Hydrogen – Hype, Hope, or something in between

21 helmikuun, 2024

A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since I last talked about hydrogen and its potential in the energy revolution.

The world has changed in the past couple of years, and instead of gradual steady development, we were forced to take leaps to adjust. This, in turn, has paved the way for hydrogen economy and solidified its necessity in terms of holistic sustainable development.

Engineering problems remain the same

The physics of hydrogen have remained the same throughout the years, which has been a good thing in terms of engineering, as it is easier to find workarounds for constants instead of variables such as politics and whatnot.

The first and foremost issue to tackle is the production of hydrogen by electrolysis which takes ridiculous amounts of electricity. A rule of thumb with current methods is 50 kWh per kilogram of hydrogen.

Astronomical numbers that keep on growing

To put this in perspective, the current annual production of hydrogen is roughly 90 million metric tons, which is almost entirely grey hydrogen made from natural gas by steam methane reforming.

If we converted this production to electrolysis, it would require 4 500 TWh of electricity, or roughly 18 % of the annual consumption of electricity worldwide. Big numbers grow even bigger if we account the need to replace fossil fuels in all relevant industries, not just the ones that currently use hydrogen. Rumor has it that 500 million tons per year would be in the ballpark.

Endless possibilities require thorough research

At least we at TT Gaskets are not afraid of big numbers. Instead, we regard them as big possibilities. Hydrogen seems to pop up in virtually every discussion we have with our clients and other stakeholders. And as always, sealing is usually the last thing that pops to mind when our clients develop and test new hydrogen applications. Naturally this is good news for us as otherwise our services wouldn’t be required.

Our current focus is in finding hope from all the hype surrounding hydrogen. We are heavily invested in co-operation with academia, research institutions, and engineering partners. We are not going big – instead, we are going do our homework and scale our solutions from the ground up. The devil is in the details, and we cannot aim high before we have laid down the groundwork.

Our niche is a constant

Although the numbers loom large, our niche within the sealing business won’t change. Our partners and competitors supply large volumes of standard gaskets for distributing and storing hydrogen, and our focus is on special solutions that we do best.

To provide a small teaser, the big three electrolyzers and fuel cells as well as P2X applications are currently of interest to us, but don’t hesitate to contact us on other matters. There’s also a major nomination coming soon regarding our expertise in the field, so stay tuned to hear more about Smarter Sealing for a Safer Tomorrow.

Räätälöidyt tiivisteet auttavat muuttamaan maailmaa

6 marraskuun, 2023

Voiko vetytaloudesta ja sen ympärille rakentuvasta ekosysteemistä muodostua tulevina vuosikymmeninä Suomen uusi Nokia? Seilaavatko laivat kohta merillä täysin itsenäisesti? Onko kaivostoiminta tulevaisuudessa päästötöntä? Nämä ja monet muut kysymykset mietityttävät minua ja meitä tiivisteläisiä. Miksi ja miten nuo asiat sitten liittyvät tiivisteisiin?

Viime vuonna Yhdysvalloissa rakennettiin valtava inflaation taltutuspaketti eli Inflation Reduction Act -lakipaketti, jonka avulla on tarkoitus suunnata seuraavan vuosikymmenen aikana 433 miljardia dollaria vihreän teknologian kehittämiseen, energiaturvallisuuteen ja ilmastonmuutoksen hillintään. Euroopan Unionissa vihreää siirtymää pyritään tukemaan miljardein Euroopan vihreän kehityksen ohjelmassa. Suuret investoinnit, tukiaiset, kehittyvä lainsäädäntö ja yhteinen huoli maailman tilasta Atlantin molemmin puolin tukevat energiavallankumousta.

Meillä TT Gasketsilla tämä näkyy monipuolisina vety-, ammoniakki- ja metaanihankkeina. Niissä teemme kehitystyötä yhdessä moottoriteollisuusasiakkaidemme ja eri maissa sijaitsevien tutkimuslaitosten kanssa. Kehitteillä olevat teknologiat etenevät ideoista ja kokeiluista kohti hiilineutraalia todellisuutta.

