Emerson BM6X slam-shut valve certified for hydrogen applications

Emerson has announced the approval by Bureau Veritas Italia of its BM6X Series slam-shut valve for use in applications with up to 100% hydrogen and pressures up to 100 bar.

The certification was achieved in December 2022 as a result of the commitment of Emerson and Bureau Veritas Italia to ensure suitable products are available for use in new hydrogen infrastructure. The certification granted to the Emerson BM6X Series slam-shut valve confirms the verification of material suitability, based on internal and external seal tests performed at the Emerson production plant in Castel Maggiore, Bologna, Italy.

Emerson says it is working with its customers to develop a hydrogen ecosystem, starting with research and innovation, and scaling up production and transportation. These efforts are an important focus of the European Union’s strategy on hydrogen, adopted in 2020, and of similar efforts in other countries and regions worldwide. Certifying key components, such as the Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve, is a critical step for these types of projects.

“The Bureau Veritas procedure, relating to the issue of Type Approval for hydrogen-operated actuators and valves, defines the audit process for the issue, maintenance and renewal of the certification for actuators and valves used with hydrogen or hydrogen mixtures,” said Giuseppe Signoretta, Hydrogen Technical Manager, Bureau Veritas. “This procedure supports the certification of products ready to be used in the hydrogen field, and it provides a suitable tool for the concrete implementation of the European plans for energy independence and reduction of CO₂ emissions.

“The collaboration between Emerson and Bureau Veritas demonstrates a concrete commitment to offer suitable and safe products for natural gas distribution networks,” he said.

“To ensure product quality, safety and conformity, Emerson is collaborating with the testing and certification agency Bureau Veritas Italia, and it has developed internal procedures to assess the suitability of products to be used in gas infrastructure applications,” said Oscar Bressan, standardisation and product engineer with Emerson’s pressure management research and development team.

“The Emerson procedures describe the requirements, tests and inspection methods for metallic and non-metallic materials, as well as internal and external sealing necessary to use pressure control products in contact with natural gas and blended hydrogen, or pure hydrogen,” he said. “After the first certification obtained for the Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve, Emerson will continue to certify other equipment used in hydrogen infrastructure to ensure sustainability and reliability for this rapidly developing market.”

The Emerson BM6X Series Slam-Shut valve has multiple applications throughout gas transmission networks, regulating stations, and end-use infrastructure. For example, natural gas transmission and distribution companies can blend hydrogen into their distribution systems, reducing emissions when the blended mixture of hydrogen and natural gas is burned in homes for cooking, heating and other uses. Industrial end-users can reduce emissions by using a mix of hydrogen and natural gas as fuel for turbines used for power generation.

Additional details regarding required research and testing methodologies for hydrogen applications can be found at this link: Decarbonization in Natural Gas Applications.