group, offers tailored system solutions<br />

with added value in the customer<br />

application. The competent<br />

team supports users in exploiting<br />

their previously unused potential.<br />

The Author:<br />

Lothar Stoll, Managing Director<br />

RKR Gebläse und Verdichter GmbH<br />

www.rkr.de, www.aerzen.com<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

<strong>23</strong>


From the research<br />

Heat pumps<br />

Listening closely<br />

Heat pumps in auditory experiments<br />

Hans-Jörg Risse<br />

The noise emissions of air/water<br />

heat pumps are crucial for their possible<br />

applications and acceptance<br />

by customers. It is therefore not<br />

only their sound power level, but<br />

also the subjective perception of<br />

noise that is important.<br />

Heat pumps are becoming more and<br />

more popular and about three out of<br />

four of the devices sold are air/water<br />

heat pumps. Under the German<br />

“climate package” launched in early<br />

2020, the German government bears<br />

a high proportion of the investment<br />

costs for the installation of these heat<br />

generators in new or modernised<br />

existing buildings.<br />

Apart from the financial aspect,<br />

the sound of an air/water heat<br />

pump compared to a brine/water<br />

heat pump is of key importance to<br />

customers. This is because especially<br />

in new development areas where<br />

these heat generators are particularly<br />

in demand, the plots of land and,<br />

consequently the distances between<br />

the individual houses are becoming<br />

smaller and smaller. The issue of<br />

noise pollution is therefore gaining<br />

importance. According to a survey<br />

conducted by the German Environment<br />

Agency, 60 percent of the people<br />

interviewed feel disturbed by the<br />

noises of the neighbourhood. Only<br />

road traffic is perceived as even more<br />

disturbing. To ensure that the environmentally<br />

friendly heating solution<br />

does not cause any neighbourhood<br />

disputes or other complaints, Buderus<br />

listens carefully to the sounds generated<br />

by its products and has even<br />

tested what cannot be heard.<br />

Sound as an auditory event<br />

The measurable sound pressure level<br />

is given in decibels. It occurs when a<br />

noise source causes the air to vibrate<br />

and thus changes the air pressure at<br />

a certain distance. The greater the<br />

change in air pressure, the higher<br />

the sound pressure level. Zero decibel<br />

corresponds approximately to the<br />

threshold of human hearing.<br />

The crucial factor for customers,<br />

however, is not only the sound<br />

pressure level, but rather how the<br />

sounds of the heat pump are perceived,<br />

as this is what their acceptance<br />

depends on. The keyword here<br />

is psychoacoustics. This scientific<br />

Relationship between perceived loudness<br />

(sone) and sound level (phon)<br />

S (sone)<br />

discipline refers to sound as an auditory<br />

event and studies the relationship<br />

between physical sound stimulus<br />

and the resulting auditory perception<br />

in humans. The reason for studying<br />

this is that typical physical measurements<br />

do not always accurately represent<br />

the auditory perception <strong>–</strong> the<br />

sound level does not always correspond<br />

to the perceived loudness. The<br />

latter depends on the sound pressure<br />

level, but also on the frequency, bandwidth<br />

and duration of the signals and<br />

is given in sone. 1 sone is equivalent<br />

L s<br />

(phon)<br />

Source: Fig. 1: Psychoacoustics Dickreiter, Handbuch studies the der relationship Tonstudiotechnik, between the volume physical 1, measurement p.113 of<br />

sound and its subjective perception, which is indicated as the perceived loudness.<br />

<br />

(All photos: Buderus)<br />

Source: Dickreiter. Handbuch der Tontechnik, Band 1, S. 113<br />

24 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


From the research<br />

Heat pumps<br />

Fig. 2: The Fraunhofer IBP studies the perception of a heat pump sound.<br />

to 40 phons, i. e. 40 dB at 1 kHz. From having to conduct further series of<br />

40 phons, the loudness doubles for tests with future heat pumps.<br />

each 10 dB increase. Below 40 phons, To ensure that all test persons<br />

even smaller changes in the sound were able to assess the sounds<br />

level result in a doubling of the perceived<br />

loudness.<br />

the team recorded the sounds of<br />

under exactly the same conditions,<br />

The perceived loudness has an the heat pumps in advance. The<br />

enormous effect on people’s well-being.<br />

If a sound is perceived as disting<br />

heating output of 6.41 kW and a<br />

Logatherm WpLS13.2 has a modulaturbing,<br />

the brain releases stress COP of 4.87 (at A7/W35). The competing<br />

device has a modulating heating<br />

hormones and the body goes on alert <strong>–</strong><br />

even during sleep. If this noise-induced<br />

alert persists, it is harmful to<br />

health.<br />

output of 5.63 kW and a COP of 4.87<br />

(at A7/W35).<br />

First, the devices ran in different<br />

modes such as “Fan Only”, “Night<br />

Mode” or “Max Speed”. Second, they<br />

were tested in the field with realistic<br />

ambient noises and in a semi-anechoic<br />

chamber (non-absorbing floor,<br />

walls and ceiling covered in sound-absorbing<br />

material) at the Fraunhofer<br />

IBP. One of the reasons for taking<br />

measurements in different rooms is<br />

that in reality there are background<br />

noises such as traffic; a second reason<br />

is the fact that the sound power<br />

is distributed over a larger area as the<br />

distance increases, with the sound<br />

pressure level decreasing as a result.<br />

Sound propagation is moreover influenced<br />

by massive obstacles such as<br />

buildings and walls, reflections from<br />

non-absorbing surfaces such as plastered<br />

and glass facades of buildings<br />

or floors with asphalt and stone surfaces<br />

or sound-absorbing surfaces<br />

such as freshly fallen snow or bark<br />

mulch.<br />

To record the sound under real<br />

conditions, the team used artificial<br />

heads with auricles and torso.<br />

These reflect the sound of the heat<br />

pumps in the same way as humans<br />

and later in the auditory experiment<br />

allow an aurally correct presentation<br />

Auditory experiment to assess<br />

the perception of the sound of a<br />

product<br />

In auditory experiments, researchers<br />

of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building<br />

Physics IBP (Fraunhofer IBP) in<br />

Stuttgart Vaihingen determine how<br />

physical and psychoacoustic parameters<br />

affect the acceptance and annoyance<br />

of the sounds caused by heat<br />

pumps. Two heat pumps, inclu ding<br />

the Logatherm WPLS.2 split heat<br />

pump from Buderus, were the subject<br />

of such a study. Some 60 test persons<br />

aged 18 to 60 assessed various<br />

sounds of the heat pumps. The aim of<br />

the experiment was to make reliable<br />

predictions about how disturbing or<br />

annoying people perceive the sound<br />

emissions of the devices without<br />

Fig. 3: The team used artificial heads to record the sound under real conditions.<br />

Here, measurements are taken in the semi-anechoic chamber of the Fraunhofer IBP.<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

25


From the research<br />

Heat pumps<br />

Fig. 4: The artificial heads are placed at a distance of one metre from the heat pump.<br />

Sound engineer Benjamin Müller and psychologist Lisa-Marie Wadle measuring the distance.<br />

of the sound recordings. The distance<br />

between the artificial head and the<br />

heat pump was one metre. This way,<br />

the team was able to record many different<br />

sounds.<br />

The test persons then assessed<br />

the recorded sounds in the High-Performance<br />

Indoor Environment Lab<br />

(HiPIE Lab) of the Fraunhofer IBP.<br />

Exactly the same conditions in terms<br />

of acoustics, lighting, indoor climate<br />

and air quality prevail there at all<br />

times. The test persons listened to 44<br />

sounds one after the other and classified<br />

them in a first step on a scale<br />

of one to ten by answering the questions<br />

“How annoying is the sound?”,<br />

“How loud is the sound?” and “How<br />

well can the sound be ignored?” In a<br />

second step, the test persons heard<br />

two different sounds and put them<br />

in relation to each other. Sound A>B<br />

(A is more annoying than B), A=B or A


From the research<br />

Heat pumps<br />

Fig. 6: The results of the auditory experiments help develop low noise heat pumps such as the Logatherm<br />

WLW196i with SIL<strong>EN</strong>T Plus technology.<br />

of the heat pump also influences the<br />

perceived loudness.<br />

For example, people assess the<br />

sound of a heat pump as louder<br />

when they see the fan and quieter<br />

when the fan is concealed behind a<br />

cover. Buderus has therefore revised<br />

the outdoor unit of the WLW196i..AR<br />

S+ and fitted it with a diffuser. The<br />

new geometry of the fan moreover<br />

contributes to the fact that the sound<br />

does not propagate directly forwards,<br />

but along the diffuser outlet, which<br />

attenuates it.<br />

Conclusion<br />

In addition to optimising the technical<br />

parameters to increase the efficiency<br />

of heat pumps as an environmentally<br />

friendly alternative to conventional<br />

methods of heat generation,<br />

their noise emissions are a key issue.<br />

In view of the increasing use of heat<br />

pumps, especially in confined spaces,<br />

and the growing sound and noise<br />

pollution caused by multiple noise<br />

sources, psychoacoustic studies are<br />

becoming more and more relevant.<br />

Otherwise, there is a risk of paying for<br />

positive environmental effects such<br />

as energy savings with noise pollution.<br />

Buderus is not only continuously<br />

further developing its products in<br />

terms of actual sound level, but also<br />

takes the results of psychoacoustic<br />

studies into account. In cooperation<br />

with the Fraunhofer IBP, Buderus<br />

therefore conducted auditory experiments<br />

to develop a forecast formula<br />

for the perceived annoyance of heat<br />

pump sounds. Buderus thus reduces<br />

the expected annoyance so as to<br />

further increase the acceptance and<br />

use of heat pumps as a sustainable<br />

form of heat generation.<br />

The Author:<br />

Hans-Jörg Risse, Product Manager<br />

Sales Technical Support Heat and<br />

Cold Generators<br />

Buderus Germany<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

27


Efficient manufacturing<br />

Special mechanical engineering<br />

Thinking big, without compromising on precision<br />

Ing. Martin Gold<br />

Miba Automation Systems occupies<br />

a special place within the Miba<br />

group of companies: The business<br />

is dedicated to special-purpose<br />

machine construction. Based<br />

in Upper Austria, Miba Automation<br />

Systems is a global player, in particular<br />

in the field of sustainable wind<br />

energy. For preparing the welding<br />

seams of offshore wind tower foundations,<br />

Miba Automation Systems<br />

relies on Boehlerit technology, with<br />

milling tools that guarantee maximum<br />

precision and tool life as well<br />

as top-level performance.<br />

The roots of Miba Automation Systems<br />

go back to 1927 and the company<br />

first branched out into machine<br />

construction in the 1950s. At first,<br />

machines were built for in-house<br />

applications, in particular the manufacturing<br />

of slide bearings. In the<br />

1980s, this field began to generate<br />

global interest, and the Upper<br />

Austrian business established itself<br />

as world market leader for machines<br />

in this segment. But that is just one<br />

aspect of its colourful history: Today,<br />

70 employees at the Aurachkirchen<br />

site manufacture special-purpose<br />

CNC machines for a wide range<br />

of industrial applications. Among<br />

the highlights are machines for e-<br />

mobili ty, used all over the world to<br />

produce stators for electric cars.<br />

Managing Director Ing. Klaus Weberndorfer,<br />

MBA: “Our core competence is<br />

the mobile and stationary machining<br />

of large workpieces.” Today, mobile<br />

and stationary machine tools by Miba<br />

Automation Systems are used primarily<br />

in the wind energy sector, in particular<br />

the manufacturing of offshore<br />

wind tower foundations. These foundations<br />

are fully immersed in water<br />

and consist of steel-tubular posts<br />

with diameters of up to 14 metres.<br />

To withstand the immense loads, the<br />

posts have to be rammed into the<br />

seabed to a depth of 50 metres and<br />

more. Due to their enormous dimensions,<br />

the posts consist of individual<br />

steel rings, which means that essential<br />

steps in the construction process<br />

must be completed on site, for<br />

instance the preparation of the welding<br />

seams and the welding process<br />

itself. “We have to take the machine to<br />

the component”, is how the Managing<br />

Director Miba Automation Systems<br />

sums it up. The same applies to the<br />

production of steam turbines for<br />

thermal power plants and the turbine<br />

casings used in hydropower plants,<br />

where components are also too large<br />

to be transported.<br />

Perfect preparation of the<br />

welding seam<br />

The solution for milling the huge<br />

wind tower foundations lies in using<br />

mobile machines for circumferential<br />

seams, and stationary machines<br />

28 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Efficient manufacturing<br />