Tähän liittyen Suomikin on tehnyt hiilineutraalin strategian ja pyrkii hiilineutraaliksi vuoteen 2035 mennessä. Esimerkiksi sähköntuotantoon, ja vihreään sellaiseen, on löytymässä ratkaisuja. Itse asiassa tänä vuonna Suomi on ollut sähköntuotannossa paikoin omavarainen. Lisäksi on ollut hienoa nähdä, miten vaikkapa prosessiteollisuus on alkanut etenkin Euroopassa käyttää elintarviketeollisuuden jätevirtojen jätteitä ja tähteitä. Ne jalostetaan renderöintilaitoksilla raaka-aineiksi, mikä kiihdyttää kiertotaloutta.

Uudet, innovatiiviset toimintamallit kysyvät prosesseilta entistä enemmän, ja turvallisuuden takaamiseksi tarvitaan aiempaa kyvykkäämpiä tiivisteiden valmistusmenetelmiä sekä laadun todennus- ja testausvalmiuksia, laitteistoja ja kehittyvää osaamista. Näitä kyvykkyyksiä ja osaamista olemme rakentaneet jo vuosia, ja kehitys sekä merkittävät panostuksemme jatkuvat edelleen.

Suomi–Ruotsi-maaottelu yhteisen tavoitteen saavuttamiseksi

Myös erilaisia vihreän vedyn tuotantoratkaisuja on paraikaa nousemassa Suomeen. Samalla, kun Suomella ja Ruotsilla on suuria suunnitelmia tuottaa yhteensä 20 % Euroopan tulevista vetytarpeista, täytyy vedyn varastointiin sekä jakeluun löytää turvallisia ja älykkäitä ratkaisuja.

Meillä on kyky löytää sopivat ratkaisut – laajamittaiseen testaukseen ja verifiointiin perustuen ja yhdessä laajan osaamisverkostomme kanssa ­– mikä luo meille mielenkiintoista jalansijaa tässä markkinassa. Haluamme ehdottomasti olla mukana rakentamassa Suomi–Ruotsi-maaottelua yhteisen tavoitteen eli ilmastonmuutoksen hillinnän ympärillä.

Älytiivisteelle sovelluskohteita muun muassa meriteollisuudessa

Meriteollisuuteen liittyvät teknologiat ovat kehittyneet hurjia hyppäyksiä viime vuosina. Suomessa autonomisen merenkulun ympärille on kehittynyt mielenkiintoinen kansainvälinen yhteenliittymä One Sea, joka pyrkii standardoimaan toimintaympäristöä myös juridisesti kestävän ympäristön rakentamiseksi.

Alusten elektroniikka sekä kulkua, ympäristöä ja taloudellisuutta valvovat järjestelmät kehittyvät vauhdilla. Samalla niissä käytettyjen komponenttien täytyy tulla älykkäämmiksi ja kyetä kertomaan asioita. Näin voidaan esimerkiksi välttää tapaturmia ja ajoittaa kunnossapito oikein. Meriteollisuudessa on mielenkiintoisia sovelluskohteita myös TT Gasketsin kehittämälle ja patentoimalle ainutlaatuiselle älytiivisteelle. Se on tulevaisuudessa osa laajempia älykkäitä komponenttien verkostoja. Yhdessä komponentit ja niistä kerättävä tieto ovat osiensa summaa arvokkaampia.

Meriteollisuuden lisäksi muun muassa toiminta kaivoksissa on muuttumassa entistä autonomisemmaksi ja etäohjattavaksi. Koneet ovat yhä useammin sähkökäyttöisiä ja entistä vähäpäästöisempiä. Tämä kehitys sekä pienentää merkittävästi ympäristön kuormitusta että lisää työturvallisuutta.

Uudet tiivisteratkaisut mahdollistavat kehityksen

Jotta kaikki tämä on mahdollista, tiiviste- ja eristeratkaisut muuttuvat. Katsommepa mitä tahansa palvelemaamme toimialaa, tulevaisuuden teknologiat sekä lisääntyvä ja oikea-aikaisesti tuotettu tieto mahdollistavat merkittävät päästösäästöt, taloudelliset säästöt ja työturvallisuuden parantamisen.

