Veke: a name that is indispensable in the world of pumps and compressors. In many industries, Geveke makes an important contribution to sometimes complex production processes. Rightly a forerunner in the market, with whom we would like to exchange ideas about the new promise for energy supply: hydrogen.
“Yes, hydrogen is completely ‘hot’”, says Robert Hessen, general manager of Geveke. “Or rather ‘cold’, because that is certainly what hydrogen in liquid form is: no less than – 252 degrees Celsius. That immediately presents you with one of the biggest challenges when it comes to pumping. Hydrogen molecules are also very light, which means you need large pumps with a high pumping capacity. Cryogenic centrifugal pumps, which are now used for pumping LNG, among other things, are very suitable for this. The electrolysis process for the production of hydrogen also has its challenges: ultrapure water and basic compounds are used for this. Special pumps are required for pumping these magnetically coupled pumps or bus motor pumps required, these are leak-free pumps with 0 percent contamination.”
Ammonia
“The question is whether storing and transporting pure hydrogen is the most efficient,” adds Renée Ippel, sales manager at Geveke. “The extremely low temperature and high pressure required for this place very high demands on the installations and storage facilities. But you can also transport hydrogen in the form of ammonia. The required cooling to -33 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 8 to 10 bar is a lot easier to achieve. After transport, the hydrogen is released at the final destination and used as fuel. This method is also very suitable for heavy applications such as shipping. There is still a world to be won there when it comes to sustainability: with a few exceptions, all ships still sail on heavy fuel oil. How great would it be if you could make the switch to hydrogen there, especially if it is sustainably generated green hydrogen!”
Research & Development
“We are currently still in the early stages when it comes to the application of hydrogen,” says Hessen. “We are therefore following all developments closely. For example, there are already test setups where households are heated using hydrogen. This offers interesting opportunities for us: hydrogen is an odorless gas and we are specialists in odorization, adding an odorant to a gas. And are you going to use hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles? Then you need special compressors needed to achieve the extremely high pressure of up to 900 bar. And we could go on like this for a while. I expect that it will only be a few years before we have more clarity about the workable and feasible techniques for the production and processing of hydrogen. Whichever way it goes, at Geveke we are ready for it!”
Energy transition
“In addition to hydrogen, other developments in the field of energy transition and renewables are also interesting for us,” Ippel continues. “For example, we are increasingly seeing biological raw materials from which, for example, biofuel is being made. Or take PET recycling where new PET bottles are manufactured from recycled raw materials. These changes in production processes also have consequences for the pumps and systems to be used.”
Solutions from Geveke
Can Geveke provide a solution to all these challenges? Hessen and Ippel are adamant: “Yes! Geveke already exists 150 years, since 1874. Willingness to change and an open mind are in our company's DNA. This allows us to assess the value of new developments and seize opportunities. So whatever hydrogen application or new sustainable production process presents itself: at Geveke we have the solution. On the exhibition floor at WoTS 2024 (stand 8D054 at Pump Plaza) we are happy to inform visitors extensively about the applications and possibilities. Our motto is: 'We keep industry running' and we can certainly supplement that with 'Running the industry of the future'", Hessen concludes.
Nederlands