ESA is proud to announce its support for another Young Engineer project by means of a financial contribution. Young Engineer Martin Wand will execute the project “Testing and Evaluation of Different Expanded Graphite Packings with Hydrogen” at the laboratory of DHBW at Mannheim University, starting early October 2025 for a 6-month period.
The aim of this project is to investigate the performance of various expanded graphite packing types in hydrogen valve service. The Young Engineer will test and compare leakage performance with hydrogen, and if available, also with helium, using data provided by the packing manufacturer.
This project is monitored by our ESA Technical Director Ralf Vogel for the ESA Packings Division. The project will be supervised academically by Prof. Thomas Klenk of DHBW Mannheim. Monthly reports on the work in progress will be provided to both the Institution and ESA (update required prior to the Packings Division monthly meeting) as needed.
All findings shall be documented openly unless otherwise agreed. If any data from packing manufacturers is subject to confidentiality, it will be treated as such by the Young Engineer and not disclosed in public documentation or presentations.
The results of the project will be presented via the Packings Division during ESA-related events or published with appropriate academic standards.
Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA