GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES EN 1/23

GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 

EN 1/23 

Hydrogen and Process Technology 

Energy Supply 

Industrial Processes Circular Economy Ressources 

Decentralisation 

Energy and Heat Network 

Logistics 

RESOURCE CONSERVATION 

WITH MAGNET DRIVE PUMPS 

FICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIE 

CY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY E 

FICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFIC 

CY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY 

FFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFIC 

NCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY 

EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFF 

ENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENC 


IENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENC 

EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EF 

CIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIEN 

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NCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICI 

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Y EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFIC 

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Y EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY EFFICIEN 

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Editorial 

Harvest the sun 

Humanity consumed 595 EJ (exajoules) of energy in 2021. That corresponds to 165,410 TWh or 165,410,000,000,000 KWh. 

We produced around 80 per cent of this energy by burning fossil fuels. Our electricity demand accounted for one-seventh 

of the 165,410 TWh. Humanity discharged nearly 38 billion tons of additional CO 2 into the Earth’s atmosphere for this 

in 2021 alone. Notwithstanding all the lip service of the countries responsible about intentions to save energy, a pronounced 

upward trend continues. Meanwhile, global climate change as the quintessence of this behaviour has become 

impossible to ignore. The consequences have become too glaring and obvious, including wildfires that are almost 

impossible to extinguish, collapsing mountain peaks and – especially ominous – continent-wide droughts that last for 

months alternating with disastrous flooding caused by extremely heavy rain. 

Smart energy generation and consumption 

Humanity has to make two crucial changes: Decarbonise energy generation and reduce consumption with smart technology. 

While neither is free, both can be realised without working miracles. On the energy generation side, the sun 

could make the biggest contribution as a backstop technology. Year after year, it supplies approximately 1.5 · 10 18 KWh 

(1,500,000,000,000,000,000 KWh) of energy to Earth’s surface. That is more than 5,000 times humanity’s current global 

energy demand – for free! Unfortunately, the use of photovoltaics is tied to the location and time of day. Wind as a 

secondary form of energy largely lacks the necessary constancy as well. Energy for run-of-river power stations also 

originates from the sun. They are sensitive to water shortages caused by extended droughts. Their number is often 

limited by geomorphologic conditions, especially in densely populated industrialised countries. 

Complicated transport 

Humanity is bound to transport energy from high-yield regions to the points of consumption. Unfortunately, this is 

anything but trivial. The profoundly humorous nickname “Stromkanister” (“electricity canister”) of a participant in a 

German online forum is a good example. On closer examination, this name reveals the crucial weakness of electricity, 

which is currently being celebrated as a cure-all. Unlike fossil fuels, transporting it in a simple canister is in fact impossible. 

Storing electricity in rechargeable batteries is expensive, and the storage volumes are small. Even giant pumped-storage 

power plants lack the capacity to meet the demand of industrial nations for more than a day. And there are too few of 

them. The world does not have cross-continental high-voltage power networks. Hydrogen suggests itself here as a carbonfree 

energy storage medium. The article contributed by Hydrogenious LOHC offers a solution for its worldwide efficient 

transportation. 

Save, save, save 

Using the laboriously transferred energy intelligently is the other adjustment. Numerous solutions for this exist, ranging 

from simple to spectacularly high-tech. A few particularly interesting ones are found on the following pages. 

Have fun reading! 

Ottmar Holz 

GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 2023 

3


Contents 

Cover 

Rising energy costs and a 

growing awareness of limiting 

the CO 2 impact of production 

lead to increasing concern 

in many sectors on how to 

reduce energy consumption. 

Of course, pumps and their 

drives are one of the biggest 

energy consumers to look 

at, both directly (drive power 

consumption) as well as indirectly 

(other utility consumptions 

and maintenance 

requirements). 

Contents 

Editorial 

Harvest the sun 3 

Leading article 

Unafraid of hydrogen 6 

Cover story 

Conserving energy and saving CO 2 using non-metallic containment shells 

in magnetic coupled pumps 8 

Energy carrier hydrogen 

Hydrogen transport - technologies and challenges 14 

Anything but standard: Elastomer seal challenges in hydrogen applications 17 

Energy efficiency 

Double-stage compressed air packages with heat recovery 20 

From the research 

Listening closely 24 

Efficient manufacturing 

Thinking big, without compromising on precision 28 

Decarbonisation 

Defossilization of road-based freight transport through electrified semitrailer systems 30 

Decarbonizing heavy-duty and commercial transport safely, reliably and efficiently 34 

Revolutionary oxygen impulse technology for steel production 38 

Circular energy 

Sustainable solutions in fish farming leads to high value health ingredients 42 

Companies – Innovations – Products 44 

Brand name register 50 

Index of Advertisers/Impressum 52 

4 

GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 2023

HAMPRO® HIGH-PRESSURE 

PROCESS TECHNOLOGY 

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pumps are the foundation for effective and reliable production. 

The high-pressure pumps of the HAMPRO® series are characterized by a robust design, a high safety 

standard and careful use of resources. 

Our experienced team of experts will be happy to help you configure the right one 

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Pressure: 

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TAILOR-MADE AND 

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Hammelmann GmbH 

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D-59302 Oelde www.hammelmann-process.com


Unafraid of hydrogen 

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Weimer 

The topic in this paper is the sealing 

of hydrogen using static flat gaskets 

made of fibrous materials (FA). 

Hydrogen is being hailed as the 

“oil of the future”, underlining how 

many designers and practitioners 

will have to become familiar with 

using it in their construction projects, 

plant designs, procurement 

scenarios and assembly activities. 

This includes determining how to 

seal components properly when 

working with hydrogen. The aim of 

this article is to raise awareness of 

this issue and provide information 

to enable proper decision-making 

for the material selection and the 

installation situation. 

Static gaskets - Soft gaskets 

Fig. 2: Flange with high-pressure seal 

(Photo © : KLINGER) 

One of the most common forms of 

sealing is static sealing, where the 

components to be sealed remain 

immobile in relation to each other. 

With these connections, considerable 

pressure is exerted on the sealing 

material installed between the 

flanges - the high-pressure seal. 

To seal properly, the material 

used must be adaptable and migrate 

into the roughness of the flange surface 

as well as compensate for its 

waviness. Conversely, despite the 

high forces involved, the material 

must remain intact - a typical technical 

compromise. 

Klinger has developed a manufacturing 

process to meet this compromise: 

The calendering process involves processing 

a mixture of fibres and fillers 

with elastomer as a binder into a sealing 

sheet on a hot roller by exerting 

enormous pressure. 

The result is a highly resilient 

seal, typically capable of withstanding 

loads of over 200 MPa (approx. 

2 tonnes per cm²) at room temperature, 

which has the smallest of pores 

and allows adaptation to the surface 

roughness by compressing the pores 

and the elastomer. 

Pressing together, e.g. via screws, 

prevents surface leakage and leakage 

through the sealing material - the 

higher the sealing force, the tighter 

the connection. 

Leakage requirements 

for gas supply 

The DIN-DVGW type test according 

to DIN 3535-6 of April 2019 specifies 

corresponding values. The specific 

leakage rate must be ≤ 0.1 mg /(s x m). 

For FA gasket materials, a gasket 

thickness of 2.0 mm, internal pressure 

of 40 bar and surface pressure 

of 32 MPa are assumed. The test gas 

is nitrogen. 

So far, we have been using fossil 

media such as natural gas (predominantly 

methane) and propane and 

butane as standards for our energy 

supply. For these gases, the tightness 

requirements are sufficient - but 

what about hydrogen? 

Does hydrogen differ from the 

usual fuel gases? 

Fig. 1: Sealing surface and seal 

Hydrogen gas has a low density and 

the atom has very low spatial expan- 

6 



sion. In fact, it is the smallest atom in 

the periodic table of elements. This is 

why, in theory, it traverses the smallest 

channels with greater ease than 

larger atoms. The reality, however, is 

different, because hydrogen is only 

atomic when produced and immediately 

combines with the next hydrogen 

atom to form the hydrogen molecule 

H 2 , which can be pictured in the 

shape of a dumbbell. Nevertheless, 

the fuel gases having proliferated to 

date, methane CH 4 (the main component 

of natural gas), propane C 3 H 8 

and butane C 4 H 10 are all clearly larger. 

Recent years have seen a growing 

shift in the use of helium (He) rather 

than nitrogen as the test gas for 

measuring any leakage from sealed 

joints. Accordingly, now we have the 

second-smallest atom in the periodic 

table of elements as our standard 

test gas, which is usable to detect 

the smallest leaks. Rather than being 

rigid, our gas particles move due to 

Brownian molecular motion. If we 

now compare the kinetic diameters 

of the relevant gas particles, we see 

that the helium atom and hydrogen 

molecule are comparable in size. 

In the table of kinetic diameters 

(www.arnold-chemie.de) we see 

hydrogen H 2 

helium He 

and for methane CH 4 

where 1 Å = 0.1 nm 

2.3 – 2.9 Å 

2.6 – 2.7 Å 

3.8 Å 

And what we notice is that hydrogen, 

although "smaller" than methane, 

is on a par with our test gas helium, 

size-wise. Similarly, previous actual 

comparative measurements have 

shown that, despite differences in the 

quantities of hydrogen and helium 

leaking, they are of the same order of 

magnitude. 

One other thing to note about 

hydrogen is that it burns faster than 

natural gas, which explains the smaller 

distances between the burner nozzle 

and flame in gas burners. As a result, 

both the flame detection technology 

and the material selection of the burner 

nozzle and other parameters have 

to be adjusted. Furthermore, unlike 

other gases, hydrogen has a negative 

Joule-Thompson effect. But none of this 

is relevant in the context of tightness of 

connections. 

What practical experience do you 

have? 

Hydrogen has been a common raw 

material in the chemical industry for 

many years. According to the VCI, 

hydrogen is crucial here and forms 

the starting point of important chemical 

value chains. Already today, about 

12.5 billion cubic metres of hydrogen 

are used annually in Germany 

(according to vci.de). 

The town gas used in the past 

contained hydrogen up to around 

50 %. Hydrogen is not chemically 

aggressive and does not attack the 

usual fibre, graphite and PTFE sealing 

materials used. 

Ample proof of our strong familiarity 

with the medium and the fact we 

have long been successfully implementing 

corresponding sealing 

strategies. 

A look at the potential dangers of 

hydrogen 

As with all fuel gases, there is also a 

risk of unintentional combustion in 

the form of an explosion with hydrogen. 

And here, the explosion limits 

of the various fuel gases must be 

observed. The lower explosion limit 

(LEL) in air is 4 vol% for hydrogen and 

4.4 vol% for methane. - which resembles 

the figures just mentioned. The 

upper explosion limits, however, at 

77 vol% H 2 and 16.5 vol% CH 4 are 

poles apart. 

Within CEN/TC 58 - Safety and 

control devices for Burners and appliances 

burning gaseous or liquid fuels 

- there is working group 15, which 

handles the subject of hydrogen and 

prepares information for international 

standardisation. Among other 

things, the "CEN/TC 58 WG 15 evaluations 

2022-04-14" presentation 

deals with a comparison of fuel gases 

methane, propane and butane with 

hydrogen and hydrogen/natural gas 

mixtures 20 % to 80 % with a view to 

gas installation equipment. Gas fixtures 

installed, like heating system 

burners, appliances and household 

devices, offer wide-ranging potential 

for future hydrogen applications. 

With all this in mind, the working 

group performed a hazard assessment, 

the scope of which included 

extensive calculations and initial 

measurements to get a clear picture. 

The danger from combustible 

gases is influenced not only by their 

leakage behaviour but also their ignitability. 

So the working group assessed 

such influences and described them 

mathematically. Clearly, although 

the hazard potential of hydrogen 

exceeds that of natural gas (me- 

thane), it remains well below that of 

propane and butane. 

Conclusion 

1. We have positive experience with 

our well-known and high-quality 

FA sealing materials from a history of 

safe sealing of hydrogen. 

2. Independent leakage measurements 

also show that we are within 

the usual ranges for fuel gases with 

hydrogen. 

3. And with the potential explosion 

hazard in mind, our experience with 

hydrogen underlines our progress 

within a familiar framework that 

has been safely controlled for many 

years. 

In sum, therefore, we see no need 

to fear hydrogen as a future carbon- 

free energy carrier. Contingent 

on appropriate design and having 

professionals in to install, hydrogen 

can be a safe means of achieving 

decarbonisation. The hydrogen age is 

on the horizon! 

The Author: Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Weimer, 

KLINGER GmbH 

GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 2023 7

Cover story 

Conserving energy and saving CO 2 

using non-metallic containment shells 

in magnetic coupled pumps 

Ralf Schienhammer 

Fig. 1: Conserving Energy is a growing concern both for the use and the production of pumps 

Rising energy costs and a growing 

awareness of limiting the CO 2 

impact of production lead to increasing 

concern in many sectors on 

how to reduce energy consumption. 

Of course, pumps and their drives 

are one of the biggest energy consumers 

to look at, both directly (drive 

power consumption) as well as indirectly 

(other utility consumptions 

and maintenance requirements). 

The current situation 

The first steps to securing a more 

energy-efficient fluid handling were 

– and still are – taken by putting 

increasing importance on the energy 

efficiency of the pump drivers. 

Higher and higher nominal efficiencies 

are required for electric motors 

to meet with current and future regulations 

(not considering the resource 

requirements due to the need for 

more and more copper to achieve 

these). 

For the example of a typical 

45 kW 2-pole motor the following 

minimum efficiencies apply: 

- IE2: 92.9 % 

- IE3: 94.0 % 

- IE4: 95.0 % 

By this rule, assuming we have an 

optimally loaded pump and motor 

combination operating close to the 

rated power difference and assuming 

again a pump operating 24 hours 

a day all year the difference between 

an IE2 and an IE3 motor would be 

approximately. 4,965 kWh, while the 

difference between an IE3 and an IE4 

motor would be approx. 4,414 kWh. 

If we’re checking the EAA website 

for their latest published CO 2 equivalent 

data, they publish the following 

values for 2021: we get an average 

equivalent for all 27 European 

Member states of 275 g CO 2 e/kWh, 

with some heavily industrialized 

nations having considerably higher 

values (Germany 402 g CO 2 e/kWh, 

Netherlands 418 g CO 2 e/kWh) while 

others are of course considerably 

lower (France 67 g CO 2 e/kWh or Sweden 

with only 9 g CO 2 e/kWh.) 

8 


Cover story 

Efficiency Class IE2 IE3 IE4 

Minimum Efficiency 92.9 % 94.0 % 95.0 % 

Operating Hours 8,760 h 8,760 h 8,760 h 

Total Power Consumption 424,327 kWh 419,362 kWh 414,947 kWh 

CO 2 e produced 116.7 tons CO 2 e 115.3 tons CO 2 e 114.1 tons CO 2 e 

Energy Costs 89,108.67 € 88,066.02 € 87,138.87 € 

So, installing an IE4 instead of an IE3 motor will save – best case – 927.15 € and approximately 1.2 tons of CO 2 equivalents per year. 

The average electricity price for 

non-household consumers in the EU 

in the second half of 2022 was specified 

at 0.21 €/kWh, again with a wide 

range depending on the country. If 

we plug in these numbers, we reach 

the following results for a 45 kW 

Motor operating all year around at 

peak power demand. 

The simplest step – direct action 

Companies have spent considerable 

time and money to upgrade the 

installed base of electrical motors 

while ignoring a sometimes much 

easier and more impactful way of 

upgrading the energy efficiency 

of their sealless pumps: The containment 

techno logy. By using 

non-metallic containment shells 

made from heavy-duty industrial 

ceramics, the efficiency of sealless 

pumps can be increased by 

5% to 10% for small and by 10 to 20% 

for larger hydraulics. That techno logy 

is now field proven for more than 

25 years and is in use for the most 

demanding applications. 

As the non-metallic containment 

shells are not electrically conductive, 

they transmit the power without generating 

any eddy current losses and 

thus are operating loss-free, giving a 

direct impact on power consumption, 

allowing the use of smaller, more efficient 

motors and thus have a very 

direct impact on the existing pump 

installations without requiring any 

new equipment to be installed. 