Special mechanical engineering<br />

for longitudinal seams. If you think<br />

that, with these sorts of dimensions,<br />

precision is probably not such a big<br />

deal, you’re wrong! “Our customers<br />

set great store by the flawless preparation<br />

of welding seams”, the Managing<br />

Director explains. The individual<br />

tubular segments must be welded<br />

both longitudinally and circumferentially<br />

- a challenge, not least due to<br />

wall thicknesses of up to 150 mm.<br />

The Upper Austrian business has<br />

turned this niche into a success story.<br />

With its special machines for the milling<br />

of longitudinal and circumferential<br />

seams, Miba Automation Systems<br />

has established itself as market<br />

leader in recent years. The mobile<br />

machines are designed in such a way<br />

that they may be moved along the<br />

components by a forklift or on rails.<br />

Where the tubular segments meet, a<br />

tulip-shaped structure is milled into<br />

the future welding seam, which provides<br />

the seams with optimal stability<br />

despite the enormous loads they<br />

will be exposed to. At the same time,<br />

material usage during welding is minimised<br />

and the process is speeded<br />

up. The Managing Director: “Usage<br />

of the welding material is a major<br />

cost driver, and we are able to offer<br />

our customers a highly economical<br />

solution.”<br />

cost-effectiveness. Boehlerit offers<br />

distinct advantages in this context.<br />

The indexable inserts are specially<br />

designed for the required geometries<br />

and offer maximum performance<br />

and tool life, even with materials that<br />

are difficult to machine. In addition,<br />

high speeds are possible, an important<br />

factor for the customers of Miba<br />

Automation Systems. After all, even<br />

slight accelerations have a massive<br />

influence on the duration of the overall<br />

process, given the huge machining<br />

lengths. Boehlerit ticks all these<br />

boxes!<br />

The perfect system<br />

In addition, Boehlerit offers its customers<br />

practical support with applications,<br />

which doesn’t end with cutting<br />

depths or speeds. Miba Automation<br />

Systems also benefits from this. At the<br />

moment, the company is for instance<br />

experimenting with milling tools for<br />

duplex steels, explains the Managing<br />

Director. And there is another aspect<br />

that he insists on mentioning: “Ever<br />

since we started fitting our machines<br />

with Boehlerit milling tools, there<br />

hasn’t been a single complaint.” Not<br />

surprising, considering the expertise<br />

that Boehlerit brings to the table. To<br />

put it differently: Boehlerit is not content<br />

with standard solutions: This Kapfenberg-based<br />

business always strives<br />

for solutions that offer added value.<br />

Boehlerit certainly has the tools for an<br />

exciting future.<br />

The Author:<br />

Ing. Martin Gold, Vienna-based<br />

journalist, author and photographer<br />

High performance, long tool life<br />

The right milling tool is an essential<br />

element in this solution. Miba<br />

Automation Systems relies on the<br />

milling technology developed by<br />

Boehlerit, cutting and material specialist<br />

from Kapfenberg, Styria, and<br />

delivers its machines to customers<br />

all over the world with special Boehlerit<br />

milling tools. This is also due to<br />

the tool life of the milling tools, which<br />

frequently have to handle diameters<br />

from 950 to 1,100 mm. Remember:<br />

The diameter of these tubes is up to<br />

14 m, with a material thickness of up to<br />

150 mm. For the optimal preparation<br />

of the welding seam, it must be milled<br />

in several stages, down to a depth of<br />

up to two thirds of the material thickness.<br />

The lengths to be machined are<br />

therefore enormous - but constantly<br />

changing the tools would impact<br />

productivity, and ultimately also<br />

Fig. 1: High-precision welding seams made with maximum performance: Boehlerit milling<br />

tools are used to prepare welding seams on mobile and stationary machines by Miba Automation<br />

Systems. <br />

(Pictures: www.martingold.at)<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

29


Decarbonisation<br />

Supply traffic<br />

Defossilization of road-based<br />

freight transport through electrified<br />

semitrailer systems<br />

Electrified semitrailer system “evTrailer”<br />

According to the regulations of the<br />

European Commission and the European<br />

Parliament, vehicle manufacturers<br />

should reduce greenhouse<br />

gas (GHG) emissions from newly<br />

registered trucks by up to 15 % by<br />

2025 and up to 30 % by 2030 compared<br />

to 2019 emission levels. To<br />

reach independence from fossil<br />

fuels, approaches which are equally<br />

economical and sustainable for<br />

the powertrain of heavy commercial<br />

vehicles are to be adopted. In<br />

addition to the electrification of the<br />

tractor unit, the cooperative drive<br />

support by the trailer represents a<br />

promising solution to further reduce<br />

GHG emissions. The assistance for<br />

the tractor using the auxiliary drive<br />

of the trailer with integrated use of<br />

brake energy recuperation holds<br />

enormous potential, especially in<br />

the reduction of fuel consumption<br />

and CO 2 emissions. The approach of<br />

such a new vehicle class of tractioncapable<br />

trailers and semitrailers Climate Action (BMWK), partners from<br />

Ministry for Economic Affairs and<br />

allows for an economical implementation<br />

of the sustainability goals for tium) are working on the implemen-<br />

industry and research (see consor-<br />

road freight transport.<br />

tation and approval of a 3-axle trailer<br />

with electric traction for cooperative<br />

Electrified semitrailer system<br />

drive support of conventional tractor<br />

“evTrailer”<br />

units. The three main objectives of<br />

the first project phase of “evTrailer”<br />

In “evTrailer”, a joint research project<br />

funded by the German Federal consumption of the tractor unit by at<br />

(2016-2018) were to reduce the fuel<br />

Fig. 1: Concept of the “evTrailer” implemented in the first project phase<br />

30 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Decarbonisation<br />

Supply traffic<br />

Fig. 2: Testing of self-sufficient shunting operation with passive steering wheels with overtravel on the existing supports<br />

least 20 %, to operate the “evTrailer”<br />

autonomously on any commercially<br />

available tractor unit, and to<br />

maneuver autonomously. The first<br />

project phase showed that a battery<br />

capacity of more than 50 kWh, an<br />

electric drive power of at least 150 kW<br />

and the possibility of an external electric<br />

recharging system for the battery<br />

pack (plug-in variant) are required<br />

to achieve the emission targets (see<br />

Fig. 1). The traction assistance from<br />

the trailer is controlled using a sensory<br />

kingpin. This control approach<br />

helps prevent risky driving behavior<br />

for the overall vehicle, for instance,<br />

when the trailer pushes the tractor<br />

unit. To realize this control, the kingpin<br />

is retrofitted with sensory surfaces<br />

in a highly integrative approach.<br />

However, the resulting change<br />

in the kingpin component design<br />

requires a separate component<br />

approval process. Therefore, the<br />

measurement of the forces from<br />

the kingpin should be realized via<br />

methods which do not alter the existing<br />

kingpin, such as using sensory<br />

washers. In addition, the “evTrailer”<br />

offers further interesting possibilities<br />

like dynamic vehicle stabilization<br />

and traction support. The<br />

notable feature of the trailer is to drive<br />

autonomously on electric energy,<br />

which enables it to be used with any<br />

tractor unit. For autonomous maneuvering,<br />

a wheel-selective drive for<br />

autonomous cornering is required<br />

(see Fig. 2).<br />

The 2 nd phase of the joint research<br />

project “evTrailer2” started in 2022.<br />

This time, the main goal is to significantly<br />

increase the efficiency of the<br />

trailer. The project aims to achieve<br />

the prescribed GHG reduction targets<br />

for 2030 with the improved<br />

semitrailer system. To this end, the<br />

electric drive cooperation system is<br />

to be improved in terms of energy<br />

efficiency and vehicle safety, and<br />

the vehicle energy system is to be<br />

extended to include components and<br />

Fig. 3: Dolly for autonomous<br />

maneuvering<br />

technologies for integrating photovoltaics<br />

(PV) and fast-charging capability.<br />

The GHG reductions expected<br />

to be achievable with “evTrailer2”<br />

would allow for an economical implementation<br />

of the sustainability goals<br />

for road freight transport.<br />

Technological highlights of the new<br />

“evTrailer2”<br />

Maneuvering capability<br />

In the first phase of the project, steering<br />

wheels on the existing supports<br />

were used to test the basic maneuvering<br />

of the trailer without a tractor<br />

unit or load in depot environment.<br />

In the second phase of the project,<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