Innovaatiot eivät synny useinkaan siiloissa tai yhdestä viisaasta päästä. Me TT Gasketsilla olemme erittäin kiitollisia, että saamme työskennellä monissa eri ekosysteemeissä ja luoda huomisen teollisuutta yhdessä asiakkaidemme kanssa. Kun jostain löytyy ongelma, löytyy siihen myös ratkaisu. Yhdessä – kuten jo 80 vuoden ajan.

Lisää yhtiömme ideointi- ja innovointityöstä ja kurkotuksista tulevaan yhdessä asiakkaidemme kanssa löydät nettisivuiltamme tai LinkedIn-tililtämme.

Oikein hyvää syksyä kaikille!

Aleksi

Aleksi Arpiainen on TT Gasketsin toimitusjohtaja kolmannessa polvessa. Hänen mukaansa perheyrityksen menestystä ruokkivat jatkuva kehittyminen ja innovatiivisuus. Blogissa Aleksi valottaa ajatuksiaan siitä, mihin tiivisteiden maailma on menossa.

Sustainability – Are forests still green gold?

12 tammikuun, 2021

Forests are the green gold of Finland. We have heard this mantra ad nauseam. And it’s hard to believe during declining demand of paper and as factories are being closed. But all hope is not yet lost.

Currently over 50 % waste

Wood as a material has a lot more to offer than just paper and cardboard. Traditional pulp & paper industry only uses cellulose as its raw material which comprises only 30–50 % of a tree. The rest of the materials are considered as waste. Actually, the main output of a pulp mill is carbon dioxide, not paper pulp. 

More ingredients than just cellulose

As we all remember from school, trees consist of cellulose (30–50 %), hemicellulose (20–35 %), lignin (20–30 %), resin and minerals. All these materials can (and hopefully will) be used to create sustainable substitutes for current alternatives. Even the carbon dioxide from the facilities can be used to make fuels as I mentioned in my earlier blog. 

Many possible uses

Cellulose as such is soon used to replace resource intensive cotton in the clothing industry. Hemicellulose can be used to replace plastic films in packages or used as an emulsifier (mixes water and oil together) in food and cosmetic industries. Lignin has uses in paints and glues and it can replace polymers in carbon fiber. Resin’s antibacterial properties interest medicine in this pandemic-ridden world. 

More than a material

So, wood has a lot more to offer than just lumber and paper. By investing in R&D, forests remain as the green gold of Finland. And they are more than just raw material for the industry. Forests have intrinsic value as such, preserve biodiversity and offer experiences for people. They are a second home to at least some of us. We at TT Gaskets consider it as one of our homes by offering Smarter Sealing for a Safer Future to the forest industry.

AI – There is nothing permanent except change

2 joulukuun, 2020

In my earlier blogs I have covered how technology could change the world we live in. Some technologies, such as P2X make our economy more sustainable. Some may lead to revolutionary changes in our living in the long run. One of these is Artificial Intelligence, that I talked about a long while ago.

Rapid AI development in short time

You have probably already heard the promises of AI, seen the Terminator movie saga and cringed at stumbling robots. Imitating human thinking and physiology isn’t easy, and we don’t have millions of years to develop our technology. Still the progress in the last 20 years has been rapid and is probably accelerating towards the future.

Machines replacing humans

As AI based applications develop, more human labor can be replaced by machines. Or actually will be, as companies search the best bang for their buck. Machines don’t need rest or salary as we humans do. This then raises the question that if the amount of work available declines over time, should all of us still find something to do as a living?

Work life in the future

The discussion of this topic often gets political, as it in practice requires policy making. But objectively speaking, it is about how we redistribute the work. Distributing the workload evenly and shortening the hours gets some to rise to their hind legs. Dealing with up to 75 % unemployment rate would also get things heated in the society. 

Some proposals include the use of basic income with a separate currency that devalues with every transaction to avoid over inflation. Allowing employees to invest in the machinery that replaces them could also be part of the solution. 

Solutions require open discussion

Finding a solution isn’t going to be easy, as it requires open discussion in all the levels of society. Open discussion seems to be hard to find these days as people are yelling to each other from their own standpoints in social media. And this type of culture has gradually moved to politics as well. 

As the world is changing at an accelerating rate, we need to find ways to negotiate and co-operate on a local and global scale to tackle the challenges we face. Rooting deeper into our positions and (blindly) nostalgizing the past don’t help when we are moving forward.  

As Heraclitus put it a couple millennia ago: “There is nothing permanent except change”, and that’s one of the principles we at TT Gaskets obey. If you want to know more about the change we are planning and implementing, you can meet us at virtual Alihankinta from December 8^th to 10^th. We are happy to open discussion about your needs. 

P2X – Can you create something from nothing?

2 marraskuun, 2020

You have probably heard the phrase “you can’t create something from nothing”. It’s a catchy phrase and holds truth in most cases. Critically thinking, you seldom are in a situation where you don’t have anything. At least on land you have air to breathe and that’s where the catch is. 

Things magically appearing out of thin air

Air is much more than just “air” and you can actually make things appear out of thin air, if you know what’s hidden in the nothingness. As scientists around the world are trying to find alternatives for fossil fuels, one promising solution is to create them from scratch. This hocus-pocus trick is called Power-to-X or concisely P2X¹.

Electricity and simple compounds into use

P2X means creating a usable end product (X) from power (P) and simple source materials. Preferably, the power should be created sustainably, e.g. via solar, wind or hydro power, as creating X with fossil fuels is not profitable from the perspective of mankind’s survival. The simple source materials include carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen (N₂) captured from the atmosphere (or straight from an emission source) and hydrogen (H₂) separated from water by electrolysis². 

”Traditional” made sustainably

The source materials are then processed to create f.e. methane (CH₄), methanol (CH₃OH), dimethyl ether (C₂H₆O) and ammonia (NH₃). These can be used as fuels as such or processed further into “traditional” fuels including gasoline, diesel and kerosine. They can also be used for chemical industry thus creating plastics, fertilizers etc. sustainably. 

Solving problems efficiently

P2X technology also solves the issue of renewable energy that jokers always point out. If there’s no wind or sunshine, energy can be used from the fuel created during overproduction. This would allow regulating power to the power grid without expensive batteries. A cost-effective method for storing excess energy would also make renewable energy more compelling. 

Power-to-X seems to be a gift that keeps on giving. It would allow transition from fossil fuel transportation to renewable painless, as current internal combustion engines can be run with the P2X fuels. To give a perspective how effective this technology is, the annual CO₂ emissions of the Finnish forest industry can be turned into fuels that cover the annual consumption of Finnish road traffic³.

Key technology for energy transition

No wonder that P2X is one of the key technologies in the transition towards sustainable economy. Of course, it requires a lot of electricity, but the price of renewable energy is constantly dropping. R&D is still in progress, but the results in small scale have been promising. Hopefully in a decade or so we have the first refineries creating sustainable fuels with P2X technology in large scale. And we at TT Gaskets would have the opportunity to provide these pioneer facilities Smarter Sealing for a Safer Future. 

Quantum Computing – Does it have anything to offer?

5 lokakuun, 2020

Quantum computing sounds like science fiction and has nothing to do with our daily lives. 70 years ago, when the first transistor computer experiments were done, I’m pretty sure that people had similar thoughts¹. “Everything can be calculated with pen and paper, why do we need computers to do the job?” After a while, the benefits of computers and IT-systems were noticed. Nowadays we would be helpless without an embedded system in our pockets.

Smaller isn’t always better

The same will probably happen to quantum computers during the next 70 years. As we are demanding more and more from the traditional binary computing, the physical limit of transistor size is getting closer². The past five decades or so, electronics have obeyed “Moore’s law”. It says that computers double in speed every two years, which has been correct at least for now³.

Photons or qubits to the rescue?

As transistors are getting smaller, electrons have trouble getting through the smallest components. We could replace the electrons with significantly faster photons⁴. But it doesn’t solve the issue limiting us from making “infinitely” fast computers. Photon chips would still use a binary system, which is limited to 0 and 1. 

With quantum computers using qubits instead of bits, the state can be in principle both 0 and 1 at the same time, in superposition⁵. Without getting deeper into the details, this allows fast computing. For example, Google made an experiment with their 53-qubit system. They solved a numeric problem in 200 seconds that would have taken 10 000 years from the fastest supercomputer⁶.