Looking back at the earlier example 

we would not be talking about 

such minuscule savings but the ability 

to save 17.7 tons of CO 2 e per year or 

13,554.90 Euro of electricity costs per 

year. When talking about these numbers 

it doesn’t matter that we’re using 

the numbers for an IE4 motor as a base. 

Going further 

But it would be a mistake to limit the 

applicability of the non-metallic containment 

shell technology only to 

those installations already sealless 

today. Sealless pumps are still a vast 

minority of installed pumps, even 

though they offer a lot more benefits 

when looking at the overall pump 

population in any kind of plant or factory 

when compared to mechanically 

sealed pumps: 

• Mechanical seals have finite operating 

life – requiring shut down for 

maintenance when the seals are 

worn out. 

• The unavoidable leakage through 

the seals, whether it is to the 

atmosphere (for single-acting 

seals) or the product (for doubleacting 

seals) means a loss of product 

or product quality and environmental 

contamination, either by 

product or by the barrier /quench 

liquid 

• Double-acting and/or quenched 

seals require additional utilities 

such as barrier liquids, steam, 

nitrogen, or oxygen, which 

requires energy and supplemental 

equipment to 

prepare and supply. 

One obvious solution 

to this would 

be to use sealless 

pumps (magnetic 

coupled or canned 

motor type). Yet 

they still are largely 

not considered as 

a solution to these 

questions because of 

a few prevalent myths told about 

them. However, with the developments 

of technology during the last 

decades there exist field-proven 

solutions for pretty much every point 

sealless pumps still get criticized for 

today. 

Myth 1: Sealless pumps are less 

efficient than mechanically sealed 

pumps 

This is a typical criticism and one of 

the most complex ones to address 

because pump efficiency has multiple 

aspects: 

• Pump hydraulic efficiency 

• Drive efficiency 

• Impact of the power transmission 

Myth 1a – Sealless pump hydraulics 

have worse efficiency than sealed 

hydraulics 

The first part, hydraulic pump efficiency 

is the easiest one to put to 

rest. For most manufacturers, the 

hydraulics used are the same for the 

sealed and sealless designs with no 

appreciable energy impact. 

Fig. 2: Standard Hydraulic Unit – Identical with 

that of a mechanical sealed pump 


Cover story 

Myth 1b – Sealless pump drives are less efficient than 

mechanical sealed pump drives 

The veracity of this myth depends on the type of sealless 

pump. A magnetic pump utilizes the same standard 

motors as a mechanically sealed pump, so there is no difference. 

The electrical efficiency of canned motor pumps 

depends on the quality of the electrical motor and thus 

the manufacturer, as they are not using standard motors. 

To address the latter point first: With a carefully controlled 

liquid gap in the containment area the liquid drag can be 

eliminated for centrifugal pump purposes, and even in the 

high viscosities that are handled by positive displacement 

pumps, any liquid gap can be minimized by controlling and 

adjusting the liquid gap and the pump speed. 

The former point has not been true in 25 years, especially 

for magnetic coupled pumps. Non-metallic containment 

shells, ideally made from heavy-duty industrial 

ceramics, allow for a loss-free power transmission. With 

up-to-date magnetic drive technologies powers up to 

1 MW can be transferred, depending on application and 

other situations, putting no longer any practical limit on 

the use of magnetic couplings both in terms of size or 

pumps or applications. 

Myth 2: Sealless pumps have more wear parts than 

mechanical sealed pumps 

Fig. 3: Adapting the liquid gap if necessary to reduce liquid drag 

Myth 1c – Whatever can be saved in utilities is wasted 

in the power transmission utilized by sealless pumps 

through the containment 

Typically, this claim refers to the transmission losses due 

to the metallic containment or in the case of more desperate 

arguments the liquid drag of the sealless pumps. 

Again, it depends on the design of the pump and customer 

specifications. But a close coupled magnetic coupled 

pump, which can be reliably used from very low to very 

high temperatures (-200…+400 °C), does not have more 

but fewer wear parts than a mechanical sealed pump. The 

close-coupled technology places the outer magnet carrier 

directly on the shaft of a standard electrical motor. In this 

design, there are fewer wear parts, because it operates 

without the need for a dynamic sealing element, without 

a shaft coupling, and an additional bearing carrier. This 

reduces maintenance requirements and costs considerably 

compared to mechanical sealed pumps. 

The journal bearings are typically maintenance-free if 

the pump is properly operated in clean liquids (or the bearings 

have been selected accordingly, more on that later). 

Fig. 4: Heavy duty containment shells made from 

industriall ceramics up to 63 bar 

Fig. 5: Maintenance friendly close-coupled magnetic coupled centrifugal 

pumps reducing the installation and maintenance costs 

10 


Cover story 

Myth 3: Journal bearings of sealless 

pumps can’t handle low viscosities 

This used to be true for a long time. 

But with the reliable high-technology 

materials available today it is possible 

to handle even liquified gasses 

with viscosities below 0.1 cP without 

issues, even for the largest pumps. 

Solutions for high viscous liquids are 

in existence for decades, but also 

low viscosity operation is no longer 

any problem today, even without 

any utilities required for cooling and/ 

or flushing. 

Myth 4: Journal bearings of sealless 

pumps can’t handle solids very well 

Fig. 6: Pump handling liquid nitrogen on a test loop for new bearings 

The key here is more open and honest 

communication with the pump 

supplier. Modern materials allow 

for extremely solid loads without 

damage to the journal bearings. 

The highly wear-resistant industrial 

ceramic containment shells available 

today further improve wear resistance 

and do not wear even where the 

traditional dynamic shaft seals would 

come to their endurance limits. Additionally, 

magnetic filters can allow 

even the handling of liquids containing 

ferrous solids such as iron oxides 

if required. 

Myth 5: Sealless pumps are more 

sensitive to the wrong operation 

than mechanical sealed pumps 

Fig. 7: Totally worn out pump impeller after heavy sand load with undamaged ceramic containment 

shell 

The reality of this claim again depends 

on the type of pump and open, honest 

communication between the customer 

and the manufacturer. Today’s 

technology utilizing non-metallic containment 

shells allows for journal 

bearings that can handle operation 

outside the normal operating range 

very well, or even allow dry running 

for a surprisingly long time (Klaus 

Union verified dry run capability for 

more than one hour without adverse 

effects on bearing performance. And 

while we do not recommend such 

long-term dry running customers 

inadvertently verified our tests are 

sound by doing the same in a production 

environment). 

Fig. 8: Dry run capable magnetic 

coupled pumps have long been 

field proven 


Cover story 

Myth 6: Sealless pumps need more and very expensive 

instrumentation for use in hazardous areas 

Again – this has not been true with the advent of nonmetallic 

containment shells. When using a non-metallic 

containment shell a magnetic coupled pump can be 

operated without any additional instrumentation 

in a hazardous area zone, provided the customer 

makes sure the pump is operating in its intended 

parameters. 

Fig. 9: Standard centrifugal pump without any additional instrumentation overhead 

Conclusion 

It is of course true that no technology is the ideal solution 

for all applications. That is true for sealless magnetic 

coupled pumps just as well – they are not the wonder to 

solve everything. But there are many applications where 

their ability to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance 

is still overlooked today, because engineers and maintenance 

personnel have become used to the situation as it 

had developed in the past decades – and maybe even have 

been burned by improperly selected pumps in the past. 

Fig. 10: Magnetic coupled twin screw pump for handling Bitumen without the need of any seal supply system or steam quenching. 

12 GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 2023

Cover story 

Sealless pumps, both centrifugal and positive displacement 

types, using non-metallic containment shells of 

heavy-duty industrial ceramics open the possibility of saving 

money and energy, both directly by eliminating eddy 

current losses and the need for utilities, but also indirectly 

by reducing maintenance, wear parts, and increasing the 

reliability when compared to traditional approaches to 

pump seals. 

Fig. 11: Twin screw pump handling 

high viscosity polymer without 

needing any additional utilities 

Fig. 12: Heavy duty 

vertical inline centrifugal 

pump designed 

for a service with high 

solids and a risk of 

dry running 

They can be used from liquified natural 

gasses, over cryogenic CO 2 , the 

most dangerous chemical and petrochemical 

products, and even just 

difficult-to-seal products such as 

vacuum residues, tar, bitumen, and 

asphaltenes as well as polymers, 

largely without the need for any 

utilities except a power supply for 

the main motor, simplifying plants, 

reducing both investment and operation 

and maintenance costs, just by 

carefully applying proven reliable and 

robust technologies. 

The Author: 

Ralf Schienhammer 

Sales Director Pumps & Projects 

Klaus Union GmbH & Co. KG 


13


Transport 

Hydrogen transport - 

technologies and challenges 

Birka Friedrich 

• Large-scale import and export 

of green hydrogen is necessary 

for the energy transition and the 

global decarbonisation of industry. 

• There are various possible transport 

technologies for hydrogen 

- each with different advantages 

and disadvantages. 

• To build the global hydrogen 

economy in a timely manner and 

achieve the energy policy goals, 

all hydrogen transport technologies 

are equally needed. 

1 

3 

2 

Renewable energy sources such 

as solar, wind and hydropower are 

increasingly used worldwide due to 

their availability, cost efficiency and 

environmental friendliness. However, 

one of the challenges with these 

energy sources is their variability, i. e. 

they do not provide constant power 

generation. To solve this problem, 

scientists and engineers have been 

looking for ways to store and transport 

renewable energy for later use. 

One of the most promising solutions 

for that purpose are green molecules 

such as hydrogen. 

Hydrogen is a versatile, cleanly 

usable energy carrier that can be 

obtained from renewable sources 

such as solar and wind energy. When 

green hydrogen is burned, only water 

vapour and heat are produced. This 

makes it an emission-free fuel that 

can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions 

and combat climate change. 

However, what makes hydrogen 

particularly valuable for the renewable 

energy industry is its potential 

for storing and transporting energy 

over long distances and time spans. 

In addition, hydrogen can be used as 

a feedstock for industrial processes 

such as steel production, refineries or 

the chemical industry. For these reasons, 

many companies are currently 

looking for ways to convert their processes 

to hydrogen. 

1. Hydrogen storage in our LOHC: Hydrogenation. The hydrogen molecules are chemically 

bound to the LOHC via a catalytic reaction in a continuous process. The hydrogenation is an 

exothermic process generating approx. 10 kWhth/kgH 2 heat at approx. 250 °C. 

2. Hydrogen release from our LOHC: Dehydrogenation. The hydrogen molecules are chemically 

released from the LOHC via a catalytic reaction in a continuous process. The dehydrogenation 

is an endothermic process, that requires approx. 11 kWhth/kgH 2 heat at approx. 

300 °C. The hydrogen can be released on-demand, assuring hydrogen-purity according to 

ISO-14687 in addition. 

3. Hydrogen transportation in our LOHC. Easy and cost-efficient logistics utilizing the existing 

infrastructure for fossil fuels via ship, barge, train or truck. Same applies to LOHC stocking 

facilities. 

Currently, heavy industry mainly 

uses hydrogen from natural gas and 

crude oil. With green hydrogen from 

renewable energies these industries 

can reduce their carbon footprint 

and contribute to a more sustainable 

development. To meet the overall 

demand for affordable green hydrogen 

in industrialised countries like 

Germany, large-volume imports from 

very sun- and wind-rich regions will 

become part of the supply. 

What transport technologies are 

available and what are the differences, 

advantages and disadvantages? 

There are various ways of transporting 

hydrogen, which have their specific 

advantages and disadvantages 

depending on the application. Some 

of the most common, non-pipeline 

hydrogen transport technologies are 

presented below: 

Compressed hydrogen 

Compressed hydrogen is the simplest 

and most widely used form of 

hydrogen transport. Here, the hydrogen 

gas is compressed to a high 

pressure (usually between 350 and 

700 bar) and stored in high-pressure 

tanks. The advantage of this method 

is its simplicity and its applicability 

on a small scale, e. g. in fuel cell vehicles 

and emergency power systems. 

However, compressed hydrogen has 

a low energy density, so large tanks 

are required and it is not suitable for 

long-distance transport or large-scale 

storage. 



Transport 

Liquefied hydrogen 

Liquefied hydrogen is another 

common method of hydrogen 

transport. In this technique, the 

hydrogen gas is cooled to a very 

low temperature (-253 °C) and 

condensed into a liquid aggregate 

state, which is then stored in 

cryogenic tanks. The advantage 

of this method is that it requires 

no further conversion processes 

- the hydrogen can be used 

directly at its destination. It also 

enables a higher energy density 

compared to compressed 

hydrogen, which makes it interesting 

for storing large amounts 

of energy. However, liquefied 

hydrogen requires a complex 

and expensive infrastructure for 

handling and storage. Cooling 

down is very energy-intensive, 

and large-scale application of 

this technology still needs to be 

explored. For example, there is 

currently only one tank ship suitable 

for long-distance transport of 

liquefied hydrogen, the Suiso 

Frontier. Another disadvantage 

of large-scale application is the 

hydrogen losses in the form of 

boil-off effects (evaporation of 

the hydrogen). 

Hydrogen converted 

to ammonia 

Hydrogen can also be converted 

into ammonia, which is a 

widely traded feedstock for fertiliser 

production with an established 

infrastructure for storage 

and transport. Ammonia has a 

higher energy density than, for 

example, compressed hydrogen 

and is therefore discussed not 

only as a feedstock but also as a 

transport medium for hydrogen. 

The advantage of ammonia is its 

wide availability. However, the 

process of converting hydrogen 

into ammonia is energy-intensive, 

and the recovery of hydrogen 

on an industrial scale has yet 

to be researched. There is also 

the question of safety - ammonia 

is very toxic and corrosive, which 

makes it very difficult to handle, 

for example in urban environments 

and ports. 

Hydrogen bonded to liquid organic 

hydrogen carriers (LOHC) 

Hydrogen can be stored in 

Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers 

(LOHC). These are organic 

compounds that can absorb 

hydrogen in a chemical, catalytic 

process called hydrogenation 

and release it again in a chemical 

process called dehydrogenation. 

Instead of transporting the 

hydrogen in molecular form, it is 

bound to the LOHC, which is then 

transported to the customer by 

tanker truck, train, tanker ship 

or barge. There, the hydrogen is 

released from the LOHC again 

and can be used. 

There are several possible 

LOHCs, such as carbazole, toluene/methylcyclohexane, 

dibenzyltoluene 

or benzyltoluene. The 

latter has particularly positive 

properties as a hydrogen carrier, 

as it is a non-explosive, flame-retardant 

thermal oil with a comparable 

hazard potential to diesel. 

In contrast to other hydrogen 

transport methods, LOHCs based 

on benzyltoluene (LOHC-BT) can 

be stored under ambient temperature 

and transported over 

long distances in the existing 

liquid fuel infrastructure. There 

are no hydrogen losses (e. g. 

“boil-off”) even over long periods 

of time. After the hydrogen 

is released from the LOHC, the 

carrier material is not consumed, 

but transported back to the site 

of hydrogen production and 

reused several hundred times 

for hydrogen transport. By leveraging 

existing infrastructure, 

LOHC-BT is particularly quick and 

inexpensive to implement, and 

the flexibility of the technology 

favours diversification of import 

routes. 

While hydrogenation is 

an exothermic, catalytic process 

and generates excess heat 

energy, dehydrogenation is an 

endothermic, catalytic process - 

it requires additional energy in 

the form of heat. This opens up 

synergies on the hydrogen production 

side, where the excess 

heat from hydrogenation can be 

fed into local heat grids or used 

for seawater desalination, for 

example. On the offtake side, 

heavy industry with a lot of process 

heat (e.g. steel mills) could 

use their surplus heat to dehydrogenate 

the hydrogen from 

the LOHC-BT. 

Gaseous hydrogen transported 

via pipes/pipelines 

Transporting hydrogen by pipeline 

is another option, especially 

for countries with an existing 

natural gas pipeline infrastructure. 

Gaseous hydrogen can be 

transported under high pressure, 

which allows efficient transport 

over long distances. In some 

cases, hydrogen can even be 

mixed with natural gas and transported 

in the same pipelines, 

although this requires careful 

monitoring to ensure safe operation. 

One advantage of pipeline 

transport is that it is already a 

mature technology, as many 

countries have extensive pipeline 

networks for natural gas distribution. 

