Hydrogen: Pipelines, Safety, & Production

Globally, demand for plastics continues to grow, and suppliers continue to fund and build production plants to meet current and anticipated future demand. Hydrogen gas is a commonly used raw material in the production of thermoplastics (amorphous resins and semi-crystalline resins) such as Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

Hydrogen in Polypropylene and Polyethylene Production

For these plants, safely handling of hydrogen involves serious concerns that are not present in other gases. Hydrogen is inflammable, expensive and dangerous to compress, and can embrittle traditional steel pipes and welds. Without properly designed pipe, valves and fittings, the pressurized gas can cause small leaks or cracks on weak points in the piping system. Such a small problem can have explosive consequences. That is why CPV Manufacturing has been the single source in supplying valves and fittings for use in these processes to safely handle hydrogen gas.

Various licensors of polypropylene and polyethylene process technology specify CPV Manufacturing products for hydrogen systems based on decades of reliable service with this hazardous raw material. CPV’s entire system includes high pressure isolation, control and check valves, along with the associated fitting connections, all designed for reliability, quality, and safety. If your PP, HDPE or LLDPE production unit suffers from downtime due to valve or fitting failure, it’s a good bet that CPV was not selected during the initial construction. To solve these challenges, contact our engineering team at EngineeringAdm@cpvmfg.com to arrange a meeting with our experts in hydrogen piping systems.