Hydrogen is considered an important building block on the way to a climate-neutral future. It is used, for example, in industry for steel production, in cars as a fuel or in the glass industry. Despite its potential, handling the odorless gas is risky, as it is highly flammable and highly explosive if mixed with only small amounts of oxygen or air.

Requirements for safety technology

Even 4% hydrogen in the air can lead to ignition. In its gaseous state, hydrogen is stored at a pressure of between 200 and 900 bar; it can be liquefied by cooling it to -253 °C. Safe insulation not only provides thermal insulation, but also protects the environment from the freezing vapors. High safety standards must therefore be observed during production, handling and use. Gas tightness, robustness of shut-off devices, pressure resistance and tightness of pipes, sensors and valves are therefore of great importance.

Safe automation is in demand

Lambertus Monnee, Product Manager Hydrogen, Pilz

© Mushroom

During the annual press conference, Lambertus Monnee, Product Manager Hydrogen at Pilz, gave an insight into the safety requirements of the hydrogen industry. He explained that safety tasks in the industry are often solved via material properties and mechanical dimensioning: "The more robust the shut-off valves are, for example, the safer they are in their application." However, he emphasized the potential of safe automation technology in the industry. Proven safe automation solutions could be a valuable addition to existing safety technology, he said. Automation could, for example, take over dynamic pressure and temperature monitoring or the safe compliance with load limits of downstream structures. "Our control systems reliably detect gas leaks by evaluating gas detectors. They monitor temperature, pressure, filling level, voltage and current. They can detect errors in the millisecond range and quickly initiate predefined safety measures," says Monnee.

Such safety functions are very important at hydrogen filling stations for cars, for example. A filling station consists of a compression area in which gas can be compressed to up to 1000 bar, a cooling system, high-pressure storage tanks and the dispenser. Pilz uses the PSS 4000 automation system at hydrogen filling stations in France, for example, to ensure safety when dispensing hydrogen.

Security crucial

Even before Mr Monnee's presentation, Thomas Pilz, Managing Partner of the company, reminded the audience of the importance of safety and security: "Sustainability and digitalization need safety and security!" This also applies to the hydrogen industry: in addition to functional safety, a holistic approach also includes industrial security. "One example is a remote connection to a container for hydrogen production to check the status of the system. This connection must be protected, otherwise the safety-relevant part of the system can be controlled and changed without authorization," says Monnee. Proven automation solutions can already do this for the hydrogen industry.