However, retrofitting existing 

pipelines for hydrogen transport 

may require significant investments, 

especially with regard to 

safety measures. Moreover, the 

availability of compressors suitable 

for large-scale hydrogen 

transport is still being researched, 

and connecting new consumers is 

not always possible. 

Another challenge is that 

hydrogen can embrittle some 

pipeline materials, especially 

those made of certain types of 

steel. This means that pipelines 

for hydrogen transport may have 

to be made of other materials or 

have additional coatings to prevent 

corrosion. 

COG MAKES ITS MARK: 

With products from 

COG – the future is now. 

Tested materials for reliable application in 

hydrogen technology. 

www.COG.de/en


Transport 

The small dehydrogenation or release system (ReleaseBox 10) operating in the 

H2Sektor demonstration project at the Erlangen hydrogen filling station releases 

around one kilogram of hydrogen per hour from around 20 litres of LOHC material. 

Since 2022, Hydrogenious has been pursuing the development of significantly larger 

release systems with a capacity of at least 1.5 tonnes of hydrogen/day. 

 

© 

Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies 

Hydrogen fuelling stations supplied 

exclusively with compressed hydrogen, 

that have been predominant up to now, 

have limited storage capacities and a 

high space requirement. This is lower 

with liquid hydrogen filling stations, but 

hydrogen losses (boil-off) occur during 

longer storage periods. A future-proof 

solution on a small footprint and with 

particularly safe, simple handling of the 

hydrogen is demonstrated by the builder 

and operator H2 MOBILITY Germany 

with the world’s first hydrogen filling 

station, which also uses the LOHC 

technology from Hydrogenious LOHC 

Technologies for hydrogen storage and 

was inaugurated in Erlangen in July 

2022. The pilot unit of the LOHC market 

leader installed there in an urban area 

ensures the release of the gas molecules 

chemically bound in the LOHC. 

One of the convincing advantages of the 

hydrogen carrier material benzyltoluene 

used in this process: Storage and stockpiling 

require only conventional underground 

tanks for liquid fuels, installed 

in a space-saving manner directly below 

the release system. However, this application 

is only the preliminary stage for 

the LOHC plants currently being built 

on an industrial scale, such as at Chempark 

Dormagen for a 1,800 tonne H 2 

storage facility, the largest of its kind in 

the world (construction is scheduled to 

begin before the end of 2023). 

demand of many countries cannot be 

met by domestic production, imports 

from countries with large renewable 

energy capacities will become inevitable. 

Compressed hydrogen is a 

mature technology that can be used 

for short to medium distances. Liquefied 

hydrogen enables transport over 

longer distances, but requires a considerable 

amount of energy for the 

liquefaction process. The conversion 

of hydrogen into ammonia is a very 

mature process and the molecule is 

already an important feedstock, e. g. 

for the fertiliser industry. However, 

as a hydrogen transport medium, 

ammonia brings some challenges, 

such as the issue of safety and the 

complex cracking process for large 

amounts of hydrogen. 

LOHC technology is very promising, 

especially in terms of safety, 

cost and rapid feasibility, as it can 

use existing liquid fuel infrastructure, 

while pipeline transport is an attractive 

option for countries with existing 

infrastructure. Ultimately, the choice 

of hydrogen transport technology will 

depend on a variety of factors, including 

the distance to be covered, the 

available infrastructure and the specific 

needs of the end user. 

Conclusion 

Hydrogen is becoming an increasingly 

important medium for the storage, 

transport and trade of renewable 

energy. As the global energy 

transition and the decarbonisation 

of industry and mobility require the 

export and import of cheap, environmentally 

friendly hydrogen, a reliable 

and safe transport infrastructure for 

industrial hydrogen volumes is a key 

success factor. 

While there are several hydrogen 

transport technologies, each with 

their own advantages and disadvantages, 

none of them is a one-sizefits-all 

solution. Rather, a combination 

of technologies will be needed to 

meet the growing global demand for 

hydrogen as an energy source and 

as a feedstock for industry. Since the 

The Author: Birka Friedrich 

Head of Corporate Communications 

and Marketing 

Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies 



Material selection 

Anything but standard: Elastomer seal 

challenges in hydrogen applications 

Dipl.-Ing (FH) Michael Krüger 

Fig. 1: COG H 2 Sealing hydrogen seal series 

(All photos © : COG) 

Mobility, the energy sector and 

industry – there is tremendous 

potential for modern hydrogen technologies 

in many areas. Hydrogen is 

of central importance as a versatile 

energy carrier and offers new possibilities 

for production processes as 

a chemical raw material. Therefore, 

science and industry experts are 

conducting intensive research in the 

vast field of hydrogen technologies 

and continuously develop their practical 

applications. The optimal coordination 

of components is among 

the most important success factors 

here. In particular, the seals being 

used are of the greatest importance 

in terms of functionality. 

Countless projects in the mechanical 

engineering segment are therefore 

dedicated to this topic. A central 

difficulty at this juncture for 

both users and seal manufacturers 

is that hydrogen projects and their 

applications are rarely comparable 

to each other. This difficulty begins 

with the umbrella term “hydrogen 

applications”. It describes an extensive 

domain starting with H 2 production 

and extending to transportation 

and distribution as well as 

the use and consumption of hydrogen. 

Many projects are still in the 

development phase, which means 

development teams are not making 

any project details public, protecting 

their development advantage 

for market strategy reasons. 

This in turn tends to produce individual 

solutions rather than standard 

applications. 

Choosing a suitable elastomer 

sealing material in the hydrogen environment 

is of vital importance. All 

operating parameters that occur in a 

real-world application must be taken 

into account. 

The following requirements for sealing 

materials (selection) have to be 

clarified: 

• Chemical resistance for all media 

that may come into contact with 

the seal (during operation, during 

assembly) 

• Temperature resistance (ambient 

temperature, operating temperature, 

also absolute short-term 

peak temperatures) 

• Pressure resistance, also in case of 

pronounced pressure fluctuations 

(resistance to explosive decompression 

where applicable) 

• Good physical properties 

(compressive deformation test, 

stress relaxation) 

• Low permeation (gas permeability) 

Hydrogen permeation 

Hydrogen permeation is an important 

selection criterion. Since the 

colourless and odourless H 2 gas is 

highly inflammable and the production 

of molecular hydrogen is complicated 

and expensive, preventing volatilisation 

is essential for both safety 


17



Fig. 2: Test setup H 2 permeation test 

and cost reasons. The H 2 permeation 

coefficient varies considerably 

between the ASTM classes (elastomer 

material groups) and there are significant 

differences between the materials 

within an ASTM class as well. VMQ 

(silicone), for example, has a very 

poor permeation coefficient, EPDM 

has a much better one and FKM 

(fluororubber) has the best value in 

comparison. The temperature has 

a significant influence on the result 

as well. A value determined at 23 °C 

may, for example, exhibit a factor of 

+5 for EPDM materials and a factor of 

+3 to over 16 for FKM at 80 °C. Tested 

materials are therefore clearly recommended 

in H 2 applications. 

The field of application itself can 

also be an important selection criterion. 

Seals for natural gas containing 

hydrogen (in distribution/transport, 

for example) have to meet the 

requirements of the DVGW: 

Practical example – 

hydrogen electrolyser 

Permeability is not always the decisive 

selection criterion. A manufacturer 

of AEM (anion exchange membrane) 

electrolysers for hydrogen 

production experienced major problems 

with the elastomer seals. The 

chosen NBR material failed after a 

short time. The medium in the electrolyser 

was 5 % caustic potash solution 

(KOH) at max. 65 °C. The seal 

manufacturer COG suggested a peroxide 

cross-linked EPDM as a suitable 

material. Surprisingly this too 

failed after approximately 100 hours. 

Exposure tests in caustic potash solution 

(KOH 5 %) at 65 °C did not result 

in any significant material changes. 

It was therefore presumed that the 

material incompatibility was related to 

the materials used in the electrolyser 

itself. AEM electrolysis requires a catalyst 

and nickel was used in this case. 

Nickel is known to be “toxic” to rubber. 

Ethylene propylene diene monomers 

(EPDM) are terpolymers made of ethylene, 

propylene and diene. Dienes 

contain two carbon-carbon double 

bonds (C=C double bonds). Nickel 

attacks precisely those double bonds 

in diene and destroys the rubber. 

COG then proposed using an 

ethy lene propylene copolymer (EPM). 

This rubber does not contain diene 

and therefore has no double bonds 

in the polymer. Its resistance to caus- 

• Gases according to DVGW worksheet 

G 260 (max. hydrogen content 

10%) 

• DIN-DVGW certification of the sealing 

material according to DIN EN 

549 and/or DIN EN 682 

• Typical operating temperature 

ranges: 

• DIN EN 549: -20°C to +80°C (class 

B2) 

• DIN EN 682: -15°C to +50°C (type 

GBL) 

• Typical pressure ranges: 

• Up to 5 bar (DIN EN 549) 

• Up to 100 bar (DIN EN 682) 

A comprehensive survey of the application 

process is essential for the 

selection of materials. 

Fig 3: Permeation test evaluation – “Vi 840” as high-quality FKM comparison material 




281 Ncm 3 mm m -2 day -1 bar -1 on average. 

Its H 2 impermeability is therefore 

considerably better compared 

to what is normally expected for FKM 

compounds. A high chemical resistance 

and a broad operating temperature 

range from -10 to +200°C complete 

the material profile. The newly 

developed EPDM AP 208 also passed 

the H 2 permeation test with very convincing 

values for an EPDM material 

(hydrogen permeation coefficient: 

1317 Ncm 3 mm m -2 day -1 bar -1 ). With a 

compression set of


Heat recovery 

From machine to system solution 

Double-stage compressed air packages with 

heat recovery 

Lothar Stoll 

Energy balance of a typical dry running 

single-stage screw compressor 

Thanks to open system integration, 

modular basic components as well 

as variable mechanical and electronic 

interfaces, the oil-free doublestage 

AERZEN screw compressors 

of the 2C series offer the highest 

functional adaptability for different 

drive and control concepts. In combination 

with customised systems 

for heat recovery, the individually 

designed compressed air packages 

become real energy savers and are 

part of a system solution. 

A large amount of heat energy 

is generated during the production 

of compressed air. If this process 

heat is recovered by means of 

heat recovery for further operating 

processes such as water heating, 

drying processes or preheating of 

burner air, considerable energy savings, 

emission and cost reductions 

can be achieved. With high-performance 

compressor technology and 

customised heat recovery systems, 

AERZEN offers just the right answer. 

The result: maximum resource efficiency 

and cost-effectiveness. One 

example are the 2C series doublestage 

screw compressors with heat 

recovery from the RKR Gebläse 

und Verdichter GmbH, a 100 % 

subsidiary of AERZEN and the specialist 

for double-stage compressor 

solutions within AERZEN Group. 

These double-stage compressor 

solutions are turned into an innovative 

system solution of the customer 

application by the AERZEN customer 



Heat recovery 

Fig. 1: The traditional machine perspective focuses "only" on the inlet and outlet conditions 

(All images: AERZEN) 

consulting and engineering competence 

of RKR. 

One application in practice 

First of all, everything revolves around 

the application and use case, in this 

example the use of dry compressed 

air in the quenching and tempering 

process of steel production. A clear 

understanding of the application and 

the conditions of use, especially the 

different environmental conditions 

and operating points in the operating/annual 

cycle, is crucial. This shows 

that in addition to the machine-specific 

operating situation, such as full 

and partial load, the system existing 

outside of the compressor technology, 

for example a seasonal connection 

of refrigeration dryers or absorption 

dryers, must also be considered 

in a superordinate manner. 

From compressor to 

system solution 

While the traditional machine perspective 

focuses “only” on inlet and 

outlet conditions, understanding the 

application is a MUST for the system 

solution. 

Only a few key data apply to the 

machine as a black box, as the diagramme 

shows. 

In the system, on the other hand, 

other perspectives and requirements 

are coming along - namely the 

customer’s overall process and, in 

doing so, the aim of using the thermal 

energy contained in the compressed 

gas as a source for heating 

process water. So, it is no longer 

exclusively about a gas at the transfer 

point of the machine (see diagramme 

machine perspective), but 

rather about the question of how the 

greatest possible thermal energy can 

be supplied to an overall system, i. e. 

a process. 

An artifice for innovation 

A large part of the electrical drive 

energy in air-cooled or water-cooled 

oil-free compressors is bound in the 

gas flow as heat. Now the trick: the 

temperature increase of up to 200 K 

resulting from the multi-stage compression 

of the gas is used to bring 

a water-cooling circuit to the highest 

possible temperature level, while at 

the same time ensuring that the gas 

is kept at a maximum outlet temperature 

of 40 °C for the customer 

process. This provides further added 

value, as the gas is also made available 

to the downstream dryer at 

an optimum inlet temperature for 

drying. 

http://hydrogen.jumo.info 

You‘re on the safe side with JUMO 

JUMO offers sensor and automation solutions for such devices as electrolyzers, fuel cells, storage tanks, and synthesis plants. In doing so we support the 

production of green hydrogen and its use in the various application areas. As a result, we move the energy transition forward and develop solutions for the 

future.


Heat recovery 

Fig. 2: A functional interconnection and control of several water coolers integrated 

in the system technology creates undreamt-of potential for the utilisation of the heat 

bound in the gas 

This can be done in different ways 

inside and outside the machine technology. 

However, the aim is to create 

an optimum of functional integration, 

cost-effectiveness and efficiency. This 

is where the engineering expertise 

and innovative creativity of RKR’s system 

solution come into effect. Functional 

interconnection and control 

of several water coolers integrated 

in the system technology creates 

undreamt-of potential for utilising 

the heat bound in the gas. 

Making sensible use of 

thermal energy 

As a result of the innovative interconnected 

system technology, it was 

possible to feed a heat output of 

1,200 kW (1.2 megawatts!) into the 

customer’s process after one hour, 

even with two machines operating at 

partial load. This meant that a large 

part of the electrical drive energy, 

which was converted into heat du ring 

compressed air generation, could 

be used for temperature control in 

the production process without having 

to resort to previously additional 

energy sources. This enables significant 

energy savings, improved economic 

efficiency, increased energy 

Fig. 3: Master-slave 

configuration using 

the example of a compressed 

air system with 

connected dryers 



Heat recovery 

Fig. 4: Machine control and HMI expand the system perspective 

efficiency of the overall system and, 

thus, an important contribution to 

the climate and the CO 2 footprint. 

Maximum plant performance 

thanks to customised compressed 

air solutions 

The air- or water-cooled compressors 

supply oil-free and absorption-free 

compressed air in the pressure 

range from 4 to 11.5 bar (g) and 

are designed for volume flows from 

166 m³/h to 9,300 m³/h. The modular 

concept guarantees a high degree 

of functional adaptability for different 

drive and control concepts and 

ensures the greatest flexibility in 

adapting to the application-specific 

requirements and customer-specific 

process conditions, as shown in the 

application described above. In addition 

to functionally tailored solutions, 

customised versions for particularly 

sound-reduced applications, outdoor 

installations or heavy-duty container 

configurations are also used. 

Scaling up to the automation level 

Also called: the individual solution is 

perfectly tailored to the application - 

whether as a stand-alone solution or 

in a machine and system network, see 

application example of a compressed 

air system with connected dryers in a 

so-called master-slave configuration. 

This tailored master-slave control in 

the system network makes it possible 

to operate several compressors 

and dryers in a coordinated manner 

in one system. Here, there is a master 

compressor that has control over the 

control unit and adjusts the output of 

the slave compressors according to 

the requirements of the system. The 

control unit monitors the operating 

parameters of the compressors, such 

as pressure and flow, and controls 

them so that they operate efficiently 

and reliably. An additional redundant 

control system provides an additional 

level of protection against failures in 

the control system. The combination 

of a master-slave control with a 

redundant control further increases 

the reliability of the system solution, 

as a failure of one control unit does 

not lead to a failure of the entire 

system. 

In this specific application, communication 

takes place between the 

compressors, the respective variable-speed 

drives via medium-voltage 

frequency inverters, the dryers and 

the DCS (Distributed Control System) 

via PROFINET. PROFINET as a proven 

industrial communication protocol 

enables fast and reliable communication 

between the various components 

of the entire system. 