31


Decarbonisation<br />

Supply traffic<br />

Fig. 4: Gearbox with dog clutch for wheel-selective drive<br />

Hüffermann is developing a lightweight,<br />

steerable nose wheel (dolly)<br />

with a load capacity of at least<br />

15 tons and a permit for speeds of<br />

up to 80 km/h (see Fig. 3) for autonomous<br />

maneuvering at full load.<br />

The dolly is connected to the trailer<br />

control unit by an automatic coupling<br />

system enabling it to steer. The dolly's<br />

drawbar will be extendable to allow<br />

for transport and staging to a trailer.<br />

When the drawbar is retracted, the<br />

dolly is in the vehicle contour from<br />

the trailer. A quick coupling system to<br />

the trailer is also provided.<br />

Powertrain<br />

In “evTrailer2”, the project focuses on<br />

increasing powertrain efficiency. To<br />

this end, the driveline is being revised<br />

and equipped with a permanently<br />

magnetized synchronous motor, a<br />

multi-gear transmission and a hybrid<br />

battery storage system.<br />

The synchronous motor from<br />

Oswald does not require any magnetizing<br />

current, the rotor, therefore,<br />

remains almost loss-free and at the<br />

same time has a higher power density<br />

with the same efficiency. This<br />

makes the synchronous motor more<br />

resource-efficient, as less material is<br />

required. To utilize the advantages<br />

of the synchronous motor, it is combined<br />

with a multi-speed gearbox<br />

with a claw dog clutch.<br />

At the Institute for Mechatronic<br />

Systems (IMS) at Technische Universität<br />

Darmstadt, the multi-speed<br />

transmission with dog clutch (see<br />

Fig. 4), and a new type of transmission<br />

control unit are being developed.<br />

This solves the design conflict<br />

between starting torque and<br />

top speed. The first gear can generate<br />

high wheel torque and, consequently,<br />

high yaw moment due to a<br />

high gear ratio and low speeds. This<br />

significantly improves the maneuvering<br />

behavior. The second gear, on the<br />

other hand, has a long gear ratio and<br />

is used for higher speeds, especially<br />

on the highway. The gear is optimized<br />

to achieve the highest possible overall<br />

efficiency in operation. In addition,<br />

there is the option of neutral<br />

gear to reduce idling losses. A simulation<br />

with the representative “VECTO<br />

Delivery Cycle” shows that the<br />

evTrailer2 hybrid concept can save<br />

up to ten per cent of fuel compared<br />

to conventional operation.<br />

To quickly store large quantities<br />

of electricity from fast-charging stations<br />

and overhead lines, as well as<br />

the varying amounts of current from<br />

recuperation and photovoltaic cells<br />

without any disadvantages to safety<br />

and service life of the battery cells,<br />

a traction battery with a hybrid system<br />

architecture is being developed<br />

at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural<br />

Durability and System Reliability<br />

LBF. It consists of high-energy and<br />

high-power cells. This energy storage<br />

system can be operated in such a way<br />

that the high-energy cells are always<br />

used within their operating specification<br />

and buffered by the high-power<br />

cells as needed - especially when<br />

charging the energy storage system<br />

with high currents. The high charging<br />

currents only arrive with a time delay<br />

at the energy cells, which are limited<br />

in their capability.<br />

Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics<br />

To generate electrical energy from<br />

solar power, Sono Motors is developing<br />

vehicle-integrated photovoltaic<br />

modules to be installed on the roof<br />

and side walls of the trailer, and a<br />

power control unit (Maximum Power<br />

Point Tracker Central Unit - MCU) for<br />

PV power generation. Power generation<br />

at the Munich site is expected to<br />

be around 40 kWh/day (up to 80 kWh<br />

on sunny days) with an installed<br />

capacity of around 15 kWp. This<br />

32 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Decarbonisation<br />

Supply traffic<br />

should enable a reduction in battery<br />

size by around 10% in the adjacent<br />

sub-areas and an increase in range,<br />

which depends on the overall energy<br />

consumption of the vehicle.<br />

Cloud-based energy management<br />

For effective and efficient cooperative<br />

traction assistance with high<br />

fuel savings, the Institute of Internal<br />

Combustion Engines and Powertrain<br />

Systems (VKM) at Technische Universität<br />

Darmstadt is developing a predictive<br />

energy management system<br />

to make the best possible use of the<br />

electrical energy available. To determine<br />

the required energy, a simplified<br />

longitudinal dynamics model of<br />

the trailer tractor is used to calculate<br />

the necessary drive power as a function<br />

of the driving distance based<br />

on the elevation profile and the<br />

speed limit. At the same time, charging<br />

points and recuperation energy<br />

are considered. To maintain a driving<br />

time like a conventional trailer,<br />

the charging time, and the selection<br />

of the charging points to be chosen<br />

are based on the legally prescribed<br />

driving breaks for drivers. The route<br />

planning is continuously updated and<br />

adapted via cloud integration.<br />

Trailer Control Unit TCU<br />

The electronic interconnection of<br />

the electrification components takes<br />

place in a central control unit, the<br />

Trailer Control Unit, considering<br />

the requirements of the ISO 26262<br />

standard for functional safety. Looking<br />

at electric powertrains and their<br />

requirements for highly automated<br />

driving, compliance with functional<br />

safety requirements will become<br />

increasingly important and soon<br />

mandatory. The corresponding software<br />

development with continuous<br />

update capability is realized by<br />

CuroCon.<br />

Comparison of existing trailer<br />

systems<br />

The concept of an electrified trailer<br />

for cooperative drive support is also<br />

the topic of a few other development<br />

projects and has already been<br />

implemented in functioning systems<br />

with different focuses (see Fig. 5). If<br />

the focus is put on the reduction of<br />

fuel consumption of a conventional<br />

tractor, this is only possible with a<br />

rechargeable (plug-in) battery of sufficient<br />

size and sufficient drive power.<br />

The “evTrailer” project, the Krone<br />

“eTrailer” and the “e.home coco” from<br />

Dethleffs seem to fulfil this goal. The<br />

“e.home” project however is a caravan<br />

trailer for passenger cars.<br />

Link to the project homepage:<br />

www.evtrailer.de<br />

Companies and institutes in the<br />

“evTrailer” consortium:<br />

- CuroCon GmbH<br />

- Fraunhofer Institute for<br />

Structural Durability and<br />

System Reliability LBF<br />

- Hüffermann Transportsysteme<br />

GmbH<br />

- Institute for Mechatronic Systems<br />

in Mechanical Engineering (IMS) at<br />

Technische Universität Darmstadt<br />

- Institute for Internal Combustion<br />

Engines and Powertrain Systems<br />

(VKM) at Technische Universität<br />

Darmstadt<br />

- OSWALD Elektromotoren GmbH<br />

- Wilhelm Schwarzmüller GmbH<br />

- SONO MOTORS GmbH<br />

Fig. 5: Comparison of existing trailer systems with traction assistance<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

33


Decarbonisation<br />

Operating power<br />

Decarbonizing heavy-duty and commercial<br />

transport safely, reliably and efficiently<br />

Akilah Doyle<br />

The safety, reliability and efficiency of fuel cell systems used in buses and trucks depend on the use of components that can effectively control<br />

hydrogen fuel. <br />

(All images courtesy of Emerson)<br />

People and organizations across<br />

Europe rely on heavy-duty vehicles<br />

and buses for transportation and<br />

the movement of goods. However,<br />

these valuable modes of transport<br />

are also responsible for 27% of total<br />

EU road transport carbon dioxide<br />

emissions at a time when the EU has<br />

committed to reducing transport<br />

emissions by at least 60% by 2050<br />

compared to 1990 levels. 1<br />

In response, governing bodies have<br />

proposed and passed strict legislation<br />

intended to lower emissions<br />

from the highest emitting vehicles.<br />

For example, EU carbon dioxide (CO 2 )<br />

emission standards stipulate a 15%<br />

reduction in annual fleet-wide average<br />

emissions for newly registered<br />

trucks from 2025 onward and 30%<br />

from 2030 onward, and a pending<br />

review by the European Commission<br />

may extend the standards to all<br />

heavy-duty vehicles. The Commission<br />

has also recently proposed new Euro<br />

7 standards to reduce emissions for<br />

all motor vehicles, which are anticipated<br />

to go into effect for trucks and<br />

buses in 2027. And some cities, like<br />

Amsterdam, are banning internal<br />

combustion engines completely.<br />

With such existing and pending<br />

legislation, fleets of low- and<br />

zero-emissions heavy-duty vehicles<br />

(ZE-HDVs) and buses are more<br />

attractive and valuable than ever,<br />

and vehicles powered by hydrogen<br />

fuel cells are proving to be one of<br />

the most effective, especially for<br />

long-haul trucking. Compared to<br />

battery electric vehicles, hydrogen<br />

fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)<br />

can refuel faster, offer longer road<br />

times and feature lighter-weight,<br />

compact technology that leaves<br />

more capacity for cargo. These factors<br />

are critical for companies to<br />

34 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Decarbonisation<br />

Operating power<br />

maximize uptime, productivity and<br />

total cost of ownership.<br />

As demand for fleets of hydrogen-powered<br />

trucks and buses grows,<br />

hydrogen fuel cell technology manufacturers<br />

are well-positioned for success.<br />

However, since the industry is<br />

still young, they may be concerned<br />

about dependably increasing the<br />

scale of their production to meet it<br />

as well as designing equipment that<br />

effectively controls hydrogen fuel. To<br />

successfully scale up in proportion to<br />

demand, it’s essential that manufacturers<br />

source hydrogen fuel cell technologies<br />

that improve system safety,<br />

reliability and efficiency.<br />

Controlling hydrogen fuel safely,<br />

reliably and efficiently<br />

Due to its low ambient temperature<br />

density, hydrogen gas has a low<br />

energy-per-unit volume that requires<br />

the element to be highly pressurized<br />

when used as fuel 2 . In onboard<br />

storage tanks, the fuel is typically<br />

subject to pressures of either 350 bar<br />

or 700 bar. These high pressures combined<br />

with the hydrogen molecule’s<br />

small size make the gas very susceptible<br />

to leaks. It is critical that fuel cell<br />

technology safely, reliably and efficiently<br />

controls the flow of the hydrogen<br />

fuel within FCEVs. Regulators<br />

and proportional valves engineered<br />

for hydrogen fuel cell systems are<br />

being designed with safety in mind<br />

to provide stable pressure regulation<br />

and reliable flow control. The latest<br />

components provide stable pressure<br />

regulation and reliable flow control<br />

that can help prevent fuel leaks and<br />

protect people.<br />

Systems should not only be<br />

designed with safety in mind, but<br />

also with optimal performance and<br />

easy manufacturability as concerns.<br />

Components must be compact and<br />

lightweight to allow manufacturers<br />

to design a variety of fuel cell systems<br />

for use in an array of commercial<br />

vehicles. Manufacturers can extend<br />

the life of their fuel cell systems by<br />

using solutions that provide stable<br />

pressure regulation to the systems’<br />

fuel cell stacks.<br />

High pressure fluctuations, especially<br />

during vehicle starts and stops,<br />

can result in reduced performance<br />

of fuel cell systems. Pressure-reducing<br />

regulators, such as Emerson’s<br />

TESCOM TM HV-3500 Series Hydrogen<br />

Onboard Regulator or the<br />

TESCOM 20-1200 Series Hydrogen<br />

Pressure Regulator, can help maximize<br />

fuel cell efficiency by controlling<br />

that high pressure. They provide<br />

consistent pressure and regulate precise<br />

flow control of hydrogen to the<br />

fuel cells in a variety of operating conditions.<br />

With high leak integrity, the<br />

HV-3500’s dual-stage, positive seal<br />

design stabilizes outlet pressure, preventing<br />

decaying inlet characteristic<br />

and leakage, which improves fuel<br />

cell operation and maximizes overall<br />

energy efficiency. Better energy<br />

Fig. 1: Emerson’s TESCOM HV-3500 Series Hydrogen<br />

Onboard Regulator reliably controls pressure<br />

fluctuations and maximizes fuel cell efficiency in<br />

hydrogen-fueled trucks and buses.<br />

Fig. 2: Proven to control pressure in thousands of commercial<br />

vehicles, Emerson’s lightweight TESCOM 20-1200<br />

Series Hydrogen Pressure Regulator offers long service life<br />

and is suitable for pressures up to 700 bar.<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