Enabling scientific breakthroughs

The result itself didn’t have much use, but it demonstrated the power of quantum computing. As a species, we are comfort-seeking and therefore we use brute force to solve the most complicated scientific issues. Faster computers would thus allow us all sorts of scientific discoveries. Ranging from vaccines, antibiotics, AI, weather and climate models to cosmological findings.

Enjoy the ride

It takes years before quantum computers are practical. And they’ll probably never be on our desktops due to technical issues such as cooling. But as we have enjoyed the progress of binary computing, we can enjoy the progress of quantum computing too. In the future we may not have to worry about global pandemics due to more efficient vaccine development. Or to carry an umbrella just in case because weather forecasts are 99,9 % correct.  

In the meantime, we could start to organize chaos due to the randomness of quantum behavior. Thanks to global co-operation we at TT Gaskets are becoming experts at organizing chaos and coping with difficult circumstances. Therefore, we are pioneers of quantum systems and still providing you Smarter Seals for a Safer Future⁷.

Sustainability – Has the pandemic taught us anything?

4 syyskuun, 2020

Among all this hassle with the pandemic, we have had time to think about what’s important and what could be done differently. Reduced need for commuting and working remotely has given us more free time ¹. Facilities and businesses around the world have been closed due to health reasons ². Radical decline in air traffic has caused the popular tourist attractions to be abandoned ³. And the list goes on.

Fragile economy and reduced emissions

Of course, this has not been a good thing for individuals who have lost their jobs (or lives/health for that matter) or for companies who have gone bankrupt. But in a larger scale, this has shown the fragility of our economy and that our actions can make a difference in a global scale. During the peak lockdown a couple of months ago, the daily global CO₂ emissions were reduced by 17 % ⁴. Although this change was not permanent, and the emissions are likely to grow back, it showed us how large an impact we have on our planet. 

Magical resources

And to go even further, this lockdown leads us to think how we can ensure resources for our local economy in the future, if our global suppliers are out of the equation. Before the lockdown we were nearly blind to the fact that stuff doesn’t just magically appear in our warehouses. Someone actually manufactures it, and it requires resources such as energy, raw materials and elbow grease. If these aren’t available, stuff can’t be done, no matter how many emails we send to them.

Closing the loop

One essential way to ensure resources for the future is to take care of materials we have available, not to consider them as junk after a while. Recycling is important of course, but things should be stepped up to create a circular economy model, where materials cycle in a closed loop as long as possible. Instead of our current linear model, where products are mostly landfilled after use, the products are either renewed or recycled to create new products.

Giving example

Doing a major change like this isn’t easy but taking small steps towards the goal of a more sustainable and stable future is beneficial. We at TT Gaskets are also concerned of the environment and are planning to start a sustainable development program that can be taken into action in other companies as well. The actions include for example investing in solar energy, enhancing material use and recycling as well as finding biobased alternatives for fossil materials. First steps towards a greener, smarter and safer future has already been taken, and we hope that you join us in this journey.

Sensors – Trouble or Peacemakers?

4 elokuun, 2020

You have probably come across with sensors at some point in life. At least if you are reading this, I’m pretty sure that you have, knowingly or not. Car owners, especially the ones that own a car manufactured in Southern Europe, probably know the trouble sensor issues can cause. Particularly, when you are in a hurry and your car won’t start.

Crank windows and a hammer

Whether we liked it or not, sensors are a fundamental part of modern technology ¹. And automobiles are not an exception to this ². Personally, I don’t remember the times when you could repair all cars with a hammer and a wrench, but some say that those were the days. Manually choking the carburetor and using crank windows as air conditioning had character. No sensors at sight to ruin the genuine automotive experience. 

But very few of us are actually willing to drive a car without functions that were considered luxury a few decades ago. The same goes with another devices. Who would want to have a smart phone that does not automatically switch between portrait and landscape view? Or use a paper map instead of GPS while driving?

Or elegant but simple technology?