With increasing automation and a 

more specific collection of operating 

data/conditions, further perspectives 

for system monitoring and optimisation 

arise: scalable system mo- 

dules with interfaces for remote and/ 

or local operation and system analysis 

as well as service logs are available 

and can be combined with supplementary 

services as required. 

Customised system solutions 

with added value in the customer 

application 

With the combination of a machine 

and system perspective, creative, 

competent engineering and a proven 

modular scalable construction kit, 

RKR, as a specialist for double-stage 

compressor solutions within AERZEN 

Group, offers tailored system solutions 

with added value in the customer 

application. The competent 

team supports users in exploiting 

their previously unused potential. 

The Author: 

Lothar Stoll, Managing Director 

RKR Gebläse und Verdichter GmbH 

www.rkr.de, www.aerzen.com 


23


Heat pumps 

Listening closely 

Heat pumps in auditory experiments 

Hans-Jörg Risse 

The noise emissions of air/water 

heat pumps are crucial for their possible 

applications and acceptance 

by customers. It is therefore not 

only their sound power level, but 

also the subjective perception of 

noise that is important. 

Heat pumps are becoming more and 

more popular and about three out of 

four of the devices sold are air/water 

heat pumps. Under the German 

“climate package” launched in early 

2020, the German government bears 

a high proportion of the investment 

costs for the installation of these heat 

generators in new or modernised 

existing buildings. 

Apart from the financial aspect, 

the sound of an air/water heat 

pump compared to a brine/water 

heat pump is of key importance to 

customers. This is because especially 

in new development areas where 

these heat generators are particularly 

in demand, the plots of land and, 

consequently the distances between 

the individual houses are becoming 

smaller and smaller. The issue of 

noise pollution is therefore gaining 

importance. According to a survey 

conducted by the German Environment 

Agency, 60 percent of the people 

interviewed feel disturbed by the 

noises of the neighbourhood. Only 

road traffic is perceived as even more 

disturbing. To ensure that the environmentally 

friendly heating solution 

does not cause any neighbourhood 

disputes or other complaints, Buderus 

listens carefully to the sounds generated 

by its products and has even 

tested what cannot be heard. 

Sound as an auditory event 

The measurable sound pressure level 

is given in decibels. It occurs when a 

noise source causes the air to vibrate 

and thus changes the air pressure at 

a certain distance. The greater the 

change in air pressure, the higher 

the sound pressure level. Zero decibel 

corresponds approximately to the 

threshold of human hearing. 

The crucial factor for customers, 

however, is not only the sound 

pressure level, but rather how the 

sounds of the heat pump are perceived, 

as this is what their acceptance 

depends on. The keyword here 

is psychoacoustics. This scientific 

Relationship between perceived loudness 

(sone) and sound level (phon) 

S (sone) 

discipline refers to sound as an auditory 

event and studies the relationship 

between physical sound stimulus 

and the resulting auditory perception 

in humans. The reason for studying 

this is that typical physical measurements 

do not always accurately represent 

the auditory perception – the 

sound level does not always correspond 

to the perceived loudness. The 

latter depends on the sound pressure 

level, but also on the frequency, bandwidth 

and duration of the signals and 

is given in sone. 1 sone is equivalent 

L s 

(phon) 

Source: Fig. 1: Psychoacoustics Dickreiter, Handbuch studies the der relationship Tonstudiotechnik, between the volume physical 1, measurement p.113 of 

sound and its subjective perception, which is indicated as the perceived loudness. 

 

(All photos: Buderus) 

Source: Dickreiter. Handbuch der Tontechnik, Band 1, S. 113 



Heat pumps 

Fig. 2: The Fraunhofer IBP studies the perception of a heat pump sound. 

to 40 phons, i. e. 40 dB at 1 kHz. From having to conduct further series of 

40 phons, the loudness doubles for tests with future heat pumps. 

each 10 dB increase. Below 40 phons, To ensure that all test persons 

even smaller changes in the sound were able to assess the sounds 

level result in a doubling of the perceived 

loudness. 

the team recorded the sounds of 

under exactly the same conditions, 

The perceived loudness has an the heat pumps in advance. The 

enormous effect on people’s well-being. 

If a sound is perceived as disting 

heating output of 6.41 kW and a 

Logatherm WpLS13.2 has a modulaturbing, 

the brain releases stress COP of 4.87 (at A7/W35). The competing 

device has a modulating heating 

hormones and the body goes on alert – 

even during sleep. If this noise-induced 

alert persists, it is harmful to 

health. 

output of 5.63 kW and a COP of 4.87 

(at A7/W35). 

First, the devices ran in different 

modes such as “Fan Only”, “Night 

Mode” or “Max Speed”. Second, they 

were tested in the field with realistic 

ambient noises and in a semi-anechoic 

chamber (non-absorbing floor, 

walls and ceiling covered in sound-absorbing 

material) at the Fraunhofer 

IBP. One of the reasons for taking 

measurements in different rooms is 

that in reality there are background 

noises such as traffic; a second reason 

is the fact that the sound power 

is distributed over a larger area as the 

distance increases, with the sound 

pressure level decreasing as a result. 

Sound propagation is moreover influenced 

by massive obstacles such as 

buildings and walls, reflections from 

non-absorbing surfaces such as plastered 

and glass facades of buildings 

or floors with asphalt and stone surfaces 

or sound-absorbing surfaces 

such as freshly fallen snow or bark 

mulch. 

To record the sound under real 

conditions, the team used artificial 

heads with auricles and torso. 

These reflect the sound of the heat 

pumps in the same way as humans 

and later in the auditory experiment 

allow an aurally correct presentation 

Auditory experiment to assess 

the perception of the sound of a 

product 

In auditory experiments, researchers 

of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building 

Physics IBP (Fraunhofer IBP) in 

Stuttgart Vaihingen determine how 

physical and psychoacoustic parameters 

affect the acceptance and annoyance 

of the sounds caused by heat 

pumps. Two heat pumps, inclu ding 

the Logatherm WPLS.2 split heat 

pump from Buderus, were the subject 

of such a study. Some 60 test persons 

aged 18 to 60 assessed various 

sounds of the heat pumps. The aim of 

the experiment was to make reliable 

predictions about how disturbing or 

annoying people perceive the sound 

emissions of the devices without 

Fig. 3: The team used artificial heads to record the sound under real conditions. 

Here, measurements are taken in the semi-anechoic chamber of the Fraunhofer IBP. 


25


Heat pumps 

Fig. 4: The artificial heads are placed at a distance of one metre from the heat pump. 

Sound engineer Benjamin Müller and psychologist Lisa-Marie Wadle measuring the distance. 

of the sound recordings. The distance 

between the artificial head and the 

heat pump was one metre. This way, 

the team was able to record many different 

sounds. 

The test persons then assessed 

the recorded sounds in the High-Performance 

Indoor Environment Lab 

(HiPIE Lab) of the Fraunhofer IBP. 

Exactly the same conditions in terms 

of acoustics, lighting, indoor climate 

and air quality prevail there at all 

times. The test persons listened to 44 

sounds one after the other and classified 

them in a first step on a scale 

of one to ten by answering the questions 

“How annoying is the sound?”, 

“How loud is the sound?” and “How 

well can the sound be ignored?” In a 

second step, the test persons heard 

two different sounds and put them 

in relation to each other. Sound A>B 

(A is more annoying than B), A=B or A


Heat pumps 

Fig. 6: The results of the auditory experiments help develop low noise heat pumps such as the Logatherm 

WLW196i with SILENT Plus technology. 

of the heat pump also influences the 

perceived loudness. 

For example, people assess the 

sound of a heat pump as louder 

when they see the fan and quieter 

when the fan is concealed behind a 

cover. Buderus has therefore revised 

the outdoor unit of the WLW196i..AR 

S+ and fitted it with a diffuser. The 

new geometry of the fan moreover 

contributes to the fact that the sound 

does not propagate directly forwards, 

but along the diffuser outlet, which 

attenuates it. 

Conclusion 

In addition to optimising the technical 

parameters to increase the efficiency 

of heat pumps as an environmentally 

friendly alternative to conventional 

methods of heat generation, 

their noise emissions are a key issue. 

In view of the increasing use of heat 

pumps, especially in confined spaces, 

and the growing sound and noise 

pollution caused by multiple noise 

sources, psychoacoustic studies are 

becoming more and more relevant. 

Otherwise, there is a risk of paying for 

positive environmental effects such 

as energy savings with noise pollution. 

Buderus is not only continuously 

further developing its products in 

terms of actual sound level, but also 

takes the results of psychoacoustic 

studies into account. In cooperation 

with the Fraunhofer IBP, Buderus 

therefore conducted auditory experiments 

to develop a forecast formula 

for the perceived annoyance of heat 

pump sounds. Buderus thus reduces 

the expected annoyance so as to 

further increase the acceptance and 

use of heat pumps as a sustainable 

form of heat generation. 

The Author: 

Hans-Jörg Risse, Product Manager 

Sales Technical Support Heat and 

Cold Generators 

Buderus Germany 


27


Special mechanical engineering 

Thinking big, without compromising on precision 

Ing. Martin Gold 

Miba Automation Systems occupies 

a special place within the Miba 

group of companies: The business 

is dedicated to special-purpose 

machine construction. Based 

in Upper Austria, Miba Automation 

Systems is a global player, in particular 

in the field of sustainable wind 

energy. For preparing the welding 

seams of offshore wind tower foundations, 

Miba Automation Systems 

relies on Boehlerit technology, with 

milling tools that guarantee maximum 

precision and tool life as well 

as top-level performance. 

The roots of Miba Automation Systems 

go back to 1927 and the company 

first branched out into machine 

construction in the 1950s. At first, 

machines were built for in-house 

applications, in particular the manufacturing 

of slide bearings. In the 

1980s, this field began to generate 

global interest, and the Upper 

Austrian business established itself 

as world market leader for machines 

in this segment. But that is just one 

aspect of its colourful history: Today, 

70 employees at the Aurachkirchen 

site manufacture special-purpose 

CNC machines for a wide range 

of industrial applications. Among 

the highlights are machines for e- 

mobili ty, used all over the world to 

produce stators for electric cars. 

Managing Director Ing. Klaus Weberndorfer, 

MBA: “Our core competence is 

the mobile and stationary machining 

of large workpieces.” Today, mobile 

and stationary machine tools by Miba 

Automation Systems are used primarily 

in the wind energy sector, in particular 

the manufacturing of offshore 

wind tower foundations. These foundations 

are fully immersed in water 

and consist of steel-tubular posts 

with diameters of up to 14 metres. 

To withstand the immense loads, the 

posts have to be rammed into the 

seabed to a depth of 50 metres and 

more. Due to their enormous dimensions, 

the posts consist of individual 

steel rings, which means that essential 

steps in the construction process 

must be completed on site, for 

instance the preparation of the welding 

seams and the welding process 

itself. “We have to take the machine to 

the component”, is how the Managing 

Director Miba Automation Systems 

sums it up. The same applies to the 

production of steam turbines for 

thermal power plants and the turbine 

casings used in hydropower plants, 

where components are also too large 

to be transported. 

Perfect preparation of the 

welding seam 

The solution for milling the huge 

wind tower foundations lies in using 

mobile machines for circumferential 

seams, and stationary machines 



Special mechanical engineering 

for longitudinal seams. If you think 

that, with these sorts of dimensions, 

precision is probably not such a big 

deal, you’re wrong! “Our customers 

set great store by the flawless preparation 

of welding seams”, the Managing 

Director explains. The individual 

tubular segments must be welded 

both longitudinally and circumferentially 

- a challenge, not least due to 

wall thicknesses of up to 150 mm. 

The Upper Austrian business has 

turned this niche into a success story. 

With its special machines for the milling 

of longitudinal and circumferential 

seams, Miba Automation Systems 

has established itself as market 

leader in recent years. The mobile 

machines are designed in such a way 

that they may be moved along the 

components by a forklift or on rails. 

Where the tubular segments meet, a 

tulip-shaped structure is milled into 

the future welding seam, which provides 

the seams with optimal stability 

despite the enormous loads they 

will be exposed to. At the same time, 

material usage during welding is minimised 

and the process is speeded 

up. The Managing Director: “Usage 

of the welding material is a major 

cost driver, and we are able to offer 

our customers a highly economical 

solution.” 

cost-effectiveness. Boehlerit offers 

distinct advantages in this context. 

The indexable inserts are specially 

designed for the required geometries 

and offer maximum performance 

and tool life, even with materials that 

are difficult to machine. In addition, 

high speeds are possible, an important 

factor for the customers of Miba 

Automation Systems. After all, even 

slight accelerations have a massive 

influence on the duration of the overall 

process, given the huge machining 

lengths. Boehlerit ticks all these 

boxes! 

The perfect system 

In addition, Boehlerit offers its customers 

practical support with applications, 

which doesn’t end with cutting 

depths or speeds. Miba Automation 

Systems also benefits from this. At the 

moment, the company is for instance 

experimenting with milling tools for 

duplex steels, explains the Managing 

Director. And there is another aspect 

that he insists on mentioning: “Ever 

since we started fitting our machines 

with Boehlerit milling tools, there 

hasn’t been a single complaint.” Not 

surprising, considering the expertise 

that Boehlerit brings to the table. To 

put it differently: Boehlerit is not content 

with standard solutions: This Kapfenberg-based 

business always strives 

for solutions that offer added value. 

Boehlerit certainly has the tools for an 

exciting future. 

The Author: 

Ing. Martin Gold, Vienna-based 

journalist, author and photographer 

High performance, long tool life 

The right milling tool is an essential 

element in this solution. Miba 

Automation Systems relies on the 

milling technology developed by 

Boehlerit, cutting and material specialist 

from Kapfenberg, Styria, and 

delivers its machines to customers 

all over the world with special Boehlerit 

milling tools. This is also due to 

the tool life of the milling tools, which 

frequently have to handle diameters 

from 950 to 1,100 mm. Remember: 

The diameter of these tubes is up to 

14 m, with a material thickness of up to 

150 mm. For the optimal preparation 

of the welding seam, it must be milled 

in several stages, down to a depth of 

up to two thirds of the material thickness. 

The lengths to be machined are 

therefore enormous - but constantly 

changing the tools would impact 

productivity, and ultimately also 

Fig. 1: High-precision welding seams made with maximum performance: Boehlerit milling 

tools are used to prepare welding seams on mobile and stationary machines by Miba Automation 

Systems. 

(Pictures: www.martingold.at) 


29


Supply traffic 

Defossilization of road-based 

freight transport through electrified 

semitrailer systems 

Electrified semitrailer system “evTrailer” 

According to the regulations of the 

European Commission and the European 

Parliament, vehicle manufacturers 

should reduce greenhouse 

gas (GHG) emissions from newly 

registered trucks by up to 15 % by 

2025 and up to 30 % by 2030 compared 

to 2019 emission levels. To 

reach independence from fossil 

fuels, approaches which are equally 

economical and sustainable for 

the powertrain of heavy commercial 

vehicles are to be adopted. In 

addition to the electrification of the 

tractor unit, the cooperative drive 

support by the trailer represents a 

promising solution to further reduce 

GHG emissions. The assistance for 

the tractor using the auxiliary drive 

of the trailer with integrated use of 

brake energy recuperation holds 

enormous potential, especially in 

the reduction of fuel consumption 

and CO 2 emissions. The approach of 

such a new vehicle class of tractioncapable 

trailers and semitrailers Climate Action (BMWK), partners from 

Ministry for Economic Affairs and 

allows for an economical implementation 

of the sustainability goals for tium) are working on the implemen- 

industry and research (see consor- 

road freight transport. 

tation and approval of a 3-axle trailer 

with electric traction for cooperative 

Electrified semitrailer system 

drive support of conventional tractor 

“evTrailer” 

units. The three main objectives of 

the first project phase of “evTrailer” 

In “evTrailer”, a joint research project 

funded by the German Federal consumption of the tractor unit by at 

(2016-2018) were to reduce the fuel 

Fig. 1: Concept of the “evTrailer” implemented in the first project phase 




Fig. 2: Testing of self-sufficient shunting operation with passive steering wheels with overtravel on the existing supports 

least 20 %, to operate the “evTrailer” 

autonomously on any commercially 

available tractor unit, and to 

maneuver autonomously. The first 

project phase showed that a battery 

capacity of more than 50 kWh, an 

electric drive power of at least 150 kW 

and the possibility of an external electric 

recharging system for the battery 

pack (plug-in variant) are required 

to achieve the emission targets (see 

Fig. 1). The traction assistance from 

the trailer is controlled using a sensory 

kingpin. This control approach 

helps prevent risky driving behavior 

for the overall vehicle, for instance, 

when the trailer pushes the tractor 

unit. To realize this control, the kingpin 

is retrofitted with sensory surfaces 

in a highly integrative approach. 