35


Decarbonisation<br />

Operating power<br />

efficiency translates to less wasted<br />

hydrogen fuel and more driving time.<br />

The HV-3500 Series Hydrogen<br />

Regulator also has additional benefits<br />

that streamline manufacturing<br />

time and lower costs for OEMs. Its<br />

specially designed rectangular shape<br />

and mounting holes simplify installation<br />

and enable OEMS to quickly<br />

secure it to existing panels and<br />

frames in the fuel cell system.<br />

It is also important regulators<br />

provide a long service life, such<br />

as Emerson’s TESCOM 20-1200<br />

Series Hydrogen Regulator with<br />

a piston-sensing design. Specifically<br />

designed for pressure control<br />

onboard hydrogen fuel cell vehicles,<br />

the 20-1200 Series has been<br />

successfully implemented into<br />

thousands of commercial vehicles,<br />

including systems that have<br />

received EC-79 certification. This<br />

lightweight regulator is suitable for<br />

inlet pressures up to 700 bar. It also<br />

includes an integrated 10-micron<br />

filter that prevents installation<br />

contamination.<br />

In addition to regulators, proportional<br />

valves are key to hydrogen fuel<br />

cell system designs. It’s beneficial to<br />

look for proportional valves that can<br />

precisely control hydrogen fuel flow<br />

rates while remaining lightweight<br />

and easy to install, such as Emerson’s<br />

ASCO TM Series 202 Direct-Operated<br />

Posiflow solenoid valves.<br />

It’s important to source components,<br />

like those mentioned above,<br />

from suppliers who have comprehensive,<br />

specialized portfolios of<br />

safe, compliant products that are<br />

already proven in the field. Emerson’s<br />

TESCOM regulators reliably control<br />

hydrogen fuel on more than 20,000<br />

forklifts, including some that have<br />

been running for 10 years.<br />

Some, including Emerson, even<br />

offer flexible engineering services<br />

to supply customized manifold solutions<br />

for the fuel cell inlet module,<br />

such as a shutoff valve with proportional<br />

valve to accompany the<br />

pressure regulator or drain modules,<br />

such as a drain valve with a water<br />

separator and check valve. This level<br />

of partnership allows OEMs to obtain<br />

high-reliability flow control, pressure<br />

regulators, safety junction boxes and<br />

flameproof cable glands, as well as<br />

educational services and support<br />

from a single source, simplifying the<br />

supply chain and helping to meet<br />

production targets.<br />

Expert suppliers like this will also<br />

have knowledge necessary to fulfill all<br />

requirements and certifications, as<br />

it’s critical to comply with regulations<br />

where vehicles will operate.<br />

Scaling production to meet<br />

increasing demand<br />

It’s predicted that about 850,000<br />

hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks<br />

will be on EU roads by 2035, as<br />

well as between 1.4 and 3.6 million<br />

light-commercial vehicles, buses and<br />

passenger cars 3 . While this rapid<br />

growth makes it a lucrative time to be<br />

in the FCEV truck market, it can also<br />

make it difficult to scale designs and<br />

capacity to meet demand.<br />

To produce enough hydrogen<br />

fuel cell systems to supply fleets of<br />

trucks and buses, manufacturers<br />

need to quickly scale up in terms of<br />

resources, factory extension and<br />

Fig. 3: The compact ASCO Series <strong>23</strong>8 Pilot<br />

General Service Solenoid Valve from<br />

Emerson maximizes design space and features<br />

a short stroke that increases cycle life.<br />

36 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Decarbonisation<br />

Operating power<br />

procurement efficiency. One way that<br />

OEMs can achieve this is by working<br />

closely with supplier partners<br />

with a proven history of successfully<br />

working to adapt their products as<br />

customer needs grow and change.<br />

They can meet OEMs at each stage of<br />

growth, reduce complexity by ensuring<br />

the optimal products are available,<br />

and allow hydrogen fuel cell and<br />

FCEV vehicle providers to focus fully<br />

on their process.<br />

OEMs of all sizes and capabilities<br />

are emerging in the hydrogen<br />

market. Some may understand all<br />

aspects of their unique design process,<br />

yet others may need help to optimize<br />

their current solutions. For those<br />

experiencing this limitation, they can<br />

extend their knowledge and teams<br />

by leveraging the knowledge and<br />

resources of expert suppliers. Educational<br />

resources can help OEMs integrate<br />

emerging hydrogen technology<br />

and design best practices to develop<br />

cost-saving strategies and accelerate<br />

their new technologies. One example<br />

some suppliers offer is a collaborative<br />

engineering workshop, which<br />

helps OEMs to better understand their<br />

design process and develop ways to<br />

make it more efficient.<br />

In this workshop, OEMs work with<br />

engineers and product experts to<br />

identify performance metrics and<br />

requirement definitions, create strategies<br />

that integrate findings, learn<br />

about application-specific technology<br />

options, pilots, and more. This comprehensive<br />

expertise not only operates<br />

as an extension of the OEM’s<br />

knowledge, but also helps build the<br />

OEM’s own expertise.<br />

Driving a successful,<br />

zero-emissions future<br />

ZE-HDVs and hydrogen-fueled buses<br />

are key to decarbonizing EU roadways<br />

<strong>–</strong> and transportation around<br />

the world. As demand for hydrogen-powered<br />

trucks and buses<br />

grows worldwide, scaling up hydrogen<br />

fuel cell technology is paramount.<br />

Working with expert partners<br />

and putting proven processes<br />

in place will ensure success as well<br />

as the flexibility to adapt. Successful<br />

deployment of future fleets depends<br />

on smart decisions today: sourcing<br />

high-performance, robust components<br />

that safely, reliably and efficiently<br />

improve fuel cell life and<br />

operation.<br />

References<br />

1<br />

Heavy Duty Vehicles. European<br />

Environment Agency.<br />

www.eea.europa.eu/themes/<br />

transport/heavy-duty-vehicles.<br />

2<br />

Hydrogen Storage. United States<br />

Department of Energy.<br />

www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/<br />

hydrogen-storage.<br />

3<br />

“Unlocking hydrogen’s power for<br />

long-haul freight transport.” McKinsey<br />

& Company.<br />

www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/<br />

operations/our-insights/<br />

global-infrastructure-initiative/<br />

voices/unlocking-hydrogens-<br />

power-for-long-haul-freight-<br />

transport<br />

The Author:<br />

Akilah Doyle<br />

Product Marketing Manager Emerson<br />

www.Emerson.com<br />

FIT FOR<br />

HYDROG<strong>EN</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong><br />

WITH KLINGER<br />

SEALING MATERIALS<br />

for all stages of the power-to-x-process<br />

Germany<br />

KLINGER GmbH, 65510 Idstein<br />

Tel. +49 6126 40160, mail@klinger.de, www.klinger.de


Decarbonisation<br />

Production<br />

Revolutionary oxygen impulse technology for<br />

steel production<br />

Fig. 1: Schwelgern 1 is one of the world’s most modern blast furnaces with a potential output of 10,000 t per day. Over the course of the<br />

project, 40 SIP boxes (grey-blue in the photo) were installed on the tuyeres. The boxes inject strong intermittent impulses with technical<br />

oxygen into the coke bed in order to achieve the best possible penetration. <br />

(All photos: thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH)<br />

thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH is<br />

well known for the development<br />

of the sequence impulse process.<br />

When used on cupola furnaces, it<br />

considerably increased their costeffectiveness<br />

in the past. In over<br />

10 years of development work with<br />

Schubert & Salzer as their partner,<br />

Dr Rainer Klock and the team at<br />

AT.PRO tec succeeded in getting the<br />

SIP technology to work on blast furnaces,<br />

too, with the help of sliding<br />

gate valves. The story of a researcher<br />

on the way to becoming a plant<br />

manufacturer.<br />

The history of the blast furnace process<br />

is a long story of great innovations<br />

and technical improvements.<br />

Again and again, there have<br />

been courageous innovators who<br />

were willing to question common<br />

methods in order to further optimise<br />

the production process of pig<br />

iron. In the 18 th century, for example,<br />

Abraham Darby succeeded in using<br />

coke instead of charcoal. As a result,<br />

blast furnaces became consider ably<br />

larger and more efficient. In the 19 th<br />

century, Edward Alfred Cowper managed<br />

an innovation leap with the<br />

newly emerging blast preheaters.<br />

Today the so-called “Cowpers” are<br />

part of every blast furnace plant.<br />

Utilising the “sequence impulse<br />

process with induced shock waves”,<br />

the blast furnace has now reached<br />

the next stage in its evolution.<br />

Behind the SIP are thyssenkrupp<br />

AT.PRO tec GmbH and its present<br />

managing director, Dr Rainer Klock.<br />

As a team, they developed the technology<br />

over a period of more than<br />

10 years in such a way that its use at<br />

the blast furnace became possible<br />

at all. Today the employees at<br />

AT.PRO tec bundle highly specialised<br />

expert knowledge from science and<br />

industry for the use of gases in melting<br />

processes.<br />

The basic concept of the new process<br />

is to activate the areas deeper<br />

inside the furnace. In the standard<br />

process technology, a cone of coke is<br />

created <strong>–</strong> the so-called “dead man”.<br />

Incompletely reacted fine particles<br />

block this coke bed. The gas flow and<br />

heat cannot penetrate deeply enough<br />

into the furnace.<br />

The solution: strong intermittent<br />

impulses to enable the necessary<br />

deep penetration of the technical<br />

oxygen. This leads to a short-term,<br />

38 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Decarbonisation<br />

Production<br />

local surplus of oxygen and a more<br />

complete chemical conversion of the<br />

fine particles <strong>–</strong> even deep inside the<br />

coke bed. The shock waves associated<br />

with the impulses break open<br />

blockages at this point and mix the<br />

contents by means of strong turbulences.<br />

They ensure a more homogeneous<br />

gas distribution and a better<br />

flow-off of the molten metal and<br />

the slag.<br />

Phase 1: ASIPGO <strong>–</strong> the collaborative<br />

research project of thyssenkrupp<br />

and RWTH Aachen (2007-2011)<br />

The technology has been working<br />

successfully for years on a smaller<br />

scale in cupola furnaces and enables<br />

a considerable increase in cost-effectiveness.<br />

Use on the much larger<br />

blast furnaces was, however, still<br />

completely unresearched.<br />

When AT.PRO tec approached<br />

RWTH Aachen and the Institute of<br />

Ferrous Metallurgy (IEHK) situated<br />

there with the subject, Rainer Klock<br />

had just completed his degree thesis.<br />

RWTH looked for research associates<br />

for the new research project, which<br />

was supported by thyssenkrupp as<br />

the industrial partner. “That was the<br />

perfect opportunity for me. Not only<br />

was I able to write my doctorate thesis<br />

directly following my degree, the<br />

project also offered me the possibili ty<br />

to work on one of the largest blast<br />

furnaces in Europe”, said Dr Klock<br />

later. “The ASIPGO project was<br />

intended to pursue two goals over<br />

a period of three years: firstly to<br />

improve the use of SIP on cupola<br />

furnaces through automation and<br />

se condly to enable the use of SIP on<br />

blast furnaces.”<br />

Within the framework of his doctorate<br />

thesis, Rainer Klock focused on<br />

Fig. 2: The SIP boxes are the result of many years of research and development: from the<br />

first tests at the Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy at RWTH Aachen, to the construction and<br />

optimisation of a prototype on the blast furnace in Schwelgern, to the installation of the<br />

complete SIP system during running operation.<br />

Fig. 3: The SIP results in a significant increase in the efficiency of the manufacture of pig iron;<br />

it saves costs amounting to several million Euros every year on blast furnace 1 in Schwelgern<br />

and has therefore paid for itself in less than 2 years of operation. The annual CO 2 savings<br />

amount to well over 100,000 tonnes.<br />

research into use on the blast furnace.<br />

First of all, the physical and chemical<br />

processes were examined that made<br />

the SIP successful on the cupola<br />

furnace. The research group, consisting<br />

of employees from thyssenkrupp<br />

AT.PRO tec, thyssenkrupp Steel<br />

Europe and RWTH Aachen, wanted to<br />

understand the processes in the raceway<br />

zone of a blast furnace and how<br />

they would probably be affected by<br />

oxygen impulses in order to be able<br />

to transfer the technology from the<br />

cupola furnace to the blast furnace<br />

with the collected knowledge.<br />

On the basis of these findings<br />

at the IEHK, a SIP test system<br />

for blast furnaces was finally constructed.<br />

Compared to the SIP system<br />

for cupola furnaces, significantly<br />

larger nominal diameters and pressures<br />

were now used. The system<br />

therefore had to be adapted and<br />

equipped with suitable components.<br />

One of the main focal points was the<br />

so-called pulse valves. These had to<br />

be capable of generating the strongest<br />

possible shock wave. Following<br />

a long series of investigations with<br />

different types of valve, the sliding<br />

gate valve from Schubert & Salzer<br />

was selected.<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

39


Decarbonisation<br />

Production<br />

Fig. 4: In close cooperation, various design changes were made and then tested in practice in<br />

order to adapt the sliding gate valve 8040 to the requirements of the application.<br />

