Hydrogen innovation lab

On October 20, 2022, Pietro Fiorentini inaugurated its hydrogen test laboratory, a multifunctional facility where hydrogen can be produced by electrolysis and used, where blending of hydrogen and natural gas can be done, and the readiness of devices used along existing networks can be tested.

To handle hydrogen and natural gas blending, the hydrogen test laboratory has two separate lines that make an initial pressure jump so that almost identical mixing pressures and temperatures are achieved. Hydrogen blending is handled through a mixing station consisting of three mass flow controllers, two on the hydrogen line and one on the natural gas line: these are flow meters connected to a electrovalve with continuous regulation. Once the desired mixture is set, the control system precisely adjusts the opening of the valves to ensure the correct flow rates on the two branches of the circuit and keep the final mixture balanced. The laboratory is designed to be able to generate any mixture between the two gases, up to and including working exclusively with hydrogen.

Before mixtures with hydrogen can be injected into existing networks, it is necessary to be sure that the products used for pressure management and fiscal measurement are suitable for this purpose through a common path of study, experimentation, and observation to test materials and performance of the devices. The hydrogen test laboratory is able to evaluate the readiness of the instruments used along the network, that is, their ability to handle different mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas.

The purpose of Pietro Fiorentini’s hydrogen test laboratory is not only to be a simple testing area for the Group’s products, but also a catalyst for the creation of new technologies that can generate comparison and innovative solutions together with other entities and companies in the sector, creating a hub of excellence for Italy.