However, the resulting change 

in the kingpin component design 

requires a separate component 

approval process. Therefore, the 

measurement of the forces from 

the kingpin should be realized via 

methods which do not alter the existing 

kingpin, such as using sensory 

washers. In addition, the “evTrailer” 

offers further interesting possibilities 

like dynamic vehicle stabilization 

and traction support. The 

notable feature of the trailer is to drive 

autonomously on electric energy, 

which enables it to be used with any 

tractor unit. For autonomous maneuvering, 

a wheel-selective drive for 

autonomous cornering is required 

(see Fig. 2). 

The 2 nd phase of the joint research 

project “evTrailer2” started in 2022. 

This time, the main goal is to significantly 

increase the efficiency of the 

trailer. The project aims to achieve 

the prescribed GHG reduction targets 

for 2030 with the improved 

semitrailer system. To this end, the 

electric drive cooperation system is 

to be improved in terms of energy 

efficiency and vehicle safety, and 

the vehicle energy system is to be 

extended to include components and 

Fig. 3: Dolly for autonomous 

maneuvering 

technologies for integrating photovoltaics 

(PV) and fast-charging capability. 

The GHG reductions expected 

to be achievable with “evTrailer2” 

would allow for an economical implementation 

of the sustainability goals 

for road freight transport. 

Technological highlights of the new 

“evTrailer2” 

Maneuvering capability 

In the first phase of the project, steering 

wheels on the existing supports 

were used to test the basic maneuvering 

of the trailer without a tractor 

unit or load in depot environment. 

In the second phase of the project, 


31



Fig. 4: Gearbox with dog clutch for wheel-selective drive 

Hüffermann is developing a lightweight, 

steerable nose wheel (dolly) 

with a load capacity of at least 

15 tons and a permit for speeds of 

up to 80 km/h (see Fig. 3) for autonomous 

maneuvering at full load. 

The dolly is connected to the trailer 

control unit by an automatic coupling 

system enabling it to steer. The dolly's 

drawbar will be extendable to allow 

for transport and staging to a trailer. 

When the drawbar is retracted, the 

dolly is in the vehicle contour from 

the trailer. A quick coupling system to 

the trailer is also provided. 

Powertrain 

In “evTrailer2”, the project focuses on 

increasing powertrain efficiency. To 

this end, the driveline is being revised 

and equipped with a permanently 

magnetized synchronous motor, a 

multi-gear transmission and a hybrid 

battery storage system. 

The synchronous motor from 

Oswald does not require any magnetizing 

current, the rotor, therefore, 

remains almost loss-free and at the 

same time has a higher power density 

with the same efficiency. This 

makes the synchronous motor more 

resource-efficient, as less material is 

required. To utilize the advantages 

of the synchronous motor, it is combined 

with a multi-speed gearbox 

with a claw dog clutch. 

At the Institute for Mechatronic 

Systems (IMS) at Technische Universität 

Darmstadt, the multi-speed 

transmission with dog clutch (see 

Fig. 4), and a new type of transmission 

control unit are being developed. 

This solves the design conflict 

between starting torque and 

top speed. The first gear can generate 

high wheel torque and, consequently, 

high yaw moment due to a 

high gear ratio and low speeds. This 

significantly improves the maneuvering 

behavior. The second gear, on the 

other hand, has a long gear ratio and 

is used for higher speeds, especially 

on the highway. The gear is optimized 

to achieve the highest possible overall 

efficiency in operation. In addition, 

there is the option of neutral 

gear to reduce idling losses. A simulation 

with the representative “VECTO 

Delivery Cycle” shows that the 

evTrailer2 hybrid concept can save 

up to ten per cent of fuel compared 

to conventional operation. 

To quickly store large quantities 

of electricity from fast-charging stations 

and overhead lines, as well as 

the varying amounts of current from 

recuperation and photovoltaic cells 

without any disadvantages to safety 

and service life of the battery cells, 

a traction battery with a hybrid system 

architecture is being developed 

at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural 

Durability and System Reliability 

LBF. It consists of high-energy and 

high-power cells. This energy storage 

system can be operated in such a way 

that the high-energy cells are always 

used within their operating specification 

and buffered by the high-power 

cells as needed - especially when 

charging the energy storage system 

with high currents. The high charging 

currents only arrive with a time delay 

at the energy cells, which are limited 

in their capability. 

Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics 

To generate electrical energy from 

solar power, Sono Motors is developing 

vehicle-integrated photovoltaic 

modules to be installed on the roof 

and side walls of the trailer, and a 

power control unit (Maximum Power 

Point Tracker Central Unit - MCU) for 

PV power generation. Power generation 

at the Munich site is expected to 

be around 40 kWh/day (up to 80 kWh 

on sunny days) with an installed 

capacity of around 15 kWp. This 




should enable a reduction in battery 

size by around 10% in the adjacent 

sub-areas and an increase in range, 

which depends on the overall energy 

consumption of the vehicle. 

Cloud-based energy management 

For effective and efficient cooperative 

traction assistance with high 

fuel savings, the Institute of Internal 

Combustion Engines and Powertrain 

Systems (VKM) at Technische Universität 

Darmstadt is developing a predictive 

energy management system 

to make the best possible use of the 

electrical energy available. To determine 

the required energy, a simplified 

longitudinal dynamics model of 

the trailer tractor is used to calculate 

the necessary drive power as a function 

of the driving distance based 

on the elevation profile and the 

speed limit. At the same time, charging 

points and recuperation energy 

are considered. To maintain a driving 

time like a conventional trailer, 

the charging time, and the selection 

of the charging points to be chosen 

are based on the legally prescribed 

driving breaks for drivers. The route 

planning is continuously updated and 

adapted via cloud integration. 

Trailer Control Unit TCU 

The electronic interconnection of 

the electrification components takes 

place in a central control unit, the 

Trailer Control Unit, considering 

the requirements of the ISO 26262 

standard for functional safety. Looking 

at electric powertrains and their 

requirements for highly automated 

driving, compliance with functional 

safety requirements will become 

increasingly important and soon 

mandatory. The corresponding software 

development with continuous 

update capability is realized by 

CuroCon. 

Comparison of existing trailer 

systems 

The concept of an electrified trailer 

for cooperative drive support is also 

the topic of a few other development 

projects and has already been 

implemented in functioning systems 

with different focuses (see Fig. 5). If 

the focus is put on the reduction of 

fuel consumption of a conventional 

tractor, this is only possible with a 

rechargeable (plug-in) battery of sufficient 

size and sufficient drive power. 

The “evTrailer” project, the Krone 

“eTrailer” and the “e.home coco” from 

Dethleffs seem to fulfil this goal. The 

“e.home” project however is a caravan 

trailer for passenger cars. 

Link to the project homepage: 

www.evtrailer.de 

Companies and institutes in the 

“evTrailer” consortium: 

- CuroCon GmbH 

- Fraunhofer Institute for 

Structural Durability and 

System Reliability LBF 

- Hüffermann Transportsysteme 

GmbH 

- Institute for Mechatronic Systems 

in Mechanical Engineering (IMS) at 

Technische Universität Darmstadt 

- Institute for Internal Combustion 

Engines and Powertrain Systems 

(VKM) at Technische Universität 

Darmstadt 

- OSWALD Elektromotoren GmbH 

- Wilhelm Schwarzmüller GmbH 

- SONO MOTORS GmbH 

Fig. 5: Comparison of existing trailer systems with traction assistance 


33


Operating power 

Decarbonizing heavy-duty and commercial 

transport safely, reliably and efficiently 

Akilah Doyle 

The safety, reliability and efficiency of fuel cell systems used in buses and trucks depend on the use of components that can effectively control 

hydrogen fuel. 

(All images courtesy of Emerson) 

People and organizations across 

Europe rely on heavy-duty vehicles 

and buses for transportation and 

the movement of goods. However, 

these valuable modes of transport 

are also responsible for 27% of total 

EU road transport carbon dioxide 

emissions at a time when the EU has 

committed to reducing transport 

emissions by at least 60% by 2050 

compared to 1990 levels. 1 

In response, governing bodies have 

proposed and passed strict legislation 

intended to lower emissions 

from the highest emitting vehicles. 

For example, EU carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) 

emission standards stipulate a 15% 

reduction in annual fleet-wide average 

emissions for newly registered 

trucks from 2025 onward and 30% 

from 2030 onward, and a pending 

review by the European Commission 

may extend the standards to all 

heavy-duty vehicles. The Commission 

has also recently proposed new Euro 

7 standards to reduce emissions for 

all motor vehicles, which are anticipated 

to go into effect for trucks and 

buses in 2027. And some cities, like 

Amsterdam, are banning internal 

combustion engines completely. 

With such existing and pending 

legislation, fleets of low- and 

zero-emissions heavy-duty vehicles 

(ZE-HDVs) and buses are more 

attractive and valuable than ever, 

and vehicles powered by hydrogen 

fuel cells are proving to be one of 

the most effective, especially for 

long-haul trucking. Compared to 

battery electric vehicles, hydrogen 

fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) 

can refuel faster, offer longer road 

times and feature lighter-weight, 

compact technology that leaves 

more capacity for cargo. These factors 

are critical for companies to 




maximize uptime, productivity and 

total cost of ownership. 

As demand for fleets of hydrogen-powered 

trucks and buses grows, 

hydrogen fuel cell technology manufacturers 

are well-positioned for success. 

However, since the industry is 

still young, they may be concerned 

about dependably increasing the 

scale of their production to meet it 

as well as designing equipment that 

effectively controls hydrogen fuel. To 

successfully scale up in proportion to 

demand, it’s essential that manufacturers 

source hydrogen fuel cell technologies 

that improve system safety, 

reliability and efficiency. 

Controlling hydrogen fuel safely, 

reliably and efficiently 

Due to its low ambient temperature 

density, hydrogen gas has a low 

energy-per-unit volume that requires 

the element to be highly pressurized 

when used as fuel 2 . In onboard 

storage tanks, the fuel is typically 

subject to pressures of either 350 bar 

or 700 bar. These high pressures combined 

with the hydrogen molecule’s 

small size make the gas very susceptible 

to leaks. It is critical that fuel cell 

technology safely, reliably and efficiently 

controls the flow of the hydrogen 

fuel within FCEVs. Regulators 

and proportional valves engineered 

for hydrogen fuel cell systems are 

being designed with safety in mind 

to provide stable pressure regulation 

and reliable flow control. The latest 

components provide stable pressure 

regulation and reliable flow control 

that can help prevent fuel leaks and 

protect people. 

Systems should not only be 

designed with safety in mind, but 

also with optimal performance and 

easy manufacturability as concerns. 

Components must be compact and 

lightweight to allow manufacturers 

to design a variety of fuel cell systems 

for use in an array of commercial 

vehicles. Manufacturers can extend 

the life of their fuel cell systems by 

using solutions that provide stable 

pressure regulation to the systems’ 

fuel cell stacks. 

High pressure fluctuations, especially 

during vehicle starts and stops, 

can result in reduced performance 

of fuel cell systems. Pressure-reducing 

regulators, such as Emerson’s 

TESCOM TM HV-3500 Series Hydrogen 

Onboard Regulator or the 

TESCOM 20-1200 Series Hydrogen 

Pressure Regulator, can help maximize 

fuel cell efficiency by controlling 

that high pressure. They provide 

consistent pressure and regulate precise 

flow control of hydrogen to the 

fuel cells in a variety of operating conditions. 

With high leak integrity, the 

HV-3500’s dual-stage, positive seal 

design stabilizes outlet pressure, preventing 

decaying inlet characteristic 

and leakage, which improves fuel 

cell operation and maximizes overall 

energy efficiency. Better energy 

Fig. 1: Emerson’s TESCOM HV-3500 Series Hydrogen 

Onboard Regulator reliably controls pressure 

fluctuations and maximizes fuel cell efficiency in 

hydrogen-fueled trucks and buses. 

Fig. 2: Proven to control pressure in thousands of commercial 

vehicles, Emerson’s lightweight TESCOM 20-1200 

Series Hydrogen Pressure Regulator offers long service life 

and is suitable for pressures up to 700 bar. 


35



efficiency translates to less wasted 

hydrogen fuel and more driving time. 

The HV-3500 Series Hydrogen 

Regulator also has additional benefits 

that streamline manufacturing 

time and lower costs for OEMs. Its 

specially designed rectangular shape 

and mounting holes simplify installation 

and enable OEMS to quickly 

secure it to existing panels and 

frames in the fuel cell system. 

It is also important regulators 

provide a long service life, such 

as Emerson’s TESCOM 20-1200 

Series Hydrogen Regulator with 

a piston-sensing design. Specifically 

designed for pressure control 

onboard hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, 

the 20-1200 Series has been 

successfully implemented into 

thousands of commercial vehicles, 

including systems that have 

received EC-79 certification. This 

lightweight regulator is suitable for 

inlet pressures up to 700 bar. It also 

includes an integrated 10-micron 

filter that prevents installation 

contamination. 

In addition to regulators, proportional 

valves are key to hydrogen fuel 

cell system designs. It’s beneficial to 

look for proportional valves that can 

precisely control hydrogen fuel flow 

rates while remaining lightweight 

and easy to install, such as Emerson’s 

ASCO TM Series 202 Direct-Operated 

Posiflow solenoid valves. 

It’s important to source components, 

like those mentioned above, 

from suppliers who have comprehensive, 

specialized portfolios of 

safe, compliant products that are 

already proven in the field. Emerson’s 

TESCOM regulators reliably control 

hydrogen fuel on more than 20,000 

forklifts, including some that have 

been running for 10 years. 

Some, including Emerson, even 

offer flexible engineering services 

to supply customized manifold solutions 

for the fuel cell inlet module, 

such as a shutoff valve with proportional 

valve to accompany the 

pressure regulator or drain modules, 

such as a drain valve with a water 

separator and check valve. This level 

of partnership allows OEMs to obtain 

high-reliability flow control, pressure 

regulators, safety junction boxes and 

flameproof cable glands, as well as 

educational services and support 

from a single source, simplifying the 

supply chain and helping to meet 

production targets. 

Expert suppliers like this will also 

have knowledge necessary to fulfill all 

requirements and certifications, as 

it’s critical to comply with regulations 

where vehicles will operate. 

Scaling production to meet 

increasing demand 

It’s predicted that about 850,000 

hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks 

will be on EU roads by 2035, as 

well as between 1.4 and 3.6 million 

light-commercial vehicles, buses and 

passenger cars 3 . While this rapid 

growth makes it a lucrative time to be 

in the FCEV truck market, it can also 

make it difficult to scale designs and 

capacity to meet demand. 

To produce enough hydrogen 

fuel cell systems to supply fleets of 

trucks and buses, manufacturers 

need to quickly scale up in terms of 

resources, factory extension and 

Fig. 3: The compact ASCO Series 238 Pilot 

General Service Solenoid Valve from 

Emerson maximizes design space and features 

a short stroke that increases cycle life. 




procurement efficiency. One way that 

OEMs can achieve this is by working 

closely with supplier partners 

with a proven history of successfully 

working to adapt their products as 

customer needs grow and change. 

They can meet OEMs at each stage of 

growth, reduce complexity by ensuring 

the optimal products are available, 

and allow hydrogen fuel cell and 

FCEV vehicle providers to focus fully 

on their process. 

OEMs of all sizes and capabilities 

are emerging in the hydrogen 

market. Some may understand all 

aspects of their unique design process, 

yet others may need help to optimize 

their current solutions. For those 

experiencing this limitation, they can 

extend their knowledge and teams 

by leveraging the knowledge and 

resources of expert suppliers. Educational 

resources can help OEMs integrate 

emerging hydrogen technology 

and design best practices to develop 

cost-saving strategies and accelerate 

their new technologies. One example 

some suppliers offer is a collaborative 

engineering workshop, which 

helps OEMs to better understand their 

design process and develop ways to 

make it more efficient. 