The principle of this valve was fascinatingly<br />

simple: two slotted discs<br />

that slide over each other and seal<br />

against each other. A sealing plate,<br />

fixed perpendicular to the direction<br />

of flow on which another movable<br />

disc with the same slot arrangement<br />

is moved, changes the flow cross-section.<br />

The applied pressure difference<br />

presses the movable disc against<br />

the fixed disc and thus contributes<br />

to leak-tightness. The short opening<br />

times achievable by this principle and<br />

the pressure resistance with large<br />

nominal diameters were ultimately<br />

decisive.<br />

Phase 2: From experiment to large-<br />

scale industrial use (2011<strong>–</strong>2020)<br />

The first tests with the SIP test system<br />

on the Schwelgern 1 blast furnace<br />

yielded such promising results<br />

that thyssenkrupp Steel Europe<br />

decided to further develop the process<br />

beyond the research project.<br />

With its hearth diameter of 13.6 m,<br />

a total height of approx. 110 m and<br />

an internal volume of 4,416 m 3 , the<br />

Schwelgern 1 blast furnace has a<br />

potential output of 10,000 t per day.<br />

The welded steel construction, which<br />

is lined inside with refractory material<br />

and has a closed cooling water<br />

circuit, is one of the most modern<br />

blast furnaces in the world. Rainer<br />

Klock was to manage the further<br />

development of SIP as plant engineer<br />

and was appointed by thyssenkrupp<br />

Steel Europe towards the summer of<br />

2010.<br />

Whilst an industrially operational<br />

prototype had to be created on<br />

the basis of the SIP test system, this<br />

prototype was to be further optimised<br />

for the process. “In order to<br />

further improve the effect of our process,<br />

we began to dedicate ourselves<br />

to the shock waves associated with<br />

each impulse,” explained Dr Rainer<br />

Klock, now a doctor of metallurgy.<br />

“We were convinced that, as part of<br />

the SIP, it was making an important<br />

contribution to the positive effect of<br />

the SIP on the process. We wanted<br />

to enlarge the raceway zone and<br />

break open blockages in the coke bed<br />

with strong shock waves. This would<br />

increase the permeability and consequently<br />

the efficiency of the blast<br />

furnace process with larger reaction<br />

surfaces.”<br />

“At that time the project team<br />

at AT.PRO tec sat down with us<br />

and explained what they intended<br />

to do,” said Marcel Mokosch from<br />

Technical Sales at Schubert & Salzer<br />

Control Systems. “To generate<br />

impulses with even stronger shock<br />

waves, the high opening speeds had<br />

to be optimised still further in order<br />

to achieve extremely short opening<br />

times. In principle, sliding gate valves<br />

were the perfect choice for this application.<br />

The typical stroke between<br />

“open” and “closed” is only about<br />

8 mm. This short stroke is accompanied<br />

by very small moved masses.<br />

For that reason, only small actuating<br />

forces are needed. As a result, the<br />

valve is ultimately even more compact<br />

than most other types of valve.”<br />

Following this meeting, the first<br />

“SIP box” - the prototype of the new<br />

system - ran for four to five years in<br />

continuous operation. In this time it<br />

was continually, further optimised.<br />

Over the years, step by step, the<br />

originally selected sliding gate valve<br />

design continued to develop together<br />

with the system and the process.<br />

In close cooperation, the various<br />

design changes were made and then<br />

tested in practice in order to adapt<br />

the valve to the requirements of the<br />

application.<br />

“Finally, we had managed to optimise<br />

the valve to a record opening<br />

speed of just 2 ms. This made it possible<br />

to generate impulses that reach<br />

deep into the coke bed with really<br />

strong shock waves,” said Marcel<br />

Mokosch. “However, the extremely<br />

40 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Decarbonisation<br />

Production<br />

fast switching speeds combined<br />

with high pressures and high switching<br />

frequency brought the valve<br />

to its load limits. This combination<br />

of requirements was really a challenge<br />

for us at the time, but we also<br />

saw it as a great opportunity for the<br />

sliding gate technology to prove itself.<br />

In order to achieve valve service lives<br />

that were acceptable to the user<br />

under these extreme operating conditions,<br />

their mechanical limits had to<br />

be extended by design changes. The<br />

declared goal was a service life of one<br />

year, in other words several million<br />

switching cycles.”<br />

In 2015 the moment had finally<br />

arrived: thyssenkrupp Steel Europe<br />

and thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH<br />

began with the development, installation<br />

and operation of a complete oxygen<br />

impulse process system on blast<br />

furnace 1 in Schwelgern. In the years<br />

that followed, the optimisation of the<br />

SIP boxes was finalised. SIP devices<br />

were installed on the 40 tuyeres of<br />

the blast furnace with the furnace in<br />

normal operation.<br />

Successful project completion<br />

Fig. 5: View inside an SIP box: Two<br />

type-8040 sliding gate valves were further<br />

developed over the years so that they<br />

are capable of releasing the necessary<br />

impulses with strong shock waves and<br />

have a minimum service life of one year,<br />

i.e. several million switching cycles.<br />

The SIP system was finally completed<br />

in autumn 2020. 40 SIP boxes<br />

were waiting to be used. The boxes<br />

were activated step by step over a<br />

period of several weeks. The effects<br />

on the process were awaited with<br />

excitement.<br />

The SIP system on blast furnace<br />

1 in Schwelgern has paid for<br />

itself in less than 2 years of operation<br />

and now saves costs amounting<br />

to several million Euros every<br />

year. Due to the increase in efficiency,<br />

the total consumption of<br />

reducing agents (coke and injection<br />

coal) has been significantly<br />

reduced. This is also reflected in<br />

the CO 2 savings of between 50 and<br />

100 kg per tonne of pig iron produced,<br />

resulting in annual CO 2<br />

savings in excess of 100,000 tonnes.<br />

The entire project is a great success<br />

for thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec:<br />

“After one and a half years of continuous<br />

operation, the Schubert & Salzer<br />

sliding gate valves have proven to<br />

be more than capable of coping<br />

with the extreme conditions of use<br />

in our application. The many years<br />

of joint development work with<br />

Schubert & Salzer has more than paid<br />

off. Finding such a persevering and<br />

reliable development partner is not a<br />

matter of course,” explained Dr Rainer<br />

Klock, now the managing director<br />

of thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH.<br />

“One of our future projects is now to<br />

enable further automated process<br />

optimisations by linking the SIP technology<br />

and the blast furnace process<br />

with the help of a Level 2 automation<br />

system. First of all, however, our goal<br />

Fig. 6: In over 10 years of development work with<br />

Schubert & Salzer as their partner, Dr Rainer Klock<br />

and the team at AT.PRO tec succeeded in getting the<br />

SIP technology to work on blast furnaces, too, with<br />

the help of sliding gate valves.<br />

will be to make the SIP technology a<br />

global success.”<br />

When the technology was<br />

fully operational for the first time,<br />

thyssenkrupp.AT.PRO tec decided<br />

that partnering with one of the leading<br />

blast furnace plant and equipment<br />

suppliers would be helpful in<br />

achieving this goal. In August 2021,<br />

after several months of negotiations,<br />

an exclusive worldwide marketing<br />

and sales agreement was signed with<br />

Primetals Technologies Ltd.<br />

“The intention is for our reli able<br />

partner Primetals Technologies to<br />

market this technology worldwide<br />

and to make it accessible to other<br />

steel manufacturers, too.” concludes<br />

Dr Rainer Klock.<br />

More information:<br />

controlsystems.schubert-salzer.com<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

41


Circular economy<br />

Production<br />

Sustainable solutions in fish farming leads to<br />

high value health ingredients<br />

Dr. Sonja John<br />

Photo: Hofseth BioCare<br />

Fish farming, also known as aquaculture,<br />

plays a significant role in<br />

meeting the growing demand for<br />

seafood and reducing pressure on<br />

wild fish populations. Whilst these<br />

are both very important outturns,<br />

clearly there is also the need for<br />

aquaculture to ensure that farming<br />

practices are fully sustainable and<br />

avoid any adverse consequences<br />

for nature. In this regard, the highly<br />

regulated Norwegian aquaculture<br />

industry leads the way with strict<br />

limits on fish density, sea lice control<br />

and a zero tolerance for antibiotic<br />

use.<br />

Hofseth International AS (HI), and<br />

their associated company Hofseth<br />

BioCare (HBC), is a purpose-driven<br />

and fully integrated seafood<br />

company, offering a wide range of<br />

quality products from Norwegian<br />

Atlantic salmon.<br />

To ensure adequate nutrition for<br />

the ever-growing world population,<br />

it is essential to utilize as much as<br />

possible of the food we produce and<br />

thereby minimise waste. By prioritizing<br />

sustainability and adopting best<br />

practices, fish farming can contribute<br />

to meeting global seafood demand<br />

while minimizing its ecological footprint.<br />

In general, aquaculture is a<br />

sustainable and low-impact way of<br />

producing food. Compared to beef,<br />

salmon requires eight times less feed<br />

to generate one kilo of meat, while at<br />

the same time producing ten times<br />

less carbon and using eleven times<br />

less water.<br />

The process of fish production<br />

begins with the careful selection and<br />

management of broodstock, mature<br />

fish used for breeding. This step aims<br />

to maintain genetic diversity and<br />

optimize desirable traits, ensuring<br />

healthy and resilient offspring. After<br />

spawning the fertilized eggs are collected<br />

for larval rearing. This stage<br />

involves providing suitable conditions<br />

such as temperature, water quality,<br />

and nutrition to support the growth<br />

and development of larvae. After the<br />

larval stage, fish are transferred to<br />

nursery tanks. Here, they continue<br />

to grow in a controlled environment,<br />

receiving appropriate feed and monitoring<br />

to promote healthy growth.<br />

In the grow-out phase the fish are<br />

then transferred to open net pens,<br />

which in the case of HI, are located in<br />

the pristine waters of the Norwegian<br />

fjords. During this phase, feed, water<br />

quality, and stocking density are carefully<br />

managed to optimize growth and<br />

minimize stress. When the fish reach<br />

the desired size, typically 4-5 kg, they<br />

are harvested. Proper handling techniques<br />

are employed to minimize<br />

stress and maintain fish welfare.<br />

Unsurprisingly, fish farming generates<br />

organic waste in the form of<br />

feces, and other by-products. If not<br />

properly managed, this waste can<br />

contribute to water pollution, oxygen<br />

depletion, and nutrient imbalances in<br />

surrounding ecosystems. In the case<br />

of Hofseth International, the limited<br />

number of fish pens carefully positioned<br />

in the deep waters (400-600 m<br />

42 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Circular economy<br />

Production<br />

deep) of the Norwegian fjords with<br />

closely monitored feeding means<br />

that HI’s aquaculture has a minimal<br />

impact on the environment. Even the<br />

side streams (off-cuts) of fish fileting,<br />

the head, backbone, skin and remaining<br />

meat are upcycled by HBC into<br />

premium health ingredients for both<br />

humans and pets. This is a major contrast<br />

to former days when s these offcuts<br />

from salmon were regarded as<br />

waste, or at best animal feed.<br />

To enable this upcycling, HBC<br />

has developed a patented, proprietary<br />

process using natural (non-GMO)<br />

protease enzymes. It starts with the<br />

fresh, food grade salmon off-cuts<br />

arriving at HBC’s plant in refrigerated<br />

trucks within two hours of harvesting.<br />

The off-cuts consist mainly of the<br />

head, backbone and skin (as well as<br />

some protein/salmon meat). This raw<br />

material is inspected and analysed,<br />

to ensure the highest quality, before<br />

going into the production process.<br />

The first step is to mince the raw<br />

material before it enters the hydrolysis<br />

tanks. These contain water and<br />

natural enzymes are added to “digest”<br />

the protein to liberate the fish oil and<br />

bones from the raw material (and<br />

produce bioactive peptides). This output<br />

can then be used as ingredients<br />

in the production of nutritional supplements<br />

and food products.<br />

MAGNESIA is an international distributor<br />

for health ingredients, focussed<br />

on minerals. The company places<br />

great importance on sustainably<br />

produced products with a low impact<br />

on the environment and the respect<br />

of human rights. Therefore, the<br />

collaboration with HBC and the associated<br />

distribution of their products<br />

in Germany, Austria and Switzerland<br />

is a great win.<br />

This process is a fascinating<br />

example on how sustainability can<br />

be extended to supply chains. All of<br />

Hofseth’s operations are in relatively<br />

close proximity to each other within<br />

the fjords. Efficient and speedy<br />

transportation from fish farms to the<br />

slaughterhouses and the transport<br />

to HBC’s plants thereafter ensures<br />

the products’ high quality, safety and<br />

low emission. Indeed, the only emission<br />

from HBC’s plant is steam which<br />

is recycled to help heat the hydrolysis<br />

tanks.<br />

Therefore, by adopting innovative<br />

technologies and efficient processes<br />

waste can be minimized and resource<br />

utilization optimized. Embracing the<br />

principles of the circular eco nomy,<br />

waste reduction, recycling, and<br />

reusing materials are the key points.<br />

Through the commitment to<br />

resource management, environmental<br />

conservation, social responsibility,<br />

and zero waste, it can be demonstrated<br />

that sustainability can be<br />

integrated into core business operations<br />

of manufacturers and distributors.<br />

The Author: Dr. Sonja John<br />

Head of Product and Application<br />

Management<br />

MAGNESIA GmbH<br />

Photo: Hofseth BioCare<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong><br />

