„A fast growing market of renewable energies, which are stored, transported and held at high pressures within vehicles, require capable and fast pressure testing units. To do just that, pressure testing units have to be able to execute tests quickly and at high pressures greater 1,000 bar”, explains Andreas Meyer, Business Development-Sales Director at KAMAT. “The used testing media is most commonly water”, says Meyer. KAMAT, as a specialist for high-pressure hydraulics, has now developed a designated unit for that market: A regulating control throttle allows that unit to steer the increase and decrease of pressure quick and precisely.
Pressure-testing cycles can take multiple weeks – high-pressure pump runs continuously
These pressure-testing units replicate an entire life cycle of a vessel, simulating more than 20,000 pressure cycles at the required testing pressure. Additionally, tests until failure are being carried out with pressures greater 2,000 bar (bursting pressure) to predict possible failure. Usually, these tests are carried out using water, sometimes with the addition of corrosion preventing additives. For every cycle, up to 100 liters must be pumped into the vessel and released again. Therefore, these tests can take weeks, during which the high-pressure pumps will be working continuously.
KAMAT plunger pumps can be scaled perfectly for the task
Due to the high demands, pressure transducer can reach their limits fairly quickly. Thus, especially because of their use of external powers like oil- and air-pressure, achieving only very low rates of efficiency. Using the modular system, KAMAT plunger pumps can be scaled exactly to the task they are needed for. Starting at very small vessels for the private transport sector holding only a few kilograms, up to big tanks used for the logistics of transporting big amounts of media like hydrogen, all of them must be tested equally well on their longevity and security. According concepts for pump technology for pumps and valves have long been used, produced and developed by KAMAT.
Newly developed control throttle minimizes overall cycling-time and optimizes energy consumption for pressure testing units
KAMAT has developed a control throttle designated for this very purpose. It allows for the pressure build up and release in the pressure-tank to be controlled precisely. Big emphasis was put in the precision of achieving the high testing pressures but also the trough pressures of the cycle. “Using our regulating choke, the overall cycling time is being minimized. And, the energy required to run the test is being optimized. Also, the pressure curves of the test can be modulated precisely. KAMAT has a huge offering of high-pressure units, valve technology including controls, and if needed, measuring technology, for this very sector”, adds Meyer.