In this workshop, OEMs work with 

engineers and product experts to 

identify performance metrics and 

requirement definitions, create strategies 

that integrate findings, learn 

about application-specific technology 

options, pilots, and more. This comprehensive 

expertise not only operates 

as an extension of the OEM’s 

knowledge, but also helps build the 

OEM’s own expertise. 

Driving a successful, 

zero-emissions future 

ZE-HDVs and hydrogen-fueled buses 

are key to decarbonizing EU roadways 

– and transportation around 

the world. As demand for hydrogen-powered 

trucks and buses 

grows worldwide, scaling up hydrogen 

fuel cell technology is paramount. 

Working with expert partners 

and putting proven processes 

in place will ensure success as well 

as the flexibility to adapt. Successful 

deployment of future fleets depends 

on smart decisions today: sourcing 

high-performance, robust components 

that safely, reliably and efficiently 

improve fuel cell life and 

operation. 

References 

1 

Heavy Duty Vehicles. European 

Environment Agency. 

www.eea.europa.eu/themes/ 

transport/heavy-duty-vehicles. 

2 

Hydrogen Storage. United States 

Department of Energy. 

www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/ 

hydrogen-storage. 

3 

“Unlocking hydrogen’s power for 

long-haul freight transport.” McKinsey 

& Company. 

www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/ 

operations/our-insights/ 

global-infrastructure-initiative/ 

voices/unlocking-hydrogens- 

power-for-long-haul-freight- 

transport 

The Author: 

Akilah Doyle 

Product Marketing Manager Emerson 

www.Emerson.com 

FIT FOR 

HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES 

WITH KLINGER 

SEALING MATERIALS 

for all stages of the power-to-x-process 

Germany 

KLINGER GmbH, 65510 Idstein 

Tel. +49 6126 40160, mail@klinger.de, www.klinger.de


Production 

Revolutionary oxygen impulse technology for 

steel production 

Fig. 1: Schwelgern 1 is one of the world’s most modern blast furnaces with a potential output of 10,000 t per day. Over the course of the 

project, 40 SIP boxes (grey-blue in the photo) were installed on the tuyeres. The boxes inject strong intermittent impulses with technical 

oxygen into the coke bed in order to achieve the best possible penetration. 

(All photos: thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH) 

thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH is 

well known for the development 

of the sequence impulse process. 

When used on cupola furnaces, it 

considerably increased their costeffectiveness 

in the past. In over 

10 years of development work with 

Schubert & Salzer as their partner, 

Dr Rainer Klock and the team at 

AT.PRO tec succeeded in getting the 

SIP technology to work on blast furnaces, 

too, with the help of sliding 

gate valves. The story of a researcher 

on the way to becoming a plant 

manufacturer. 

The history of the blast furnace process 

is a long story of great innovations 

and technical improvements. 

Again and again, there have 

been courageous innovators who 

were willing to question common 

methods in order to further optimise 

the production process of pig 

iron. In the 18 th century, for example, 

Abraham Darby succeeded in using 

coke instead of charcoal. As a result, 

blast furnaces became consider ably 

larger and more efficient. In the 19 th 

century, Edward Alfred Cowper managed 

an innovation leap with the 

newly emerging blast preheaters. 

Today the so-called “Cowpers” are 

part of every blast furnace plant. 

Utilising the “sequence impulse 

process with induced shock waves”, 

the blast furnace has now reached 

the next stage in its evolution. 

Behind the SIP are thyssenkrupp 

AT.PRO tec GmbH and its present 

managing director, Dr Rainer Klock. 

As a team, they developed the technology 

over a period of more than 

10 years in such a way that its use at 

the blast furnace became possible 

at all. Today the employees at 

AT.PRO tec bundle highly specialised 

expert knowledge from science and 

industry for the use of gases in melting 

processes. 

The basic concept of the new process 

is to activate the areas deeper 

inside the furnace. In the standard 

process technology, a cone of coke is 

created – the so-called “dead man”. 

Incompletely reacted fine particles 

block this coke bed. The gas flow and 

heat cannot penetrate deeply enough 

into the furnace. 

The solution: strong intermittent 

impulses to enable the necessary 

deep penetration of the technical 

oxygen. This leads to a short-term, 



Production 

local surplus of oxygen and a more 

complete chemical conversion of the 

fine particles – even deep inside the 

coke bed. The shock waves associated 

with the impulses break open 

blockages at this point and mix the 

contents by means of strong turbulences. 

They ensure a more homogeneous 

gas distribution and a better 

flow-off of the molten metal and 

the slag. 

Phase 1: ASIPGO – the collaborative 

research project of thyssenkrupp 

and RWTH Aachen (2007-2011) 

The technology has been working 

successfully for years on a smaller 

scale in cupola furnaces and enables 

a considerable increase in cost-effectiveness. 

Use on the much larger 

blast furnaces was, however, still 

completely unresearched. 

When AT.PRO tec approached 

RWTH Aachen and the Institute of 

Ferrous Metallurgy (IEHK) situated 

there with the subject, Rainer Klock 

had just completed his degree thesis. 

RWTH looked for research associates 

for the new research project, which 

was supported by thyssenkrupp as 

the industrial partner. “That was the 

perfect opportunity for me. Not only 

was I able to write my doctorate thesis 

directly following my degree, the 

project also offered me the possibili ty 

to work on one of the largest blast 

furnaces in Europe”, said Dr Klock 

later. “The ASIPGO project was 

intended to pursue two goals over 

a period of three years: firstly to 

improve the use of SIP on cupola 

furnaces through automation and 

se condly to enable the use of SIP on 

blast furnaces.” 

Within the framework of his doctorate 

thesis, Rainer Klock focused on 

Fig. 2: The SIP boxes are the result of many years of research and development: from the 

first tests at the Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy at RWTH Aachen, to the construction and 

optimisation of a prototype on the blast furnace in Schwelgern, to the installation of the 

complete SIP system during running operation. 

Fig. 3: The SIP results in a significant increase in the efficiency of the manufacture of pig iron; 

it saves costs amounting to several million Euros every year on blast furnace 1 in Schwelgern 

and has therefore paid for itself in less than 2 years of operation. The annual CO 2 savings 

amount to well over 100,000 tonnes. 

research into use on the blast furnace. 

First of all, the physical and chemical 

processes were examined that made 

the SIP successful on the cupola 

furnace. The research group, consisting 

of employees from thyssenkrupp 

AT.PRO tec, thyssenkrupp Steel 

Europe and RWTH Aachen, wanted to 

understand the processes in the raceway 

zone of a blast furnace and how 

they would probably be affected by 

oxygen impulses in order to be able 

to transfer the technology from the 

cupola furnace to the blast furnace 

with the collected knowledge. 

On the basis of these findings 

at the IEHK, a SIP test system 

for blast furnaces was finally constructed. 

Compared to the SIP system 

for cupola furnaces, significantly 

larger nominal diameters and pressures 

were now used. The system 

therefore had to be adapted and 

equipped with suitable components. 

One of the main focal points was the 

so-called pulse valves. These had to 

be capable of generating the strongest 

possible shock wave. Following 

a long series of investigations with 

different types of valve, the sliding 

gate valve from Schubert & Salzer 

was selected. 


39


Production 

Fig. 4: In close cooperation, various design changes were made and then tested in practice in 

order to adapt the sliding gate valve 8040 to the requirements of the application. 

The principle of this valve was fascinatingly 

simple: two slotted discs 

that slide over each other and seal 

against each other. A sealing plate, 

fixed perpendicular to the direction 

of flow on which another movable 

disc with the same slot arrangement 

is moved, changes the flow cross-section. 

The applied pressure difference 

presses the movable disc against 

the fixed disc and thus contributes 

to leak-tightness. The short opening 

times achievable by this principle and 

the pressure resistance with large 

nominal diameters were ultimately 

decisive. 

Phase 2: From experiment to large- 

scale industrial use (2011–2020) 

The first tests with the SIP test system 

on the Schwelgern 1 blast furnace 

yielded such promising results 

that thyssenkrupp Steel Europe 

decided to further develop the process 

beyond the research project. 

With its hearth diameter of 13.6 m, 

a total height of approx. 110 m and 

an internal volume of 4,416 m 3 , the 

Schwelgern 1 blast furnace has a 

potential output of 10,000 t per day. 

The welded steel construction, which 

is lined inside with refractory material 

and has a closed cooling water 

circuit, is one of the most modern 

blast furnaces in the world. Rainer 

Klock was to manage the further 

development of SIP as plant engineer 

and was appointed by thyssenkrupp 

Steel Europe towards the summer of 

2010. 

Whilst an industrially operational 

prototype had to be created on 

the basis of the SIP test system, this 

prototype was to be further optimised 

for the process. “In order to 

further improve the effect of our process, 

we began to dedicate ourselves 

to the shock waves associated with 

each impulse,” explained Dr Rainer 

Klock, now a doctor of metallurgy. 

“We were convinced that, as part of 

the SIP, it was making an important 

contribution to the positive effect of 

the SIP on the process. We wanted 

to enlarge the raceway zone and 

break open blockages in the coke bed 

with strong shock waves. This would 

increase the permeability and consequently 

the efficiency of the blast 

furnace process with larger reaction 

surfaces.” 

“At that time the project team 

at AT.PRO tec sat down with us 

and explained what they intended 

to do,” said Marcel Mokosch from 

Technical Sales at Schubert & Salzer 

Control Systems. “To generate 

impulses with even stronger shock 

waves, the high opening speeds had 

to be optimised still further in order 

to achieve extremely short opening 

times. In principle, sliding gate valves 

were the perfect choice for this application. 

The typical stroke between 

“open” and “closed” is only about 

8 mm. This short stroke is accompanied 

by very small moved masses. 

For that reason, only small actuating 

forces are needed. As a result, the 

valve is ultimately even more compact 

than most other types of valve.” 

Following this meeting, the first 

“SIP box” - the prototype of the new 

system - ran for four to five years in 

continuous operation. In this time it 

was continually, further optimised. 

Over the years, step by step, the 

originally selected sliding gate valve 

design continued to develop together 

with the system and the process. 

In close cooperation, the various 

design changes were made and then 

tested in practice in order to adapt 

the valve to the requirements of the 

application. 

“Finally, we had managed to optimise 

the valve to a record opening 

speed of just 2 ms. This made it possible 

to generate impulses that reach 

deep into the coke bed with really 

strong shock waves,” said Marcel 

Mokosch. “However, the extremely 



Production 

fast switching speeds combined 

with high pressures and high switching 

frequency brought the valve 

to its load limits. This combination 

of requirements was really a challenge 

for us at the time, but we also 

saw it as a great opportunity for the 

sliding gate technology to prove itself. 

In order to achieve valve service lives 

that were acceptable to the user 

under these extreme operating conditions, 

their mechanical limits had to 

be extended by design changes. The 

declared goal was a service life of one 

year, in other words several million 

switching cycles.” 

In 2015 the moment had finally 

arrived: thyssenkrupp Steel Europe 

and thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH 

began with the development, installation 

and operation of a complete oxygen 

impulse process system on blast 

furnace 1 in Schwelgern. In the years 

that followed, the optimisation of the 

SIP boxes was finalised. SIP devices 

were installed on the 40 tuyeres of 

the blast furnace with the furnace in 

normal operation. 

Successful project completion 

Fig. 5: View inside an SIP box: Two 

type-8040 sliding gate valves were further 

developed over the years so that they 

are capable of releasing the necessary 

impulses with strong shock waves and 

have a minimum service life of one year, 

i.e. several million switching cycles. 

The SIP system was finally completed 

in autumn 2020. 40 SIP boxes 

were waiting to be used. The boxes 

were activated step by step over a 

period of several weeks. The effects 

on the process were awaited with 

excitement. 

The SIP system on blast furnace 

1 in Schwelgern has paid for 

itself in less than 2 years of operation 

and now saves costs amounting 

to several million Euros every 

year. Due to the increase in efficiency, 

the total consumption of 

reducing agents (coke and injection 

coal) has been significantly 

reduced. This is also reflected in 

the CO 2 savings of between 50 and 

100 kg per tonne of pig iron produced, 

resulting in annual CO 2 

savings in excess of 100,000 tonnes. 

The entire project is a great success 

for thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec: 

“After one and a half years of continuous 

operation, the Schubert & Salzer 

sliding gate valves have proven to 

be more than capable of coping 

with the extreme conditions of use 

in our application. The many years 

of joint development work with 

Schubert & Salzer has more than paid 

off. Finding such a persevering and 

reliable development partner is not a 

matter of course,” explained Dr Rainer 

Klock, now the managing director 

of thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH. 

“One of our future projects is now to 

enable further automated process 

optimisations by linking the SIP technology 

and the blast furnace process 

with the help of a Level 2 automation 

system. First of all, however, our goal 

Fig. 6: In over 10 years of development work with 

Schubert & Salzer as their partner, Dr Rainer Klock 

and the team at AT.PRO tec succeeded in getting the 

SIP technology to work on blast furnaces, too, with 

the help of sliding gate valves. 

will be to make the SIP technology a 

global success.” 

When the technology was 

fully operational for the first time, 

thyssenkrupp.AT.PRO tec decided 

that partnering with one of the leading 

blast furnace plant and equipment 

suppliers would be helpful in 

achieving this goal. In August 2021, 

after several months of negotiations, 

an exclusive worldwide marketing 

and sales agreement was signed with 

Primetals Technologies Ltd. 

“The intention is for our reli able 

partner Primetals Technologies to 

market this technology worldwide 

and to make it accessible to other 

steel manufacturers, too.” concludes 

Dr Rainer Klock. 

More information: 

controlsystems.schubert-salzer.com 


41

Circular economy 

Production 

Sustainable solutions in fish farming leads to 

high value health ingredients 

Dr. Sonja John 

Photo: Hofseth BioCare 

Fish farming, also known as aquaculture, 

plays a significant role in 

meeting the growing demand for 

seafood and reducing pressure on 

wild fish populations. Whilst these 

are both very important outturns, 

clearly there is also the need for 

aquaculture to ensure that farming 

practices are fully sustainable and 

avoid any adverse consequences 

for nature. In this regard, the highly 

regulated Norwegian aquaculture 

industry leads the way with strict 

limits on fish density, sea lice control 

and a zero tolerance for antibiotic 

use. 

Hofseth International AS (HI), and 

their associated company Hofseth 

BioCare (HBC), is a purpose-driven 

and fully integrated seafood 

company, offering a wide range of 

quality products from Norwegian 

Atlantic salmon. 

To ensure adequate nutrition for 

the ever-growing world population, 

it is essential to utilize as much as 

possible of the food we produce and 

thereby minimise waste. By prioritizing 

sustainability and adopting best 

practices, fish farming can contribute 

to meeting global seafood demand 

while minimizing its ecological footprint. 

In general, aquaculture is a 

sustainable and low-impact way of 

producing food. Compared to beef, 

salmon requires eight times less feed 

to generate one kilo of meat, while at 

the same time producing ten times 

less carbon and using eleven times 

less water. 

The process of fish production 

begins with the careful selection and 

management of broodstock, mature 

fish used for breeding. This step aims 

to maintain genetic diversity and 

optimize desirable traits, ensuring 

healthy and resilient offspring. After 

spawning the fertilized eggs are collected 

for larval rearing. This stage 

involves providing suitable conditions 

such as temperature, water quality, 

and nutrition to support the growth 

and development of larvae. After the 

larval stage, fish are transferred to 

nursery tanks. Here, they continue 

to grow in a controlled environment, 

receiving appropriate feed and monitoring 

to promote healthy growth. 

In the grow-out phase the fish are 

then transferred to open net pens, 

which in the case of HI, are located in 

the pristine waters of the Norwegian 

fjords. During this phase, feed, water 

quality, and stocking density are carefully 

managed to optimize growth and 

minimize stress. When the fish reach 

the desired size, typically 4-5 kg, they 

are harvested. Proper handling techniques 

are employed to minimize 

stress and maintain fish welfare. 