43


Companies - Innovations - Products<br />

New decentralised heat recovery<br />

ventilation system with app<br />

connection, powerful performance<br />

and quiet operation<br />

Buderus continues to expand its portfolio of home ventilation<br />

products: The new Logavent HRV136 D decentralised home ventilation<br />

system automatically supplies single-family homes and apartment<br />

buildings with fresh air. Thanks to heat recovery, it does so<br />

very efficiently (energy efficiency class A+). When operated in pairs,<br />

the devices are particularly powerful and can provide a volume<br />

flow of up to 55 m³/h. But pairing them is not imperative, which<br />

means that is also possible to install an odd number of the ventilation<br />

devices for greater planning flexibility. Another advantage<br />

is the fact that the fan is more resistant to pressure, allowing the<br />

Logavent HRV136 D to operate with a more constant volume flow<br />

and more quietly even in strong winds.<br />

heating energy is lost. The automated air exchange happens virtually<br />

unnoticed: The special, patented sound-insulating inside cover and the<br />

quiet fan reduce operating noises. At a distance of two metres, the<br />

device has a sound pressure level of only 22 dB (A) at stage 2.<br />

The VC30 H control unit is used to adjust the decentralised heat<br />

recovery ventilation system to current needs. With its modern and flat<br />

design, it blends in visually with any room. A factory-fitted humidity<br />

sensor in the control unit automatically protects against humidity and<br />

ensures a pleasant room climate. Alternatively, residents can opt for<br />

the VC50 H control unit with app connection to adjust the ventilation<br />

to their preferences via smartphone app.<br />

Logavent planning tool<br />

Buderus not only offers its customers the right devices, but also<br />

provides assistance for the configuration of home ventilation systems:<br />

Heating contractors can use the Logavent planning tool to quickly<br />

configure and reliably calculate ventilation systems with heat recovery<br />

for their customers. The program also supports the calculation of the<br />

volume flow according to DIN 1946-6 and provides a schematic diagram<br />

as well as information about the expected material and cost<br />

expenditure. For more detailed changes, a separate expert mode is<br />

available to installers. The free Logavent planning tool can be accessed<br />

online at www.ventilation-calculator.com/de/buderus.<br />

Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH<br />

Buderus Deutschland<br />

Sophienstr. 30<strong>–</strong>32<br />

35576 Wetzlar, Germany<br />

Tel +49 (0) 6441 41<br />

info@buderus.de<br />

www.buderus.de<br />

Fresh air without ventilation ducts<br />

The efficient Logavent HRV136 D heat recovery ventilation device is<br />

ideally suited for the energy-efficient modernisation of single-family<br />

houses and apartment buildings or for new homes. Up to 85 percent<br />

of the heat energy from the exhaust air is reused to heat the fresh<br />

air. The compact device does not require any ventilation ducts and is<br />

directly installed in the exterior wall after a core drilling <strong>–</strong> this permits<br />

low-cost retrofitting in existing buildings. The Logavent HRV136 D can<br />

even be installed in thinner walls as a wall thickness of 220 millimetres<br />

is already sufficient. Maintenance of the decentralised heat recovery<br />

ventilation system is straightforward as it requires no tools. The front<br />

cover is fixed without screws and can be removed in a few easy steps.<br />

The individual components of the ventilation device are thus easily<br />

accessible and changing the filter is done in next to no time.<br />

Pleasantly quiet<br />

Maintenance is straightforward as<br />

it requires no tools. The front cover<br />

is fixed without screws and can be<br />

removed in a few easy steps.<br />

With the Logavent HRV136 D, residents benefit from constantly high<br />

air quality all year round and thanks to heat recovery, almost no<br />

GEA supplies powerful heat pumps<br />

for district heating in Gateshead <strong>–</strong> the<br />

largest mine water project in the UK<br />

Heat energy from the coal mine: “Gateshead Mine Water Scheme” is<br />

currently the largest project in the UK for heat recovery from mine<br />

water. GEA as project partner supplied 2 x 3 MW high performance<br />

heat pumps. These heat pumps use the energy from naturally<br />

heated mine water to meet the heat demand of the buildings<br />

connected to the district heating network. The existing municipal<br />

heating network, which already supplies 18 public and private buildings<br />

and 350 households, will thus be expanded by an additional<br />

heat capacity of twelve GWh per year.<br />

A pilot project that serves as a role model<br />

Gateshead is located in the North East of England near Newcastle.<br />

Both Gateshead Council and its wholly owned business Gateshead<br />

Energy Company (GEC), as operator of the Gateshead District Energy<br />

Network (D<strong>EN</strong>), have committed to achieving zero carbon emission status<br />

by 2030. The mine water heat extraction system is part of Gateshead<br />

Council's zero carbon heat strategy. The first goal was to provide<br />

cheaper heat energy for all residents in the borough. The second goal<br />

was to identify a supplement to the combined heat and power (CHP)<br />

system initially installed, and with a lower carbon footprint.<br />

44<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


PROCESS TECHNOLOGY&COMPON<strong>EN</strong>TS<br />

© Aerzen<br />

The cross-sectoral media platform<br />

for suppliers and users in two languages:<br />

German and English<br />

Exclusive information around the pump<br />

and compressor industry as well as<br />

systems and components<br />

Developments and trends<br />

First-hand future technology<br />

Targeted at international trade<br />

shows for 20<strong>23</strong><br />

New since 2022:<br />

„Green Efficient Technologies“<br />

is published 4 times a year<br />

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH · Eschenstr. 25 · 90441 Nuremberg · Tel.: +49 (0) 911 - 2018 0 · info@harnisch.com · www.harnisch.com


Companies - Innovations - Products<br />

This is how heat is extracted from mine water<br />

The water is pumped from a depth of 150 meters from the old mine to<br />

the ground level plantroom where the 2 x 3 MW ammonia heat pumps<br />

from GEA, extract the energy from the mine water (15 degrees Celsius).<br />

The heat pumps boost the temperature of the extracted energy and hot<br />

water (80 degrees Celsius) is then provided to homes and buildings in<br />

Gateshead. When the heat from the mine water has been extracted by the<br />

heat pumps, the water is returned to the mine at a temperature of eight<br />

degrees. To optimize the performance of the heat pump system with the<br />

2 x 3 MW heat pumps, a two-stage compression cycle with screw<br />

compressors is used. Groundwater is filtered and pumped through<br />

titanium plate and frame heat exchangers. Titanium was chosen for the<br />

evaporator plates to match the quality of the groundwater. On the heating<br />

side, several heat exchangers are connected in series to optimize the<br />

efficiency of the heat pump solution.<br />

Solar parks are also part of the concept - which help to provide<br />

some of the power to run the heat pumps - these have been newly<br />

built on a field next to the minewater boreholes and heat pump. For<br />

every 1 unit of power used by the heat pump, 3 units of renewable<br />

heat are generated. GEC will import power from the grid to run the<br />

heat pumps... which is decarbonising year on year and should be zero<br />

carbon by the middle of next decade. On sunny days, when GEC has<br />

surplus power from the solar parks, this will provide green power<br />

to run the heat pumps, meaning that for certain periods, GEC can<br />

produce 100 % zero carbon heat now.<br />

GEA is at the forefront of technology solutions for tackling climate change and<br />

supplying district heating projects like this one in the Northeast of England. GEA<br />

heat pumps are at the center of the Gateshead Mine Water Scheme, the largest<br />

mine water heat recovery scheme of its kind in the country. (Photo: GEA)<br />

Politicians, grid operators and authorities highly satisfied<br />

Councillor Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council, is thrilled<br />

with the success of the project. He says, “What is happening here is<br />

truly amazing. What we're seeing in Gateshead is a legacy from the<br />

days of coal mines. Where we were a leader in the industrial revolution<br />

200 years ago, we are now a leader in the clean energy revolution<br />

of today. Working alongside our partners, we can make use of the<br />

naturally heated mine water and generate valuable, low carbon<br />

energy. We are proud to have successfully delivered the largest mine<br />

water project in the UK.”<br />

Richard Bond, director of innovation and engagement at the Coal<br />

Authority, added: “It’s fantastic to see forward thinking local authorities<br />

like Gateshead Council using warm mine water to provide low carbon<br />

heating for buildings. We have a low-carbon, secure, UK-owned heat<br />

source in the form of mine water in Gateshead, which is also an excellent<br />

option for many other coalfield communities. We are delighted<br />

that our support has helped make this project a reality.”<br />

Mine water: after “black gold” now “warm gold”<br />

In the past, miners in Gateshead's coal mine extracted black gold<br />

from the earth to fire blast furnaces, but also to heat homes. In fact,<br />

Gateshead was once the largest supplier of coal in the world, shipping<br />

more than 400,000 tons in 1625 to provide heat for homes. However,<br />

the last coal mines in the area closed in the 1960s. The tunnels have<br />

since filled with water - now the source of energy for the heat pumps.<br />

So once again, Gateshead’s underground provides vital energy for<br />

heating Gateshead’s homes and industry. This time it is being done<br />

in an environ mentally friendly way, helping to reduce CO 2 and NO x<br />

emissions.<br />

GEA ammonia heat pumps offer optimum performance<br />

Ammonia was chosen as the natural refrigerant for this application. It<br />

offers the best efficiency and has no global warming potential. Under<br />

the given conditions in Gateshead, ammonia heat pumps are 10 to 20<br />

percent more efficient than F-gas solutions (HFC/HFO).<br />

GEA with extensive experience in heat pumps and<br />

district heating projects<br />

GEA has been involved in other innovative heat pump projects for<br />

district heating in the UK in the past, including the installation of a heat<br />

pump that extracts heat from London Underground ventilation air and<br />

provides heat for a high-rise building in Islington. John Burden, Director<br />

Project Sales Heating & Refrigeration Solutions at GEA UK, says:<br />

“GEA’s highly innovative heat pump technology has been used in other<br />

district heating projects in the UK and around the world as we recognize<br />

the dire consequences of global warming. Given the UK government's<br />

ambitious targets to significantly increase the proportion of district<br />

heating in the UK, we expect to see many more new and ambitious<br />

projects in the coming years.”<br />

GEA supplies heat pump solutions to a wide range of industries<br />

GEA supplies heat pumps to a wide range of industries including food,<br />

dairy, beverage and district heating. GEA supplies energy-efficient systems<br />

based on natural refrigerants that offer double-digit percentage<br />

points better performance compared to synthetic refrigerants, which<br />

also translates into significantly lower energy bills - one of the biggest<br />

cost drivers for industrial heat pumps.<br />

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft<br />

Peter-Müller-Str. 12<br />

40468 Düsseldorf, Germany<br />

Tel +49 211 9136-0<br />

www.gea.com<br />

46<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Companies - Innovations - Products<br />

