Actuation Lab secure £3m contract to develop leak-free hydrogen valves

From left, Abul Chowdhury (Actuation Lab) and Darren Thomas (Protium) in front of the Protium electrolyser at the Hydrogen Centre, University of South Wales, Baglan Energy Park.

‘Dragonfly Valve’ prototype

Low carbon hydrogen will be critical to the decarbonisation of the global energy supply. However, hydrogen has an extremely high leak propensity and a global warming potential 12 times greater than carbon dioxide if it escapes into the atmosphere The risks of ignition associated with hydrogen are significant, particularly in enclosed spaces. To support the decarbonisation with hydrogen, new technologies will be required to significantly reduce the risk of atmospheric valve leakage.

Actuation Lab is an R&D company applying the latest innovations in materials, manufacturing, and origami-inspired design to rethink industrial hardware. To tackle the valve leakage issue, Actuation Lab is developing the revolutionary ‘Dragonfly Valve’ which eliminates the traditional mechanical valve stem, without the need to embed an actuation system within the valve body, as with current axial-flow based stemless designs. As a result, the technology has a flow capacity close to that of an equivalently sized full-bore ball valve and its low-torque design can be coupled with traditional quarter-turn
actuators. The initial valve range will be 3/8 to 4 NPS up to pressure class 1500.

In recognition of its groundbreaking technology, Actuation Lab has been awarded a £3 million contract from the Department
for Energy Security and Zero’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio to support development and certification. They have partnered with the University of South Wales (USW) Hydrogen Research Centre to demonstrate their technology on a hydrogen flow loop in 2024.

Furthermore, Actuation Lab is pleased to receive support from Protium, the green hydrogen energy company. The Hydrogen Centre at USW is hosting Protium’s 100 kW electrolyser, providing the potential opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the ‘Dragonfly Valve’ once developed. By bringing together expertise from Protium, Actuation Lab, and the Hydrogen Centre at USW, this collaboration highlights the importance of reliable and safe valves in hydrogen systems, and it demonstrates a commitment to advancing the technology and infrastructure needed to scale green hydrogen production.

Stephen Peng, Project Manager at Protium, said: “We’re delighted to support Actuation Lab’s work in developing a safe and sustainable valve solution for the growing green hydrogen industry. Sited on USW’s site means that we’re ideally placed to provide design input, advise on specifications, and potentially trial the ‘Dragonfly Valve’ once successfully demonstrated at USW’s Hydrogen Centre.”

The ‘Dragonfly Valve’ is going through rigorous tests and certification processes planned to be completed by August 2024. Actuation Lab would be delighted to provide more specific information regarding their technology, collaborations, and career opportunities.

About the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio

The funding for the Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 competition, which supports this work, comes from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. This funding supports low-carbon technologies and systems, and aims to decrease the costs of decarbonisation, helping the UK to end its contribution to climate change.

Tel:         +44 (0) 1172441847
Email:     contact@actuationlab.com 
Website:  www.actuationlab.com 

Published: 9th August 2023