Unsurprisingly, fish farming generates 

organic waste in the form of 

feces, and other by-products. If not 

properly managed, this waste can 

contribute to water pollution, oxygen 

depletion, and nutrient imbalances in 

surrounding ecosystems. In the case 

of Hofseth International, the limited 

number of fish pens carefully positioned 

in the deep waters (400-600 m 


Circular economy 

Production 

deep) of the Norwegian fjords with 

closely monitored feeding means 

that HI’s aquaculture has a minimal 

impact on the environment. Even the 

side streams (off-cuts) of fish fileting, 

the head, backbone, skin and remaining 

meat are upcycled by HBC into 

premium health ingredients for both 

humans and pets. This is a major contrast 

to former days when s these offcuts 

from salmon were regarded as 

waste, or at best animal feed. 

To enable this upcycling, HBC 

has developed a patented, proprietary 

process using natural (non-GMO) 

protease enzymes. It starts with the 

fresh, food grade salmon off-cuts 

arriving at HBC’s plant in refrigerated 

trucks within two hours of harvesting. 

The off-cuts consist mainly of the 

head, backbone and skin (as well as 

some protein/salmon meat). This raw 

material is inspected and analysed, 

to ensure the highest quality, before 

going into the production process. 

The first step is to mince the raw 

material before it enters the hydrolysis 

tanks. These contain water and 

natural enzymes are added to “digest” 

the protein to liberate the fish oil and 

bones from the raw material (and 

produce bioactive peptides). This output 

can then be used as ingredients 

in the production of nutritional supplements 

and food products. 

MAGNESIA is an international distributor 

for health ingredients, focussed 

on minerals. The company places 

great importance on sustainably 

produced products with a low impact 

on the environment and the respect 

of human rights. Therefore, the 

collaboration with HBC and the associated 

distribution of their products 

in Germany, Austria and Switzerland 

is a great win. 

This process is a fascinating 

example on how sustainability can 

be extended to supply chains. All of 

Hofseth’s operations are in relatively 

close proximity to each other within 

the fjords. Efficient and speedy 

transportation from fish farms to the 

slaughterhouses and the transport 

to HBC’s plants thereafter ensures 

the products’ high quality, safety and 

low emission. Indeed, the only emission 

from HBC’s plant is steam which 

is recycled to help heat the hydrolysis 

tanks. 

Therefore, by adopting innovative 

technologies and efficient processes 

waste can be minimized and resource 

utilization optimized. Embracing the 

principles of the circular eco nomy, 

waste reduction, recycling, and 

reusing materials are the key points. 

Through the commitment to 

resource management, environmental 

conservation, social responsibility, 

and zero waste, it can be demonstrated 

that sustainability can be 

integrated into core business operations 

of manufacturers and distributors. 

The Author: Dr. Sonja John 

Head of Product and Application 

Management 

MAGNESIA GmbH 

Photo: Hofseth BioCare 


43

Companies - Innovations - Products 

New decentralised heat recovery 

ventilation system with app 

connection, powerful performance 

and quiet operation 

Buderus continues to expand its portfolio of home ventilation 

products: The new Logavent HRV136 D decentralised home ventilation 

system automatically supplies single-family homes and apartment 

buildings with fresh air. Thanks to heat recovery, it does so 

very efficiently (energy efficiency class A+). When operated in pairs, 

the devices are particularly powerful and can provide a volume 

flow of up to 55 m³/h. But pairing them is not imperative, which 

means that is also possible to install an odd number of the ventilation 

devices for greater planning flexibility. Another advantage 

is the fact that the fan is more resistant to pressure, allowing the 

Logavent HRV136 D to operate with a more constant volume flow 

and more quietly even in strong winds. 

heating energy is lost. The automated air exchange happens virtually 

unnoticed: The special, patented sound-insulating inside cover and the 

quiet fan reduce operating noises. At a distance of two metres, the 

device has a sound pressure level of only 22 dB (A) at stage 2. 

The VC30 H control unit is used to adjust the decentralised heat 

recovery ventilation system to current needs. With its modern and flat 

design, it blends in visually with any room. A factory-fitted humidity 

sensor in the control unit automatically protects against humidity and 

ensures a pleasant room climate. Alternatively, residents can opt for 

the VC50 H control unit with app connection to adjust the ventilation 

to their preferences via smartphone app. 

Logavent planning tool 

Buderus not only offers its customers the right devices, but also 

provides assistance for the configuration of home ventilation systems: 

Heating contractors can use the Logavent planning tool to quickly 

configure and reliably calculate ventilation systems with heat recovery 

for their customers. The program also supports the calculation of the 

volume flow according to DIN 1946-6 and provides a schematic diagram 

as well as information about the expected material and cost 

expenditure. For more detailed changes, a separate expert mode is 

available to installers. The free Logavent planning tool can be accessed 

online at www.ventilation-calculator.com/de/buderus. 

Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH 

Buderus Deutschland 

Sophienstr. 30–32 

35576 Wetzlar, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) 6441 41 

info@buderus.de 

www.buderus.de 

Fresh air without ventilation ducts 

The efficient Logavent HRV136 D heat recovery ventilation device is 

ideally suited for the energy-efficient modernisation of single-family 

houses and apartment buildings or for new homes. Up to 85 percent 

of the heat energy from the exhaust air is reused to heat the fresh 

air. The compact device does not require any ventilation ducts and is 

directly installed in the exterior wall after a core drilling – this permits 

low-cost retrofitting in existing buildings. The Logavent HRV136 D can 

even be installed in thinner walls as a wall thickness of 220 millimetres 

is already sufficient. Maintenance of the decentralised heat recovery 

ventilation system is straightforward as it requires no tools. The front 

cover is fixed without screws and can be removed in a few easy steps. 

The individual components of the ventilation device are thus easily 

accessible and changing the filter is done in next to no time. 

Pleasantly quiet 

Maintenance is straightforward as 

it requires no tools. The front cover 

is fixed without screws and can be 

removed in a few easy steps. 

With the Logavent HRV136 D, residents benefit from constantly high 

air quality all year round and thanks to heat recovery, almost no 

GEA supplies powerful heat pumps 

for district heating in Gateshead – the 

largest mine water project in the UK 

Heat energy from the coal mine: “Gateshead Mine Water Scheme” is 

currently the largest project in the UK for heat recovery from mine 

water. GEA as project partner supplied 2 x 3 MW high performance 

heat pumps. These heat pumps use the energy from naturally 

heated mine water to meet the heat demand of the buildings 

connected to the district heating network. The existing municipal 

heating network, which already supplies 18 public and private buildings 

and 350 households, will thus be expanded by an additional 

heat capacity of twelve GWh per year. 

A pilot project that serves as a role model 

Gateshead is located in the North East of England near Newcastle. 

Both Gateshead Council and its wholly owned business Gateshead 

Energy Company (GEC), as operator of the Gateshead District Energy 

Network (DEN), have committed to achieving zero carbon emission status 

by 2030. The mine water heat extraction system is part of Gateshead 

Council's zero carbon heat strategy. The first goal was to provide 

cheaper heat energy for all residents in the borough. The second goal 

was to identify a supplement to the combined heat and power (CHP) 

system initially installed, and with a lower carbon footprint. 

44 


PROCESS TECHNOLOGY&COMPONENTS 

© Aerzen 

The cross-sectoral media platform 

for suppliers and users in two languages: 

German and English 

Exclusive information around the pump 

and compressor industry as well as 

systems and components 

Developments and trends 

First-hand future technology 

Targeted at international trade 

shows for 2023 

New since 2022: 

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is published 4 times a year 

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH · Eschenstr. 25 · 90441 Nuremberg · Tel.: +49 (0) 911 - 2018 0 · info@harnisch.com · www.harnisch.com


This is how heat is extracted from mine water 

The water is pumped from a depth of 150 meters from the old mine to 

the ground level plantroom where the 2 x 3 MW ammonia heat pumps 

from GEA, extract the energy from the mine water (15 degrees Celsius). 

The heat pumps boost the temperature of the extracted energy and hot 

water (80 degrees Celsius) is then provided to homes and buildings in 

Gateshead. When the heat from the mine water has been extracted by the 

heat pumps, the water is returned to the mine at a temperature of eight 

degrees. To optimize the performance of the heat pump system with the 

2 x 3 MW heat pumps, a two-stage compression cycle with screw 

compressors is used. Groundwater is filtered and pumped through 

titanium plate and frame heat exchangers. Titanium was chosen for the 

evaporator plates to match the quality of the groundwater. On the heating 

side, several heat exchangers are connected in series to optimize the 

efficiency of the heat pump solution. 

Solar parks are also part of the concept - which help to provide 

some of the power to run the heat pumps - these have been newly 

built on a field next to the minewater boreholes and heat pump. For 

every 1 unit of power used by the heat pump, 3 units of renewable 

heat are generated. GEC will import power from the grid to run the 

heat pumps... which is decarbonising year on year and should be zero 

carbon by the middle of next decade. On sunny days, when GEC has 

surplus power from the solar parks, this will provide green power 

to run the heat pumps, meaning that for certain periods, GEC can 

produce 100 % zero carbon heat now. 

GEA is at the forefront of technology solutions for tackling climate change and 

supplying district heating projects like this one in the Northeast of England. GEA 

heat pumps are at the center of the Gateshead Mine Water Scheme, the largest 

mine water heat recovery scheme of its kind in the country. (Photo: GEA) 

Politicians, grid operators and authorities highly satisfied 

Councillor Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council, is thrilled 

with the success of the project. He says, “What is happening here is 

truly amazing. What we're seeing in Gateshead is a legacy from the 

days of coal mines. Where we were a leader in the industrial revolution 

200 years ago, we are now a leader in the clean energy revolution 

of today. Working alongside our partners, we can make use of the 

naturally heated mine water and generate valuable, low carbon 

energy. We are proud to have successfully delivered the largest mine 

water project in the UK.” 

Richard Bond, director of innovation and engagement at the Coal 

Authority, added: “It’s fantastic to see forward thinking local authorities 

like Gateshead Council using warm mine water to provide low carbon 

heating for buildings. We have a low-carbon, secure, UK-owned heat 

source in the form of mine water in Gateshead, which is also an excellent 

option for many other coalfield communities. We are delighted 

that our support has helped make this project a reality.” 

Mine water: after “black gold” now “warm gold” 

In the past, miners in Gateshead's coal mine extracted black gold 

from the earth to fire blast furnaces, but also to heat homes. In fact, 

Gateshead was once the largest supplier of coal in the world, shipping 

more than 400,000 tons in 1625 to provide heat for homes. However, 

the last coal mines in the area closed in the 1960s. The tunnels have 

since filled with water - now the source of energy for the heat pumps. 

So once again, Gateshead’s underground provides vital energy for 

heating Gateshead’s homes and industry. This time it is being done 

in an environ mentally friendly way, helping to reduce CO 2 and NO x 

emissions. 

GEA ammonia heat pumps offer optimum performance 

Ammonia was chosen as the natural refrigerant for this application. It 

offers the best efficiency and has no global warming potential. Under 

the given conditions in Gateshead, ammonia heat pumps are 10 to 20 

percent more efficient than F-gas solutions (HFC/HFO). 

GEA with extensive experience in heat pumps and 

district heating projects 

GEA has been involved in other innovative heat pump projects for 

district heating in the UK in the past, including the installation of a heat 

pump that extracts heat from London Underground ventilation air and 

provides heat for a high-rise building in Islington. John Burden, Director 

Project Sales Heating & Refrigeration Solutions at GEA UK, says: 

“GEA’s highly innovative heat pump technology has been used in other 

district heating projects in the UK and around the world as we recognize 

the dire consequences of global warming. Given the UK government's 

ambitious targets to significantly increase the proportion of district 

heating in the UK, we expect to see many more new and ambitious 

projects in the coming years.” 

GEA supplies heat pump solutions to a wide range of industries 

GEA supplies heat pumps to a wide range of industries including food, 

dairy, beverage and district heating. GEA supplies energy-efficient systems 

based on natural refrigerants that offer double-digit percentage 

points better performance compared to synthetic refrigerants, which 

also translates into significantly lower energy bills - one of the biggest 

cost drivers for industrial heat pumps. 

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft 

Peter-Müller-Str. 12 

40468 Düsseldorf, Germany 

Tel +49 211 9136-0 

www.gea.com 

46 



Empowering E-Future. 

New SEEPEX Pump Tailored to the Battery Industry 

Rechargeable batteries ensure that the power in electric vehicles, 

smartphones, notebooks and many other applications lasts. Gigafactories 

are being built around the world to meet the huge demand for 

lithium-ion batteries in the automotive, electronics and semicon ductor 

industries. For the highly complex manufacturing process with all its 

technological challenges, SEEPEX stands by manufacturers with the 

precise performance of its specialized pumps. The new BF range offers 

a customized and cost-effective solution. The innovation was showcased 

at the CIBF trade show in Shenzhen, China and at the Battery 

Show Europe in Stuttgart, Germany in May. 

SEEPEX pumps and pumping solutions compliment the battery 

manufacturing process from start to finish. They are used in raw material 

processing, electrode material production, film and cell production 

and battery recycling. The progressive cavity pumps convey binders, 

additives and active ingredients in perfect doses. The company also 

supplies pumps for the efficient production of electrode pastes. “As 

a globally sought-after specialist for progressive cavity pumps, pump 

systems and digital solutions, SEEPEX is helping to make the transition 

to greater sustainability a success,” says Thomas Dufner, Battery 

Market Manager at SEEPEX. 

Reduce maintenance time and total cost of ownership 

The SEEPEX BF pump is precisely tailored to these requirements; 

ensuring safety, cleanliness, high product quality and, last but not 

least, cost efficiency. The precise performance provides high quality 

support to the production process. The maintenance-friendly design 

reduces downtime and the total cost of ownership (TCO). The clamp 

connections for quick installation/removal and the removable rotating 

unit simplify replacement and maintenance work. Due to SEEPEX’s 

focus on sustainability, with proper maintenance the robust pump has 

a long product life. 

SEEPEX BF: Safe, Clean, Stainless 

Battery production has to be a clean business. The new SEEPEX BF 

range pumps are certainly clean and offer an important advantage in 

several respects. “Operational safety and maximum cleanliness when 

using valuable dispersed raw materials were the driving forces behind 

the development of the BF range. It helps reduce total cost of ownership 

and improve energy efficiency in virtually all battery applications 

by eliminating contamination and being easy to maintain. Cleaning 

cycle failures and disposal of contaminated battery compounds are 

not only wasteful, but also very costly,” says Dufner. “Chemical resistance 

and chemically compatible materials are necessary to prevent 

conta mination of expensive raw materials. With BF, we assure that the 

materials are chemically compatible. The stainless steel design and 

flexible titanium shaft ensure contamination-free 

product quality. Contamination 

by oil or grease is impossible. The 

pumps can be thoroughly cleaned with 

common solvents and deionized water.” 

New range in response to customer demands 

With the new BF range and its exceptional advantages, SEEPEX 

recommends itself as a reliable partner for the battery industry. The 

new pump can be installed quickly, has a flow rate of up to 30 m³/h 

and operates at a pressure of up to 12 bar. It is available in block or 

bare shaft design and can meet customer-specific drive requirements. 

A TA-Luft or ATEX certified version is also available. 

A great deal of data analysis and customer input went into the 

highly optimized development of this latest generation of pumps. 

After all, battery production is full of challenges. Chemical resistance 

and chemically compatible materials are required to avoid contamination 

of valuable raw materials. During the critical process of 

formulation, continuity and high repeatability are essential. Contamination-free 

pumps are also essential for smooth operation. The coating 

process plays another important role, as the pump has a direct 

impact on product quality by minimizing variations in coating thickness. 

Finally, investment and operating hour costs should be kept as 

low as possible. 

Maximum dosing accuracy with 

minimal pulsation 

Battery compounds, from lithium 

to electrolyte, can be added to the 

mixing process in precise, drop-by-drop 

doses. Continuity and high repeatability 

are critical during the formulation process. 

In the coating process, the pump 

has a direct impact on product quality 

by minimizing variations in coating 

thickness. The BF range achieves this 

continuity and high repeatability by using the SEEPEX progressive 

cavity pump principle with the advantage of extremely low pulsation. 

This ensures the highest dosing accuracy, resulting in better coating 

results and more accurate slurry recipes. 

Leaking is a shortcoming in many pump types. Failures due to 

leakage or stick-slip are known to cause health and environmental 

hazards. SEEPEX progressive cavity pumps, with their special design, 

have no spillage or leakage due to their high degree of sealability. In 

addition, a wide range of seals is available for different battery compounds. 

SEEPEX keeps it tight, so the voltage stays in the electrical 

future. 

SEEPEX GmbH 

Scharrnhölzerstr. 344 

46240 Bottrop, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)2041 996-0 

info@seepex.com 

www.seepex.com 



Power of the future: Weidmüller 

equips DemoSATH floating wind 

turbine with interior lighting and 

bolt monitoring 

The future of offshore wind lies beyond the flat shores. Floating 

wind turbines can generate electricity at almost any sea depth, 

thus offering outstanding potential for CO 2 reduction. Weidmüller, 

a world-wide pioneer and partner for digitalisation and automation 

of industry for more than a decade, has for the first time equipped 

a prototype of this floating future technology with two newly 

developed customer solutions: The integrated LED system illuminates 

all accessible parts of the wind turbine on the high seas and 

the TwinCap remote maintenance system detects damage to the 

screw nuts in the blade bearings at an early stage. 

The TwinCap remote maintenance system reliably detects signs of wear and can 

thus prevent costly consequential damage (Image source: Weidmüller) 

Two nautical miles off the coast of Bilbao, the Spanish company Saitec 

Offshore Technologies has launched the DemoSATH floating wind 

turbine platform which will be located in an 85-metre-deep seabed 

offshore location. The demonstration project is a barge type floating 

structure using SATH technology that resembles a catamaran and 

is moored at only one end with a single point mooring, allowing it to 

rotate freely to harness the power of the wind offshore. On the tower, 

a 2 MW turbine will generate green energy for 2,000 households. 

Integrated LED system provides lighting 

Weidmüller has contributed the interior lighting system exclusively for 

DemoSATH: The tower, nacelle and the accessible part of the floating 

body are equipped with an integrated lighting system consisting of 

LED sets for regular interior lighting. As the system is battery-buffered, 

emergency lighting is also secured in the event of a power failure, thus 

ensuring that there is adequate illumination for work safety. 

“The Weidmüller Wind team put together a complete lighting package 

following a lighting simulation and a design-in. Depending on 

the customer’s specifications, the individual set solutions include different 

direct-current LEDs or alternating-current variants,” explains 

Jonas Fuhrmann, Product Manager at Weidmüller. “All of the installed 

lights, including the connections and plugs, are protected against 

vibrations and shocks and are moisture-resistant in accordance with 

protection class IP67,” he adds. 

Aitor Sanz, Offshore Wind MEP Manager at Saitec Offshore Technologies, 

says of Weidmüller’s newly developed customer solution: 

“We appreciate the great performance of Weidmüller’s integrated 

LED system because the system is really stable thanks to its designed 

redundancy. This lighting solution provides the highest level of safety 

to our on-site technicians.” 

TwinCap remote maintenance system detects 

damage to screw nuts 

Weidmüller has developed the TwinCap remote maintenance system 

to ensure that technicians rarely have to venture out onto floating 

wind turbines, as it permanently checks the nuts that secure the rotor 

blades to the nacelle. Even when the wind turbine is firmly anchored 

in the ground, the nuts are exposed to heavy loads. The blade bearing 

screws are far more exposed to the forces of nature when the offshore 

wind turbine is floating as well as rotating around itself. 

“To detect and assess damage to the screw nuts as early as possible, 

we’ve developed the TwinCap remote maintenance system. This 

detects both visually and digitally whether a blade bearing needs to 

be serviced on site,” says Steffen Niggemann, Team Leader of Business 

Development at Weidmüller. Automated damage detection minimises 

the need for regular on-site maintenance, which significantly reduces 

costs for shipping and personnel, especially in the difficult-to-access 

offshore sector. 

“With the TwinCap sensor system, Weidmüller has developed a 

damage prevention system that allows us to detect and repair damage 

in the blade bearing as soon as it occurs. This prevents cost-intensive 

consequential damage,” summarises Aitor Sanz. 

Weidmüller sees great potential in collaborating with innovation 

leaders such as Saitec Offshore Technologies to support the global 

development of the emerging floating wind technology as the power 

supply of the future. 

Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG 

Klingenbergstr. 26 

32758 Detmold, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)5231 14-0 

weidmueller@weidmueller.com 

www.weidmueller.com 

Turnkey garage with wallbox and 

solar power 

Cube Concept Energy, a brand of Westway GmbH, presented a 

complete solution for parking and charging e-cars at the Intersolar 

Europe trade fair. With the “ENERGY GARAGE”, every homeowner 

can make their contribution to the energy transition and use free 

electricity from their own photovoltaics. Thanks to integrated PV 

modules on the garage roof, the owner can charge an e-car in their 

own garage with self-generated solar power, even if the residential 

building roof does not allow for the installation of PV modules, 

there is no space in the house, the costs for a conventional house 

48 



system exceed the budget, or neither components nor craftsmen 

are available. The system solution from a single source includes 

high-quality PV modules, a storage battery and a ready-wired wallbox. 

The ENERGIE GARAGE is completely assembled in Germany in 

the assembly halls of Cube Concept House and delivered by lowloader. 

At the designated location, it is erected within one day, for 

example on prepared simple strip foundations, and put into operation. 

In the evening, the owner can already charge his car or e-bike 

in his own garage. 

Composite construction technology, increased fire protection, 

modern insulation 

According to the company, the garage is made of robust and durable 

composite construction technology. It does not place high demands on 

the foundation and, thanks to modern insulation, prevents high humidity 

and dew formation. It has a separate storage or technical room, which 

also offers the possibility of alternative storage technologies. 

For increased fire protection, the interior walls have a steel layer 

in the composite. The high-quality impression of the interior is not 

disturbed by cables - Cube Concept House conceals them in the wall. 

From the outside, the ENERGY GARAGE impresses with an easy-toclean 

plaster look. The brand-name sectional door scores with motor 

drive and radio control. This modern burglary protection provides 

additional security. 

Solar energy storage and heating with 

green hydrogen 

COSBER is proud to announce the launch of its latest innovation, the 

SMART H 2 Energy Platform, a green hydrogen-based energy storage and 

generation system designed for buildings. It provides users with a stable, 

decentralized, and CO 2 -free energy supply for their homes, multi-family 

houses, or commercial properties by combining renewable energies as 

a source of energy generation and green hydrogen as an energy storage 

medium. The excess energy generated, from a photovoltaic system on 

sunny summer days, is stored as green hydrogen and used during the 

dark winter months to provide electricity and heat. 

The SMART H 2 Energy Platform incorporates the most advanced 

technologies for energy storage and generation. Its modular design 

allows for high customization based on user needs and circumstances. 

The platform comprises a photovoltaic inverter, electrolytic 

water hydrogen production system, hydrogen storage system, fuel cell 

power generation system, auxiliary electric energy system, and a synergy 

control module. By combining two energy storage technologies 

(lithium batteries for short-term storage and green hydrogen for longterm 

storage), COSBER’s SMART H 2 Energy Platform offers CO 2 -free 

and decentralized energy when needed. 

COSBER's SMART H 2 Energy Platform makes it possible for everyone 

to transition towards an independent and CO 2 -free energy supply. The 

smart H 2 energy platform product consists oft wo main units: the energy 

management Unit and the hydrogen storage unit. The energy managent 

unit can convenietly placed indoors in a basement or corner oft the stairs, 

while the pressurized hydrogen storage unit should be placed outdoors. 

These two units are connected by hydrogen pipelines and electrical cables 

to ensure seamlee communication and operation between them. 

Individualisation, project solutions, extensions 

Various versions of the “ENERGIE GARAGE” will soon be available at 

www.cubeconcept.eu/shop. The supplier promises to implement individual 

wishes such as the choice of floor construction, windows, the 

colour of the door or other dimensions just as smoothly as the adaptation 

of the number of units for project solutions, for example. 

In addition to stand-alone operation, the ENERGIE GARAGE can also 

be operated with larger or alternative storage units as well as extended 

PV power. According to the company, the owner can easily expand it, 

for example, with additional PV modules from another roof or a free 

area. Of course, he can also connect the “ENERGY GARAGE” to the actual 

residential building, and thus outsource the entire PV installation, such 

as inverters or buffer storage, to the garage's technical room. 

WestWay GmbH 

Dieselstr. 1 

32683 Barntrup, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)5263 956024 0 

info@cubeconcepthouse.de 

www.cubeconcepthouse.de 

The integrated PEMFC of the modular storage system delivers up to 10 kW rated 

point net power output. 

Cosber Shenzen 

10 th , F1, TCL Intl. Science E-Park 

1001 Zhongshanyuan Road 

Nanshan, Shenzen, China 

Tel +86 (0) 755 8262 0833 

info@cosber.com 

www.cosber.com 


Brand name register 

C. Otto Gehrckens GmbH & Co. KG 

Gehrstücken 9 

25421 Pinneberg/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)4101 5002-0 

Fax: +49 (0)4101 5002-83 

E-mail: info@cog.de 

Website: www.cog.de 

Elastomer seals from the specialist. COG delivers 

from the world‘s largest O-Ring warehouse 

(over 45,000 items in stock) a wide variety of 

compounds, incl. FFKM/FFPM and has offered 

premium quality, innovation and know-how for over 

150 years. 

Product range: 

- Precision O-Rings and elastomer seals 

- Tools for over 23,000 different O-Ring sizes 

available 

- In-house mixing, mixture development and 

production 

- Various certifications, e. g. FDA, USP, NORSOK 

- Also small-scale production 

For further information please visit 

www.cog.de/en 

ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH 

Etzelstr. 10 

74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen/Germany 

Phone: +49(0)7321-9641-750 

E-Mail: ekt.wasserstoff@elringklinger.com 

Website: 

www.elringklinger-kunststoff.de 

www.ek-kt.de/elektrolyse 

The product portfolio contains a wide range of 

materials and components for PtX applications – 

from electrolysis to mobile use. Innovative H 2- 

Enginering-Solutions, such as large-scale gaskets up 

to 3 m Ø, bellows, pipes and tubes, spring energized 

seals, guide rings, ElroSeal Rotary Shaft Seal etc. 

For trade fairs 

please visit our website 

www.elringklinger-kunststoff.de 

Hammelmann GmbH 

Carl-Zeiss-Str. 6-8 

59302 Oelde/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)2522 76-0 

Fax: +49 (0)2522 76-140 

E-mail: mail@hammelmann.de 

Website: www.hammelmann.de 

High-pressure plunger pumps 

Process pumps 

Sewer cleaning pumps 

Mining pumps (deep mining industry) 

Hot water appliances 

Operating pressure up to 4000 bar 

Flow rate up to 3000 l/min 

Applications systems for cleaning, removing, 

cutting, coating removal, decorning, deburring 

with high pressure water 

Worldwide participations in trade 

fairs,for current trade fairs, please 

visit our homepage: 

www.hammelmann.com 

We are looking forward to your visit! 

JUMO GmbH & Co. KG 

Moritz-Juchheim-Straße 1 

36039 Fulda/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)661 6003-0 

Fax: +49 (0)661 6003-881-2346 

E-mail: info@jumo.net 

Website: www.jumo.net 

Delivery program 

• Temperature sensors and heat meters 

• Transmitters and controllers 

• Automation system and digital indicators 

• Hygro transducers and hygrothermal transducers 

• Measuring devices and flow sensors 

• Level probes and float switches 

• Level sensors and level switches 

• Solid state relays and power controllers 

Come visit us: 

• Hydrogen Sept. 7 - 28 / Bremen 

• POLLUTEC October 10 - 13 / Lyon 

• AQUATECH Nov. 6 - 9 / Amsterdam 

Other scheduled trade fairs: 

messen.jumo.info 

KLAUS UNION GmbH & Co. KG 

Blumenfeldstr. 18 

44795 Bochum/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)234 4595-0 

Fax: +49 (0)234 4595-7000 

E-mail: info@klaus-union.com 

Website: www.klaus-union.com 

PUMPS: Magnetic drive and shaft sealed pumps for 

the chemical and petrochemical industry, the oil and 

gas industry and the renewable energy sector. 

Single-/multi-stage centrifugal pumps, side channel 

pumps, submerged pumps, propeller pumps, single/ 

double volute twin screw pumps. Pumps according 

DIN EN ISO, ANSI, API and custom designs. 

VALVES: Gate valves, globe valves, check valves, 

control valves, butterfly valves metal seated. 

Please visit our website for 

upcoming exhibitions 

www.klaus-union.com 

KLINGER GmbH 

RicharKlinger-Str. 37 

65510 Idstein/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)6126 4016-0 

Fax: +49 (0)6126 4016-11 

E-mail: mail@klinger.de 

Website: www.klinger.de 

Gasket sheets based on PTFE: KLINGERtop-chem, 

KLINGERsoft-chem 

Sheets based on graphite and mica: 

KLINGERgraphit, KLINGERgraphit-Folie, 

KLINGERgraphit-Laminat, KLINGERmilam 

Gasket sheets based on fibers: KLINGER Quantum, 

KLINGERSIL, KLINGERtop-sil, KLINGERtop-graph 

Sealing tapes: KLINGERtop-flon multi, 

KLINGERsealex, KLINGERflon-sealing tape, 

KLINGERgraphit sealing tape 

Spray: KLINGERflon-Spray 

Rubber products: Rubber-Steel Gaskets 

KLINGER-KGS, KLINGER Wall Seal Ring, moulded and 

extruded parts 

Special products on request 

Current trade fair dates: 

www.klinger.de/de/unternehmen/ 

news/events 

We are looking forward to your visit! 

50 


Brand name register 

Lutz Pumpen GmbH 

Erlenstr. 5-7 

97877 Wertheim/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)9342 879-0 

E-mail: info@lutz-pumpen.de 

Website: www.lutz-pumpen.de 

Lutz Pumpen GmbH is a leading manufacturer of 

industrial pumps with a focus on work safety and the 

highest demands. 

The product range includes drum pumps, container 

pumps, air-operated diaphragm pumps, flow meters, 

centrifugal pumps as well as system solutions. 

Current trade fair dates can be found 

on our website: 

www.lutz-pumpen.de 

URACA GmbH & Co. KG 

Sirchinger Str. 15 

72574 Bad Urach/Germany 

Phone: +49 (0)7125 133-0 

Fax: +49 (0)7125 133-202 

E-mail: info@uraca.de 

Website: www.uraca.de 

URACA designs and manufactures high-pressure 

plunger pumps and pump units as well as complex 

cleaning systems for satisfied customers all over 

the world. 

• High pressure plunger pumps 

up to 3,500 kW/3,000 bar 

• Sewer cleaning pumps 

• High pressure pump units for industry and 

cleaning, for hot and cold media 

• Tools and accessories 

• High pressure water jetting systems 

• Hydrostatic pressure test pumps 

For current trade fairs 

please visit our website 

www.uraca.de 



Index of Advertisers 

Index of Advertisers 

BMZ Germany GmbH 

3. Cover page 

C. Otto Gehrckens GmbH & Co. KG Page 15 

ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH Page 50 

Hammelmann GmbH Page 5 

JUMO GmbH & Co. KG Page 21 

KLAUS UNION GmbH & Co. KG 

Cover 

KLINGER GmbH Page 37 

Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH 

2. Cover page 

Lutz Pumpen GmbH Page 51 

URACA GmbH & Co. KG Page 51 

Your media contact 

D-A-CH 

Thomas Mlynarik 

Tel.: +49 (0) 911 2018 165 

Mobile: +49 (0) 151 5481 8181 

mlynarik@harnisch.com 

INTERNATIONAL 


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Tel.: +49 (0) 911 2018 200 

keller@harnisch.com 

Impressum 

Publisher 

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH in cooperation 

with Prof. (ret.) Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Schlücker, 

advisor on hydrogen and energy issues 

© 

2023, Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH 

Responsible for content 

Ottmar Holz 

Silke Watkins 

Publishing company and 

reader service 

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH 

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Tel 0911 2018-0 

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E-Mail get@harnisch.com 

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Editors 

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Silke Watkins 

Advertisements/Brand name register 

Silke Watkins/Matti Schneider 

Technical Director 

Armin König 

Errors excepted 

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ISSN 2752-2040 


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GET – GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES EN 1/23

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