Empowering E-Future.<br />

New SEEPEX Pump Tailored to the Battery Industry<br />

Rechargeable batteries ensure that the power in electric vehicles,<br />

smartphones, notebooks and many other applications lasts. Gigafactories<br />

are being built around the world to meet the huge demand for<br />

lithium-ion batteries in the automotive, electronics and semicon ductor<br />

industries. For the highly complex manufacturing process with all its<br />

technological challenges, SEEPEX stands by manufacturers with the<br />

precise performance of its specialized pumps. The new BF range offers<br />

a customized and cost-effective solution. The innovation was showcased<br />

at the CIBF trade show in Shenzhen, China and at the Battery<br />

Show Europe in Stuttgart, Germany in May.<br />

SEEPEX pumps and pumping solutions compliment the battery<br />

manufacturing process from start to finish. They are used in raw material<br />

processing, electrode material production, film and cell production<br />

and battery recycling. The progressive cavity pumps convey binders,<br />

additives and active ingredients in perfect doses. The company also<br />

supplies pumps for the efficient production of electrode pastes. “As<br />

a globally sought-after specialist for progressive cavity pumps, pump<br />

systems and digital solutions, SEEPEX is helping to make the transition<br />

to greater sustainability a success,” says Thomas Dufner, Battery<br />

Market Manager at SEEPEX.<br />

Reduce maintenance time and total cost of ownership<br />

The SEEPEX BF pump is precisely tailored to these requirements;<br />

ensuring safety, cleanliness, high product quality and, last but not<br />

least, cost efficiency. The precise performance provides high quality<br />

support to the production process. The maintenance-friendly design<br />

reduces downtime and the total cost of ownership (TCO). The clamp<br />

connections for quick installation/removal and the removable rotating<br />

unit simplify replacement and maintenance work. Due to SEEPEX’s<br />

focus on sustainability, with proper maintenance the robust pump has<br />

a long product life.<br />

SEEPEX BF: Safe, Clean, Stainless<br />

Battery production has to be a clean business. The new SEEPEX BF<br />

range pumps are certainly clean and offer an important advantage in<br />

several respects. “Operational safety and maximum cleanliness when<br />

using valuable dispersed raw materials were the driving forces behind<br />

the development of the BF range. It helps reduce total cost of ownership<br />

and improve energy efficiency in virtually all battery applications<br />

by eliminating contamination and being easy to maintain. Cleaning<br />

cycle failures and disposal of contaminated battery compounds are<br />

not only wasteful, but also very costly,” says Dufner. “Chemical resistance<br />

and chemically compatible materials are necessary to prevent<br />

conta mination of expensive raw materials. With BF, we assure that the<br />

materials are chemically compatible. The stainless steel design and<br />

flexible titanium shaft ensure contamination-free<br />

product quality. Contamination<br />

by oil or grease is impossible. The<br />

pumps can be thoroughly cleaned with<br />

common solvents and deionized water.”<br />

New range in response to customer demands<br />

With the new BF range and its exceptional advantages, SEEPEX<br />

recommends itself as a reliable partner for the battery industry. The<br />

new pump can be installed quickly, has a flow rate of up to 30 m³/h<br />

and operates at a pressure of up to 12 bar. It is available in block or<br />

bare shaft design and can meet customer-specific drive requirements.<br />

A TA-Luft or ATEX certified version is also available.<br />

A great deal of data analysis and customer input went into the<br />

highly optimized development of this latest generation of pumps.<br />

After all, battery production is full of challenges. Chemical resistance<br />

and chemically compatible materials are required to avoid contamination<br />

of valuable raw materials. During the critical process of<br />

formulation, continuity and high repeatability are essential. Contamination-free<br />

pumps are also essential for smooth operation. The coating<br />

process plays another important role, as the pump has a direct<br />

impact on product quality by minimizing variations in coating thickness.<br />

Finally, investment and operating hour costs should be kept as<br />

low as possible.<br />

Maximum dosing accuracy with<br />

minimal pulsation<br />

Battery compounds, from lithium<br />

to electrolyte, can be added to the<br />

mixing process in precise, drop-by-drop<br />

doses. Continuity and high repeatability<br />

are critical during the formulation process.<br />

In the coating process, the pump<br />

has a direct impact on product quality<br />

by minimizing variations in coating<br />

thickness. The BF range achieves this<br />

continuity and high repeatability by using the SEEPEX progressive<br />

cavity pump principle with the advantage of extremely low pulsation.<br />

This ensures the highest dosing accuracy, resulting in better coating<br />

results and more accurate slurry recipes.<br />

Leaking is a shortcoming in many pump types. Failures due to<br />

leakage or stick-slip are known to cause health and environmental<br />

hazards. SEEPEX progressive cavity pumps, with their special design,<br />

have no spillage or leakage due to their high degree of sealability. In<br />

addition, a wide range of seals is available for different battery compounds.<br />

SEEPEX keeps it tight, so the voltage stays in the electrical<br />

future.<br />

SEEPEX GmbH<br />

Scharrnhölzerstr. 344<br />

46240 Bottrop, Germany<br />

Tel +49 (0)2041 996-0<br />

info@seepex.com<br />

www.seepex.com<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong> 47


Companies - Innovations - Products<br />

Power of the future: Weidmüller<br />

equips DemoSATH floating wind<br />

turbine with interior lighting and<br />

bolt monitoring<br />

The future of offshore wind lies beyond the flat shores. Floating<br />

wind turbines can generate electricity at almost any sea depth,<br />

thus offering outstanding potential for CO 2 reduction. Weidmüller,<br />

a world-wide pioneer and partner for digitalisation and automation<br />

of industry for more than a decade, has for the first time equipped<br />

a prototype of this floating future technology with two newly<br />

developed customer solutions: The integrated LED system illuminates<br />

all accessible parts of the wind turbine on the high seas and<br />

the TwinCap remote maintenance system detects damage to the<br />

screw nuts in the blade bearings at an early stage.<br />

The TwinCap remote maintenance system reliably detects signs of wear and can<br />

thus prevent costly consequential damage (Image source: Weidmüller)<br />

Two nautical miles off the coast of Bilbao, the Spanish company Saitec<br />

Offshore Technologies has launched the DemoSATH floating wind<br />

turbine platform which will be located in an 85-metre-deep seabed<br />

offshore location. The demonstration project is a barge type floating<br />

structure using SATH technology that resembles a catamaran and<br />

is moored at only one end with a single point mooring, allowing it to<br />

rotate freely to harness the power of the wind offshore. On the tower,<br />

a 2 MW turbine will generate green energy for 2,000 households.<br />

Integrated LED system provides lighting<br />

Weidmüller has contributed the interior lighting system exclusively for<br />

DemoSATH: The tower, nacelle and the accessible part of the floating<br />

body are equipped with an integrated lighting system consisting of<br />

LED sets for regular interior lighting. As the system is battery-buffered,<br />

emergency lighting is also secured in the event of a power failure, thus<br />

ensuring that there is adequate illumination for work safety.<br />

“The Weidmüller Wind team put together a complete lighting package<br />

following a lighting simulation and a design-in. Depending on<br />

the customer’s specifications, the individual set solutions include different<br />

direct-current LEDs or alternating-current variants,” explains<br />

Jonas Fuhrmann, Product Manager at Weidmüller. “All of the installed<br />

lights, including the connections and plugs, are protected against<br />

vibrations and shocks and are moisture-resistant in accordance with<br />

protection class IP67,” he adds.<br />

Aitor Sanz, Offshore Wind MEP Manager at Saitec Offshore Technologies,<br />

says of Weidmüller’s newly developed customer solution:<br />

“We appreciate the great performance of Weidmüller’s integrated<br />

LED system because the system is really stable thanks to its designed<br />

redundancy. This lighting solution provides the highest level of safety<br />

to our on-site technicians.”<br />

TwinCap remote maintenance system detects<br />

damage to screw nuts<br />

Weidmüller has developed the TwinCap remote maintenance system<br />

to ensure that technicians rarely have to venture out onto floating<br />

wind turbines, as it permanently checks the nuts that secure the rotor<br />

blades to the nacelle. Even when the wind turbine is firmly anchored<br />

in the ground, the nuts are exposed to heavy loads. The blade bearing<br />

screws are far more exposed to the forces of nature when the offshore<br />

wind turbine is floating as well as rotating around itself.<br />

“To detect and assess damage to the screw nuts as early as possible,<br />

we’ve developed the TwinCap remote maintenance system. This<br />

detects both visually and digitally whether a blade bearing needs to<br />

be serviced on site,” says Steffen Niggemann, Team Leader of Business<br />

Development at Weidmüller. Automated damage detection minimises<br />

the need for regular on-site maintenance, which significantly reduces<br />

costs for shipping and personnel, especially in the difficult-to-access<br />

offshore sector.<br />

“With the TwinCap sensor system, Weidmüller has developed a<br />

damage prevention system that allows us to detect and repair damage<br />

in the blade bearing as soon as it occurs. This prevents cost-intensive<br />

consequential damage,” summarises Aitor Sanz.<br />

Weidmüller sees great potential in collaborating with innovation<br />

leaders such as Saitec Offshore Technologies to support the global<br />

development of the emerging floating wind technology as the power<br />

supply of the future.<br />

Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG<br />

Klingenbergstr. 26<br />

32758 Detmold, Germany<br />

Tel +49 (0)5<strong>23</strong>1 14-0<br />

weidmueller@weidmueller.com<br />

www.weidmueller.com<br />

Turnkey garage with wallbox and<br />

solar power<br />

Cube Concept Energy, a brand of Westway GmbH, presented a<br />

complete solution for parking and charging e-cars at the Intersolar<br />

Europe trade fair. With the “<strong>EN</strong>ERGY GARAGE”, every homeowner<br />

can make their contribution to the energy transition and use free<br />

electricity from their own photovoltaics. Thanks to integrated PV<br />

modules on the garage roof, the owner can charge an e-car in their<br />

own garage with self-generated solar power, even if the residential<br />

building roof does not allow for the installation of PV modules,<br />

there is no space in the house, the costs for a conventional house<br />

48<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Companies - Innovations - Products<br />

system exceed the budget, or neither components nor craftsmen<br />

are available. The system solution from a single source includes<br />

high-quality PV modules, a storage battery and a ready-wired wallbox.<br />

The <strong>EN</strong>ERGIE GARAGE is completely assembled in Germany in<br />

the assembly halls of Cube Concept House and delivered by lowloader.<br />

At the designated location, it is erected within one day, for<br />

example on prepared simple strip foundations, and put into operation.<br />

In the evening, the owner can already charge his car or e-bike<br />

in his own garage.<br />

Composite construction technology, increased fire protection,<br />

modern insulation<br />

According to the company, the garage is made of robust and durable<br />

composite construction technology. It does not place high demands on<br />

the foundation and, thanks to modern insulation, prevents high humidity<br />

and dew formation. It has a separate storage or technical room, which<br />

also offers the possibility of alternative storage technologies.<br />

For increased fire protection, the interior walls have a steel layer<br />

in the composite. The high-quality impression of the interior is not<br />

disturbed by cables - Cube Concept House conceals them in the wall.<br />

From the outside, the <strong>EN</strong>ERGY GARAGE impresses with an easy-toclean<br />

plaster look. The brand-name sectional door scores with motor<br />

drive and radio control. This modern burglary protection provides<br />

additional security.<br />

Solar energy storage and heating with<br />

green hydrogen<br />

COSBER is proud to announce the launch of its latest innovation, the<br />

SMART H 2 Energy Platform, a green hydrogen-based energy storage and<br />

generation system designed for buildings. It provides users with a stable,<br />

decentralized, and CO 2 -free energy supply for their homes, multi-family<br />

houses, or commercial properties by combining renewable energies as<br />

a source of energy generation and green hydrogen as an energy storage<br />

medium. The excess energy generated, from a photovoltaic system on<br />

sunny summer days, is stored as green hydrogen and used during the<br />

dark winter months to provide electricity and heat.<br />

The SMART H 2 Energy Platform incorporates the most advanced<br />

technologies for energy storage and generation. Its modular design<br />

allows for high customization based on user needs and circumstances.<br />

The platform comprises a photovoltaic inverter, electrolytic<br />

water hydrogen production system, hydrogen storage system, fuel cell<br />

power generation system, auxiliary electric energy system, and a synergy<br />

control module. By combining two energy storage technologies<br />

(lithium batteries for short-term storage and green hydrogen for longterm<br />

storage), COSBER’s SMART H 2 Energy Platform offers CO 2 -free<br />

and decentralized energy when needed.<br />

COSBER's SMART H 2 Energy Platform makes it possible for everyone<br />

to transition towards an independent and CO 2 -free energy supply. The<br />

smart H 2 energy platform product consists oft wo main units: the energy<br />

management Unit and the hydrogen storage unit. The energy managent<br />

unit can convenietly placed indoors in a basement or corner oft the stairs,<br />

while the pressurized hydrogen storage unit should be placed outdoors.<br />

These two units are connected by hydrogen pipelines and electrical cables<br />

to ensure seamlee communication and operation between them.<br />

Individualisation, project solutions, extensions<br />

Various versions of the “<strong>EN</strong>ERGIE GARAGE” will soon be available at<br />

www.cubeconcept.eu/shop. The supplier promises to implement individual<br />

wishes such as the choice of floor construction, windows, the<br />

colour of the door or other dimensions just as smoothly as the adaptation<br />

of the number of units for project solutions, for example.<br />

In addition to stand-alone operation, the <strong>EN</strong>ERGIE GARAGE can also<br />

be operated with larger or alternative storage units as well as extended<br />

PV power. According to the company, the owner can easily expand it,<br />

for example, with additional PV modules from another roof or a free<br />

area. Of course, he can also connect the “<strong>EN</strong>ERGY GARAGE” to the actual<br />

residential building, and thus outsource the entire PV installation, such<br />

as inverters or buffer storage, to the garage's technical room.<br />

WestWay GmbH<br />

Dieselstr. 1<br />

32683 Barntrup, Germany<br />

Tel +49 (0)5263 956024 0<br />

info@cubeconcepthouse.de<br />

www.cubeconcepthouse.de<br />

The integrated PEMFC of the modular storage system delivers up to 10 kW rated<br />

point net power output.<br />

Cosber Shenzen<br />

10 th , F1, TCL Intl. Science E-Park<br />

1001 Zhongshanyuan Road<br />

Nanshan, Shenzen, China<br />

Tel +86 (0) 755 8262 0833<br />

info@cosber.com<br />

www.cosber.com<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong> 49


Brand name register<br />

C. Otto Gehrckens GmbH & Co. KG<br />

Gehrstücken 9<br />

25421 Pinneberg/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)4101 5002-0<br />

Fax: +49 (0)4101 5002-83<br />

E-mail: info@cog.de<br />

Website: www.cog.de<br />

Elastomer seals from the specialist. COG delivers<br />

from the world‘s largest O-Ring warehouse<br />

(over 45,000 items in stock) a wide variety of<br />

compounds, incl. FFKM/FFPM and has offered<br />

premium quality, innovation and know-how for over<br />

150 years.<br />

Product range:<br />

- Precision O-Rings and elastomer seals<br />

- Tools for over <strong>23</strong>,000 different O-Ring sizes<br />

available<br />

- In-house mixing, mixture development and<br />

production<br />

- Various certifications, e. g. FDA, USP, NORSOK<br />

- Also small-scale production<br />

For further information please visit<br />

www.cog.de/en<br />

ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH<br />

Etzelstr. 10<br />

74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen/Germany<br />

Phone: +49(0)7321-9641-750<br />

E-Mail: ekt.wasserstoff@elringklinger.com<br />

Website:<br />

www.elringklinger-kunststoff.de<br />

www.ek-kt.de/elektrolyse<br />

The product portfolio contains a wide range of<br />

materials and components for PtX applications <strong>–</strong><br />

from electrolysis to mobile use. Innovative H 2-<br />

Enginering-Solutions, such as large-scale gaskets up<br />

to 3 m Ø, bellows, pipes and tubes, spring energized<br />

seals, guide rings, ElroSeal Rotary Shaft Seal etc.<br />

For trade fairs<br />

please visit our website<br />

www.elringklinger-kunststoff.de<br />

Hammelmann GmbH<br />

Carl-Zeiss-Str. 6-8<br />

59302 Oelde/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)2522 76-0<br />

Fax: +49 (0)2522 76-140<br />

E-mail: mail@hammelmann.de<br />

Website: www.hammelmann.de<br />

High-pressure plunger pumps<br />

Process pumps<br />

Sewer cleaning pumps<br />

Mining pumps (deep mining industry)<br />

Hot water appliances<br />

Operating pressure up to 4000 bar<br />

Flow rate up to 3000 l/min<br />

Applications systems for cleaning, removing,<br />

cutting, coating removal, decorning, deburring<br />

with high pressure water<br />

Worldwide participations in trade<br />

fairs,for current trade fairs, please<br />

visit our homepage:<br />

www.hammelmann.com<br />

We are looking forward to your visit!<br />

JUMO GmbH & Co. KG<br />

Moritz-Juchheim-Straße 1<br />

36039 Fulda/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)661 6003-0<br />

Fax: +49 (0)661 6003-881-<strong>23</strong>46<br />

E-mail: info@jumo.net<br />

Website: www.jumo.net<br />

Delivery program<br />

• Temperature sensors and heat meters<br />

• Transmitters and controllers<br />

• Automation system and digital indicators<br />

• Hygro transducers and hygrothermal transducers<br />

• Measuring devices and flow sensors<br />

• Level probes and float switches<br />

• Level sensors and level switches<br />

• Solid state relays and power controllers<br />

Come visit us:<br />

• Hydrogen Sept. 7 - 28 / Bremen<br />

• POLLUTEC October 10 - 13 / Lyon<br />

• AQUATECH Nov. 6 - 9 / Amsterdam<br />

Other scheduled trade fairs:<br />

messen.jumo.info<br />

KLAUS UNION GmbH & Co. KG<br />

Blumenfeldstr. 18<br />

44795 Bochum/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)<strong>23</strong>4 4595-0<br />

Fax: +49 (0)<strong>23</strong>4 4595-7000<br />

E-mail: info@klaus-union.com<br />

Website: www.klaus-union.com<br />

PUMPS: Magnetic drive and shaft sealed pumps for<br />

the chemical and petrochemical industry, the oil and<br />

gas industry and the renewable energy sector.<br />

Single-/multi-stage centrifugal pumps, side channel<br />

pumps, submerged pumps, propeller pumps, single/<br />

double volute twin screw pumps. Pumps according<br />

DIN <strong>EN</strong> ISO, ANSI, API and custom designs.<br />

VALVES: Gate valves, globe valves, check valves,<br />

control valves, butterfly valves metal seated.<br />

Please visit our website for<br />

upcoming exhibitions<br />

www.klaus-union.com<br />

KLINGER GmbH<br />

RicharKlinger-Str. 37<br />

65510 Idstein/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)6126 4016-0<br />

Fax: +49 (0)6126 4016-11<br />

E-mail: mail@klinger.de<br />

Website: www.klinger.de<br />

Gasket sheets based on PTFE: KLINGERtop-chem,<br />

KLINGERsoft-chem<br />

Sheets based on graphite and mica:<br />

KLINGERgraphit, KLINGERgraphit-Folie,<br />

KLINGERgraphit-Laminat, KLINGERmilam<br />

Gasket sheets based on fibers: KLINGER Quantum,<br />

KLINGERSIL, KLINGERtop-sil, KLINGERtop-graph<br />

Sealing tapes: KLINGERtop-flon multi,<br />

KLINGERsealex, KLINGERflon-sealing tape,<br />

KLINGERgraphit sealing tape<br />

Spray: KLINGERflon-Spray<br />

Rubber products: Rubber-Steel Gaskets<br />

KLINGER-KGS, KLINGER Wall Seal Ring, moulded and<br />

extruded parts<br />

Special products on request<br />

Current trade fair dates:<br />

www.klinger.de/de/unternehmen/<br />

news/events<br />

We are looking forward to your visit!<br />

50<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Brand name register<br />

Lutz Pumpen GmbH<br />

Erlenstr. 5-7<br />

97877 Wertheim/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)9342 879-0<br />

E-mail: info@lutz-pumpen.de<br />

Website: www.lutz-pumpen.de<br />

Lutz Pumpen GmbH is a leading manufacturer of<br />

industrial pumps with a focus on work safety and the<br />

highest demands.<br />

The product range includes drum pumps, container<br />

pumps, air-operated diaphragm pumps, flow meters,<br />

centrifugal pumps as well as system solutions.<br />

Current trade fair dates can be found<br />

on our website:<br />

www.lutz-pumpen.de<br />

URACA GmbH & Co. KG<br />

Sirchinger Str. 15<br />

72574 Bad Urach/Germany<br />

Phone: +49 (0)7125 133-0<br />

Fax: +49 (0)7125 133-202<br />

E-mail: info@uraca.de<br />

Website: www.uraca.de<br />

URACA designs and manufactures high-pressure<br />

plunger pumps and pump units as well as complex<br />

cleaning systems for satisfied customers all over<br />

the world.<br />

• High pressure plunger pumps<br />

up to 3,500 kW/3,000 bar<br />

• Sewer cleaning pumps<br />

• High pressure pump units for industry and<br />

cleaning, for hot and cold media<br />

• Tools and accessories<br />

• High pressure water jetting systems<br />

• Hydrostatic pressure test pumps<br />

For current trade fairs<br />

please visit our website<br />

www.uraca.de<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong> 51


<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong><br />

Index of Advertisers<br />

Index of Advertisers<br />

BMZ Germany GmbH<br />

3. Cover page<br />

C. Otto Gehrckens GmbH & Co. KG Page 15<br />

ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH Page 50<br />

Hammelmann GmbH Page 5<br />

JUMO GmbH & Co. KG Page 21<br />

KLAUS UNION GmbH & Co. KG<br />

Cover<br />

KLINGER GmbH Page 37<br />

Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH<br />

2. Cover page<br />

Lutz Pumpen GmbH Page 51<br />

URACA GmbH & Co. KG Page 51<br />

Your media contact<br />

D-A-CH<br />

Thomas Mlynarik<br />

Tel.: +49 (0) 911 2018 165<br />

Mobile: +49 (0) 151 5481 8181<br />

mlynarik@harnisch.com<br />

INTERNATIONAL<br />

<strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong><br />

Benno Keller<br />

Tel.: +49 (0) 911 2018 200<br />

keller@harnisch.com<br />

Impressum<br />

Publisher<br />

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH in cooperation<br />

with Prof. (ret.) Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Schlücker,<br />

advisor on hydrogen and energy issues<br />

©<br />

20<strong>23</strong>, Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH<br />

Responsible for content<br />

Ottmar Holz<br />

Silke Watkins<br />

Publishing company and<br />

reader service<br />

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH<br />

Eschenstr. 25<br />

90441 Nuremberg, Germany<br />

Tel 0911 2018-0<br />

Fax 0911 2018-100<br />

E-Mail get@harnisch.com<br />

www.harnisch.com<br />

Editors<br />

Ottmar Holz<br />

Silke Watkins<br />

Advertisements/Brand name register<br />

Silke Watkins/Matti Schneider<br />

Technical Director<br />

Armin König<br />

Errors excepted<br />

Reprinting and photomechanical<br />

reproduction,even in extract form, is only<br />

possible with the written consent of the<br />

publishers<br />

ISSN 2752-2040<br />

52 <strong>GRE<strong>EN</strong></strong> <strong>EFFICI<strong>EN</strong>T</strong> <strong>TECHNOLOGIES</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>


Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH<br />

Eschenstraße 25<br />

90441 Nuremberg, Germany<br />

Phone + 49 (0) 911 2018-0<br />

Fax + 49 (0) 911 2018-100<br />

E-Mail <strong>GET</strong>@harnisch.com<br />

Internet www.harnisch.com<br />

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