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The term “ASME Certified” gets thrown around a lot in the cryogenic and compressed gas industry. But what does that really mean and why is it important?

Did you know that over 99% of cryogenic relief valve failures are due to a build-up of particulates, dirt and debris? And that tank slag, Teflon tape, and dirt are the most common culprits? When these contaminants build up in valves, they prevent the valves from re-seating properly. At best, a blocked valve results in minor leakage requiring valve replacement. At worst, a fully blocked relief valve leads to overpressurization causing dangerous and life-threatening system failure.

If you’ve ever been in close proximity to a cryogenic cylinder when the safety relief valve pops open, you know it’s jarringly loud, almost like a shotgun blast. From a safety standpoint, the noise is high enough in decibels (over 100dB) to cause hearing damage if a worker is close enough to the valve. And from a plain nuisance perspective, it’s extremely startling and disruptive.

When it comes to hydrogen systems, high-quality stainless steel is the rule, not the exception. Resistant to rust, discoloration and warping, stainless steel performs exceptionally well under harsh conditions. Not only relied upon for hydrogen systems, stainless steel components are also critically important in high-purity applications like cannabis extraction and oxygen service, where high quality is a necessity, not an option.

As hydrogen continues to increase in popularity, a particular focus is finding valves and components that are tough enough to stand up to hydrogen. By affecting the electrochemical kinetics of certain metals, hydrogen can cause pitting and acceleration of the rate of inter-granular corrosion of high-strength steels, titanium alloys and aluminum alloys, which are the most vulnerable metals. Additionally, the interaction of hydrogen and stress can result in escalated stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility of steel, particularly in welded joints.

The extremely low temperatures that cryogenic systems operate under causes materials to become brittle and more susceptible to damage. Any foreign particles such as dirt, dust or even water vapor can damage the system by scratching or abrading components. That, in turn, leads to leaks that can release cryogenic fluids and cause life-threatening situations.