Dozens of incomprehensibly small sensors make our lives easier on a daily basis. And the number of sensors in devices is certainly not decreasing as we are moving towards IoT environments ³. 

And even though the size of sensors may be difficult to perceive, the functioning of them is not that complex. They are simply components that sense physical phenomena and transmit the information forward ¹. If you know how to wash your hands, which is especially important nowadays, you know how sensor circuits function. If the water is too hot, the “sensors” in your hands tell us so and we adjust the temperature from the tap. 

So, remember to wash your hands thoroughly and think about sensors when the water temperature feels pleasant. We at TT Gaskets are also doing so to stay safe and provide Smarter Sealing for a Safer Future with sensors. 

Services – Problem or solution-based selling?

2 kesäkuun, 2020

My latest blog talked about how manufacturing companies are gradually transforming into service businesses. Let’s continue around this topic by concentrating on sales.

Transformation from a manufacturer to a service provider doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a change of heart throughout the company, a new way of thinking. Traditionally manufacturing businesses have sold products and services have been a separate branch of economy. Sales in these traditional companies have been product oriented.

Catalog prices or solution selling

But in order to sell products as services or to create a combination of both, the sales process requires more than just technical details and knowing catalog prices by heart. Instead of selling a product as such, you need to understand the needs of a customer and their business. Traditionally this is known as solution selling which has been around since the 1980s. 

In solution selling, the sales process is problem based instead of product based and the salesperson tries to provide a solution. This is usually a better sales strategy than just providing technical details and list prices. Depending on the customer needs of course. But selling solutions is not enough as so many are doing it, at least on their marketing materials.

Understanding business instead of problems 

Creating ad hoc solutions for certain issues the customer has is usually not productive, at least in the long run. Usually we know the problems we have, but we are not sure how to fix them. Knowing the business of the customer on the other hand creates fruitful possibilities for co-operation. Instead of asking “What keeps you up at night?” you should ask “How do you make money?” from your customer, figuratively speaking. 

Understanding the logic behind the business (or anything else, for that matter) allows you to create solutions that truly create value throughout the chain, instead of fixing issues here and there. And that’s what TTG Smart Lab is all about. We want to create ideas that are gradually formed into solutions. We also want to truly understand our customers to enable co-operation. 

The best solutions are created when an idea is shaped in different minds, gradually developed and agilely tested before bringing a solution to the market. That’s what solution selling should be and that’s what we at TT Gaskets want to be, bringing Smarter Sealing for a Safer Tomorrow.

Services – Why XaaS is a thing?

1 toukokuun, 2020

XaaS seems to be a hype term used by many instances and in different contexts. It has gradually moved from the original meaning of cloud computing services to a much wider use¹. Different branches of industry have begun to offer traditional commodities as a service. There must be a catch in offering services.

Mostly services, less products

If you check the annual reports and financial statements of large global companies that are considered as conventional equipment manufacturers, you notice a common trend.  A noticeable share of the revenue come from services, in some companies up to 50 %.  Some of these companies have already stated themselves as service providers instead of manufacturers. 

The first impressions to these statements were a bit suspicious, but over the years, attitudes have changed.  Now there probably isn’t a manufacturing company that doesn’t mention services in their websites. What makes service providing so attractive then?

Steady cash flow and less care of expenses

I think that the most important factor is the continuous cash flow that services offer. Most of the equipment manufacturers offer for example maintenance with a monthly or annual charge that acts as an insurance. If something unexpected happens, the company promises to offer maintenance without separate expenses to the customer. The same applies to scheduled maintenance and other fixed costs. 

This is at least in my opinion a win-win situation as the service provider gets a steady cash flow and the customer is carefree from any unexpected maintenance costs. Carefree use of products is probably a crucial factor for many and the companies offering services are trying to fill this need.

New services in progress

We at TT Gaskets are also considering service providing as a potential way to improve our business. Many of our current development projects are related to new services in one way or another. The use of novel technology and new business models open possibilities for our products that seem simple to untrained eyes.  

But there’s more to the life cycle of gaskets than expected. Gaskets as a service or GaaS may one day be realistic. At least that is our target for the future of Smarter Sealing. 

¹ https://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com/definition/XaaS-anything-as-a-service