The drive to a sustainable, low-carbon economy is increasing the demand for greener alternatives to fossil fuels. One example is hydrogen, which can be made from renewable sources and is set to play a vital role in decarbonising our global economy. This has resulted in new industries and technologies that can manufacture and store hydrogen at scale.
The challenge
However, one of the challenges of using hydrogen is leakage. A hydrogen leak not only wastes valuable resources, it is also a safety hazard due to the gas’s high flammability.
Halma companies Crowcon and Alicat are both playing an important role in supporting the safe transition to hydrogen energy.
Crowcon, a specialist in detection instruments, has introduced the first flammable gas sensor that allows the reading of 15 different flammable gases so users can quickly identify leaks, including hydrogen gas leaks. This technology means workers no longer need to enter hazardous areas to check detectors. It reduces the risk to people while also avoiding costly downtime and the potential disaster of a hydrogen leakage.
Alicat, a Halma company specialising in controlling gas flow, has extensive experience in leak detection. Its detectors provide precise monitoring to see if there is a leak, to understand where it is, and identify how big it is. This is critical when monitoring a highly flammable gas like hydrogen, where fast action can save lives as well as protect facilities.
As the world transitions to greener fuels like hydrogen, our companies are playing a vital role in helping to ensure we can meet this new demand safely.
For more on Alicat’s applications in the hydrogen industry visit Alicat’s website
