Customer Case: Everfuel / HySynergy - Swagelok® FK Series fittings selected for hydrogen plant project

High-pressure panels are manufactured at Swagelok Denmark's assembly facilities. In the background, Peter Thomsen negotiates with a customer.

Swagelok Denmark is the instrumentation partner for the project

Swagelok Denmark has acted as a consulting partner for instrumentation and a Swagelok FK series fitting has been selected for the various instrumentation systems at the plant.
In addition, Swagelok Denmark has supplied the plant with instrumentation panels, including high-pressure panels for the mobile refuelling trailer, control panels for the compressors and analytical instrumentation panels. Close cooperation was maintained with the plant's engineering department, and expert and rapid technical support was crucial to the project for the engineering office.

Video presentation on Everfuel customer reference.

What led to the selection of FK-series fittings?

During the project, Swagelok Denmark carried out an extensive mapping of different fitting options for Everfuel's hydrogen system needs. The alternatives compared were traditional cone & thread fittings and FK fittings specifically designed by Swagelok for hydrogen. The fitting mapping exercise considered the total cost of ownership and the technical characteristics of the options.

The total cost of the fittings was calculated taking into account the product price, the human and equipment resources needed to carry out the installations, the installation time, the maintenance requirements and the life cycle. The total cost of the fitting options was found to be broadly similar.

However, in terms of safety, ease of installation, reliability and life cycle, the FK connection was significantly better performing than the C&T connection. In addition, the survey showed that the C&T fitting is likely to leak in the hydrogen system sooner or later.

In the end, the FK series fitting was chosen for the HySynergy project because the overall cost difference was relatively small, but other factors such as reliability and safety were superior.

As the project progresses, Swagelok field engineers will also supervise the installation process of the FK fittings on site and participate in the panel installation at the plants.

Swagelok components for Everfuel/Hysynergy plant actuator, AFS valve, fittings and tubing.

Swagelok components are also used at refuelling stations

Everfuel also chose Swagelok components for its refuelling infrastructure because of their safety and long life cycle. Reliability is the key to refuelling systems, as challenges such as maintenance outages at refuelling stations are not conducive to hydrogen vehicle deployment and industry growth. For the future of the hydrogen economy, the safety of refuelling stations, especially those used by consumers, is a priority requirement for projects in the near future.