Highlights 2025 Hydrogen 34 – 35 “An automation concept that is perfectly matched to the electrolyzer is the key to its efficient, safe, and long-term operation.” Alexander Vargas, Head of Global KAM and ISM Process Industries, Festo Customized and ready to install Festo offers control cabinet solutions for a wide range of applications. They protect components against environmental influences and foreign bodies. Regardless of whether pneumatic, electric or electro-pneumatic components are used, the end result is a fully configured control cabinet. For applications in potentially explosive atmospheres, the control cabinets can be planned, assembled and certified in accordance with regional and international regulations, with components for functional safety (SIL) available on request. Individual valves vs. valve terminals A large number of pneumatically automated process valves are installed in an electrolyzer to ensure the various processes and functions are safe and reliable. The pilot valves, which are traditionally used in largescale plant designs, especially in the chemical industry, are mounted directly on the actuator, while the control signals are supplied by the PLC or remote I/O. When the pilot valves are mounted directly the actuators and are spread out across the electrolyzer, wiring time and effort are increased, and therefore explosion protection requirements and costs go up too. Since electrolyzers have a high density of pilot valves, using valve terminals is recommended. The compact design enables space-saving installation in the existing control cabinet, from which the valves in the field are then controlled. Another advantage is that the solenoid valves are installed outside the Ex zone or in Zone 2.
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