Hydrogen must be stored at high pressures to achieve the energy density required for use in fuel cell vehicles and infrastructure. So, fluid systems that are designed to contain hydrogen in refueling station infrastructure and on-vehicle applications need to deliver very specific performance characteristics, including:

• Gas seal tightness
• Tube grip strength
• Vibration resistance
• Material integrity
• Efficient installation and maintenance

Only OEMs, station owners, and contractors who use fluid system components that reliably deliver on these attributes to manufacture H2 fuel cell vehicles and the refueling station infrastructure will be successful. And their success is what will drive the hydrogen mobility industry forward and help the world meet our aggressive goals for sustainable, clean energy.  

Led by Chuck Hayes, Principal Applications Engineer for Clean Energy at Swagelok, this presentation will discuss the critical considerations for fluid system components (tube fittings, valves,  regulators, and hoses) used in hydrogen applications and systems. As a small-molecule gas, hydrogen can migrate through tiny crevices and diffuse into the materials designed to contain them. Also, high storage and dispensing pressures, as well as rapid thermal and pressure changes, are challenges for the processing of H2 as a fuel source. Specification of high-performing fluid system components designed for these challenging applications will help ensure the long-term, leak-tight operation of the system.